The Psychology of Dreams

Why we dream: an analysis of contemporary research and theory on the function of dreaming Krista L. Hulm Essay Topic Why do we dream? Discuss with reference to psychological theories and research. Abstract Within classical psychoanalytic psychology, Freud’s (1900) conception of dreams is the most prominent dream theory among modern Western culture (Fosshage, 1983). Freud theorised that dreams serve a dual, compromise function. He suggested that unconscious, instinctual drive energy pushes for discharge, moving toward the expression of a consciously unacceptable impulse. The reduction in conscious restraints characteristic of sleep allows a symbolic, disguised dream expression of the repressed wish. The overt (manifest) content of the dream represents a compromise between the instinctual forces (latent content) striving for expression, on one hand, and the repressive forces of consciousness on the other (Freud, 1900). Freud assumed that the energy pushing for action would awaken the sleeper if not for the dream which, through symbolic discharge, allows a return to sleep. Therefore the dream is seen as serving the biological function of preserving sleep, with the psychological function of discharging an unacceptable wish that might otherwise burst destructively into waking life (Dallet, 1973). Various aspects of Freud’s dream theory have undergone review from the point of view of contemporary dream research (Breger, 1967; Foulkes, 1964). It is generally agreed that with respect to dream function in particular, the sleep preservation view is invalid and the underlying model on which the wish-fulfilment theory rests requires extensive revision. A study on REM sleep deprivation and its effects on depression found that when dream sleep was experimentally repressed in depressed patients, they were found to be more outgoing, energetic, more likely to engage with others and generally less unhappy (Cartwright, 1993). This may be due to dreams of depressed people having the characteristic of being more self-blaming. These findings contradict with Freud’s theory: if dreams are a safe expression of infantile wishes, why does this function fail to help the depressed? Despite the many problems inherent in Freud’s theoretical formulation of dream function, his far-reaching work has provided a basis for many of the contemporary theories discussed below. Contemporary research on dreams using brain-imaging studies contradict the view that content emerges from random signals (Morewedge & Norton, 2009). The hippocampus, which is critical to the acquisition of some types of memories, and the amygdala, which is important for emotional memories, are both seen to be active during REM sleep in brain-imaging studies (Nielson & Strenstrom, 2005). This understanding of the physiological aspects of dreams supports the idea that one of the functions of sleep itself is to draw together recent experiences with one’s goals, problems and desires (Paller & Voss, 2004). Fossage’s (2007) organisational model of dreams stemmed from such understandings. The model proposes that the core process and function of dreaming is to organise data. More specifically, dream mentation, like waking mentation, develops, maintains, and restores psychological organisation and regulates affect in keeping with shifting motivational priorities. Research shows that babies spend 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep, adults 25% and older people 15% (Breger, 1977). From the idea that REM sleep quantitatively decreases throughout the lifespan, a number of theorists (Breger, 1967; Reiser, 1990) suggest that dreaming fosters structuralisation of the nervous system through the establishment of neural memory networks or maps and babies spend more time in REM in order to establish maps and corresponding categories of organisation. This suggestion supports the organisational model of dreaming. Furthermore, the organisational model of dreaming includes a revision of psychoanalytic theory to explain the content of dreams concluding, in short, that dreams more directly reveal – through affects metaphors and themes – the dreamer’s immediate concerns (Fosshage, 2007). References Bulkeley, K. (1993). Dreaming is play. Psychoanalytic Psychology 10(4), 501-514. Retrieved September 8, 2009, from PsychARTICLES database. Cartwright, R. (2000). How and why the brain makes dreams: A report card on current research on dreaming. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 23, pp. 914-916. Fosshage, J. L. (1983). The psychological function of dreams: A revised psychoanalytic perspective. Psychoanalysis and Contemporary Thought, 6, 641-669. Fosshage, J. L. (2007). The organizing functions of dreaming: Pivotal issues in understanding and working with dreams. International forum of psychoanalysis, 16, 4, 213-221. Retrieved 14 August 2009, from Academic Search Premier database. Freud, S. (1900). The interpretation of dreams. Revonsuo, A. (2000). The reinterpretation of dreams: An evolutionary hypothesis of the function of dreaming. Behavioural and Brain Sciences, 23, pp. 877-901.

Marvel Holdings

To determine Whether or not it will be difficult for Marvel or other companies in the MacAndrews and Forbes holding company to issued debt in the future, we should analyze two perspectives, one is historical and the other one is the future perspective. Historically, Marvel Holdings issued zero-coupon senior secured notes which were all secured by Marvel’s equity rather than its assets or operating cash flows. However, this was a very attractive offer since the stock price was trading above $25 per share which had a value of $1.9 billion, well above the face value of the bonds issued. The interest payments on these bonds would be made from revenues received through tax sharing agreements between Marvel and Marcel III Holdings; moreover, all issues were scheduled to mature in April 1998, which in other words, the company would have a huge cash outflow when the bonds came to maturity. After the issurance of debt, company’s revenue decrease due to the comic book and trading card business failure, which caused share price to fall significantly. Despite the problems of revenue fallen, Marvel acquired SkyBx and financed the acquisition with $190 million of additional debt in early 1995. S&P then downgraded the holding companies debts from B to B-. The fianancing structure and the revenue fallen problems lead to Marvel announced that it would violate specific bank loan covenants due to decreasing revenue and profits. Moody downgraded Marvel’s public debt after the announcement and caused the price of the zero-coupon bonds to fall drastically by more than 41%. Moreover, their two largest institutional holders desided to sell the bonds even at a price of $0.37 per dollar of face value. When the resturcture plan was announced, the stock price fell by more than 41% and the zero-coupon bonds fell by addition 50%, to $0.18. As shown on the Balance Sheet, there was a $625.8 millions of current portion of long-term debt in 1996 which was increased significantly compare to previous years. Moreover, the short-term borrowing has also appeared on liability in the year of 1996. Total long-term debt and total liabilities also increased drastically in 1995 and more significantly in 1996. From the Consolidated statement of operations, the cost of sales increased since 1995. Moreover, the amortization of goodwill increased which is due to the decrease in revenue of trading cards and comic books. Interest expense also increased due to significant increase in debt. All these caused a loss in income and earning per share becomes negative at the end of 1995. Based on all the above historical evidences, it will be really difficult due to the fact that the company has a debt-to-total capital ratio of 88% which is $805.4 million in total debt and $107.4 million in equity. With the downgrade of the public debts, it will make the financing situation even worse since the issueing notes or bonds will not raise as much financing as when the rating is good and will be more costly since the interest rate has to increase due to the increase in risk. In the future perspective, a restructure plan was mentioned by Perelman. However, Marvel was facing three options: 1. if marvel was going under chapter 7 liquidation, the debtholders would get around 70% of the original value and the holding company debtholders and equityholders would get nothing. 2. If Marvel did not aquire Toy Biz, the total enterprise value would between be no more than $660 which was not enough to settle the debt, and the equity would again be worthless. 3. If Marvel acquired Toy Biz, the company could transform into an integrated entertainment company which would operate theme restaurants, movie studio, entertainment software, and etc. Marvel believed with the growth of new media exposure, they would be able to have modest growth and pay secured and unsecured creditors in full. This plan had passed the feasibility test, which in other words, the company was not likely to be liquidized or reorganized. let’s assume Marvel implement the restrurture plan and make modest growth of profit. As they slowly payoff the debts, start earning profit and rebuild their reputation, It will become easier to raise debt. Moreover, if their performance is good, it might be even possible to increase their rating which will lower the cost due to the decrease in default risk.

Partnering Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Partnering - Research Proposal Example Complete Chapter 4 Research Findings Research Instrument Prepared, data collection is in the process Chapter 5 Analysis and Discussion In progress Chapter 6 Conclusion In progress Appendix Reference List for Literature Review A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, (2004) Third Edition, PMBOK Guide, Project Management Institute Bartels, R (1988). The History of Marketing Thought (3rd. edition Ed.). Columbus: Publishing Horizons. Baden Hellard, R. (1995),'Project Partnering: Principle and Practice, Thomas Telford, London. Bennett, J. and Jayes, S. (1995),'Trusting the Team: The Best Practice Guide to Partnering in Construction, Centre for Strategic Studies in Construction, University of Reading. Bennett, J. and Jayes, S. (1998),'The Seven Pillars of partnering, A guide to second generation partnering. Telford Bennett, J. (1991) International Construction Project Management. Butterworth. Bennett, J., Flanagan, R. and Norman, G. (1987) Capital and Countries Report: Japanese Construction Industry. Centre for Strategic Studies in Constructions Reading, UK. Bresnen, M. and Marshall, N. (2000) Partnering in construction: a critical review of issues, problems and dilemmas. Construction Management and Economics, 18, 229-237. Bresnen, M. and Marshall, N. (2000) Building partnerships: case studies of client-contractor collaboration in the UK construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 18, 819-832. Construction retrieved on 23 November 2009 from http://www.berr.gov.uk/whatwedo/sectors/construction/index.html Construction Industry Development Agency (1993) Partnering: A Strategy for Excellence. Construction Industry Development Agency and Master Builders of Australia. Construction Industry Institute (1991) In Search of Excellence.... Haksever, A.M., Kim, H.S. and Pickering, G. (1995) Collaborative long-term relationships in UK construction industry: A lost opportunity' Proceedings of the11th ARCOM Conference, University of York, York, UK. Pheng, L S (1999) The extension of construction partnering for relationship marketing, Marketing Intelligence & Planning Volume: 17 Issue: 3 Page: 155 - 162, ISSN: 0263-4503, DOI: 10.1108/02634509910271614, Publisher: MCB UP Ltd available at http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/02634509910271614

Case analysis Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Analysis - Case Study Example Using data gathered from Association of Convenience Stores, they tried to prove that the decision of a chain store to franchise is associated with the extent to which the stores are dispersed across different types of markets. Findings showed that chain stores are usually established in different environments and markets. This dispersion makes it difficult for the head office to monitor behavior of store personnel and to adapt to the needs of local customers. Evidences have showed dispersion increases delegation and provision of incentives to cope with the problem and that franchising is an easy way to expand into other markets. In contrast, a non-franchised store is operated in a decentralized system and provides more incentive pay. These findings are useful information to those who are thinking of expanding their operations. Take for example McDonalds, a known fast food chain whose franchisees complain of its too much controlling and passing on to them costs amid slow sales. Control is one of the problems in franchising as management does not see behaviors of its personnel. They only have to rely on second hand information. The growing discontent of franchisees apparently is due to strategies of McDonalds to spark sales that are slowing down due to competition. A classic example of problem of dispersion is the risk involved in choosing the correct personnel to manage chain. Ray Kroc, McDonalds owner took a great risk in getting a totally experienced man in managing a restaurant business. As a Biology teacher, Jerry practically knew nothing of the business. But probably, Krocs saw something in him that eventually, he gave three stores to him to manage for free, that of course, turned out to be profitable. These stores were already on the verge of losing. But when Jerry asked for more franchise store, he was already refused.(Miller, Kevin,2013).

The Four Service Marketing Myths Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Four Service Marketing Myths - Essay Example The essay "The Four Service Marketing Myths" talks about the line between services marketing and goods marketing and depicts that both need various types of marketing strategies to be applied to them. Early marketing concepts are discussed and what views were for separating goods from services. Services marketing have their own divisions. Authors have made a line between services marketing and goods marketing and depict that both need various types of marketing strategies to be applied to them. The bottom line is that services should not be kept apart from goods, the definition of goods and services are being revamped. The myths of manufacturing based perspective from the marketing based perspective are being discussed in the case considering the four characteristics; intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, and perishability. The focus is towards investing their normative implications from a negative perspective towards a positive one. A more unified knowledge of exchange can b e formed without separating goods from services and only focus on the central role in the exchange. The different definitions given by the various authors in defining the goods and services separately have been discussed in the case on the basis of their tangibility and intangibility features in most cases. The end result that these definitions can be misleading because both goods and services are nested into each other and they don’t come up to be valid when dealing with the manufacturing and the marketing perspective.

Closing the Border between the United States and Mexico Research Paper

Closing the Border between the United States and Mexico - Research Paper Example One of the major law and order problems, which take place at this border, is that of illegal immigration. This problem raised many issues, such as public hostility towards the immigrants and decrease in property values. According to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) data available, the US Border Patrol catches thousands of illegal immigrants every year. Furthermore, it is important to note that this number only indicates the immigrants who failed while trying to enter illegally (Huffman and Torok, 1986). Undoubtedly, a much larger number of people have attempted it altogether, counting the failed attempts as well as the successful attempts. These illegal aliens are the cause of several economic and social problems in the US. One major problem is traceable to the reason why the Mexicans choose to immigrate to the US. Some of them do so in hopes of better job prospects and better living conditions. The ones, who choose to do so illegally, do so due to shortage of time or patience that is required for a legal immigration. Either way, they arrive in the US to face a lot of competition in the job market, as here the supply for their labor exceeds demand. Still, they manage to acquire jobs meant for low-skilled, manual workers. This creates resentment for the US citizens who are also only qualified for such jobs. They also resent these immigrants due to cultural and ethnic differences. All these factors combine to form a rather negative opinion about immigrants from Mexico. The fact that a large proportion are illegal immigrants, and thus not justified to be living in the US to begin with, further fuels the hostility, thus leading to violence and hate crimes (Espenshade, 1995). This is a major reason why the US government should consider closing down the US-Mexico border. Another problem, which arises due to this illegal migration, is the decrease in property value. The

Salary Disparity in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Salary Disparity in USA - Essay Example It is widely known that in the labor force of the United States, women are compensated less than men. According to the report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 1997, full-time working white women had weekly salaries equal to roughly 75% of white men’s weekly salaries (Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000). The gender disparity in salary has shrunk slightly during the recent decades. In spite of this trend of lower salaries among women, investigations of salary satisfaction have discovered that women are not less discontented with their salary than men. In line with this report, when salary grade has been regulated, women have disclosed greater salary satisfaction than men (Figart, 2000). Because it is believed that salary satisfaction rests on whether salary received is equivalent to salary expected, it means that if women have lesser salary expectations, women are contented with lesser salary. Major and Konar (1984 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000) studied probable roots of gender disparities in salary expectations undergraduate and graduate students. Similar to previous empirical findings, women had lower salary expectations. The suggested explanations for these disparities in salary expectations were that females might be different from men in job value, comparison criteria, job inputs, and career directions. In relation to career direction, women and men may choose dissimilar areas of interest in school and may pursue dissimilar industrial areas and jobs (Gasser, Oliver, & Tan, 1998). Milkovich and Newman (1996 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000) claim that men are more probable to pursue high-paying jobs and industries. Job inputs as a predictor of pay equity have been taken into account mostly from the point of view of equity theory. Although equity theory premises put emphasis on comparing a proportion of a person’s inputs and outputs to a related other, Jacques (1961 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000) claims that workers may develop salary expectations founded on job features only, and discount what other workers are performing. The empirical reports are varied. Hills (1980 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000) located no substantiation for the notion that people draw upon an internal, self-assessment to identify salary equity. Nevertheless, Berkowitz and colleagues (1987 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000) discovered that the satisfaction of respondents with their salaries was linked to what they believed they are ought to receive, irrespective of what other workers were paid. Major and Konar (1984 as cited in Keaveny & Inderrieden, 2000), in line with this argument, propos e that gender disparities in job inputs may clarify portion of the gender disparities in salary expectations. Females may have lesser job inputs and hence feel they really ought to be paid less. Adam Smith, more than two centuries ago, proposed that employees take into consideration the entirety of the disadvantages and advantages of various occupations in making choices about employment, and that a person is pulled towards those prospects that offer the highest total benefit (Gibelman, 2003). Smith stated that employers regulate salaries to correct the weaknesses and drawbacks of particular forms of employment. If an occupation is dangerous, for instance, higher salary is needed to attain a specific salary satisfaction level than when an occupation is

Historical Example of Labor Supply and Demand Essay

Historical Example of Labor Supply and Demand - Essay Example Following this depression, demand for labor in the United States declined, and employers retrenched workers in order to remain operational. As a result, employment in the United States hit 25% while other countries around the world recorded unemployment of up to 33% (Cravens, 2009). Moreover, the persistent decline in labor demand led to an increased level of labor supply, with few employment opportunities available in the labor market. The labor market trends experienced during the Great Depression were explained by the economic performance of the United States and that of the world in general. Stock market failures around the world meant that consumption and investment were adversely affected. Business operations deteriorated and the need to hire labor declined significantly. On the same note, the profit motive exhibited by firms had to have a negative effect on labor demand and supply in the light of the

Legal status of foreign citizens, stateless persons and legal entities Assignment

Legal status of foreign citizens, stateless persons and legal entities in the field of property relations in Uzbekistan - Assignment Example Finally, thÐ µ papÐ µr will discuss thÐ µ concÐ µrns and problÐ µms thÐ µ forÐ µign invÐ µstors havÐ µ to dÐ µal with. UzbÐ µkistan and othÐ µr CÐ µntral Asian countriÐ µs sÐ µÃ µm to bÐ µ forgottÐ µn by most ЕuropÐ µan forÐ µign invÐ µstors whÐ µn looking for a placÐ µ to invÐ µst thÐ µir capital. This is truÐ µ Ð µvÐ µn though thÐ µ CÐ µntral Asian rÐ µpublics arÐ µ stratÐ µgically locatÐ µd and land-lockÐ µd bÐ µtwÐ µÃ µn ЕuropÐ µ and Asia. ThÐ µ quÐ µstion arisÐ µs if it is so bÐ µcausÐ µ thosÐ µ tÐ µrritoriÐ µs arÐ µ gÐ µographically quitÐ µ far from ЕuropÐ µ, bÐ µcausÐ µ of a fÐ µar that CÐ µntral Asia doÐ µs not offÐ µr a sÐ µcurÐ µ Ð µnvironmÐ µnt for forÐ µign invÐ µstmÐ µnts or simply bÐ µcausÐ µ of not having Ð µnough information about thosÐ µ countriÐ µs, thÐ µir invÐ µstmÐ µnt lÐ µgislation and thÐ µir actual capability of Ð µnforcing such lÐ µgislation. ThÐ µ purposÐ µ of the current papÐ µr is to providÐ µ introductory information about thÐ µ invÐ µstmÐ µnt lÐ µgislation of UzbÐ µkistan, its implÐ µmÐ µntation in practicÐ µ and to point out spÐ µcific problÐ µms thÐ µ forÐ µign invÐ µstors havÐ µ to dÐ µal with oncÐ µ placing thÐ µir invÐ µstmÐ µnt in this country. ThÐ µ paper will introducÐ µ somÐ µ basic facts concÐ µrning thÐ µ transfÐ µr of intÐ µrnational capital and thÐ µ main mÐ µans of intÐ µrnational invÐ µstmÐ µnt protÐ µction in addition to discussing thÐ µ currÐ µnt invÐ µstmÐ µnt lÐ µgislation and thÐ µ problÐ µms connÐ µctÐ µd with its application in practicÐ µ. ThÐ µ transfÐ µr of cross-bordÐ µr invÐ µstmÐ µnts has bÐ µcomÐ µ a daily rÐ µality of today’s morÐ µ and morÐ µ globalizÐ µd world. In ordÐ µr to promotÐ µ intÐ µrnational invÐ µstmÐ µnt Ð µxchangÐ µ, thÐ µ statÐ µs insist on mutual facilitation of transfÐ µr of intÐ µrnational capital and arÐ µ trying to takÐ µ all advantagÐ µs connÐ µctÐ µd with thÐ µ inflow of forÐ µign invÐ µstmÐ µnts. For dÐ µvÐ µloping countriÐ µs, thÐ µ placÐ µmÐ µnt of forÐ µign invÐ µstmÐ µnt in thÐ µir tÐ µrritoriÐ µs doÐ µs not mÐ µan only acquiring financial capital, but also

Claire Fahys’s ‘Over There’ Essay Example for Free

Claire Fahys’s ‘Over There’ Essay Fahys’s work ‘over there’ is part of her depiction for the new metropolis, a series of work portraying the overcrowded, polluted urban life. The work is representational of urbanization and the dehumanized materialism of the modern society. The composition is a striking combination of bold color strokes against a black and white backdrop. Bright red, orange and streaks of highlighter green are combined with black, white and shades of grey to achieve a distinguished tonality of color for the frame. A three dimensional perception is created with the contour lines of the buildings vanishing in perspective. The artist has used mixed media to create a unique effect on cardboard. The artwork conveys a very gloomy image and represents chaos and destruction in the very composition or depiction. The buildings are distorted at unruly angles and the general composition is deliberately disorderly conveying the intended message to the viewer. The main content is the confusion and the chaos surrounding the urban landscape. The work portrays a concrete jungle in contortion posing an analogy to the mechanical unearthly life pattern of the urban society. The subject matter is urbanism; gigantic cities, towering skyscrapers and expansion of human population. Cities and vertical expansions were once considered to create a communal environment however â€Å"these giant cities that aim at developing human relationships do have a dehumanized aspect. In the transition from the old real world to the new virtual world, human beings will make the scaring experience of their smallness relative to the mass† (‘Claire Fahys and the new Metropolis’, n . d) . Art here is used as a convincing medium of communication to convey a message, on the fearful aspect of dehumanization, to the community. Iman Maleki’s ‘Memory of that house’ Image from http://imanmaleki. com/en/Galery/wish. htm Iman Maleki is a contemporary realist artist. The image chosen here does not fit into the conventional sense of art, as it looks more like a photograph than a work of traditional art. The image is a three dimensional work of art with depth, perspective and an interesting play of light and shade. The medium used is oil on canvas. The various objects and forms are combined creatively rendering a well balanced organized outlook to the composition. The texture is soft and natural. The reflection of light on the wall is captured well. The openness of the house and its relationship to the various elements of nature represented in the work is conveyed clearly through an objective rendering of the sky, the greenery and the building itself. The woman portrayed is seemingly well absorbed in world of her own. The frame rekindles memories of a house with the many remembrances associated with it. The work has the effect of transporting the viewer to another plane of imagination, to another space altogether; a space that comes refreshingly alive in memory. The rendering of the brick, cement mortar, the weather marks on the brick and cement mortar, the woman in her traditional clothing, the exposed part of her skin and every other element is captured to the finest detail. The image is objective and is representational of the house that is depicted in the framework. The main subject matter is the house itself detailed brick by brick and fond memories of that house conveyed visually. The colors used are soft, subtle and natural. References Claire Fahys and the new Metropolis, n . d. www. thefrenchartstudio. com. 26 July 2009

Multipath Fading Channels And Transmitted Signals Computer Science Essay

Multipath Fading Channels And Transmitted Signals Computer Science Essay Multipath fading is a phenomenon of fading of transmitted signals due to refraction, reflection and diffraction from objects or obstacles present in the line or way of transmission. In this article, we have be realized an example of multipath fading channels such as in case of Rayleigh fading channels using MATLAB and would be analysing the variations incurred after varying system parameters such as samples per second and Doppler shift of the respective blocks of the Rayleigh fading system. Also, here screen shots of the respective variations have been provided for clear understanding of induced variations. 1. Introduction As mentioned earlier as well, multipath fading is the occurrence of fading of transmitted signals by refraction, reflection and diffraction due to obstacles present in the line or path of transmission and channels affected due to this type of fading are called multipath fading channels. Rayleigh fading is nothing but the statistical model that communication engineers use to study the characteristics propagation of radio signals, in case of wireless propagation channels. In general, Rayleigh fading model is used for studying ionospheric and tropospheric signals propagation and such that the signals are transmitted in a widespread manner i.e. they are transmitted in form of concentric rings throughout the atmosphere. Thus, these are not used to study the fading that occurs in line of sight propagation (for that Rician is preferred over it). The Rayleigh fading channel can be used to study fading characteristics such as in cases of densely populated cities with a large number of skyscrapers (such as Central London and NYC). The central limit theorem limits this concept such that the amount of scatter can be considered as a function of irrespective of individual function of Gaussian distribution. The impulse response can be modelled a random function varying from 0 to 2pie [1]. The probability distribution function R(of Rayleigh fading) can be given as; Where, ÃŽÂ © =  E(R2). [1] As mentioned in abstract that we would be varying the Doppler shift in case of Rayleigh fading and will be explaining the observed variations in the generated output, its better to have an understanding of what Doppler shift actually means as well for better understanding of concepts. Doppler effect (or Doppler shift) can be described as the increase or decrease in Doppler frequency in case of a moving object (for e.g. the Doppler frequency increases when the object is moving towards the stationary or moving object and vice versa for moving away from the desired moving or stationary object). The mathematical expression for Doppler frequency can be given as; f = left( frac{v + v_r}{v + v_{s}} right) f_0 , Where Vr is the velocity of receiver relative to the medium and Vs is the velocity of source relative to the medium and V is the velocity of waves in the medium [2]. Also, Doppler power spectral density which is also an important parameter of Rayleigh fading is the measure of spectral broadening caused in the waveform characteristics of the transmitted signal (such that the received signals appears to be faded and broadened as compared to the actual signal sent). The mathematical expression for Doppler power spectral density can be shown as [3]; S(nu) = frac{1}{pi f_d sqrt{1 left(frac{nu}{f_d}right)^2}} Realization of Rayleigh fading using MATLAB A sample program of Rayleigh fading can be accessed in MATLAB 2010a by typing the command doc_qpsk_rayleigh_derotated in the command window. The MATLAB operator gives us a block diagram of the Rayleigh fading. It consists of a Bernoulli binary sequence generator, two QPSKs, one error rate calculator, one Rayleigh fading block (where adjustments regarding Doppler shift can be made), one phase removal of path gain block and in the end an AWGN block for simulation of faded signal (4). The screenshot of block diagram for Rayleigh fading had been shown below; Figure 1. MATLAB screenshot of the block diagram for simulating the Rayleigh fading 2.1 Simulation with basic values of Doppler shift and sample rate The simulation results into three possible outputs. These are transmitter output, Rayleigh channel output with no phase component and Rayleigh noisy channel output with no phase component. These outputs for sample simulation with bit sample rate/sec of 100logbase2 (M) and maximum Doppler shift of 1000 hertz is shown below. The screenshots of respective output of QPSK modulator output, Rayleigh channel output and noisy Rayleigh channel output has been shown below; Figure 2.screenshot of MATLAB simulated QPSK modulator output for Rayleigh fading Figure 3.screenshot of Rayleigh channel output for Rayleigh fading (simulated using MATLAB) Figure 4.screenshot of the noisy Rayleigh channel output for Rayleigh fading (simulated using MATLAB) 2.2. Simulation with changed values of Doppler shift and sample rate In the second simulation i have changed the values in Doppler shift and sample rate per second. The Doppler shift can be changed by changing masking parameters in the Rayleigh fading channel. Here, in this simulation I have kept the Doppler shift to 10000Hz while in previous case it was 1000Hz. Also, in Bernoulli bit sequence generator the value of samples per second had been changed to 1000logbase2 (M). The observed variations have been shown below. Figure 5. QPSK modulator output of the Rayleigh fading (simulated using MATLAB) Figure 6. Rayleigh channel output for the Rayleigh fading (simulated using MATLAB). Figure 7. Noisy Rayleigh channel output for Rayleigh fading (simulation using MATLAB) 2.3. Explanation of the observed variations It can be seen that in first case the outputs (amplitude) of QPSK modulator lies in the range of -1 to 0 and 0 to +1 while it varies from -2 to 0 and 0 to +2 which obviously should be observable as the samples per second gets increased from 1000 to 10000 samples per second. However, as the Doppler shift is increased the fading becomes more visible in case of the Rayleigh fading and noisy Rayleigh fading channels. The explanation can be given using Jakes model which relates the Doppler shift and Rayleigh fading. Jakes model relates the Rayleigh fading for kth wave to Doppler shift in following manner; R(t,k) = 2sqrt{2}left[sum_{n=1}^{M}left(cos{beta_n} + jsin{beta_n}right)cos{left(2 pi f_n t + theta_{n,k}right)} + frac{1}{sqrt{2}}left(cos{alpha} + jsin{alpha}right)cos{2 pi f_d t}right] Also, fn=fd(cosa) [5] Hence, it can be said that the amount of Rayleigh fading is directly proportional to the cosine of Doppler shift experienced by the transmitted wave. Also, worth mentioning over here is that is cosine decreases from 0 to increasing values of angle. It can be also seen that from expression mentioned above for power spectral density for Doppler shift that if the Doppler shift is increased the corresponding power spectral density is also increased. Thus, the results shown in the screenshots are explained and justified and it can be said that with the increase of Doppler shift the transmitted waves the Rayleigh fading is increased and so is the power spectral density related to it. Conclusion Rayleigh fading is an important phenomenon used to explain multipath fading in case of the dense populated areas. Rayleigh fading affects a transmitted signal by making broadened and faded in nature and it also does effects its power spectral density in a big way. Also, with increase in Doppler shift the Rayleigh is increased as well. In this setup, channel distortion parameters such as gain and phase are defined as a complex number consisting of real and imaginary parts. Thus, Rayleigh fading can be said to be composed of two paths (real and imaginary) and can be considered as independent paths which can be added in order to get net magnitude of Rayleigh fading occurred in the transmission [6]. To counter the effects of Rayleigh fading a number of techniques were used in the past but the most common one used these days is using a White Gaussian simulator for maintaining bearable effects of Rayleigh fading. This had been shown in the block diagram shown above. References Proakis John. G (1995).  Digital Communications  (3rd Ed.). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Book Co. pp.  767-768.  ISBN  0-07-113814-5 Rosen, Joe; Gothard, Quinn Lisa (2009). Encyclopedia of Physical Science. Infobase Publishing. p. 155. ISBN 0-816-07011-3., available on page 155 Clarke.H.R. (July-August 1968). A Statistical Theory of Mobile Radio Reception. Bell Systems Technical Journal, page number 957-1000 Arsal. A, Ozen. S(2008), A Rayleigh fading  ¬Ã‚ lter design for multipath Rayleigh fading simulation and comparisons to other simulators Jakes. C. Williams, Editor (February 1, 1975). Microwave Mobile Communications. New York: John Wiley Sons Inc. ISBN 0-471-43720-4. Proakis John. G (1995).  Digital Communications  (3rd Ed.). Singapore: McGraw-Hill Book Co. pp.  767-768.  ISBN  0-07-113814-5 Spread Spectrum Models Abstract Spread spectrum is a statistical modulation technique that is been used for increasing the available channel bandwidth. In this article we have focussed on the one the spread spectrum models i.e. two users real spreading with BPSK modulation using MATLAB. Also, a brief study of variations and the explanation of such observations are made in this article. Here, Ill be varying the SNR value of the AWGN block in the given block diagram for the spread spectrum model and would be observing and explaining the variations occurred. 1. Introduction Spread spectrum modulation is a type of modulation in which we intentionally increase the available bandwidth in frequency domain i.e. we stretch the available bandwidth. This leads to a broadened or widened signal for with increased bandwidth. This is generally done to increase bandwidth for signals that require more bandwidth for transmission (it has an effect similar to aliasing but the difference we take anti-aliasing measures against the later). The system models that use such spread spectrum techniques are called spread spectrum models. Two user model for real spreading with BPSK modulation basically utilizes two different orthogonal codes for spreading of the codes. The process of spreading is independent in nature i.e. a different pn sequence for each of the two users. This model uses the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing access technology (OFDM) for communication between the two users simultaneously. In this scheme, there are a large number of orthogonal sub carriers separated by a very small distance. The data is then divided into small but same sized chunks and then are loaded (modulated) on these orthogonal sub carriers through multiple paths [1]. The subcarriers then can use any of the conventional technologies for modulating these data packets (such as QAM or PSK) for transmission over the channel. Also, the symbol rates for individual data packets are maintained such that those comparable to its conventional counterparts. However, OFDM is more popular with wireless systems. 2.1. Realization of spread spectrum model using MATLAB Two user orthogonal real fading with BPSK can be realized in MATALAB by typing commspreading_orthobpsk2u in the MATLAB command video. The result shown on the MATLAB simulation window is a block diagram of two user real spreading with BPSK. The screenshot of this has been shown below; Figure 1- Two-user orthogonal real spreading with BPSK modulation (simulated in MATLAB) As shown in the block diagram here the system setup can be broadly classified into three sections. These are transmitter section, the channel and then receiver section. Receiver section is further extended into one more section known as error calculation section. Let us have a brief look into each of the sections mentioned above. 2.1.1 Transmitter section The transmitter section is responsible for transmitting signals to receiver section via channel section of the system setup. Transmitter section is basically made up 5 major components, these are Random integer (signal generator), real BPSK modulator, Hadamard code generator, normalized gain and spreader blocks. Random integer block is used for the generation of signals that could be used for sending over the channel. These signals are then BPSK modulated where it is also mixed with the actual user signals and sent to spreader section. The sequence generated is of 64 bits length. Then on the lower side of the transmitter contains Hadamard code generator which generates unique Hadamard codes for the signals encryption and security to protect it from hacking and noise addition over the channel. The gain of the Hadamard code is then normalized and mixed with the BPSK modulated signal in the spreader section. The spreader is responsible for the deliberate spreading of signals in the frequency domain to increase the bandwidth of transmitted signal. 2.1.2. Channel section Channel section here refers to actual channel or medium through which transmission is done. But here its not wireless as it is an experimental setup. This section here contains AWGN correction blocks. These are responsible for deciding SNR values for the transmitted signals as to gain knowledge about the actual signal transmission through wireless medium. Here, a person can set values of SNR such that to determine the low and high noise environment and the results of these variations of the error rate at receiver section. 2.1.3. Receiver section The receiver section is responsible for the reception, decryption, de-spreading and calculation of error rate in the received signals after travelling through the physical medium. The process carried out here is just opposite as of transmitter section of the setup. The received signal is first sent to de-spreader for removing the spreading done in transmitter section. The integrator and dump section is used to detect or separate out RZ and NRZ parts of bit sequence [3]. Then the sequence is sent to demodulating BPSK section and then to error rate determination section for error rate estimation. 2.2. Effects of Variations in SNR on the Error rate The effects of variations of SNR on the error rate have been summarized below. The table below shows the variations in values of SNR and the corresponding changes in error rate i.e. eRx/Rx (number of erroneous bits transferred /total bits received [2]) with de-spreading. Also, worth mentioning here is that the time period for which the simulation is carried by the system is set to 0.125 seconds in this sample spread spectrum modulation. The table is as under; Figure 2. Table above depicts the effect of variation of SNR on the error rate of the system setup explained above (all values are realized in MATLAB and written down in the table) The table above shows that with increasing values of signal to noise ratio the value of bit error rate is reduced. But it is different in first two readings for receiver1 and receiver2 while it ends out to be zero for SNR value 100 dB for all of the values simulated in a time defined range of 0.125 seconds. This pretty understandable that the dispreading used is here is of ideal nature thus the value of erroneous bits goes down as value of SNR increases. The difference in the error rates between the first two readings of receiver1 and receiver2 is pretty understandable as the two different signals have different error rates when they are transmitted through two different Hadamard codes (i.e. initial seed for first receiver was set to 37 and for second it was set 631). 3. Conclusion Two user orthogonal real fading with BPSK modulation is used as an experimental to study the characteristics of spread spectrum. The OFDMA as we know splits the large data into small equally sized fragments and transmits it through multiple paths thus is also affected by multipath fading. This particularly affects wireless channels even makes is even more difficult to maintain SNR and low error rates. To counter the effects AWGN simulator is used such that the effects of multipath fading are neutralized. The observations made with this system setup prove that value of SNR affects the error rate percentage in the transmission. As the value of SNR is increased the value of error rate goes down and vice versa for a lower value of SNR. References 1. Robertson. P; Kaiser .S; The effects of Doppler spreads in OFDM(A) mobile radio systems, Vehicular Technology Conference, 1999. VTC 1999 Fall. IEEE VTS 2. Shah .Gaurav ; Molina. Andres ; Blaze. Matt (2006); Keyboards and Covert Channels 3. Sadr, R.; Hurd, W. J.; The Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Report, page 158-173 (ISBN N88-12679 04-32) 4. Aurthur. Ross (1997); CA Patent 2228131; data available on http://www.mathworks.com/products/commblockset/demos.html?file=/products/demos/shipping/commblks/commspreading_m.html#1 5. MATLAB code available at http://www.mathworks.com/products/commblockset/demos.html?file=/products/demos/shipping/commblks/commspreading_m.html#1 IEEE 802.11 WLAN Abstract IEEE 802.11 is the standard adopted by IEEE for design of wireless network systems. Here, in this article a sample simulation of 802.11 standard is done using MATLAB and Simulink. Also, a brief description of operation and functional characteristics of blocks (i.e. components) used for attaining and maintaining wireless networks have been made. Also, certain parameters of WLAN system setup are varied to make a brief study of changes that incur in the system due to these variations. 1. Introduction Secure, dependable and fast wireless systems have become a need of current growing world that touches everyone ranging from individuals to large organizations. Wireless networks are needed for small private area networks such as Bluetooth and Ad Hoc and large networks for wider network coverage such as 3G and 4G networks are currently being employed for providing internet and communication services to people with mobility. The WLAN 802.11 standard is used for wireless communication networks in 2.4, 3.6 and 5 GHz frequency bands [1]. There is a complete family of 802.11 which uses a number of over the air modulation techniques for transmission and reception of signals. There a number of versions launched by IEEE under the name of 802.11, this includes 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g and 802.11n. The most frequently employed among these are 802.11b and 802.11g. The data to be transmitted is first broken in small and equally sized packets and then modulated and transmitted on multiple channels (through different paths) to the destination. Thus, it uses OFDMA access for setting up communication. 802.11 standard has a complete frame stack for secure and dependable communication. These include certain frames for controlling and maintaining the wireless connection among wirelessly connected hosts. These are Protocol version, Type, Sub type, ToDS and FromDS, More fragment, Retry, Power management, More data and WEP [2]. All these play important part in setting, maintaining, controlling and releasing the wireless connection among a number of wirelessly connected hosts on 802.11 system. Below is shown a sample example of how 802.11 WLAN standard system looks like. Figure 1. The Linksys WRT54G contains an 802.11b/g radio with two antennas [3]. 2.1. Realization of IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard in MATLAB A sample MATLAB program for IEEE 802.11 WLAN can be realized in MATLAB by typing the same in help command box of the MATLAB. The output shows an experimental setup containing block diagram of the IEEE 802.11 WLAN system. This has been shown below. Figure 2- The screenshot above shows the block diagram of the sample IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard simulated in MATLAB The block diagram broadly contains variable-rate data source, BPSK modulator and demodulator, OFDM symbol generation block and disassemble OFDM frame block, multipath channel and a packet error calculation block. Also, the signal visualization block for opening the signal characteristics of such setup. These signals characteristics are shown below. Figure 3-The signals transmission and receiver characteristics of the 802.11 system setup using sample settings (simulated in MATLAB) 2.2. Operations and working of the Block diagram The signal characteristics can be visualized in the above screenshot. The transmitted data consists of a binary stream of data send with OFDMA modulation. In this model shown above the variable rate data source is used to generate a binary string of variable data rates which could be considered as similar to the real life scenario as data rates vary with time and need of the users. This binary string is then BPSK modulated using BPSK modulator which is the case with OFDMA as it uses any other general modulation technique for the modulation of signals and then OFDMA codes are added to it. The signals are now undergo a number of alterations before reaching the multipath channels. These include adding a cyclic code to the signals and going through IFFT which is inverse fast Fourier transform to the signal. The signals are then sent through multiple paths which is the case with the OFDMA. This completes transmitter section. After all these processes the signal enters the receiver section of the WLAN. The signals go through cyclic code removal block and then FFT or fast Fourier transform block to anti the effects of IFFT. Then signals are equalised in frequency domain as these get disturbed in frequency domain as shown in the figure 2 signal equalization. The disassemble OFDM block takes off the OFDM codes from the signals and then the signals is demodulated using a BPSK demodulator after which the signal output is sent to the error collection block where the original and received signals are compared to get error rate in the transmission. Also, one more output wire goes to adaptive modulation control block where the degree of modulation is controlled according to the bit error rate achieved by the system. Also, the value of SNR is varied according to the values entered in the stack. This also changes the adaptive modulation control. 2.3. Effects of variations in certain parameters of IEEE 802.11 WLAN setup The effects of inducing variations in certain parameters such as SNR or hysteresis are visible in the transmission characteristics of the block diagram shown below. These values are achieved after changing the value of hysteresis value for adaptive modulation to 10dB from 3dB and lower SNR threshold values to [10 11 14 18 22 24 26 32] decibels from earlier value of [10 11 14 18 24 26] decibels. It can be seen from the two figures 3 and 4 that the unequalized signal spreads out more. Also, the per i.e. packet error rate is increased from 6% to 12%. This due to increased hysteresis for adaptive modulation control. Conclusion The IEEE 802.11 standard for wireless LAN is used as a standard for setting up the wireless network for communication of multiple numbers of hosts. Also, in this sample simulation we concluded that with varying values of SNR and hysteresis the BER and PER also changes. Thus, it can be also concluded that data rates and packet loss rates are also variable at variable places in the parts of networks. This due to different distances, landscapes and congestion is different for different areas as the signal transmission follows multiple paths for transmission and every single path has a different type of obstacles available. Also, the system is greatly affected by noise present in free space. The reception quality always decreases with increase in distance between the service provider and host.

Saturday :: essays papers

Saturday Saturday. The first day of the weekend, the first day of freedom at the end of every week at school. Saturday was always a day of great anticipation for me during my younger years. It signified not only the beginning of a weekend away from the rigours of Primary school and learning my times tables, but also my first real social experiences. Saturday was ‘Club Day’. At around the age of 8 or 9, my Mum decided that I needed to get out into the real world and get a taste of ‘Saturday life’, and all it had to offer. So, on the advice of my much older and wiser 10 year old cousin, I chose to join the local craft club. Each Saturday morning from that day onwards, I would join the 6 or 7 other girls in the hot, cramped ‘Cathy’s Crafts’ store in Montmorency. For $7 a week I could paint pieces of wood shaped as teddies, or perhaps even stick some glitter on a nice picture for Mother’s Day. Either way it served as a warning for the rest of my life that craft was definitely not my scene. Project after project, week in, week out, I came home bearing one more useless, awful testament to bad taste and craftsmanship. Mum would be gently supportive – with kind words such as â€Å"why don’t you give this to Nana for Christmas?† Or in other words â€Å"I never want that hideous toilet roll cover in my house again.† Dad wad not quite so understanding. My skills with the paintbrush were often criticised, as I had not used a ‘polyglaze’ or a ‘neutral undercoat’ or a ‘size 12 brush’. Although the $7 a week had produced some memories of gluing too many sequins on my photo frame, or never being able to paint flowers quite right, the time had come for me to give my craft club days away. Forever. And so it was that I found myself, hand glued to Mum’s, at the Little Athletics sign-up day. And so it was that I found myself being talked into being patriotic and signing up with the valiant Montmorency, who had never yet won a club championship and are likely to never achieve this coveted goal.

The Stem Cell Life Safers Essay -- Biology, Cells

Envision a euphoric world where a couple insignificant little cells had the possibility to cure horrible chronic diseases like cancer. Picture how incredible that would be. Now imagine this, the only sacrifice you would have to make to save millions of people, would be killing a few babies here and there. Now how does that sound to you? Sounds like a rapidly developing dilemma. If that was your initial thought, you were correct. This dilemma is called embryonic stem cell research, and it has caused conflicts with peoples’ opinions, morals, and religion for years. Being that scientist, doctors, and the public can’t decide if embryonic stem cell research is moral or immoral, the research should just be banned altogether and researchers should begin focusing on other methods of research to find cures for diseases. What are Embryonic Stem Cells, you may ask? Embryonic Stem Cells are cells that are extracted from human embryos. These particular stem cells can transform into more than two hundred varying tissue types. (Birtley, Cate) The embryonic stem cell is a possible life saver. It has the potential to cure diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and eventually the memory loss disease, Alzheimer’s. (Svoboda, Elizabeth. 5) However, stem cells have instances where they shouldn’t be as glorified as they are. According to Don Taylor, the director at the Center for Cardiovascular Repair, at the University of Minnesota, â€Å"Embryonic Stem Cells represent the good, the bad, and the ugly. When they are good, they can be grown to a large number in the lab and used to give rise to tissues, organs, or body parts. When they are bad, they don’t know when to stop growing and they give rise to tumors. The ugly – well we don’t unde... ...om a newborn babies umbilical cord. These stem cells, if they had been left alone to develop further, would have formed into immune system cells or blood cells. Since these cells would’ve eventually become immune system or blood cells, they can’t morph into as large of a variety as embryonic stem cells can. However, they are still very effective in helping patients that are suffering from blood diseases such as leukemia or hepatitis. Cord-blood stem cells also serve as a great alternative to the patients having a bone marrow transplant. While these stem cells are extracted from the stem cells of babies, it is of no harm to the child whatsoever. On the other hand, when you obtain embryonic stem cells, you are extracted them from the undeveloped embryo which ultimately leads to the destruction of the embryo and the death of the child. (Svoboda, Elizabeth 1)

Pros and Cons of Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Essays

Pros and Cons of Gene Therapy Gene therapy is thought of by some people as an terrific discovery that could greatly improve the human population and also give people with certain disabilities some glimmer of hope. And on the other side of the coin there is some people that think we have no business playing God. They feel that playing God may possibly cause devastating effects to the human gene pool and may also led to misuse. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines gene therapy as the insertion of normal or genetically altered genes into cells usually to replace defective genes especially in the treatment of genetic disorders. By using gene therapy, we can go to t he base of the disorder instead of using drugs to alleviate symptoms. Some diseases that have been treated include ADA Deficiency, familial hypercholesterolemia, cystic fibrosis, cancers that include melanoma, Neuroblastoma, brain tumors and AIDS (Nation al Cancer Institute,1993). Technical Aspects There are three methods used to deliver the genetically altered material. The first method includes either retroviruses or retrotransposons. Retroviruses are viruses that can transfer their own genetic information and also genetically alter the huma n gene. These viruses are unable to copy themselves but still pose a problem in altering protein synthesis when these retroviruses splice a patient’s cells. This is were retroviruses come into play. There are parts of DNA from a cell that â€Å" can copy th emselves onto other sites in the cells genome â€Å" (Glausisus,1996). One type of transposon is a yeast transposon called Ty3. This yeast transposon is still under research. The second method involves blasting genes with a pressurized gun filled with helium (Glausi... ...normal or could led to misuse in other forms. For just these reasons we definitely need RAC (Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee), NIH (National Institutes of Health) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Without these committees the p ossibility of misuse will be greatly enhanced. References 1) Glausisuz,J.(1996).The genes of 1995. 1995:The Year in Science 17,36-38. 2) Macer,D.R.J.Public Acceptance of Human Gene Therapy and Perceptions of Human Genetic Manipualtion.Obtained from the WWW 10/28/96:http//www.biol.tsykuba.ac.jp/~macer/Papers/HGT92:html 3) Britannica On Line: gene therapy. Obtained from the WWW 10/23/96:http://www.eb.com 4) National Cancer Institute.Questions and Answers About Gene Therapy. Obtained from the WWW 10/23/96: http://oncolink.upenn.edu/pdq/600718.html 5) Seligman,J.(1996).Hope for genetic healing. Newsweek,April 15,64.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Technology Essay

Chief among there is its convenience, efficiency and effectiveness in work, study, and research. It must be said that there are a number of substantial problems associated with the phenomenon of modernized technology. The one that springs immediately to mind is the potential risk of overusing technology in our lives. At the other end of the spectrum, there are many and varied merits to the concept of easily accessible up-to-date technology. Perhaps most importantly, it assists people to carry out their work faster. In my own experience, I found that technological appliances such as computer and mobile phone have assisted me a great deal in my occupation. As an accountant, I usually liaise with my clients to discuss about their account issues. Sometimes, problems can be solved via only a phone call. In addition, the aid of computer has reduced amount of my work significantly. At the end of the day, the positives effects of using digital technology and its convenience and efficiency for most people are more convincing than the negative aspects. If digital technology were never invented, our lives would be never wonderful as they should be. There is a school of thought which contends that features, talents and shortcomings humanity is born with determine our social skills and growth considerably more than any education and real-life scenarios throughout our lives. From my personal perspective, I am unable to concur with this view. First and foremost, it is clearly evident that while beasts inherit all the intuition needed for existence when they come into the world, humanity is virtually useless at birth and takes the first 20 years of life acquiring survival prowess. / To begin with, it is immediately apparent that off spring inherit incredible genetic †hard-wired† abilities at birth, but unless they are encouraged to evolve these, such talents will manifest themselves. / First and foremost, it is clearly evident that if an individual has skill at something, it becomes pparent in earlier youth. People do not wake up one morning as excellent/superb athletes or academics at the age of 35. Similarly, lack of ability or learning difficulties are usually noticed at a very young age. This strongly recommends that babies are neither born with distinct abilities nor they are. †¦.. At the end of the day, in the course of our daily existence, any educative processes and life-changing events exert far g reater control than aspects, natural abilities as well as weak points that are contained in our genetic make-up.

Motivation Case Study

I found both case studies to be very interesting. In the Two Men and a Lot of Trucks case study, I could identify the expectancy theory and Maslow’s needs hierarchy theory. The text states that Mary Ellen quit her well-paying job with benefits to grow her business. What started as a part-time gig working from her dining room table quickly became a successful franchise operation. Mary Ellen’s hard work and dedication paid off as there are currently 152 franchise locations.Maslow’s needs hierarchy theory can also been found in this case study through Mary Ellen’s devotion to providing superior customer service and using her prior work experience. Mary Ellen was able to create high-performing teams by establishing Stick Men University. Offering this level of training has effectively helped Two Men grow. As Sheets says, â€Å"I want them to be successful as fast as they can. † (Jones, 2007) In the Siemen’s case study I could identify both the exp ectancy theory and the job enrichment theory. The study stated that Kleinfeld wanted employees to work more flexible hours and on weekends.With everyone’s job on the line, Kleinfeld put in the extra effort to motivate workers. He made himself available around the clock and it paid off. Even though Kleinfeld relies on the support of the management board he seems to have the freedom to do his job his way. He has held 10 positions within Siemens which has allowed him â€Å"to explore every corner of the far-flung Siemens empire. † I believe that Kleinfeld used the participative approach to creating high-performing teams within Siemens as he was involved with most aspects of this company’s growth. (Jones, 2007)

Economic impact of genetically modified foods Essay

Genetic engineering has resulted to the production of genetically modified foods. It entails altering the genetic make up of plants using a set of technologies. Genes are combined from different organisms through recombinant DNA technology. Genetic engineering results to enhanced food tastes and quality. It reduces the time for maturation and can be used to increase nutrients and yields of crops. Again the crops produced are stress tolerant and they are resistant to disease and pests and herbicides. Genes are taken from one species and inserted into another to produce quality products. Genetically modified foods were first established in the 1990s with most products being Soya, cottonseed and wheat. The process could involve taking DNA from favorable organisms and inserting in a plant or crop. Biotechnology can be used to solve difficult crop production challenges where the farmers using it do not have to worry about the quality of their products. The technique is environmentally friendly and hence poses no threat to the surrounding. It does not involve emission of pollutants to the atmosphere. Farmers using biotechnology in their crop production increase their incomes and acquire economic, environmental and social benefits. (Giannakas K & Yiannanaka, 90) Although some people fear consuming genetically modified crops extensive research has been done on them to ensure that they pose no health risk to consumers. They are similar to those produced using traditional methods of breeding. Prominent scientists have also cleared the concerns that GM would be a risk to the environment. To them GM is a safe way of improving agriculture. International organizations also support this viewpoint for instance Food and Agriculture Organization (F. A. O) of the United Nations and the European Commission. Therefore people should not fear consuming GM foods as they are safe. Land is a fixed resource which can only be modified by increasing its utility. Measures ought to be taken to ensure that idle land is put to effective use. However care should be taken to ensure that harmful effects do not occur to the environment. For instance cutting trees to plant GM crops would have negative effects on the climate. Trees control the levels of carbon dioxide and consequently global warming. Population on the other hand grows at higher rates and concerns that food shortages would arise, led to the introduction of biotechnology. Through genetic modification of crops the problems of land shortages or water resources can be well contained. Smaller areas of land can be used to produce large outputs. Genetically modified foods can help farmers produce more food products which is healthy and with fewer resources. Continued research by bio-technicians is done to ensure production meets the consumer’s specific demands. It can establish plants that are drought resistant and hence can survive hostile conditions. Genetically Modified crops can increase the incomes of countries tremendously. Developing countries can adopt GM technology as it will increase the GDP Gross Domestic Product. This income can be used to improve the infrastructure facilities in the less developed countries and this would see them embrace economic growth and development. Investment in improving the transportation network would improve the basis for other industries which can now easily transport their raw materials and finished goods to appropriate destinations. (Carpenter J & Gianessi L, 67) Trade will be promoted by using GM products. Most developing countries do not have a diversified economy and they over rely on agriculture. Agriculture is a critical industry which is affected by climatic changes, pesticides and other factors like invasion by animals. With Genetic Modification one is guaranteed of quality products. Developing countries use their agricultural products to earn foreign exchange through external trading processes like exports. Problems faced by farmers are rejection of their products by foreign consumers on the basis of poor quality. GM products are enhanced to ensure that they are of high quality and consequently will not be rejected. GM products require less use of pesticides as they are not very prone to such use. This further reduces the cost of production on farmers who will not have to buy pesticides. A reduction of costs is an economic gain to farmers. Such costs would reduce the profits that farmers could have got. Extensive use of Genetically Modified soyabeans increases their contribution to reduce pesticide application. Farmers can decrease the need for tillage which can cause reduction in soil erosion and thus reduce the water treatment costs that consumers incur annually. (Giannakas K & Yiannanaka, 85) GM crop production has led to the growth of the food industry to very high levels. The demand can be categorized into consumer levels, retailing level and food processors. Using Genetically Modified products is a safe way of enhancing people’s way of life substantially by improving their health care and their environment. It supplements the traditional cross breeding methods and hence is not a new venture. It is just a modification. Poverty in developing countries can be eliminated with the use of GM. Since most of Less Developed countries have not embraced technological advancement in the agricultural industry they rely on natural processes in their production. Natural processes pose a great threat as fluctuations are bound to occur affecting the quality and quantity of products produced. GM would see such farmers at better positions to handle the impact of natural calamities of crop production in terms of quantity and quality. Hunger would be a thing of the past if GM was completely embraced. With increased crop yields the poverty levels of people in developing countries would be eliminated. They would trade the surplus both internally and externally to earn incomes which they can use to raise their living standards. With abundant food production health related problems can be solved and this further reduces the costs that would have been incurred seeking health facilities. Use of GM would ensure that there is a sustainable agricultural system. Its use in cotton production for instance in India where the greatest challenge to cotton production is insect and pest invasion can be beneficial. Implementation of GM cotton production increased the production rates to unprecedented rates. The prior losses caused by reduced quantity due to insects and pests became a thing of the past. The GM product is more resistant to the pest and can cause a reduction of pesticides by higher levels while increasing the yields to approximately 80%. This translates to savings on insecticides. Other factors held constant of prices of GM cotton were relatively the same with those of non GM then there would be increased revenues earned. Sustainable agriculture is the key to food security. Population levels are projected to the distribution of resources among nations affect the way the market forces operate. Unequal distribution of resources precipitates variations of needs between the rich and the poor. Since the poor lack resources to advance in technology so that they can shift from agricultural production to industry. Adoption of the genetically modified crops would increase the production of crop yields. Food shortages in the developing countries affect the developed countries who feel the responsibility of assisting them through donations. Bio-technological aspects are driven by the need to solve issues that are critical in the society. Development of a GM rice project would work to help reduce the rates of blindness caused by deficiencies in vitamin A. Again crops that provide other important nutrients like iron can be GM controlled. Provision of foods with effective nutrients can help improve the health standards of people. With a decrease in the demand for pesticides the firms that produce them would face stiff competition which would see their prices reduced. This will be a negative impact to pesticide producing companies. They may be forced to lay off some of their employees and at extreme situations they may close down. GM food has great potential to provide health to humans especially in developing countries. For instance use of GM banana to prevent the some diseases like hepatitis B virus. Invention of genetically modified crops that can be used for medicinal purposes would be a positive advancement. Adjusting the crop to enable it accommodate important chemicals would reduce the costs of offering medical care. Quality and better products are produced using GM and these products can survive under a wide range of climate. This would ensure more production of such goods which can be used for consumption as well as for exports and local markets. GM products are more attractive to consumers since they have been modified to suit different needs. More preference would mean higher sales when goods are placed in the markets and consequently more incomes. (Carter A. nd Guillaume G, 20) Growing GM crops without use of spray chemicals makes the crop easier for farmers to grow at reduced costs. The indirect costs would be reduced for instance the cost of labour used in spraying the pesticides as well as the environmental hazards created. Other benefits of using GM are that it is possible to enhance the quality of crops by emphasizing on the positive ones while removing the undesirable qualities. Using genetic technology is faster than using conventional breeding. Water use is also effectively reduced when pesticides are not used. GM reduces the work that would have been done if it was considered. (Carpenter J & Gianessi L, 70) Genetic engineering instills fear in people but such fears are uncalled for as they are based on prejudice and exaggerations. It has seen many people rise from poverty to grace. GM cultivation is among the most economically viable form of farming. It has led to the reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases which are responsible for global warming. This is due to the fact that the pesticides use is minimal. Production of fertilizers emits hazardous gases like nitric acid which cause the greenhouse effects. Farmers using GM crops in developing countries can afford to educate their children as well as provide for their families. Educating children especially in the developing countries is a step to breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. This is because with the investment in education overeliance in agriculture would be reduced. With GM, crops can be made to grow at shorter periods with increased desirable qualities. Drought resistant crops can be use to alleviate the famine problems in developing countries. With shorter spans of maturity crops can be used for commercial purposes earning farmers incomes. GM products can be enhanced to stay fresh for longer to allow for effective transportation. This can be done to flowers and fruits which are quite perishable. The costs of preservation can be reduced as it would not be required with the same intensity it could have been, had GM production not been considered. Again, wastage is reduced when ‘fresh’ periods are prolonged. Production of GM products can be cheaper due to the fact that they can be made firm hence consist lesser amount of water and require less amount of water when harvesting and consequently less energy in processing them to other products. For instance, tomato puree in Britain. Less energy in production caused lesser costs to the producers who charged lower prices to consumers. GM Soya helps save costs of using herbicides as weeds are controlled. (Falck-Zepeda et al, 2) Critics raise concerns that since pollen grains of GM can easily be carried to other plants through insects or wind, eventually all crops will be genetically modified. To them this will be a disastrous effect. Countries which could have greatly gained from GM, have not embraced the idea. Some, especially from the developing countries, were quick to note that GM did not help their farmers. Contamination is therefore bound to occur where GM soyabean pollen grains may be contaminated with GM maize pollens. Concerns are however raised that the profits are the main reasons for advocating for GM. Companies that engage in expensive and extensive research do so with their own vested interests of earning more income. It is argued that the motive behind their implementation is to make money and the argument placed before that GM was to help solve the food shortages. Extensive research ought to be carried out to establish the actual impact of GM so that consumers are well aware of the products they consume. Crop losses that are incurred when pests invade crops are minimized using GM because it ensures reduced insects and pests. This translates to higher revenues acquired, as there are less financial losses. Consumers are attracted to such products, as they are not linked with exposure to chemicals from pesticides. Some people shy away from crops exposed to pesticides for health reasons and they would have an option if GM crops were embraced. Another advantage of GM is that it is herbicide tolerant. Naturally it may be harder or difficult to remove weeds through tilling in some farms precipitating the need to use herbicides to control the weeds. Tilling is a time consumingactivity as well as expensive. When spraying such herbicides, care must be taken, as it would affect the entire group. All crops might be destroyed or they could be negatively affected when spraying the herbicides. GM products are not affected by the herbicides and hence their production will be better placed. They are also resistant to some disease causing organisms like fungi, bacteria and viruses. Ensuring that the plants are disease resistant will ensure the plants survival. (Falck-Zepeda et al, 2) Genetically Modified products can be made cold tolerant so that genes from a cold water fish can be used to produce crops that are more tolerant to cold temperatures. With the rise in population and fixed land for cultivation, there is need to utilize the drought stricken areas to increase their utility. GM crops are more drought resistant so that crop production is increased and it will be a step forward in ensuring that food security was attained. Land that was formerly inhabitable due to salinity or drought can be reclaimed. ( IFT, 45) The malnutrition problem in third world countries that is responsible for childhood deaths can be reduced with utilization of GM products that are enriched with appropriate vitamins. Since people in developing countries rely on the staple foods, which are mostly starch, they lack the necessary nutrients to fight malnutrition. Malnourished children are not able to successfully pursue their education and are therefore a problem to the whole country. If the developing countries suffering from this problem can embrace the Genetically Modified rice or other products that have such nutrients, their economy would grow eventually. ‘A healthy nation is wealthy nation. ’ Sicknesses associated with lack of appropriate nutrients require finances for treatment and such costs can be reduced. (Domingo L, 1749) Other concerns raised against GM production are fears that the cost of the GM products may rise uncontrollably especially if the genetic engineering firms who have invested a lot in research were to be given patent rights. They could only exist to perpetuate inequalities between the rich who could easily afford them and the poor who lack the means to attain them. Governments of respective countries ought to be keen in establishing the regulations governing the effects and approval of new GM varieties in their countries. However the tests done to verify the impacts of GM crops are run by governments but they are conducted by the GM companies themselves. The results could therefore be interfered with to give false information depending on vested interests. Gene modification is a complex activity that could cause allergies to people as they entail induction of proteins and new genes. Again the genes may be incompatible resulting to absurd effects and this raises concerns that the toxic effects could arise with the interruption of the native genetic structure. GM crops are resistant to antibiotics and there are worries that this would eventually be transferred to human beings thus affecting their health. Since GM crops are pest resistant they may lead to the extinction of some species. Chemical based farming affects wildlife especially in the farms. Birds and insects that influence the natural arable processes in the farm could have their existence affected if weeds are completely eliminated. Critics of GM foods argue that genetic engineering is not the solution to the food related problems especially in developing countries. Most people are not malnourished because of food shortages but because of its inaccessibility. Unequal distribution of resources is the main reason why some people cannot afford necessities like food. Governments of respective countries should handle the inequality issue in their country.

Business Commnication Essay

Expanded Communication Opportunities Technology allows individuals to communicate and carry on a business relationship without ever meeting face to face, so people in all parts of the world now have the chance to interact with a company in a rural part of the United States. For example, technology allowed for the emergence of the virtual assistant, a worker who completes tasks for her client online without having ever met him, in the 20th century. Communication Must Be More Deliberate Although technology has made communication instantaneous, so you don’t have o spend hours planning and composing before you communicate and wait for a long period for the reply, it has also made planning deliberate communication periods more important. First, companies that do take advantage of telecommuting and virtual offices need to deliberately plan to communicate with individuals in teams to avoid employees losing touch and to make sure all are working toward the same goals. Second, even if you work in a physical office, instantaneous communication regarding quick decisions and memos cannot replace specific communication times where big decisions are discussed and progress reports given. However, when employees are communicating in multiple ways every day, it can be easy to forget to schedule these types of meetings. Communication Is More Distracting From constantly overhearing cell phone conversations, to the worker who is constantly emailing or texting you to the incessant â€Å"ding† of your office’s instant messenger, communication tools that were designed to make you more productive can actually do the opposite. Instant communication can make it harder for workers to deal with one task at a time when their work is constantly being interrupted by comments and questions that relate to other projects or even personal issues. In fact, some employees must make an effort to turn off communication devices while they work to meet deadlines. by Miranda Morley, Demand Media References (2) †¢ Walden University College of Management and Technology: How Has Technology Changed Business? †¢ â€Å"Entrepreneur†; Effective Communication for Managing Virtual Office Employees; David G. Javitch; December 2008 Information technology is a modern phenomenon that has dramatically changed the daily lives of individuals and businesses throughout the world. Information technology is driven by the microchip, which owes its existence to the semi-conductor. IT solutions run the gamut from personal computers and computer software to production robotics to communications technology. Leveraging information technology for business success is key to survival in the modern business world. Significance Information technology has grown to permeate the business world, affecting how companies make and market their products, as well as how people communicate and accomplish their jobs in modern organizations. Specialized software shapes best-practices and industry standards, continually changing the face of business in almost every way. Production Technology Production technology has allowed modern companies to make great strides in operational efficiency and the effectiveness of human resources. Automation technology, such as assembly lines and computer-controlled machinery, can allow companies to produce unprecedented volumes of goods, and advances in transportation technology allow businesses to ship their products anywhere in the world. Information technology has also changed the way that companies operate internally. Personal computers have become a necessity for a large majority of corporate jobs, and many manual labor jobs require the use of a handheld computer or other electronic device as well. Communications Technology Leveraging advances in communications technology is imperative to surviving in the modern business world. Advances in cellular phone technology have revolutionized the way businesspeople communicate with clients, employees, suppliers and strategic partners. The Internet has revolutionized the marketing function in addition to opening up a wide range of communication options. Modern smartphones are changing the game yet again with the introduction of new and innovative applications. A small business owner can now access a web-based customer relationship management service on a smartphone from anywhere in the world, for example, allowing him to obtain vital data about contacts before making calls. Considerations While information technology solutions can contribute to the success of your organization, there are a number of unique costs to consider. In addition to the cost of implementing an IT solution, you must employ highly educated and specialized workers to maintain, monitor, expand and repair your IT infrastructure. The Future Modern information technology has gained popularity rapidly since the mid-twentieth century, and the trend is likely to continue into the future. As IT solutions continue to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations and communications, businesses will continue to rely on IT for success †¢ Small Business Bible: Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technology †¢ Benefit Of: Benefits of Technology The Disadvantages of Information Technology in Business Information technology has changed the way that the world does business. Correspondence that once took weeks to get from one organization to another is now delivered instantly with the push of a button. Advances in telecommunication allow associates from all point of the globe to confer in a virtual environment, minimizing the need for business travel. Although the benefits of integrating information technology in business are many, there are also disadvantages to its use. Implementation Expenses Every business must consider startup costs when implementing any type of information technology system. In addition to the cost of hardware and software, some technology vendors require businesses to purchase user licenses for each employee that will be operating the system. Businesses must examine the cost of training employees in unfamiliar technology. Although basic information technology systems may be user friendly, advanced programs still require formal instruction by an expert consultant. In addition to the startup expenses, information technology systems are expensive to maintain. Systems malfunction, and when they do, businesses must engage skilled technicians to troubleshoot and make the necessary repairs. These expenses present a major disadvantage of information technology in business, particularly to businesses that are entering the technology era for the first time. Job Elimination Implementing information technology into business operations can save a great deal of time during the completion of daily tasks. Paperwork is processed immediately, and financial transactions are automatically calculated. Although businesses may view this expediency as a boon, there are untoward effects to such levels of automation. As technology improves, tasks that were formerly performed by human employees are now carried out by computer systems. For example, automated telephone answering systems have replaced live receptionists in many organizations. This leads to the elimination of jobs and, in some cases, alienation of clients. Unemployed specialists and once-loyal employees may have difficulty securing future employment. Security Breaches The ability to store information in an electronic database facilitates quicker, more efficient communication. In the past, an individual would sift through stacks of paper records to retrieve data. With properly implemented technology, information can be recovered at the touch of a button. Although information technology systems allow business to be conducted at a faster pace, they are not without their flaws. Information technology systems are vulnerable to security breaches, particularly when they are accessible via the Internet. If appropriate measures are not in place, unauthorized individuals may access confidential data. Information may be altered, permanently destroyed or used for unsavory purposes. Small Business Bible: Some Advantages and Disadvantages of Information Technology Information Technology & Its Role in the Modern Organization Information technology (IT) has become a vital and integral part of every business plan. From multi-national corporations who maintain mainframe systems and databases to small businesses that own a single computer, IT plays a role. The reasons for the omnipresent use of computer technology in business can best be determined by looking at how it is being used across the business world. [pic][pic][pic][pic][pic][pic]Sponsored Link Looking For New Customers Drive Customers To Your Website W/ Free Rs. 2000 Advertising Credit www. Google. com/AdWords Communication For many companies, email is the principal means of communication between employees, suppliers and customers. Email was one of the early drivers of the Internet, providing a simple and inexpensive means to communicate. Over the years, a number of other communications tools have also evolved, allowing staff to communicate using live chat systems, online meeting tools and video-conferencing systems. Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) telephones and smart-phones offer even more high-tech ways for employees to communicate. Inventory Management When it comes to managing inventory, organizations need to maintain enough stock to meet demand without investing in more than they require. Inventory management systems track the quantity of each item a company maintains, triggering an order of additional stock when the quantities fall below a pre-determined amount. These systems are best used when the inventory management system is connected to the point-of-sale (POS) system. The POS system ensures that each time an item is sold, one of that item is removed from the inventory count, creating a closed information loop between all departments. Data Management The days of large file rooms, rows of filing cabinets and the mailing of documents is fading fast. Today, most companies store digital versions of documents on servers and storage devices. These documents become instantly available to everyone in the company, regardless of their geographical location. Companies are able to store and maintain a tremendous amount of historical data economically, and employees benefit from immediate access to the documents they need. Management Information Systems Storing data is only a benefit if that data can be used effectively. Progressive companies use that data as part of their strategic planning process as well as the tactical execution of that strategy. Management Information Systems (MIS) enable companies to track sales data, expenses and productivity levels. The information can be used to track profitability over time, maximize return on investment and identify areas of improvement. Managers can track sales on a daily basis, allowing them to immediately react to lower-than-expected numbers by boosting employee productivity or reducing the cost of an item. Customer Relationship Management Companies are using IT to improve the way they design and manage customer relationships. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems capture every interaction a company has with a customer, so that a more enriching experience is possible. If a customer calls a call center with an issue, the customer support representative will be able to see what the customer has purchased, view shipping information, call up the training manual for that item and effectively respond to the issue. The entire interaction is stored in the CRM system, ready to be recalled if the customer calls again. The customer has a better, more focused experience and the company benefits from improved productivity. In the past 20 years technology has made many changes in the world. One of the most significant changes was in business communication, with the invention of smartphones, emails, and communication apps turned business communication into a much more efficient and effective tool for the firm’s use. Throughout this essay contrasting arguments will be provided to highlight the effects of technological advancement in business communication.. One of the most innovative technological inventions used for communication purposes was the cellphone. Important time was lost when co-workers had to move within the company in order to reach other employees with the aim of exchanging valuable information towards the company success. Now with a cellphone, employees can often be found quickly by text messaging or direct calls. With the most recent advancement of technology in the cellphone industry, the smartphones offers a higher level of productivity by offering a wider range of services and tools making communication through e-mail and other apps. Employees now can reply to emails wherever they are and use free application tools to give the feedback even faster. Therefore it can be said that most firms have become more productive after the implementation of smarthphones. Computer tools combined with fast Internet connection enable Tele-Conferencing with employees or suppliers. Tele-Conferencing also helps us setup live virtual meetings, saving a lot of money for the firm as a result of lowered travel expenses; no participants of the meeting need to add extra traveling expenses. With the advancement of smartphone apps it is now possible to scan any images on demand, any place, any time; converting paperwork or photos into virtual documents. With these technological advanced phones we can send these documents to any co-worker within the company.

Case Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Case Scenario - Essay Example On the other hand, it has been recommended that the committee should not offer the same green light to Greenpeace to conduct a protest at the shopping mall since this can lead to public disorder. The paper seeks to discuss the ethical and legal ramifications based on the DRNC Scenario. The paper will outline the issues, their implications and the measures that can be taken in order to resolve the issue at hand. The paper will also discuss the recommendations that can be implemented to address the issues raised. 1. Based on the fictional account story of planning and preparation leading up to the mythical Democratic-Republican National Convention (DRNC) event in Miami, Florida, it can be noted that there are potential legal claims that are likely to be raised by private citizen seriously injured by the use of the LRADs if the decision is made by the Sub-Committee to purchase them after relying solely on the manufacturers claims and instructions as to their use. It can be seen that LRAD’s can cause considerable pain and discomfort to people standing within their range though the manufacturers deny this claim. This has been revealed by Hayes who states that: â€Å"yes, in a way it is, but the company that sells them does not consider them to be a less-lethal weapon†¦ it doesn’t rise to that level†¦ at least according to them.† In the event that there was insufficient time to test the device and train officers in their use before the Convention and it has also be en assumed that the Sub-Committee concluded that the value of the LRADs use in crowd control outweighed any risk of harm caused by their use, it can be noted that the potential liability of the individual officer using the device is negligence which falls under tort law. Basically, negligence is described as a civil wrong which results in the breach of duty care owed to the neighbour by another person

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Art history - Essay Example Art history It is hard to take out the truth from the illusions. Cassius Dio had told her story and enclosed it as he says "She captivated the two greatest Romans of her day, and because of the third she destroyed herself." When Cleopatra was eighteen years old, she got married to son of Ptolemy who was only nine years old at that time. Cleopatra was an intelligent and power oriented girl. She wanted to rule the throne all by herself. She tried to rule alone and if not alone, at least not equivalent to her brother. Cleopatra's rule was over thrown by the ministers in 48 BCE. In the mean time Pompey came to Egypt while he was being chased by forces of Julius Caesar1. Pompey was killed by Ptolemy XIII. Cleopatra's sister and Ptolemy XIII affirmed herself ruler as Arsinoe IV2. Cleopatra had to win the support of Julius Caesar's, the fasanating stories tell that she wrapped her self in a jewel carpet and presented herself to him. In a fight with Caesar, Ptolemy XIII died, and Caesar returned Cleopatra to power in Egypt and her brother Ptolemy XIV came in as a co-ruler. Cleopatra had a son in 46 BCE, Cleopatra gave her newborn son, the name Ptolemy Caesarion. She claimed that he was Julius Caesar's son and that she was married to him. But Julius Caesar's never accepted to be his father officially but he did take Cleopatra to Rome. Caesar was murdered in 44 BCE . After his death Cleopatra returned to Egypt. Here her brother and co-ruler died and she appointed her son as a co-ruler. The next Roman military governor Marc Antony called her to pay a visit with other rulers who were being controlled by Rome. Cleopatra appeared significantly in 41 BCE she was able to convince him that she was innocent of charges put upon her, gained support of Caesar's supporters in Rome and his support too. Antony spent a winter with Cleopatra and they had twins. When he went back he got married to Octavia. Cleopatra had returned to Alexandria and Antony came there in 34 BCE. Cleopatra financed him and he opposed Octavian in the Battle of Actium (31 BCE) but due to few mistakes Cleopatra ended up into defeat. Cleopatra tried her best to agree Octavian to support her children's progression to power but unfortunately failed to come to any agreement. In 30 BCE, Marc Antony was told that Cleopatra had been killed as they say, in distres s he killed himself. Death of Cleopatra Octavian had taken over the state of Cleopatra. When his men reached Cleopatra's monument, she did not open and denied to let them enter. The soldiers entered in her monument finally by climbing in by a window. Cleopatra tried to break through but was caught and imprisoned in her mausoleum. Cleopatra wanted to die as her ego had been hurt. So she worked out on a plan to commit suicide. It is said that as a first step Cleopatra acted as if she was not feeling well. Octavian sent for a doctor. When the physician came, Cleopatra whispered something to him and he went away. She was well again. She asked for fabulous clothes and finest jewelry. She took a bath and wished to go to Anthony's tomb which she was allowed. When she returned from there Cleopatra, she asked for a big feast. Surprisingly, Octavian did not raise any objection on all this. So Cleopatra sat with her servants and had her