Do the Right Thing Analysis

Do The Right Thing, a movie directed by Spike Lee, filmed on a sunny summer day in a black neighbourhood in Brooklyn is what many consider a great movie. The movie portrays stories of many actors consisting from different palettes, where each has their own conflicts and struggles. It is a very entertaining movie yet it will leave you emotionally connected to the events that took place. It would not have reached its current success if it wasn’t for the unique cinematography.In the coming sections I will be talking about the shots, angles, lighting styles, symbolism and colour. Realism The realism of this movie is pretty clear, where Spike Lee was trying to convey the physical reality of the black people who live in a culturally diverse network. There were several characters in the movie and each had his own story, the flow of the, jumping from one character the other gives the feeling that there is no manipulation of the story, it’s the real deal and this is how things r oll in Brooklyn in a timeline of twenty-four hours.Another reason why this movie is linked to realism is because of the moral issues, where for example there would be a sensitive scene about a scene, that speaks for itself and it is interpreted by the audience in their own way. Do The Right Thing may be also be considered as a classic since there was a focus on telling a great story but no that of one character but many, and each had his/her own charisma. It is the type of movies where you would want to go back over and over again to watch it. Shots Spike Lee is known for his perfect shots where he uses different lens to give the movie a distinguishing look.The movie varied from long shots, medium, close up and extreme close up. That is shown from the beginning of the movie where the woman was dancing and it almost included all of the shots mentioned above. Throughout the movie the technique of including various shots were constantly being used and were applied to all the characters . Figure 1A Extreme close up Figure 1B Close up Figure 1C Medium shot ` Figure 1D Long shot Figure 2A Extreme close up Figure 2B close up Figure 2C Medium shot Figure 2D Long shot The figures shown above are just two examples of many where different shots are being taken of the.In Figure 2a- 2b we have an example of the camera creating an extreme close up, pulling back going through the close up, medium shot to reach the long shot, and then moving horizontally to show the neighbourhood. This technique was used constantly. I think the meaning behind this technique is to make the movie as seem as realistic as possible. Spike Lee focused on the main characters individually and then pulls backed to create a long shot to show that character’s place in the neighbourhood, which adds realism to the setting. Angles.In Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, he set up his camera in different positions and shot at different angles. A low angle is when the subject is being filmed from bel ow. I believe that this angle gives the subject superiority and makes him look powerful. Figure 3 Figure 3 is a scene where Radio Raheem was ordering pizza with his stereo being played and Sal was telling him to turn it off. Raheem looked intimidated so the low angle shot adds to the intimidation. In my opinion this was perfect since Radio Raheem was a character that everyone is afraid off and the more intimidating he looks the better.I also think that it added a little spice to the end, because these constant shots of Raheem give a bigger impact on the audience when he dies. In contrary to low angle shots, high angles are taken from above. The camera is placed above the subject facing down. This type of shot is to make the subjects appear insignificant and it gives a general overview of the scene Figure 4 Mother Sister Trauma. High angle view. The scene in Figure 4 is just before the end of the movie where Sal’s restaurant was burnt down because he was blamed for Radio Rahee m’s death.These incidents gave Mother Sister a trauma. I would not say that the high angle shot makes her insignificant, but it would rather make her look threatened by the general overview scene, that the high angle shot achieves. The violence ends with this scene, which in my point of view is a very dramatic one. Mother Sister is the lovable person, everyone looks up too her but she was screaming like a lunatic, then the high angle shot of all the destruction around gives a dramatic ending to that scene.There were many eye level shots taken in the movie. An Eye level shot is when the subject is being filmed near eye level. What I think Spike Lee was trying to do with these eye level shots if to put the audience in the same footing of the characters. The bird eye view is the shot taken overhead. It makes people in the scene look small. Figure 5 Bird eye shot, final scene. An example of a bird eye shot is shown in Figure 5, the final scene. This scene is one of the most impor tant of the movie.The movie visualises a 24 hour timeline, so all the incident s that happened, from waking up to burning Sal’s kitchen happened in one day, which in my opinion is a lot of activity in a neighbourhood. This final scene that makes the neighbourhood appear to be god like is amazing, after all the violence that broke down, it seems like nothing happened. People are playing basketball; DJ love daddy is talking about a new subject ignoring what happened last night. Every day is a new page for this people. Oblique shots are shots taken at a tilted angle.Straight lines become diagonals which gives a shot an overwhelming feeling in an unstable world. Figure 6A Oblique shot, Mayor Figure 6B Oblique shot, MotheSister The conversations between the Mayor and Mother Sister where taking at an oblique angle. I think the reason behind this is to highlight the unstable an unbalanced relationship between them. Lighting styles The movie took place on a hot day in summer, since i t is a story about a movie about one day, lighting is going to change from bright in the morning, brighter in the afternoon, less brighter at sunset, night which is dark and finally the next morning.There was a lot of emphasis on how it was really hot, so it is important that the brightness to stand out. Spike Lee kind of showed us how hot it is. There was a scene where could see the heat waves surrounding the tree old men on the sidewalk. The lighting in the riot scene in the end was great, it was very realistic and it captured the audience emotionally, especially those who have memories of such riots. Symbolism I believe that there was a lot of symbolism in the movie; in fact each character symbolized something, of the struggle in a black neighbourhood.For example, Sal and the Korean symbolize the irony of them taking more money from the black community more than the businesses of the blacks themselves, and they do not live in the neighbourhood. The mentally challenged guy and the pictures of Marter L. King and Malcom X are connected, where there is a double grief, first is on the guy himself, I think people felt sorry for him, and the second grief was the reminder of Malcom X and Martin passing away, both these factors probably affected the audience emotionally.Buggin’out wants African Americans on the wall in Sal’s restaurant; Radio Raheem is blasting off fight the power song. There are many others symbols in this movie and the nature, location and story it requires these symbolisms, that adds al little spice to movie and affects the audience emotionally. Colour Like the lighting the colour helps us associate to the weather. Different tones ranging from orange, red, and yellow were used. These colours can also be interpreted in the characters emotions. The main colour was red to emphasize that it is hot.He uses other colours in calmer place such as in Mookie’s girlfriend’s room, which was blue. I believe that Spike Lee sis a goo d job in playing around with colours Conclusion Do the right thing is a movie that gets you to think. You get laughs out of it some others cry. The techniques used in the movies are the reason why it is considered to be a successful movie. The way he portrayed the black community struggling from the different scenes and characters will leave an impact on whoever watches the movie.

Mimicking Insider Trading

Introduction Much of the field of finance Is focused on creating abnormal returns?that is to say. Returns that are different from what one might expect them to be based on various characteristics of the investment?by identifying so-called â€Å"inefficiencies† in the stock market. Perhaps one of the most well-known strategies for taking advantage of these Inefficiencies, a strategy widely discussed In academic as well as Industry literature, is following the trades of company insiders.In the united States, company insiders are required to report to the SEC any time they engage in a purchase or sale of their rim's stock. Within two business days following the date of the trade. This Information, once reported to the SEC, Is subsequently made available to the public almost immediately, allowing outsiders to see exactly how insiders are trading.When insiders trade based on material non-public information and earn abnormal returns, it is a violation of the strong form of the Effic ient Market Hypothesis, which itself is not backed by any significant emplace evidence, However, If outsiders are able to earn abnormal returns by mimicking Insider trades, this becomes a violation of the ideal-accepted semi-strong form of the Efficient Market Hypothesis, which states that the price of a stock incorporates all publicly available information.The academic literature contains many studies which attempt to generate excess returns by replicating Insider trades, with varying degrees of success. While some early studies (Gaffe 1994, Finery 1996) claimed that outsiders were indeed able to create a small amount of excess returns, a later study by University of Michigan Professor H. Negate Shun concluded that once these trades accounted for transaction costs, the excess returns would be nearly zero. Later studies by Rezone and Zamia (1988).Line and Howe (1990) and Frederica, Gregory, Mahatma and Tones (2002) have also reaffirmed that transaction costs depleted all the excess returns from these studies. (1)On the other hand, several studies conclude that it is possible to earn excess returns by applying a â€Å"mimicking strategy' selectively. For example, Lakefronts and Lee (2001) conclude that if an investor mimics only large trades and only by the top management of a company (excluding board members, majority shareholders and other company employees), an outsider could in fact generate excess returns.Other theories suggest that It Is possible to successfully replicate Insiders trades by using the strategy in markets outside the US, such as in the Italian, German and Spanish markets. [l] A critical factor in determining whether an outsider will profit from replicating the trade of an insider is the motivation behind the trade. Insiders are likely to engage In Insider trades for a number of reasons, not all of them connected to Inside Information on future firm performance. An Inside trade that Is ambulated by liquidity or diversification needs is unli kely to contain any â€Å"predictive power and exult in any abnormal return for an outsider.While it's relatively obvious that the Insider's motivation In making an Inside trade Is a key factor in determining how successful the outsider's mimicking trades will be, existing academic literature has, for the most part, been unable to take advantage of this factor to increase returns on test portfolios. Were outsiders able to identify the motivation behind the insider's it might become possible to create a portfolio of performance-predicting trades, which would generate abnormal returns. In a 2007 paper entitled â€Å"Decoding Inside Information†, (Cohen et al.Harvard University and University of Toronto professors test an innovative and original approach to mimicking insider trades. By using a simple algorithm, the strategy attempts to separate insider traders into two categories: opportunistic traders and routine traders. Specifically, the algorithm involves analyzing the past three years of an insider's trading history, and identifying as routine traders those who had made inside trades in the same calendar month for three consecutive years. The remaining insiders, approximately, 45% of Cohen et al. ‘s sample, is identified as opportunistic traders.Insiders without three years of trading story are discarded from the sample entirely. Cohen et al. Test whether the trades made by these â€Å"opportunistic traders† contain any predictive power relating to firm performance, and how the trades of â€Å"routine traders† perform in comparison. Methodology In order to test the efficacy of this strategy, the authors construct four test portfolios at the end of month t, comprised of month it's: a) Opportunistic buys b) Opportunistic sells c) Routine buys d) Routine sells At the end of each month, the portfolios are rebalanced to reflect the routine and opportunistic inside trades and buys in that month.The objective of using these oratorios is to test whether or not there is any added value in separating routine traders from opportunistic traders, using the algorithm designed by the authors. In other words, the study tests whether following only those insiders identified by the algorithm as â€Å"opportunistic† could yield a positive alpha, and how this compares to the returns of the â€Å"routine trader† portfolios. As noted above, the SEC requires insiders to report transactions within two business days following the trade (prior to the enactment of Serbians-Solely in 2002, insiders had until the 10th day of the following month to report the trade).In the sample used by Cohen et al. , nearly all of the trades were reported on the day on which the insider made the trade. (2) As such, by the time the portfolios are rebalanced at the end of each month, information on these inside trades would have been publicly available knowledge. Nonetheless, it is important to consider the potential implications of this on the results of the strategy. Predictive Ability of Routine vs. Opportunistic Trades In order to determine whether the â€Å"opportunistic† traders, as defined by Cohen et al. s algorithm, actually contain any predictive power, the authors run pooled aggressions of returns on indicators of routine and opportunistic trades in the prior month, with future one-month returns as the dependent variable. The findings reveal that both the buy and sell opportunistic trades contained much greater predictive power than routine buys and sells. The results reveal that opportunistic buys yield average returns 0. 90 basis points (with a t-statistic of 4. 46), 76 basis points higher than that of routine buys. With a p-value of 0. %, the difference is significant. It is much better indicator than considering all insider buys. Testing opportunistic versus outing sells exhibits similar results, with a coefficient of -0. 78 in the regression of opportunistic sells, and 0. 04 in the regression of routine sells. The difference is again significant with a p-value of 0% (F=29. 30). See Table 1 in Appendix for full results. Alpha The authors test for the presence of abnormal returns using several different asset pricing models, including the CAMP and the Fame-French model, as well as others.While the tests use two different types of portfolios, one value-weighted and one equally weighted, the findings are similar and the results below will therefore focus only on the equally-weighted portfolio. In the case of opportunistic versus routine buys, the results indicate monthly CAMP alphas of 1. 51% (with a t-ratio of 5. 89 and p- value The results indicate that longing opportunistic buys, and shorting opportunistic sells could yield significant excess returns. An equally-weighted portfolio of opportunistic buys and sells yields a monthly CAMP alpha of 1. 81%, and a monthly Fame-French alpha of 1. 41%, with respective t-ratios of 5. 6 and 5. 04. Based on these results, it is evident that by separating routine and opportunistic trades from trades motivated by liquidity and diversification needs, and following only the former, outsiders may be able to significantly outperform the market. Distribution of Returns While the study by Cohen et al. Goes not provide much information on the characteristics of the distribution of returns on the various portfolios used in their study, looking at other sources which study insider trading strategies may provide some insight into this issue. This information is highly relevant to risk-averse investors, to whom the probability of losses may be as important as the expected return. In Investment Intelligence from Insider Trading, H. Negate Shun finds that the probability of loss (defined as earning lower returns than an investment in the market portfolio) on a single mimicking transaction is 49. %, excluding transaction costs, and 51 . 7% when transaction costs are taken into account. (3). When combined with the study findings o n average return, which falls in the 2-3% depending on the minor variations in the study various tests of the strategy, the approximate 50-50 arability of loss indicates a positive-skewed distribution. As such an investor must mimic a large number of insider trades in order to earn returns near the average of 2-3% in Shunt's findings. While the relatively high probability of losses may seem risk averse investors, as it indicates a smaller probability of extreme negative losses.Although there are substantial differences between Cohen et al. ‘s study and Shunt's study?likely the most important of which is that Shun does not differentiate between routine and opportunistic insiders as Cohen et al. Do?the results from Shunt's study may be an indication that the distribution of Cohen et al. ‘s results are positive-skewed as well. Indeed, it is likely that following only opportunistic traders would both reduce the probability of extreme negative losses, as well as increase the probability of extreme positive gains, thereby resulting in an even further positive- skewed distribution.In addition, the high probability of loss illustrated in Shunt's findings would likely also be reduced when following only opportunistic traders. Trading Costs and Refinancing Because this strategy involves relatively active trading, its costs (commission fees and id-ask spreads) will undoubtedly be higher than those of a buy and hold strategy. That said, when the strategy is applied selectively, as is the case in the Cohen et al. Study (I. E. By mimicking only opportunistic insiders rather than all insiders) trading costs can be significantly reduced.In Cohen et al. ‘s study, the test portfolios are rebalanced at the end of every month, based on that month's opportunistic insider trades. In both the opportunistic sell and opportunistic buy portfolios, outsiders would be able to profit by shorting and buying, respectively, holding for a month, and balancing at the end of e very month. Monthly refinancing requires immediacy, and the stocks would need to be purchased and sold using market orders. The outsider would thus incur the additional costs off larger bid-ask spread.Outsiders may potentially be able to rebalanced less frequently, submitting limit orders instead of market orders, holding on to the stocks for longer periods of time, and still profit. According to Shunt's findings,(4) in the case of an â€Å"insider buy', the profits are realized over the course of several months. (5) As such, the outsider may be able to educe refinancing to twice a year, and hold on to â€Å"insider buy' stocks for 6 months. In this case, the outsider could likely afford to submit a limit buy order and wait a few days before it executes.However, this does not apply in the case of an â€Å"insider sell†, as there is no evidence to indicate that these profits are realized over a period of many months. As such, monthly refinancing it necessary. Barriers to Imp lementation In reality, while the strategy would certainly not be difficult to follow for an institutional investor or a sophisticated individual investor, it would perhaps present mom challenges for the average investor. In Investment Intelligence from Insider Trading, Shun advises that an investor mimic close to 100 insiders, in order to reduce the probability of loss to an acceptable level. 6) Granted, applying this to a strategy which differentiates between opportunistic and routine traders would likely require an outsider to follow a smaller number of insiders in order to obtain a reasonably limited probability of loss. Another potential barrier for the average investor is differentiating between routine and opportunistic traders. While Cohen et al. Ere able to accomplish this, as would institutional and sophisticated investors, it resources to successfully differentiate between the two types of insiders.While these issues may not be particularly large obstacles, they do presen t additional considerations and challenges for the individual investor. Insider Trading and Serbians-Solely An interesting point to consider is the impact of changing SEC reporting regulations on an outsider's ability to profit from following insider trades. A Stanford University study (Zealand 2005)(6) tested the success of a generic â€Å"mimicking strategy' in the ears leading up to Serbians-Solely, versus the success of the strategy in the years following the enactment of the new legislation.The study found that in the first 27 months, it was possible to generate excess returns of up to 17. 67%, including trading costs. After this period, however, it was no longer possible to obtain these returns, likely because the market had fully adjusted to this new source of public information. Looking forward, it is possible that any further changes in SEC regulation make information more readily accessible with a smaller delay, will present investors with another opportunity to earn addi tional returns before the market is able to react.Strategy Comparison While Cohen et al. Are the first to attempt to generate excess returns by differentiating specifically between routine and opportunistic traders, a number of studies in the academic literature have sought to increase returns from following insider trading by applying the strategy in various other selective ways. Although the â€Å"routine vs.. Opportunistic† strategy appears to be the most successful thus far, several other versions of the strategy have also managed to create excess returns.A duty conducted in Sweden (Ayatollah and El-Marin, 2005) reveals that replicating insider trades of stocks listed on the A-List and Attract 40 (the Swedish stock indices reserved for larger companies with significant operating history) does not generate abnormal returns at a significant level. On the other hand, replicating buy transactions of â€Å"insider clusters† (multiple firm insiders making similar trades in the same time period) of firms trading on the O-list (designated for companies which lack the requisite operating history or size for listing on the more established lists) could generate abnormal returns up to 33. , excluding transaction costs. By selectively applying a mimicking strategy to smaller companies rather than larger ones, to buy transactions rather than sell transactions, and to insider clusters (numerous firm insiders making same-type trades in a given period of time) rather to individual investors,(7) an outsider may be able to generate excess returns. The study conducted by Shun, which examines 60,000 insider transactions on the NYSE from 1975-1981, reveals similar results. Over the course of 100 days, the buy transactions exhibited excess returns of 3%, while the sell transactions underperformed the racket by 1 . %. In other words, an outsider may have been able to profit by going long â€Å"inside buys†, but not by shorting â€Å"inside sells†. He also found that there has been a greater amount of uninformative sell transactions that have taken place in the ass, compared to the ass-ass(8), it could be that since sass, the amount and frequency of stock compensations has greatly and continuously increased,(9),thus it into routines and opportunistic you would be able to keep the informative transactions and be less affect by this tendency.Shunt's results also indicate that placating insider trades in smaller firms generated higher excess returns than insider trades in larger firms. (10) It may be easier to generate excess returns by replicating insider trades in smaller firms, because these insiders are typically subjected to less scrutiny by analysts and by the media than their counterparts in larger firms. As such, they may be more willing to engage in profitable, â€Å"performance- predicting† trades than insiders at larger firms. However, it's also possible that these trades generate higher expected returns simply bec ause they have increased risk.In order to compensate investors for this risk, investments in smaller firms can be expected to generate higher returns, as reflected in the Fame French model. Similar to the Swedish study, a study conducted by Jenny et al. (1999) (7) also found replicating insider cluster transactions to be more profitable than replicating individual insider transactions. The rationale behind this?that same-type transactions from multiple firm insiders within a given period is likely motivated by insider knowledge rather than by investor-specific needs–is fairly obvious. 11) Cohen at al. Observe similar results in Decoding Inside Information. The study findings indicate that a one- standard deviation increase in the log number of opportunistic sells translates into a decrease in future returns of 29 basis points per month (excluding the specific days each year when firm executives receive stock compensation and subsequently liquidate some of their stake in the f irm). (12) By differentiating between routine and opportunistic traders as Cohen et al. O, outsiders can avoid these routine sells, and mimic only informative inside clusters. Looking Forward Although Cohen et al. And others have illustrated various ways in which outsiders ay be able to generate excess returns by mimicking insider trades, several potential obstacles may stand in the way of this strategy in the future. As with any market inefficiency, increased popularity of the strategy as well as increased accessibility to information on insider trades may cause a decline in future returns.Today, there are already a multitude of web sites that allow outsiders to track insider trades, making information about such trades readily accessible to the average investor. As a growing number of outsiders attempt to replicate these trades, it is likely that it will come increasingly difficult for investors to mimic trades in time to capture any gains. Another potential threat to this strateg y is the proliferation of endowment assurances, which firm insiders use to take advantage of offshore solutions in order to hide their transactions. Insiders are therefore able to trade stocks and derivatives of companies â€Å"anonymously', and avoid reporting insider trades to regulators. This would obviously prohibit outsiders from gaining access to and mimicking insider trades. (13) Lastly, increased penalties for insider trading could also threaten the success of the strategy. Cohen et al. How that during periods with increased cases of investors being prosecuted for insider trading, the number of trades identified as â€Å"opportunistic† decrease. In other words, insiders take seriously the risk of being caught and charged.

Audit report

During the stock count e observe the following weaknesses and ascertain the risks associated with them and developed following suggestions to develop controls to address these weaknesses. The details of these are as follows: 1 . Excessive Accessories stocks found as compared to system report. Observations:- During the audit we observe that some of stock physically available is in excess as compared to the stock as per stock report. For details of these please, see annex â€Å"A†. Later on discussion with store uncharged Mr..Adele it came to know that, this problem occurred due to stock shifting, adjusting stock report, bulk quantity counting of stock really with routine activities etc. Some Grins and store issues are also not properly posted in time, that is why this issue raise. Recommendations:- The posting issue should not have any excuse; store team should manage their time to post all types of documents in system to update the stock report. It is also recommended that sto re team should adopt the policy of efficiency instead of effectiveness. 2.Less quantity of stocks found physically as compared to Accessories stock report. Observations:- We observed that some stocks in actual are less as compare to reported quantity. For details of these, please see annex â€Å"B†. Recommendations:- It is recommended to post issuance in system carefully and posting of issuance should be checked on daily basis. We recommended that the issuance book should be systematized and in new software this document will move as prepared by, approved by and deliver by and finally system post this issue automatically. 3. Stock not found physically but mentioned in stock report.Observations:- During the audit we observed some quantity of stock not physically in store as compared with stock report. For details of these please see annex â€Å"C† Later on discussion with store uncharged it came to know that due to the shifting of store items o new place and some issuan ce are also not posted/misplaced, that's why these items showing in report. It is recommended that all issuance should be posted timely in software on daily basis, the items which are not physically exist should be located in report and adjust the report as per the actual conditions to maintain the proper stock report.To resolve this problem the store team should get the approval of management, and after approval they have to adjust the stock accordingly. 4. Items not in report but physically exist During the course of audit it was found that some of the items are physically exist in he store but there is no record of these in the accessory report. For details of these please, see annex â€Å"D†. Recommendations:- It is recommended that store issue returns must be recognized when received at store.Proper record and physical stock must be kept by the store team. 5. Old Stock found in store During the course of audit it was found that lot of space was covered by old stock this stock is not in use since more than 2 year as per information given by the store team these items include: Inlay card Poly bag Buttons For details of these please, see annex â€Å"E†. It is recommended that time period should be defined after which certain item will be considered a part of dead stock.By doing this, dead stock will be separated from old stock. After this, dead stock should be sold at reasonable price and old stock should be properly placed at certain area with label of old stock and should not be mixed with fresh stock. When this old stock will not be used for a certain defined time period, it should be classified as dead stock and be sold as well. 6. Placement and Item codes It is observed that some items such as LABEL and THREAD are placed in different parts in a few boxes. . Thread of one shade found in different boxes and in different places and some of poly bags have no item codes. For details of these please, see annex â€Å"F†. Recommendations:- It is recommended that every item in store must be placed at single place so that these can be easily accessible. Secondly item codes must be mentioned on the items properly. 7. Practice of Safety Stock not adopted It was found during our audit that concept of safety stock was not being considered by the store management.The different routine items like stationary, kitchen items, some stitching general items like needles, commonly use thread and stitching aching spare parts etc. Don't have any safety stock formula, and this problem can stuck the flow of work. It is recommended that store team should be provided with all information about crucial items of different departments which may cause disturbance in the flow of work. Store should have a safety stock of all such items so that these could be used in case of emergency shortage.By doing this smooth running of flow work can be ensured. They should also consult with management in this regards. 8. Tagging and dust issues It is obser ved that some of the items are not properly tagged and there is dust on the teems also. This type of issues create risk like decrease in the value of stock it may also create delay problem for production if the things are not properly tagged and placed. Recommendations:- It is suggested that all the items with proper identification should be at specific place and should cover properly.Proper posting in software will be helpful to maintain the record. 10. Goods directly issued to department without any knowledge of store During the course of our audit it is observed that, some required items are issued directly to the department from where the items are demanded and all the paper work (documents) starts after this, and the store team prepares GRIN after receiving he store issue requisition and ZIP from the department.Recommendations:- It is recommended that if there is any item require urgently in any department and they purchase this on emergency basis, then this item should come fi rst in store and issued from store as well ,and then store uncharged will prepare the GRIN after receiving the documents. By doing this there will be no ambiguity in record and all the items will come into the knowledge of store uncharged. 11. No record for items under RSI. 500. Observation:- It is observed that the items purchased which having value less than 500 rupees have no record in the store.

Site analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Site analysis - Essay Example Wetlands are distributed in the United States due to the differences in geology, water source, and climate. They consume a wider area as far as the coastal margins. In this article, I will consider the wetlands in West Virginia and the effects they have to the locals concerning the agricultural sector. West Virginia has a vast number of wetlands associated with streams. They occur in floodplains and are mainly associated with lakes or can occur as an isolated land feature. Wetlands results in large open water bodies and vegetation such as the Okefenokee Swamp. Hydrologic processes that occur in wetlands are the processes that exist in the healthy water body and are collectively referred as the hydrological cycle. The cycle consists of components such as the precipitation, groundwater flow, surface water flow, and evaporation Cohen (1984). Wetlands continually receive water and lose it through the exchange in the atmospheres, ground water, and streams. Both of the systems provide a conducive geological setting and appropriate and constant supply of water that are necessary for the existence of the wetlands. The wetland water sum is the sum of the inflows and outflows from the wetland. The total water amount for the wetland is represented in the equation below The importance of every component in a wetland varies in the composition of the hydrological cycle from wetland to wetland. The Okefenokee in Georgia is a typical prairie pothole. As a result, it receives direct precipitation and a considerable amount of runoff from the surrounding uplands as well as ground water inflow. It loses water to evaporation, keeping to groundwater or overflow in conditions of excess precipitation and runoff. Wetlands are considered as a complex ecosystem in which underground water and surface water interact with each other, but since the underground water can’t be observed

Western Worldview on Environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Western Worldview on Environment - Research Paper Example For example, greenhouse gases that diminish the ozone affect the weather system which in turn affects the lives and homes of people. A hurricane can put out electrical power for several weeks leaving thousands without the ability to heat their homes, store food, and function in the ways they have become accustomed to. People need to stop thinking of only themselves and realize that each one of us is a part of a larger whole. To that whole we each have a responsibility as a member, but it also may turn out that by being environmentally conscious our own lives are also improved. One part of subscribing to the western worldview is the expectation of acquisition. One is reminded of this expectation especially at this time of year when the dominant image is of shopping and acquiring goods. At one time I subscribed to the idea that buying stuff was good: good for me who got stuff, and good for the economy because it helped to keep jobs and move money around. When the economy recently slowe d down, I heard a lot of people talking about getting by with less by recycling and reusing. I started thinking of ways I could participate. Chris Johnstone of the Deep Ecology Institute explains it as â€Å"a holistic approach to facing world problems that brings together thinking, feeling, spirituality and action. It involves moving beyond the individualism of Western culture towards also seeing ourselves as part of the earth. This leads to a deeper connection with life, where Ecology is not just seen as something 'out there', but something we are part of and have a role to play in† (Johnstone). Reusing and/or recycling as a system depends upon and affects the economy as a system and so forth. Admittedly my motive was to save money, but that motive grew as I started thinking of ways to stretch my dollar by being environmentally savvy. For instance, I found out that I actually prefer to wear jeans dried on the clothes line over jeans dried in an electric dryer. However, when I have to use my dryer, I leave the kitchen door open so it helps to heat my kitchen. I also cut down on the use of both my washer and my dryer by wearing my jeans more than once before I wash them. Besides saving money and energy using my dryer and my clothes line, I also stopped driving my car to the store and started riding my bicycle. I have to make more trips more often, but I am not using an energy source other than the one I generate, and by moving about under my own steam instead of some dead dinosaur’s, I am improving my health and my physical appearance. So, the health of the earth’s inhabitants as a system depends upon the environmental system. Last year I started a compost pile in my yard, so when spring rolled around I had some free fertilizer which I added to some dirt. Then I planted tomatoes, green beans, and some peppers in the pile of dirt and compost. I got to eat fresh veggies all summer. Again my health is improved by improving the soil (the earth ) and the interrelated systems of the natural world demonstrate dependence on each other. Some people believe that they are excluded from being a part of the whole when it comes to environmental consciousness. These people are Christians. As a child I was taught that Jesus was going to return to earth and take all the believers to heaven with him. This was supposed to happen at any moment, so there was no reason for preserving the natural resources because the world would not be around much longer. I no longer believe that, but many people do and that causes these people to discount the importance of preserving the environment. Unfortunately, if anyone dares to speak out against this policy, others would accuse them

Scene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scene - Essay Example The ladies are joined by another group of ladies and they sum up to seven. They walk slowly on the pathway to the relaxing zone where they continue with their conversation. Meanwhile, the game gets sweeter and I cannot resist the temptation of joining the team. I give the idea to my friends and they do not object to the idea of joining the players. As we head for the pitch, I remember that I have a presentation to make in an afternoon class. I stop for a while and remind my friends and surprisingly, none of them remembers the assignment. Immediately we change our minds from joining the game to preparing the presentation. We head to an empty bench where we sit and take out our presentation materials and get busy with our perfection. I notice that we are sited at a bench opposite a group of finalists who are busy discussing their project. This gives me the morale to get serious with the presentation. I notice that all my group mates, despite having forgotten about the assignment, they are all ready to contribute the ideas and materials that we are supposed to use. This motivates me more and I get down to working with my team in order to better our

An analysis of the Ebola Virus (Ebola Hemorragic Fever) its ongoing Essay

An analysis of the Ebola Virus (Ebola Hemorragic Fever) its ongoing epidemiology, and ongoing prevention and control of this BSL - Essay Example The continued outbreak of Ebola in Africa has drawn worldwide attention because of its explosive emergence, high mortality, nosocomial secondary transmission, and ecological mystery. The worst outbreak occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and killed 250 out of 315 who contracted it, while one of the latest outbreaks, lasting through February of 2009, had a 47% mortality rate, killing 15 of the 32 infected (CDC). Safety measures recommended to avoid the contraction of the Ebola virus include the use of personal protective equipment (PPE, including masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles) and, infection control measures including isolation, and complete sterilization of equipment. There is little research at this time regarding control of the infection since there is absence of significant knowledge about Ebola’s ecology. Thus, Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is perhaps the most virulent virus known to mankind. Background In central Africa, the Ebola virus w as found to be the cause of a hemorrhagic fever with a high mortality rate in the mid-1970s and reemerged there in the mid-1990s (Waigmann, 2003, p. 6). In 1976, epidemics of hemorrhagic disease with very high mortality, up to 90%, broke out simultaneously in a remote area of Northern Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, (DRC) and Southern Sudan (Zuckerman, 2009, p. 755). The outbreaks in these areas were found to be due to two separate but antigenically related filovirus strains, distinct from Marburg virus. After some tests, these viruses were grouped under the name Ebola virus, after a river in Zaire (Zuckerman, 2009, p. 755). Among 318 probable cases, 280 died, a mortality rate of 80% (Zuckerman, 2009, p. 759). A smaller Ebola outbreak occurred in Sudan in 1979 with 34 patients and 22 deaths. There were outbreaks in 1989, when a shipment of monkeys with Ebola virus was imported from the Philippines by a commercial biological supply company in the United States. The 1 989 outbreak was focused in Reston, Virginia, and was thus called Ebola Reston strain. Hundreds of monkeys were killed in 1989 Ebola Reston outbreak to avoid spread of infection to humans. Animal handlers showed signs of infections, but not clinical manifestation. Because of this, it was believed that Philippine monkey strain of Ebola was less virulent for man. In 1992, there was a small monkey outbreak in Italy, and a single case of a Swiss technologist who did an autopsy on a chimpanzee in the Tai forest area of the Ivory Coast. In the early part of May 1995, health authorities noticed a cluster of Ebola cases in Kikwit Hospital, in Democratic Republic of Congo. Most of the cases resulted from close contact with patients and aerosol transmission, the mechanism by which Ebola virus is spread from a reservoir to a human being by means of aerosols (Ebola virus suspensions in air) and usually enters through the respiratory tract. The outbreak was controlled by limiting contact transmi ssions. In June 1995, 315 cases were detected and 77%, or 244, of these died (Evans, 1997, p. 140). In early 1996, an isolated outbreak occurred in Gabon with 37 cases and 21 deaths (Evans, 1997, p. 140). At the same time, a limited monkey outbreak occurred

Organizational Structure Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Structure Paper - Essay Example BPs marketing system has been to present itself as a green company producing new cleaner fuels for reducing CO2 emissions. On the other hand, this scheme might lead to loss of business to its competitors as people question its green image. Profit earned from selling product and services is shared among shareholders, used to fund future expansion and retains part of it to aid in search of new oil and gas reserves and invest on new technology or replace old machinery. Internal leadership and management are segmented into divisions that review contractors, thus enhancing flow of communication within the organization. Finally, BP focuses on diversification and branching out in its operations (Brown, 2012). Oil located in deep sea helps BP develop better processes for deep-sea drilling from cementing, testing for leakages, to well control and risk management. Functionally, BP should educate and train its personnel to enhance capability and competence. Departmentally, BP ought to adopt a centralized organizational structure as this will improve cost efficiency and inject consistency into operations. Finally, BP should focus on diversifying its marketing channels for the companys advantage (Bateman & Snell,

Honor, Virtue, and the Paradox of the Old South (Antebellum period and Essay

Honor, Virtue, and the Paradox of the Old South (Antebellum period and most specifically 1800 to 1864) - Essay Example re expected to wear beautiful gowns rich in cloth and engage in gentile activities that didn’t stress them too much or place them in the harsh sun for excessive periods of time. Black people were barely considered at all and were, at best, seen in the background the scenes in one’s head, with a serving tray or assisting a woman with her dressing rituals. Even when daily life did not match up with these ideals, the belief was that they were working toward them and that the Southerner was the final champion of the highest ethical standards known to man. However, very few of these ideals were actually true. While there were numerous planters that may have fallen within these parameters, they were only able to do so by exploiting the people around them. The South survived on the backs of its women and slaves in a way that it rarely acknowledged openly, introducing a tremendous paradox between how they saw themselves as compared to how they really lived. This is most easily understood in the stories of the ‘servant’ members of this society, the women and slaves/former slaves. Following the end of the Civil War, the United States went into a period of rebuilding and redefinition in many respects. One of the ideas that developed during this period among the middle class of the country was the idea of women as the center of the home. Scholarship on this issue brings into focus some of the issues of class and reproduction women faced during the antebellum period. Through the virtues of piety, purity and submissiveness, the woman was defined first as a pious and pure daughter and sister and then as a submissive wife within the confines of the male protector, making her suitable only for a domestic role. Her prime motive following marriage was to provide for the hearth, meaning food, clothing, children and all that was necessary for the continuance of the family line. When it came to marriage and having children, it was said â€Å"Let no caprice or

Folk Dance Essay Example for Free

Folk Dance Essay It is impossible to know when exactly dancing became a part of life in the Philippines. Many traditional dances were designed to thank the gods for natural and agricultural events, such as rain and harvests. The dances were performed during festivals and remembrances of past military victories, and still are performed at celebrations of births and weddings in modern times. Many modern folk dance festivals still feature ancient dances performed in costume of the tribal period of the Philippines. Some dances such as the Palok and the Lumagen are performed with traditional percussion instruments such as the gangsa (a small copper gong), a tobtob (brass gong) or a hibat (a gong played with a soft wooden stick). For many tribal dances there are no external musicians; the dancers generate their own accompaniment with stomping and hand clapping. Later Dances in Philippine History More recent dances done in the Philippines derive from historical events such as the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century and the conflicts with the Moors. While certain words and movements from those cultures have been integrated into the dances, the Filipino dance genre remains true to its ancient tradition and roots. * Touch: Bring your free foot to your lead foot, then touch the floor without taking a step or putting weight on the free foot. * Toe: Touch the toe of the free foot to the floor without shifting weight to the free foot. * Heel: Extend the free foot forward, then touch the back of your heel to the floor without putting weight on your heel. * Tap: Touch the floor with a sharp motion with your free foot, but do not take a step or put weight on the free foot. * Stamp: Stomp the flat of your free foot on the floor, but do not put weight on the free foot. Noise can vary based on the type of shoe youre wearing and the type of floor. * Point: Extend the free foot forward or backward and touch your toe to the floor. The ankle should be stretched and the instep arched. Do not step or put weight on the free foot. * Press: Step forward with your free foot, putting partial weight on the ball of your foot. Your supporting leg should be straight and your pressed leg (free foot) is bent with some pressure (partial weight) on the floor. Your body should be leaned forward just a bit. * Brush: Touch the toe of your free foot to the floor, then move it a short distance toward the supporting foot or move it against the supporting foot, but do not put weight on it. * Draw: Touch the toe of your free foot to the floor far from your supporting foot, then move it toward your supporting foot without putting weight on it. * Drag: Stretch your body up, then touch your toe to the floor far from your supporting foot and move it toward your supporting foot without putting weight on it. * Flare: Sweep your free foot in an arc, making sure to keep your toe in contact with the floor without putting weight on it. First position- raises arms to a circle in front of the chest. Second position – open up arms sideward, raised below shoulder level with a graceful curve. Third position – raise one arm overhead while other arm remains in 2nd position. Fourth position – raise one arm in front of chest in a half circle, while one arm remains overhead. Fifth position – raise both arms overhead in a graceful curve. Feet Positions: First position – bring heels close to touch; toes apart. Second position – bring feet apart sideward. Third position – bring the heel of one foot to touch the instep of the other foot. Fourth position – bring one foot in front of the other foot to walk strike. Fifth position – bring the heel of one foot to touch the toe of the other. 3/4 plain polka waltz sway balance with raise mincing redoba three steps and point mazurka cross waltz plain waltz 2/4 Touch Step Step Point Close Step Slide Step Step Swing Step Hop SUBLI Subli is the dance portion of a devotion performed in honor of the Mahal na Poong Santa Cruz, a large crucifix of anubing wood with the face of the sun in silver at the center. The icon was discovered in the early decades of Spanish rule in what is now the town of Alitagtag, Batangas. It is the patron of many towns in the area, notably the ancient town of Bauan, Batangas. The subli consists of a long sequence of prayers in verse, songs, and dances, performed in a fixed sequence. The verse recounts the first journey of the early manunubli ( subli performer)through the fields, hills, and rivers of Batangas in search of the miraculous cross. Sections of verse are sung to a fixed punto or skeletal melody, which may be elaborated on in a different way by a different subli troupe. About five of these punto are used in a complete subli performance. These sections may be divided further into various fixed dance patterns involving one, two or eight pairs of men and women. These numbers seem to be the norm in Bauan, although other towns may have formations involving three pairs at a time. The stances, gestures, and movements of the male dancers are freewheeling and dramatic, consisting of leaping, striking the ground with kalaste (wooden bamboo clappers held in both hands), and other movements suggesting the martial arts. The women circle on half-toe, performing the talik (small refined gestures with wrists and fingers), their fingers grazing the small-brimmed hats and alampay (triangular scarf worn loosely over the shoulder)that are the essential parts of their costume. They dance and sing, to the rhythm beaten out by a stick on the tugtugan, a goblet-shaped, footed drum of langka wood with a head made of iguana skin. -E. R. Mirano.

Corrosion Properties of Al-B4C Composites

Corrosion Properties of Al-B4C Composites Abstract[SM1] The influences of adding B4C particles on corrosion behavior of Al-2wt.% Cu alloy was studied in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution at room temperature using linear and cyclic polarization, immersion test and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS).[SM2] Nano-composites reinforced with 2, 4 and 6 wt. % B4C were produced through mechanical milling and tested to explore the B4C contents effects on the corrosion properties. [SM3]Influences of the grain size were also studied comparing the coarse-grained and milled Al matrix. Results revealed that the corrosion resistance of Al matrix decreases by reducing the particle size. Sample with 2wt.% B4C showed best corrosion resistance amongst all. Key words: Mechanical milling, Nano-composite, Al, B4C, Corrosion Introduction Metal Matrix Composites were remained the focus of attentions in aerospace, automotive and military industries in recent years. These materials offer several advantages including the high strength to weight ratio, excellent wear resistance and high stiffness compared to the original alloys. The commonly used reinforcing materials are; silicon carbide, aluminum oxide and boron carbide. Due to density differences between the reinforcements and the matrix materials, segregation has been found to be a major problem in producing metal matrix composites. Ball milling is considered to be an important technique for producing nano-crystalline composites. Growing interest for this technique is due to preparing materials with unique chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Ball milling process makes uniform distribution of reinforcement particles in the matrix, preventing the segregation which is commonly found in composites fabricated through other methods [1-4]. Effects of B4C particles as reinforcement materials on mechanical properties of aluminum base alloys are existed in the literatures, but studies on corrosion behavior for these composites are rarely reported. Corrosion behavior is a key parameter for assessing the applications of composites in marine environments. All in all, incorporation of the reinforcements into Al alloys increases the corrosion rate of composites in comparison with matrix. Primary corrosion initiation sites in MMCs[SM4] are dependent on electrical conductivity of reinforcement material, reinforcement volume fraction, intermetallic phases and corrosive environment. Grain size has also a major effect on corrosion behavior of the composites [5-9]. Present research aims at studying the corrosion properties of Al-B4C composites. The influence of different B4C contents on corrosion behavior of Al matrix composites was investigated. Coarse-grained Al matrix was also used to explore the effect of grain size on corrosion resistance. Experimental Al–2wt.% Cu and the nano-sized B4C particles were respectively used as matrix and reinforcements in fabricating the specimens. Besides a plain matrix sample, others were synthesized through mechanical alloying of the powder mixtures with 2, 4, and 6 wt.% of B4C. Ball milling was done by a planetary mill, equipped with two tempered steel vials containing Chrome steel balls (φ=20mm). The rotational speed and the ball to powder weight ratio were set at 300 rpm and 10:1, respectively. Milling process was performed at room temperature under argon gas (99.999%) atmosphere protection for 20h[SM5] to achieve steady state condition. Mechanically milled powders were then cold pressed and hot extruded with an extrusion ratio of 10:1 at 550à ¢- ¦C. Reference Al alloy sample was prepared from unmilled aluminum powder using similar pressing and extrusion processes. Electrochemical measurements including linear polarization, cyclic polarization, weight loss and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests were applied to 3.5wt.% NaCl solution at room temperature. Three electrodes system, including a working electrode, a platinum counter electrode and a silver-silver chloride electrode (Ag/AgCl) as [SM6]reference electrode were used. The exposed area of samples was polished to 1200 emery paper. Tafel tests were performed at a scan rate of 1 mV/s, from -2000mV to 500mV using a 273A Princeton Applied Research EGG model potentiostat/Galvanostat. Cyclic polarization measurements were carried out under conditions similar to Tafel test. After reaching to the 500mV point, scan direction was reversed. In order to find out the exact protection potential, scan rate of 0.5 mV/s was applied in reverse direction. Disc shape specimens (10mm in diameter and 3mm thick) were immersed in 3.5wt.% NaCl solution in atmosphere for 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days. Corroded samples were cleaned according to G1 standard, [SM7]dried and weighed before and after the experiments using a balance (H- Z- K 210 model) with an accuracy of 0.00001 g. The mass losses for samples were finally measured by considering their total surface area. Phase characterization of specimens before and after the immersion were carried out through [SM8]X-ray diffraction (XRD) [SM9]technique on a Phillips X‘Pert Pro diffractometer using monochromatic Cu-KÃŽ ± radiation. Morphology and chemical analysis of samples were also characterized using scanning electron microscopy[SM10] (SEM), SU8040model, equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer [SM11](EDS). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy[SM12] (EIS) measurements were done with a frequency ranging from 10 mHz[SM13] to 100 MHz. The results were analyzed by means of Zview2 software. Result and Discussion- The milling part Fig 1 shows the morphology of Al/Cu alloy and the Al/Cu-4wt.% B4C composite after 20 h[SM14] of mechanical milling. By increasing [SM15]milling time, the particle size decreases besides narrower size distributions.[SM16] The nearly equiaxed crystal morphology of particles suggests that, the 20 h[SM17] of milling time was sufficient to reach desired steady-state condition. Results in table 1 demonstrate[SM18] that by increasing the B4C contents, the average particle size decreases. Table 1 shows the influence of B4C content on the crystallite size and the lattice strain of aluminum matrix, according to Williamson–Hall method. As expected, the mechanical milling induced severe plastic deformation, leading to the formation of nano-crystalline metal matrix. The crystallite sizes varied with B4[SM19]C contents, showing the effect of hard particles on grain refining performance of metal matrix[SM20]. It is known that the milling stages introduce plastic deformation of ductile matrix, micro-welding, and the fracture of deformed particles in metal matrix [10, 11]. As compared to mechanical milling of soft powders, the presence of hard particles causes an increase in local deformation of matrix around reinforcement particles, which indeed would enhance the work-hardening rate of metal matrix. Additionally, fracture toughness of composite powders is lower than that of the matrix material [11]. On the other hand, an increase in the content of particles results in more frequent interactions between the dislocations and the hard particles [12], which accelerating the onset of mechanical-milling stage, and contributing to grain-refinement process [11].[SM21] Microstructural examination of as-cast composites revealed that the B4C particles were not distributed uniformly in the matrix and the regional clusters of particles existed. Since the wetting by molten matrix was poor, a uniform distribution of particles could not be observed in composites fabricated by stir casting. In addition, other factors like stirring speed, pouring condition, solidification rate, etc. [SM22]have also had a noticeable influence on particles distribution. In extruded samples, a more even distribution of B4[SM23]C can be observed. Fig. 2 shows the back-scattered electron SEM micrographs of extruded composites used in this study. A uniform distribution of ceramic reinforcements is evident in both composites. In addition, there are no traces of voids in the microstructure which in turn suggests that there was full-densification of composite upon extrusion.[SM24] Result and Discussion- The corrosion part Potentiodynamic Polarization Tests The Potentiodynamic Polarization behaviors of different samples in 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions after 1 hour of testing are given in Fig. 3. Their Ecorr, icorr and ipassive values (obtained from Tafel-type fit) are summarized in Table2[SM25]. Data shows that Al-cast has a lower corrosion rate than Al-milled. As the milled alloy has finer grains, it was expected to be less corrosion resistant because of having more grain boundaries, means higher susceptibility to electrochemical reactions and hence to corrosion. [SM26]It can also be seen that the characteristics of polarization curves for B4C composite samples are quite similar to base the alloy[SM27], indicating that the reactions are similar for both. According to table 2, adding 2wt.% B4C to the base material lowered the corrosion rate slightly, because the ceramic particles may to some extent hindered electrochemical dissolution physically. On the other hand, adding more B4C particle to the composite increases the corrosion rate. In any Al alloy-B4C composites, forming intermetallic compounds plays an important role in any chemical and electrochemical reactions that take place on composite surface in a corrosive environment. Fig.[SM28] 4 shows the X-ray diffraction pattern for Al 6wt.% B4C composite. It can be seen that other than Al matrix, there would be considerable amounts of Al3BC species which were produced when the Al reacted with B4C particles. As Al is more anodic with respect to intermetallic, having more of B4C in matrix dominates the effect of physical blocking of electrochemical reactions for ceramic particles in the solution and corrosion rate increases. Therefore [SM29]other than general corrosion of the matrix, there will be galvanic corrosion between the matrix and intermetallic resulting localized corrosion (pitting) on composite surface. In Al 6wt.% B4C sample, the corrosion rate decreased. This can be explained through passivation point of view as shown in polarization curves in which, the passive current density increases by increasing the B4C content. This may be caused by the formation of more porous and unstable passive layers produced by higher intermetallic particles and also leading to more susceptibility to localized corrosion.[SM30] Weight Loss Measurements Figure 5 represents the weight losses for different samples at different immersion times. Diagram demonstrates that the Al cast has the lowest weight loss, therefore [SM31]the lowest corrosion rate of all samples. B4C composites show higher corrosion rates than Al-milled suggesting that adding B4C to samples increases the corrosion rate.[SM32] As mentioned above, adding B4C to the alloy produces Al3BC intermetallic during corrosion.SEM micrographs of the Al 6wt.% B4C before and after the immersion for 28 days [SM33]are shown in Fig[SM34] 6. Al matrix and Al3BC intermetallic are pointed out in Fig. [SM35]6. EDX analysis results of the intermetallic phase from Figure 4-b is also demonstrated in Fig.[SM36] 7. It reveals that, considerable amounts of the compound exist in the matrix [SM37]which agrees with the XRD results discussed before. Finally, it is observed that the results from immersion and polarization tests are in agreement with each other. It is indicating that besides a general corrosion, there is a galvanic corrosion between the matrix and the particles leading to localized corrosion. Cyclic Polarization Studies: Characteristic potential values such as:[SM38] pitting potential (Epit), corrosion potential (Ecor), and re-passivation potential (Erp) were determined through cyclic polarization studies. As it is observed in Fig[SM39] 8, the nature of potentiodynamic polarization curves in the 3.5% NaCl solution reveals typical characteristics of the material undergoing spontaneous passivation. Reverse scan shows a hysteresis cycle, showing the characteristics of pitting. After reaching to a maximum level, the current begins to decay without any oscillation. Following a linear current-potential relationship is suggesting that an ohmic controlled process was taking place [12-15]. Additional electrochemical parameters given in the table [SM40]are: à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¥Epit=Epit-Ecorr, à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¥Erp=Epit-Erp. à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¥Epit is a measure of the width of passive region on polarization curve, indicating the susceptibility to pitting. à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¥Erp is used to assess the repassivation behaviour of propagating pits and hence, the ease with which locally active sites can be eliminated.[SM41] à °Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃ‚ ¥Eprotection represents Erp-Ecorr and indicates the protected region. Pits are formed in this region, repassivation and larger region means more resistance to pitting for composite. [SM42]According to table[SM43] 3, the largest protection region was belonged to Al cast. Milled sample showed a smaller region and because of having more grain boundaries on the surface, by creating smaller nucleation sites for pits, made the sample more prone to pitting. [SM44]Adding B4C to samples confines the region and lowered[SM45] the resistance to pitting corrosion. EIS Studies In order to study the corrosion behavior of B4C composites and the base alloy, EIS measurements were carried out for all specimens at their Ecorr in 3.5% NaCl solution. Figure 9 shows results in the form of nyquist[SM46] diagrams. There is a common characteristic for all curves, i.e. a capacitive semicircle in the high frequency ranges. High frequency capacity loop was mainly related to the characteristics of electrical double layer formed at the interface between the adsorption layer on [SM47]metal surface and the electrolyte [12]. The biggest semicircle was noticed for the Al cast sample, indicating that the alloy has the highest resistance to corrosion. Al-BM sample has an additional semicircle in low frequency range, which may be related to the charge transfer across the metal-electrolyte interface. Another noticeable point is that, inductive loop [SM48]is related to the salt layer formation on the surface. It may also demonstrate that, [SM49]adsorption of an anion like chloride which is presented in electrolyte,[SM50] caused the pitting corrosion. Al-BM also has[SM51] lower resistance to corrosion than Al-Cast. Corrosion resistance for Al 4%B4C sample was higher than the Al-BM. But for the 2% and 6% composites, there were less improvement observed [SM52][16, 17]. Conclusion Results from electrochemical measurements which were carried out on Cast and Milled alloys and the B4C composites[SM53] showed that,[SM54] adding B4C particles to milled alloys will not [SM55]change the corrosion resistance considerably. From corrosion resistance point of view, it would be fair to say that the best sample was[SM56] the Al 2%B4C. [SM1]say kon as phrasal verb kamtar estefadeh koni [SM2]inja be nazaram was studied ro bezar akhare jomle [SM3]The [SM4]inja be nzaram bebenevis MMC mokhafafe chiye,magar inke khayli to mozoe shoma shenakhteh shodeh bashe. [SM5]20 hours [SM6]a [SM7]G1 standard. They were dried and weighed [SM8]inja benazare manbefore and after immersion ro ya toye comma bezar ya biyaresh avale jomle,chon yeho jomlato enghar ghat kardeh. [SM9]inja diffraction bayad capital bashe, magar inke aslan to hozeyeh shoma injori neveshteh mishe. manzuram mesle bala ke toye abstract EIS ro neveshti. [SM10]horofe avale ina bayad capital bashe [SM11]the same as 10SM [SM12]inro hazf kon, chon bala toye abstract neveshti ke mokhafafe chi hastesh. [SM13]inja manzoret mili hertz hastesh? [SM14]20 hours [SM15]the [SM16]besides narrower size distribution, the particle size decreases when the milling time increases. [SM17]20 hours without the [SM18]demonstrates [SM19]subscript [SM20]I think it needs rewriting! [SM21]in jomlehe khayli bolande, hamintor por az information hastesh, behtare beshkanitesh be 2 ta jomle age mishe. [SM22]inja ye comma mikhad [SM23]subscript [SM24]in jomlat nesfesh dar zamane gozashtash nesfesh dar zamane hale! [SM25]fasele beyne table va 2 [SM26] too many information in a sentence, needs rewriting. [SM27]? [SM28]Figure [SM29]a comma here [SM30]too many information in one sentence, needs rewriting. [SM31]comma [SM32].This suggests that adding [SM33]yeja in vasat masata comma mikhad.chon nemidunam chi neveshti nemidunam kojash bezaram [SM34]Figure [SM35]Figure [SM36]Figure [SM37]It reveals that there is considerable amount of the compound in the matrix. [SM38]ino hazf kon [SM39]Figure [SM40]which table? [SM41]needs rewriting [SM42]needs rewriting [SM43]Capital [SM44]too long! [SM45]past or present? [SM46]N [SM47]the [SM48]point is the inductive loop which is [SM49]the [SM50]behtare kole in beyne comma bashe. [SM51]present or past? [SM52]less improvement was observed. [SM53]in behtare beyne 2 ta coma bashe. [SM54]ino delet kon [SM55]does not [SM56]is

Comparison Of Buddhism And Taoism Essay -- essays research papers

Taoism and Buddhism were born in the same century. Siddhartha reached enlightenment in approximately 535 B.C. and Lao Tzu’s teachings were recorded around 500 B.C. There are many similarities in the basics of these two religions. Some of the similarities can be seen clearly when examining the three meaning of Tao. The first definition of Tao is "the way of ultimate reality." This means that Tao cannot be percieved, defined, talked about, or thought of. It is too big a concept for humans to comprehend. As in the first line of the Tao Te Ching (the Taoist text meaning The Way and Its Power): "The Tao that can be spoken is not the true Tao." This is very similar to the Buddhist idea of Nirvana or Enlightenment. Nirvana cannot be understood by one who has not attained it. Even when one has reached Nirvana, he cannot describe it to others, but only help others to reach it as well. In its second sense, Tao means "the way of the universe." Tao is something that goes through all beings, all of the earth. It is everywhere, all the time. It is something that flows through everything. This flowing idea links with the idea in Buddhism that Nirvana can be reached by anyone, as long as one is devoted enough and has lost all attachments.Thirdly, one life must be a certain way to work with the Tao: Tao also refers to "the way of human life" as it "meshes" with the universal Tao in its second sense. This fundamental idea of Taoism has m...

Free Essays - A Difference in Values in The Good Earth :: Earth

A Difference in Values   The House of Wang Lung rose in one generation from a family of poor farmers to a wealthy respected house in the novel The Good Earth by Pearl Buck. The dramatic change in social status causes the sons of Wang Lung to have different views and values from their father. His different treatment of each son also shapes each character. Although part of the same family the charachters demonstrate a difference in values. The father values the land, the youngest son values regognition, the middle son values wealth, and the eldest son values respect.   As a result of his impoverished upbringing, Wang Lung values the land more than anything else. His obsession with the land causes him to neglect his family. The youngest son receives no attention and Wang Lung's plan to have him work the land disturbs him and makes him feel like a peasant. He feels that he has to prove that he is as great as his brothers and leaves the family to join the army. The middle son watches as his inheritance passes from his father's hand into the hand of his eldest son, and complains that his share is always too small. He wants to save the families money. The eldest son receives more attention and is given more than the other two sons and wants to be respected as a great family.      The eldest son receives more attention and is given more than the other two sons and wants to be respected as a great family. Wang Lung is proud of his first born son, Nung En, and gives him more than his other two sons. One example is when Wang Lung becomes distressed because he cannot read the contracts he is signing and does not want to sign a bad deal. He hopes that sending the elder son to school to learn how to read will solve this problem. The elder son is no longer needed in the fields, because Wang Lung can now afford men to work the land. However, he ignores sending his other children to school until later.   The eldest son's greatest desire is to have his family viewed as a great house. His wife, the daughter of the grain merchant Lui, Boggs 2 grew up in a rich house, she is accustomed to wealth and respect from others, and contributes to her husband's desire. He takes Wang Lung's silver bit by bit to mend up the old House of Hwang.

The Dynamics of Power in South Africa and Palestine :: South Africa Palestine Power Essays

The Dynamics of Power in South Africa and Palestine For over a hundred years, whites consolidated their power in predominantly black South Africa. In the last fifty years, Israelis have played a major hand in dispersing and oppressing the Palestinian people. Edward Said believes that â€Å"The relationship between Occident and Orient is a relationship of power, of domination, of varying degrees of a complex hegemony† (Orientalism 133). Though the geographic reference of this quotation seems less applicable to South Africa, Said’s intuition into the complexity of race relations between oppressors and the oppressed still rings true. Nadine Gordimer’s two short stories, â€Å"Once Upon a Time† and â€Å"The Moment Before the Gun Went Off,† and Edward Said’s work â€Å"After the Last Sky: Palestinian Lives† describe the power structures in South Africa and Palestine, respectively. Both authors clearly depict situations in which one group wields disproportionate authority in its relationship with another group. This parallel confusedly meets the oblique disparities between black/white and Jew/non-Jew interaction. In the exclusive context of Gordimer’s two short stories and Said’s piece, the hegemonies in South Africa and in Palestine are maintained in similar fashion, but with greatly differing results. Both black South Africans and Palestinians are forced to live in segregated, poor communities and are subject to dehumanizing legislation. Gordimer’s story, â€Å"Once Upon a Time,† speaks of economic and racial segregation explicitly: â€Å"There were riots, but they were outside the city, where a people of another color were quartered† (Gordimer 25). The classism and condescension of the white residents is clear as they recall with contempt those black robbers who snagged stores of fine alcohol: â€Å"the thieves wouldn’t even have been able to appreciate what it was they were drinking† (27). Moreover, they speak disdainfully of the unemployed blacks who spoiled â€Å"a beautiful suburb† (27) â€Å"only by their presence† (27). As Said painfully depicts, Palestinians find themselves in a very similar position in a system of â€Å"virtual apartheid† (Said 142). He describes the process through which Palestinians are â€Å"herded into new camps† (19) and their â€Å"identity is confined to frightened little islands in an inhospitable environment of superior military force† (19). Said paints a sad picture of the poor and destitute nature of life in the Palestinian refugee camps. Physical and economic segregation leaves both black South Africans and Palestinians on the outside, looking in. A critical difference between the power hierarchies in these two countries lies in the level of integration and the nature of the interaction between oppressors and the oppressed.

Online Shopping Essay

Online shopping (sometimes known as e-tail from â€Å"electronic retail† or e-shopping) is a form of electronic commercewhich allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. HISTORY English entrepreneur Michael Aldrich invented online shopping in 1979. His system connected a modified domestic TV to a real-time transaction processing computer via a domestic telephone line. his enabled ‘closed’ corporate information systems to be opened to ‘outside’ correspondents not just for transaction processing but also for e-messaging and information retrieval and dissemination, later known as e-business In March 1980 he went on to launch Redifon’s Office Revolution, which allowed consumers, customers, agents, distributors, suppliers and service companies to be connected on-line to the corporate systems and allow business transactions to be completed electronically in real-time. [3] During the 1980s[4] he designed, manufactured, sold, installed, maintained and supported many online shopping systems, using videotex technology The first secure retail transaction over the Web was either by NetMarket or Internet Shopping Network in 1994.[7]Immediately after, Amazon.com launched its online shopping site in 1995 and eBay was also introduced in 1995.[6] Alibaba’s sites Taobao and Tmall were launched in 2003 and 2008, respectively. Reasons for online shopping 1) Convenience: Where else can you do shopping, even at midnight, wearing your jammies? You don’t have to wait in a line or wait till the shop assistant helps you with your purchases. You can do your shopping in minutes even if you are busy, apart from saving time and avoiding crowds. Online shops give us the opportunity to shop 24 x 7 and also reward us with ‘no pollution’ shopping. 2) Better Prices: I get cheap deals and better prices from online stores because products come to you directly from the manufacturer or seller without middlemen involved. Many online shops offer discount coupons and rebates. 3) Variety: One can get several brands and products from different sellers at one place. You can get in on the latest international trends without spending money on travel; you can shop from  retailers in other parts of the country or even the world without being limited by geographic area†¦ These stores offer a far greater selection of colors and sizes tha n you will find locally. If you find that the product you need is out of stock online, you can take your business to another online store where the product is available. 4) Fewer Expenses: Many times when we opt for conventional shopping we tend to spend a lot more than the required shopping expenses, on things like eating out, traveling, impulsive shopping etc. 5) Comparison of Prices: Online shops make comparison and research of products and prices possible. Online stores also give you the ability to share information and reviews with other shoppers who have firsthand experience with a product or retailer. 6) Crowds: If you are like me, you would like to avoid the crowds when you do the shopping. Crowds force us to do a hurried shopping most of the time. Crowds also create a problem when it comes to finding a parking place nearby where you want to shop and going back to your vehicle later loaded with shopping bags. 7) Compulsive Shopping: Many times when we go out shopping we end up buying things which we do not require because of the shopkeepers’ upselling skills — or we’ll compromise on our choices because of the lack of choices in those shops. 8) Discreet Purchases: Some things are better done in privacy. Online Shops enable me to purchase undergarments and lingerie or adult toys without the embarrassment that there are several people watching me and my choices. Product selection Consumers find a product of interest by visiting the website of the retailer directly or by searching among alternative vendors using a shopping search engine. Once a particular product has been found on the website of the seller, most online retailers use shopping cart software to allow the consumer to accumulate multiple items and to adjust quantities, like filling a physical shopping cart or basket in a conventional store. A â€Å"checkout† process follows (continuing the physical-store analogy) in which payment and delivery information is collected, if necessary. Some stores allow consumers to sign up for a permanent online account so that some or all of this information only needs to be entered once. The consumer often receives an  e-mail confirmation once the transaction is complete. Payment Billing to mobile phones and landlines[13][14] Cash on delivery (C.O.D.) Cheque/ Check Debit card Direct debit in some countries Electronic money of various types Gift cards Postal money order Wire transfer/delivery on payment Invoice, especially popular in some markets/countries, such as Switzerland Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies Product delivery Once a payment has been accepted, the goods or services can be delivered in the following ways. For physical items: Shipping: The product is shipped to a customer-designated address. Retail package delivery is typically done by the public postal system or a retail courier such as FedEx, UPS, DHL, or TNT. Drop shipping: The order is passed to the manufacturer or third-party distributor, who then ships the item directly to the consumer, bypassing the retailer’s physical location to save time, money, and space. In-store pick-up: The customer selects a local store using a locator software and picks up the delivered product at the selected location. This is the method often used in the bricks and clicks business model. For digital items or tickets: Downloading/Digital distribution:[15] The method often used for digital media products such as software, music, movies, or images. Printing out, provision of a code for, or e-mailing of such items as admission tickets and scrip (e.g., gift certificates and coupons). The tickets, codes, or coupons may be redeemed at the appropriate physical or online premises and their content reviewed to verify their eligibility (e.g., assurances  that the right of admission or use is redeemed at the correct time and place, for the correct dollar amount, and for the correct number of uses). Will call, COBO (in Care Of Box Office), or â€Å"at the door† pickup: The patron picks up pre-purchased tickets for an event, such as a play, sporting event, or concert, either just before the event or in advance. With the onset of the Internet and e-commerce sites, which allow customers to buy tickets online, the popularity of this service has increased. Types of Buying Behaviour. There are four types of buying behaviour. 1. Complex buying behaviour is where the individual purchases a high value brand and seeks a lot of information before the purchase is made. 2. Habitual buying behaviour is where the individual buys a product out of habit e.g. a daily newspaper, sugar or salt. 3. Variety seeking buying behaviour is where the individual likes to shop around and experiment with different products. So an individual may shop around for different breakfast cereals because he/she wants variety in the mornings! 4. Dissonance reducing buying behaviour is when buyers are highly involved with the purchase of the product, because the purchase is expensive or infrequent. There is little difference between existing brands an example would be buying a diamond ring, as people believe there is little difference between diamond brand manufacturers.

The Meaning of Family Photographs

The Meaning of Family Photographs By Charles Williams |[pic] | |Vanek family members dance. | The family is on vacation. A father takes out his point-and-shootcamera, poses his wife and kids and takes a quick snapshot. Eventually, the photograph is filed away in the family photo album. Ameaningless activity? Maybe not. Everyday, thousands of familyphotographs are taken with little regard for the meaning of therecorded image. Much attention has been paid to scholars' views ofdomestic life.However, relatively little attention has been paid tocultural productions, such as photo albums, that have been generatedby families themselves (Trend, 1992). By neglecting discussion onthis subject, scholars indicate that the home is not a place ofserious academic work (Trend, 1992). But researchers increasingly arestudying the meaning behind the photographs. April Saul won firstplace in the Feature Picture Story category at the 1992 Pictures ofthe Year competition for her portrayal of the American family. Shebelieved that family struggles were an important topic of journalism. I hope what it [winning] means is that the everyday struggles of anAmerican family are as valid in their own way as the struggles goingon in Azerbajian or Sarajevo — and that the private wars next doorcan be as compelling as the bloody, public ones thousands of milesaway. † Family photographs can be considered cultural artifacts becausethey document the events that shape families' lives. Thus, therecording of family history becomes an important endeavor. In manycases, photographs are the only biographical material people leavebehind after they die (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980).But, the impact offamily photo albums extends beyond merely recording history. Interpretation of family structures, relationships and self ispossible through viewing family photographs. The Meaning of family photographs Interpretation of meaning behind photographs assumes that they are ameans of communication (Entin, 19 79). Family photographs can tell astory. One photograph can be a mini-slice of an occurrence, but theaccumulation of pictures begins to reveal threads of consistent themesand patterns. For all practical purposes, they become an informalphoto essay.Much like family storytelling, photographs indicaterelationships within and among the family. Indeed, the family photoalbum is an easy way to initiate outsiders to family history (Boerdam,Martinius, 1980). Photographs provide an easy topic of conversationallowing potential family members, such as boyfriends or girlfriends,to be initiated into family structures and tradition. A key principleto consider when interpreting photographs is that they are produced bychoice. Choices about who, what, when and where to photograph can sayas much about the photographer as the subject.The camera does notsimply record an event but also records what the photographer choosesto see. Photographs are a statement about one's perception of theworld. They are a reflection and definition of self. If that personhas a happy family, then others may perceive him to be a good husbandor wife. Parents' innocent snapshots are important in constructingtheir sense of identity (Merz, 1988). Traditionally, photographs havebeen taken from a male perspective. The father is most often absentfrom family photographs because he is the one who usually commandsauthority, poses the family and takes the picture (Trend, 1992).The family photographer isn't the only one who has authority to shape thefamily image. Other people may edit the photos. Some photographs areselected for presentation in an album while others are rejected. Control of the editorial process can be as important as control overproduction of the photographs. Decisions regarding what to keep,throw away and display can provide valuable information about theperson assembling the album. History of Family Portraiture Portraits of family members originally were produced by earlypainters.Prior to the Tw entieth century, family portraits were astatement of power and profession. Paintings were expensive and timeconsuming to produce, thereby limiting subject matter to heads ofstate, military leaders, royalty or other members of the ruling class. When the daguerreotype was prominent (1840-1860), early inventors andphotographers were well respected and belonged to the social elite. When the process was cheaper, people began going to photographicstudios, usually during special occasions such as weddings where aserious, dignified atmosphere was observed.The well-respected natureof photography, elegant studio furnishings and the knowledge that apermanent image was being created, caused the atmosphere to be tenseand the portraits to appear rigid (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Becausefilm speeds were relatively slow, long exposures were necessary whichrequired subjects to remain stationary for long periods of time. However, in the later half of the Nineteenth century, impressionistpainters such as Vincent Van Gogh changed the manner in which manypeople constructed family portraits.His paintings were of commonpeople in common situations causing a shift from formal to informalportraiture (Halle, 1991). Similar changes began to occur in thephotographic medium during the early Twentieth century. Streetphotographers began operating around family tourist attractions. Atthe time, few people owned a camera so it wasn't unusual to have thefamily's picture taken at the beach by such photographers. As aresult, the clothing and poses became more relaxed and informal andthe backgrounds became more significant. These types of photos wereforerunners to the casual present-day family photograph.By the 1920sand 1930s, photo albums included both formal studio portraiture andcarefree vacation shots (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Advances intechnology increased the ability of the average person to produceinformal vacation pictures. George Eastman had introduced the firstKodak camera in 1885. â⠂¬Å"You press the button, we do the rest,† was thecompany's motto. Improvements continued, including introduction ofthe 35mm Leica in 1924 as well as technical advances such as smallercameras, faster films and flash. The scope of possible shootinglocations was increased with the invention of the flash.Indoorphotography, where much of personal life is conducted, fell within therealm of the amateur photographer. Technical capabilities beganproviding intimate access to the home. Changes in technologyparalleled changes in behavior. As more people owned cameras andbecame familiar with their workings, the photographic process becameless intimidating, and the proliferation of the equipment beganchanging the content of the photographs (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). In addition, people simply became accustomed to being photographed. This in turn produced more casual situations, hence more causalsubjects.In early photographs, the subjects were often posed, muchlike they had been for painte rs. The beach photographers offered amore relaxed style, but they too had the subjects stare straight intothe camera. A new kind of snapshot eventually would emerge that nowdominates photo albums. It shows a group of people engaged in someongoing activity, not necessarily looking at the camera. A downsidedoes exist to the proliferation of simple cameras. When they becameinexpensive and easy to use, they flourished in American society. However, trade-offs were inevitable.The lack of need for technicalexpertise was counterbalanced by a lack of creative control. Point-and-shoot cameras are equipped with fixed-focus lenses andpre-set apertures ensuring that medium range shots are the norm(Trend, 1992). Photography has become easier and thus more popular. Everyone has the potential to take good family photographs especiallysince the introduction of color-negative film which allows moreexposure latitude. The subsequent rise in the number of photos takenconfirms this fact. In the Netherlan ds in 1960, the number of colorphotographs taken was 600,000.In 1974, it was 103 million (Boerdam,Martinius, 1980). The easier-to-use cameras likely have acceleratedthe use of cameras by women to photograph their children. So eventhough the number of formal, solemn occasions is decreasing, thenumber of photographs is drastically increasing. Photographicrepresentation was possible as early as 1840. Yet society wasunprepared for such a revelation. An unplanned social processdeveloped that established which aspects of community life it wasappropriate to photograph (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). As a result,communities established norms that continue to have an effect onsubject matter.Relationships between family members and amongrelatives are less formal and less controlled by religious and otherinstitutions outside of the family than in previous generations. Theinfluence of the church has diminished in some communities; therefore,ceremonies such as baptisms are less essential sources of familyrecord keeping. (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Although most occasionscan be photographed from a technical standpoint, social and ethicallimitations on subject matter remain. Arguments, fights, sickness,death and sex are rarely documented photographically. This hasn'talways been the case.Dead children were photographed during thenineteenth century, sometimes lying in a cradle and sometimes beingheld in their mother's arms. In Austria, so many people went to photostudios with dead children that a public health threat was declaredand the government prohibited the practice (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Very few of these photographs exist today. It is likely that as theywere passed down in subsequent generations, and viewed as being inpoor taste and destroyed. Some researchers even believe that sexphotographs are becoming less taboo (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980).Inany case, family albums are rarely a true and accurate depiction ofthe family. Objectivity always remains questionable. The id ealized nuclear family – Say â€Å"cheese† â€Å"It's only smiles that count in photographs,† states Laurie Taylor inher humorous view of the family photo album. She wonders if the blankstares in a photograph are a testament to the blissful beginning of anaffair, or evidence of its traumatic final days? Photographs offamily members often are constructed with a skewed concept of reality. They usually depict an idealized nuclear family, meaning a husband,wife and children, enjoying pleasurable moments.In her book â€Å"FamilySnaps: The Meanings of Domestic Photography,† Patricia Holland says†The compulsive smiles in the snapshots of today insist on theexclusive claim of the family group to provide satisfying and enduringrelationships, just as the calm dignity of earlier pictures emphasizedthe formality of family ties. † The obsession with depicting thefamily as a united, happy entity is clear. In a study conducted byHalle, no head of the househo ld's divorced spouse appeared in any ofthe pictures, and very few photographs depicted people as unhappy orlonely. The message is loud and clear.Heterosexual marriage andchildren produce a fun and satisfying life. By far, most of thephotos showed the family at leisure, especially on overseas vacations. Formal pictures including those of people in business suits, militaryuniforms or wedding attire did exist, but only accounted for thirtypercent or less of the displayed photographs (Merz, 1988). Likewise,occasions in which a nuclear family would participate are depicted asfun. During the early 1960s, French sociologist Pierre Bourdieupublished a series of photographic essays that he titled Un art moyen.Bourdieu wondered why so many people wanted cameras and why thepractice of photography was so widespread. He believed it was morethan just a natural occurrence. Bourdieu concluded that similaritiesexist within family photographs. In a French market survey heconducted from 1962 to 1963, he concluded that more than two-thirds ofthe amateur photographers he interviewed take their photographs almostexclusively at predictable moments. They photographed particularlyat ceremonies, meetings and holidays (Boerdam, Martinius, 1980). Seldom are the photos a complete and accurate depiction of reality.Family image, not family history is depicted in the photographs thatare displayed. Major events that strongly influence peoples' livesare completely ignored. One of the most obvious situations that ismissing from the family album is work or anything to do with work(Merz, 1988). This is tragic because labor-related relationships andachievements form a substantial part of peoples' lives. Alsoconspicuously missing are photographs of dead children. Death andwork seem to be taboo subjects in most photo albums. Displaying photographs in the homeCelebration rituals such as weddings or Christenings are recorded;divorces and funerals are not (Merz, 1988). Even within theserituals, the emp hasis remains on the family. A study found thatalmost all the photographs displayed in households were of familymembers (Halle, 1991). Very few photos of friends, colleagues andstrangers were present. Friends were seen in wedding photos, but theevent depicts the joyous creation of a nuclear family. The number offamily photographs that are displayed in households is surprising. Inone study, almost all households were found to display photographs(Halle, 1991).As expected, the number of photos in a household wasgreater if the occupant had children or grandchildren. Although thiswasn't surprising, other factors such as gender were found to have aninfluence on decoration of the home. It was unusual that fewerphotographs were found in homes where the head of the household was amale who held an artistic job such as photographer, architect or filmmaker than for women in similar occupations. The discrepancy may haveresulted because women were more interested in the social aspects ofthe photo graph as opposed to the aesthetic aspects (Halle, 1991).Physical groupings also are important. Most family photographs aredisplayed in clusters. In one study, eighty-nine percent of familyphotographs were displayed in groups of four or more (Halle, 1991). Pictures are huddled together even if the people in them are not. People are very seldom presented alone. It is very rare to find aphoto of one person displayed by itself, especially when that personis an adult resident of the house. This occurred in less than onehalf of one percent of the households that were tested (Halle, 1991).Children are often depicted alone, but they are too young to beexpected to maintain meaningful relationships. Those that aremeaningful are subject to transition. Today's high divorce rate castsa shadow over the nuclear family. Thus, the method of displayingphotographs may signify the instability of modern-day relationships. Most pictures are likely to stand free on tables, dressers, mantles orother flat s urfaces as opposed to walls. Only about a third of familyphotographs hang on walls. Photos that are not hung on walls are moreeasily interchanged and regrouped. Social StructureFundamental changes to American society and the family structure maybe hampering the production of ancestral photography (Halle, 1991). The ties that once bound children to their parents are no longerpresent. Nursing homes, social security and pension plans haverelieved the youth from supporting their parents. Older people havebeen moving south to retirement communities, sometimes away from theirfamilies, so they can enjoy the warm weather. The manner in whichchildren relate to their parents has changed over the past fiftyyears, and the changing relationships may be reflected though thedisplay of photographs.Between 42 and 62 percent of households in onestudy displayed pictures of at least one parent. (Halle, 1991). Thenumbers quickly decreased as further generations were explored. Aboutten percent of househo lds displayed a picture of at least onegrandparent, and about three percent displayed a picture of greatgrandparents. Of course, it is possible that the families may haveowned pictures but simply did not display them. Social class appearsto be a factor in the display of photographs. Differences wereobserved between albums produced by middle-class families and familiesof lower income or working classes.People with middle-classlifestyles had higher proportions of photographs of mutual friends andfriends of their children than working-class families (Gardner, 1991). Presumably due to increased social ties associated with more socialprominence. Working-class family albums included more pictures of thehusband's friends than the wife's. Segregated friendship patterns arecommonly found among working-class couples where the male is in chargeof the household (Gardner, 1991). Working-class families' albums wereless kin oriented, but they see each other more often causinginteraction to become more routine.As an event becomes common, it isless likely to be photographed. In addition to social classdifferences, cultural differences may be a factor in the display ofphotographs. Only one in 105 households that were included in asample displayed a school photograph of a child together withclassmates (Halle, 1991). The home was occupied by a Japanese couple. Japanese society tends to be more collective than American society. Role Behavior An examination of photo albums was made to determine if differencesoccurred in the portrayal of people as they assumed the role ofparents (Titus, 1976).Repetitive patterns in the parenting role canbe observed through photographs including feeding, holding the childand interactions with relatives. Albums were examined to determine ifthe photographs of parents after they had their first child weredifferent than those after they had subsequent children. It wasassumed that parents would become accustomed to many of the rolechanges, and the subsequ ent photographs would reflect these changes. Photographs of mothers caring for their first child were far moreprevalent than with subsequent children (Titus, 1976).The same wastrue of fathers. The number of solo portraits also decreased afterthe first child although this may not constitute a difference inaffection toward the first born, but simply an accustomization to newroles (Titus, 1976). Both the parents and the newborn child mustlearn new behavior. Parents may not have to re-learn their behaviorwith subsequent children. Even though one spouse may be more inclinedto take photographs, both spouses were significantly represented inparenting photographs (Titus, 1976).However, most photographs werepredominately of pleasant tasks such as holding and feeding. While itmay have been necessary to hold children in order to present them tothe camera, this wouldn't have been the case when feeding. Picturesof parents feeding children were far more likely to occur with thefirst child. Very f ew photos of unpleasant tasks such as diaperingand bathing were included in the albums. Therapeutic uses of family photographs Photographs can prove to be an invaluable source of information whenresolving personal problems.Photographs are not subject to memoryrecollection, and a person's portrayal of events can be quitedifferent from what appears in the photographs (Kaslow, 1979). Theinformation is intimate because family photographs are collected fromthe inside compared with journalistic institutions, which usuallyoperate as outsiders (Titus, 1976). Photo albums and home moviesprovide the richest sources of memories about the family (Entin,1979). They offer an intimate look at personal relationships. Psychologists recently have begun using this display of intimacy tohelp resolve family conflicts.Photographs have the power to conjureup memories, sometimes painful, of bygone years. However, the reasonthat many people take photographs is to preserve happy memories. Whena relationship sours, the photographs that intentionally focus onhappy moments merely exacerbate the situation. It becomes painful toview all the â€Å"good times† without reference to the bad. Familyphotographs now are being used as a means of therapy to discuss thesechanges in lifestyles. The technique, often referred to asphototherapy, is effective because people from all socioeconomicgroups possess photos that can be discussed.A review of familyphotographs can often prompt people to talk about family stories,goals, events and history. Not only does phototherapy help peopledeal with issues of the past, but it also helps renew relationships inthe present (Entin, 1979). The mere presentation of photographs canreveal much about the organization, chaos or fragmentation of aperson's life. If people's photo albums are disorganized andpartially complete, so too may be the case with their lives. Bygathering significant photos, patients often realize that pieces oftheir scrapbook are missing, pro mpting long overdue visits home.Sometherapists are using family photo reconnaissance as a means of dealingwith sexual problems (Kaslow, 1979). Desires toward spouses can beinhibited if deaths of parents, children or loved ones are not fullymourned. Kaslow has found that couples with sexual problems oftenhave a resurgence in desire after reviewing their wedding album. Problems such as female frigidity are sometimes traced back to earlyphotographs of women patients. Many times they appear â€Å"sparklingclean, perfectly groomed and standing prim and proper† (Kaslow, 1979).The way people feel about their bodies can be witnessed inphotographs. Baggy clothes could indicate a puritanical attitude orshame of the body leading to frigidity, impotence or infrequent sexualdesire (Kaslow, 1979). Body positioning such as slumping may indicatedepression just as an upright position could indicate confidence. Thesize and prominence of family members' portraits can indicateattitudes, such as favoritism, toward those portrayed (Entin, 1979). Presentation in inappropriate locations such as the bedroom may evencause sexual inhibition.The storytelling nature of albums allowpsychologists to study patterns of photography to determine if changesin attitudes may be occurring. If a second child is photographedsignificantly more than the firstborn, psychologists may question thefamilies' expectations concerning sex or attractiveness of the firstborn and whether problems such as illegitimacy, handicap ordisfigurement may play a role (Entin, 1979). In her book â€Å"WaucomaTwilight: Generations of the Farm,† Dona Schwartz describes the mannerin which her photographs provided a context during her interviews.The photographs showed details of everyday life and the context inwhich events occurred in the community. The insight gained throughher own fieldwork and subjects' responses to pictures was morevaluable than the actual content of the photographs (Schwartz, 1992). She compa red her interview process with Christopher Musello'sdescription of â€Å"family viewing contexts. † Musello believes familydiscussion of photographs establishes a â€Å"verbal context delineatingwhat should be attended to and what significances are located in theimage,† (Musello, 1980).Conclusions By viewing family photographs, much can be discovered about familystructures, relationships, and the self. Family photographs primarilyserve to remind people of good times with loved ones. This isapparent as the image of the nuclear family is constantly repeated inthe photo albums of most families. Much research remains to be done inthe study of family photographs. Even though American society isobsessed with presenting the image of a happy nuclear family, moreresearch should be conducted on the portrayal of alternativelifestyles.Gay and lesbian couples, alternative families and singleparents need to have their family photographs analyzed to determine ifdiffering lifestyles s ignificantly affect photo content. Also, photocontent produced during transitions in relationships such as divorces,separations and sibling rivalries needs to be studied. Additionally,content analysis of both American and foreign albums needs to beconducted to determine the degree to which cultural differences affectcontent. And finally, additional studies on the factors that affectediting decisions need to be conducted.The literature review producedmuch information on the benefits of photographic analysis topsychologists. However, there was little information on the manner inwhich other professionals, such as journalists, could use theinterpretive meaning of photographs. Historical documents, such asfamily photographs, can provide essential background information aswell as indicate important people and relationships within a story. Through my research component, I intend to discover the manner inwhich journalists use historical documents to provide story context. Because online new spapers ave the capability to provide greatercontext due to the potential inclusion of sound and video, I also planto investigate the way emerging technologies might affect presentationof contextual information. [pic] References Boerdam, Jaap and Warna Oosterbaan Martinius. 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