Monday, September 30, 2019
Education. Why or Why not? Essay
Education, define as the art of systemic learning inspire every one of us, and educated human beings are able to possess the power of influence in academic discourses. If thereââ¬â¢s no input, then there will be no output, and believe it or not, education allows people to be creative and innovative in developing our digital world. Generation after generation, the medium of providing education has improved in using interactive technology such as ââ¬â digital projector, high-speed laboratory camera, multi-function writing board and etc. ââ¬Å"If we can match highly effective educators with great entrepreneursâ⬠, admits Joane Wesis, the author of ââ¬Å" The Innovation Mismatch: ââ¬Å" Smart Capitalâ⬠and Education Innovation, ââ¬Å"and if we can direct smart capital toward these projects, the market for technological innovation might just spurt from infancy into adolescence. â⬠The author hold similar viewpoints that education behaves as an important source of input for generating prosperous output that motivates to share the benefits of oneââ¬â¢s creativity to the community. Understanding the philosophy of becoming educated is crucial, and also important to explore the concept that education drives us to interact with society by finding ways to earn for living. One might wisely pursue the education for the benefits of mankind, but for few some people misleading concept of getting educated, for instance; in the case of nuclear scientists developing nuclear-powered weaponry will bring negative impact to our society, and thatââ¬â¢s why there are no limits to pursue education and no limits on manifesting the application of education onto our society. On the other hand, formal education is highly necessary to decode the discourse in our academic community as well as be able to define their specific ideas. Thus, an educated person could award and/or tolerate the aspirations of human being by using the perceived knowledge, and determine their correct or incorrect benefits to the society. To become an elitist in the field of education depends on individual choices, but education will select people into groups of clusters where the professional will stays on top, while normal educated people will share the same spot with majorities in the lower level. Nevertheless, education is vital because not only it supports individual understanding in academic discourses, but also allows oneself to play an important role to help improve the society. Some might argue that one could live sufficiently without burden in his life with a satisfactory income. This point of view shall fit to minorities who retard to pursue education, however; in contrary to preceded viewpoint, Nicholas Lemann, the author of The New Yorker magazine, writes about The Cost Of College, and the following speech extracted from his article remarks, ââ¬Å" In todayââ¬â¢s economy ââ¬Å", President Obama claims, ââ¬Å" Thereââ¬â¢s no greater predictor of individual success than a good education. Right now, the unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average. The incomes of folks with a college degree are twice as high as those who donââ¬â¢t have a high-school diploma. â⬠(Nicholas Lemann). Not all people have certain interest of becoming graduates, and indeed they donââ¬â¢t want to invest their time to study, either. Generally speaking, high school dropouts have more chances of becoming low socio-economic status, yet can be easily employed because their job requires no background education, but, in contrast, graduates earn multiple times more than high school dropouts, so it takes more time for them to get into work force since they are very costly for an employer. The downside of becoming educated is the fact that the price of paying to graduate is seriously inflated. Building a career with education is nevertheless highly necessary and due to the budget constraints; it becomes more challenging to get on top of the education ladder. During the year 2009, The College Board in Princeton, NJ, has calculated the cost of pursuing education that ââ¬Å" College education expenses have climbed over 5% annually during the past 10 years, more than double our nationââ¬â¢s inflation rate. That means a child born today could need over $220,000 to attend a four-year public college in 2028, more than triple todayââ¬â¢s college costs. â⬠(The College Board (2010)) As a matter of a fact, the educated parent knows and understands their responsibilities to provide education for their young generations. However, since they pertain the thought of raising their childrenââ¬â¢s intellectual skills, they are trying to invest their capital, no matter what it takes them to graduate: the hierarchy in society trigger parents to train their kids to understand the discourses that prevails among them. To clarify, see the community of lawyers and professional workers forà example, selective parents privileged in wealth of knowledge will motive themselves to push their children to pursue formal education like they have done it before. Moreover, the perceived concept in education define the roles that people take in the society, which helps to provide society needs and wants; such that, the more educated people a society has, the higher the standard of living. Elitism in education creates humiliation and dispute between dominant groups based on race, culture, intellectual, and gender. Very sadly, the demand of elite students in society can promote uncertain consequences, which in this case, promotes the unethical issue to expand market for institution. Danny Dorling, the author of ââ¬Å"The return to elitism in educationâ⬠, explains the behavior of education system that creates competition in institution for students and money. Danny Dorling mentions about grades and intellectual responsiveness on education such that: ââ¬Å" People who have taught the children of the affluent classes at the universities they go to have seen the result of this growth in elitism. These children have been educationally force-fed enough facts to obtains strings of A grades, but they are no more geniuses than anyone else. There is a tragedy in making young people pretend to super-human mental abilities which neither they nor anyone else possess. To justify their situation they have to swallow and repeat the lie being told more and more often, that only a few are especially able and that those few are disproportionately found amongst the higher social classes. â⬠(Danny Dorling) When parents are not satisfy with their childââ¬â¢s grades in academics, they will try to push their limits by giving close attention, and sometimes punishments are highly likely. Institutions, on the their hand, will raise the academic requirements for student admission in order to search for elite students ââ¬â which turns out to be a marketing strategy for competition, not exactly an emphasis for studentââ¬â¢s education. Not to mention the fact that doing so (raising standards in admission) can easily motivates and challenges each and every student intellectual understanding in the course of education for improving not only the quality of academic discourse, but also benefits sophisticated level of education, perhaps. Education shapes the society, meaning; educated people are gaining not only credible reputation towards a society but also participate to involve as major role-player, and for instance; A kind-hearted lawyer would offer a pro bono service to his friends, and etc. Moreover, The number of crimes in a country with high-uneducated people is certainly, skyrocketing. The following data conducted by The Campaign for Educational Equality claims, ââ¬Å" A one-year increase in average years of schooling for dropouts would reduce murder and assault by almost 30 percent motor vehicle theft by 20 percent, arson by 13 percent, and burglary and larceny by about 6 percentâ⬠(2). Plus, the above data clearly distinguishes the chances of uneducated people doing bad things unconsciously without being able to correct oneself. ââ¬Å" Educated girls and women are less vulnerable to HIV infectionâ⬠, an article from GlobalCitizenCorps says, ââ¬Å" human trafficking and other forms of exploitation, are more likely to marry later, raise fewer children who are more likely to go to school, and make important contributions to family income. â⬠Women nowadays are of course taking serious role in society because the freedom of people rights give the society fair and square chances to pursue education; the academic discourse will influence and change their thoughts on lifestyle, completely. Besides, the market of human trafficking is relatively large in South-East Asian countries, and poor families are often allured with money incentives to sell their teenage children to work across other countries, which in reality are forced to do nasty jobs under extremely poor condition. These sufferings from naive victims will provide a clear picture to motivate people in advocating for education, so people needs education in order to maintain their positive personalities in the society. People in general belief that education fights to reduce segregation and inequality in a society. This; however, happens to be true for some instance, until the author of this article ââ¬Å" Segregation Prominent in Schools, Study Finds ââ¬Å" in the New York Time magazine, convincingly reports about segregation that; ââ¬Å"Segregation of Latino students is most pronounced in California, New York and Texas. The most segregated cities for blacks include Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Philadelphia and Washingtonâ⬠,à Motoko Rich asserts, ââ¬Å"Mr. Orfield said that schools with mostly minority and poor students were likely to have fewer resources, less assertive parent groups and less experienced teacher. The author share his viewpoint that segregation exists, not because of education, but because of low-funds and resources in institution which tends to concentrate high amount of low socio-economic status students, and this will cause racial indifferences between low and high income status. Meanwhile, similar to Motoko Rich viewpoint, Klaus Walde, furthermore supports the idea about resource allocation in education that ââ¬Å" While it is difficult to define and measure the quality of education one reason for relative quality differences across education levels might lie in the allocation of educational resources (as teachers and equipment). â⬠(446) Now, the idea boils down to the fact that resources quality and allocation is more important in contributing better education system in our society. Broadly speaking, being educated in this modern world allows people to contribute their benefits to a society, by means of the intellectual support provided by the manner of learning experiences. Every country are relying on the technology and driving the market to substitute manual workers with machines, so educated workers are important for operating those machines. Since starting from the era of industrial revolution, education was introduced to our society in order to acknowledge in understanding and defining their roles in the society. Therefore, the improvement in education overtime will also improve innovation in technology, which increases the quality of living standards. In fact, education is always needed for various sectors in our society, and will always require for having credibility in sharing the message within the society. Furthermore, education functions as a multi-purpose assistance for training not only intellectual skills, but also providing ways to survive in earning for a living in a society. More importantly, some critics would assume that there are some disadvantages in society such as segregation in education between income status, but the issue can be settle if every individuals successfully pursue education because the way the educated person conceive mature in every aspect of his life and society. Work Cited Dorling, D. (2010). The return to elitism in education. Eurozine . GLOBALCORPORATIONCORPS. (n. d. ). 11 Facts About Education Around the World. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from DoSomething. org: http://www. dosomething. org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-education-around-world Lemann, N. (2012, May 28). The Cost Of College. (T. Bachtell, Ed. ) The New Yorker . RICH, M. (2012, September 19). Segregation Prominent in Schools, Study Finds. The NewYork Times , A16 . Walde, K. (1998). Egalitarian and elitist education systems as the basis for international differences in wage inequality. European Journal of Political Economy , Vol. 16 (2000 ), 445ââ¬â468. Weiss, J. (2011, March 31). HBR Blog Network / Innovations in Education. Retrieved February 10, 2013, from Harvard Business Review: http://blogs. hbr. org/innovations-in-education/2011/03/the-innovation-mismatch-smart. html
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Compare/Contrast Greek and Roman Cultures Essay
Assignment: Part 1: Fill in the below table with both similarities and differences of the Greek and Roman cultures. Indicate if you are describing a similarity or a difference. If you are describing a similarity then place your research information under both the Greek and Roman culture. If you are describing a difference list the difference between the two cultures under each culture. Please fill in all 10 lines within the table, each row will expand as you type in your information. Similarity/Difference Greek Culture Roman Culture 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Part 2: For the following questions, provide your response in short-answer format (2-3 sentences each). Use this Unit activities and resources to assist you in answering the questions. 1) How did the Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean cultures contribute to Greeksââ¬â¢ sense of themselves? 2) What is a polis and how did polies shape Greek culture? The rural areas of Greece separated from one another by mountains became to form a community this is known as polis or city-states. The city-states came together to honor the gods at sanctuaries. 3) What was imperial Rome? Imperial Rome explored Rome during its reign as the dominant political, economic and military power of the western civilized world. The exhibition took a glimpse into life during the Roman Empire from 27 BC. 4) What values were retained from the Etruscans and Roman republic roots? Etruscan and republican roots? Roman Culture developed out of both Greek and in- digenous Etruscan roots. The Etruscans also provided the Romans with one of their founding myths, the legend of Romulus and Remus; Virgilââ¬â¢s Aeneid was the othe
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Critical analysis paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1
Critical analysis paper - Assignment Example n of this is an extremely dynamic system of world politics that triggers massive changes for every little disturbance in virtually all sectors (Howarth 78). Referring to world politics, the recent past has seen a handful of events that is already shaping international perspectives. The Arab Spring is a key event that spurred an entire revolution in the Arab world. The Spring saw demonstrations and protests to the authorities that eventually necessitated some of them to relinquish power. Violence escalated, and the public outcry for a change in regime and system of governance could not be ignored. Quite evidently, the discomfort occasioned to the authorities as a consequence of the Arab Spring may have been hard to ignore, but again, it is not like they had any choice. A case in point is the Libyan dictator Gaddafi, who tried to ignore the revolutionary wave and was dislodged from power in very unceremonious circumstances. In a similar vein, Egyptââ¬â¢s Hosni Mubarak found himself facing a revolt in what came to be known as the Egyptian revolution of 2011. He however gave in to pressure and quit power. The aggressive nature of Egyptians resurfaced in 2013 when they staged protests against the then president as a result of discontent with the administration. Elections held in 2014 were touted as the most democratic in the recent past for a nation known for political instability. The current president won with a resounding 97% of the votes cast. Definitely from this figures, one can unearth a trend of dislodging individuals who are more inclined towards tyrant behavior from power, and vesting leadership rights upon those that appear to represent their wishes and aspirations fully. A sharp contrast to the above two scenarios is seen when evaluating the US and European elections. The European and U.S elections were marred with little violence, and it was more of a peaceful transition. The prevalence of peace, however, was a consequence of free and fair elections in
Friday, September 27, 2019
Analysing organisations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Analysing organisations - Assignment Example However, if a common, feasible and workable organizational culture is actualized or ââ¬Ëoperationalisedââ¬â¢, the organization as well as the employees can coordinate and cooperate in a more effective manner, thereby achieving greater success. The blueprint for the success can only be formulated by an effective leader or manager. The leader following the paradigm of Functionalism or by becoming Functionalists can actualize an optimum organizational culture, according to the structure and situation of the organization, thereby solving many of its problems. As Functionalists fundamentally believe in the structure of the organisations and their necessity, they will focus on the problems that negatively impact that organization, and seek solutions for it. This assignment focusing on the organization, Starbucks and its leader, Howard Schultz will discuss how incorporation of optimum organizational culture fulfilled its ethical objectives, and importantly how it is line with Function alist paradigm. The assignment after discussing about paradigm, will review the literature about the functionalism paradigm and its relation to organizational culture, then will do the organizational analysis focusing on Starbucks and ending with conclusions and recommendations for further improvement. 2. Paradigmatic Perspectives: Functionalism As mentioned above, Functionalism focuses on how an organization or any entity exists and operates, based not only on its internal structure or constitution, but the way it functions. Because of this perspective only, organizations can focus on the problems that is impacting its functions, rather than focusing on its structure, and thereby come up with apt solutions. Although, the term ââ¬Ëfunctionalismââ¬â¢ can be used to view as well as designate a variety of perspectives in different fields or disciplines, including psychology, sociology, economics, and even business environment, functionalismââ¬â¢ focus from philosophical perspe ctive provides apt meanings. ââ¬Å"Functionalism in the philosophy of mind is the doctrine that what makes something a mental state of a particular type does not depend on its internal constitution, but rather on the way it functions, or the role it plays, in the system of which it is a part.â⬠(Levin 2004). This philosophical perspective about Functionalism originated from Aristotle's conception and ideas of the soul, and also based on Hobbes's conception of the mind. Thus, Functionalism can be considered as one of the oldest perspectives or paradigms, which is at the same time, relevant to the current times in various fields. The other key perspective about Functionalism is, it will make the organizations or any entity function in a more organised and systematic manner, while analyzing the problems and coming up with solutions. ââ¬Å"Functionalists sought to explain the mental processes in a more systematic and accurate manner. Rather than focusing on the elements of consci ousness, functionalists focused on the purpose of consciousness and behavior.â⬠(Cherry). When Functionalism is focused on the basis of Ontological and epistemological assumptions, it gives different and interesting perspectives. Functionalism according to ontological assumptions is a paradigm which stays stable for a long time, and so it is available for study for a longer time. That is, without undergoing major changes, it could be realistic and can be
Thursday, September 26, 2019
Merchant of Vinice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Merchant of Vinice - Essay Example One of the central characters (Shylock) is a money lending Jew. Many Christians during the time in which this play took place believed that money lending was a sin so it was relatively common for Jews to participate in this activity. At the time of the playââ¬â¢s setting, Venice was an exceedingly wealthy city which was funded largely by trade, which meant that money lending was somewhat of a ââ¬Å"Necessary evilâ⬠. For the purpose of this paper, avarice will pertain to the sin of excess and the desire to gain more material wealth. It could be argued that the character of Shylock is guilty of the sin of Avarice by the very nature of his profession. As highlighted earlier, the simple lending of money for the purpose of collecting interest was in itself a form of greed. Antonio leant money at zero interest partially to undermine Shylockââ¬â¢s business but also because gaining from other peoples transactions was viewed as sinful. However, Shylock went beyond earning simple interest and it was made abundantly clear that he revered money and often collected high rates of interest. It is the case that envy pertains to an insatiable desire that applies to more than just material wealth, as well as resenting something that somebody else has. It is upon this foundation that it could be argued that Shylock is guilty of the sin of envy insofar as he celebrated at the sinking of the massive fleet while out at sea. Moreover Shylock was also envious of how the law ended up favoring Antonio. Finally it could be argued that because Shylock was often reviled for being a Jew he was envious of the relative freedom that Christians were able to enjoy. Finally this paper will conclude with a discussion on how Shylock was guilty of the sin of wrath. For the purpose of this report, Wrath will refer to some sort of uncontrolled feelings of rage. Probably the most obvious example would be how Shylock demanded
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
A DIFFICULT CHOICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
A DIFFICULT CHOICE - Essay Example Chances of avalanches are real! It is not possible for anyone to survive in this condition of blinding blizzard, in the tent for 10-15 days at a stretch. Even the return journey is going to be perilous! We venture to give this advice to you from our fifteen yearsââ¬â¢ experience with the moods of the Himalayas. The weather may worsen further or everything may be perfect by tomorrow. That is the unpredictability about the Himalayas.â⬠At our insistence they agreed to stay in this camp for another two days. If the weather is fine by tomorrow, we shall make a trial ascent in the morning and return to the camp by evening. That will give us confidence for the final assault and to acclimatize our bodies to high altitude conditions. My dear friend, you know the challenge of Mount Everest has been my daring dream. My birth at Colorado has something to do with it. But let me tell you, mountaineering at Colorado, are kindergarten stuff as compared to the challenge of the Himalayas. From a distance, Everest looks a graceful and gentle mountain. In the climberââ¬â¢s life its conquest is the ultimate achievement. I came here in pursuit of that ambition, and my girl-friend Sandia, had reservations about the timings of my adventure. ââ¬Å"Attempt it two-three years after our marriage,â⬠she often pleaded. ââ¬Å"No, you will marry the Everest hero, not an ordinary mountaineer,â⬠I retorted. Right now we are in a brutally exposing situation. In all probability, we are up to a do or die situation. In any case, we two will not give up without making a final attempt on the summit, when the blizzard stops and the weather turns favorable. Frankly, I have no moral courage to address this letter to Sandia directl y. She is tender-hearted and would be unable to bear the shock of my being stuck up in the snowy heights of the Himalayas. When you get this letter, meet her, do pep talks to bolster up her spirits and then show her the letter. With
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Nature of Thinking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Nature of Thinking - Essay Example He thinks it is such a great idea, that he could not have come up with it, so God must be responsibleââ¬âergo, God exists. In the second argument, Descartes suggests that because he exists, he must have a cause, and that cause must be God. These are some basic logical fallacies. In Meditation IV, Descartes, having established God exists, now tries to answer the question why, if God exists and is perfect there are things in the world that are bad and imperfect. He answers this question in several ways. Mostly he says that it is important to look at Godââ¬â¢s creation as a whole rather than at any single thing (which might be bad). With a birdââ¬â¢s eye view things are probably perfect. Basically, he admits he knows nothing and that if he sees bad things he must be mistaken about them. As a young person I found these concepts very interesting. Another important issue to consider when thinking about thinking is memory. What is it? It is the record of our personal experiences, but it is not always trustworthy. Sometimes our mind plays tricks on us and we must be careful. Indeed I remember that once when I was a child I was sleeping in bed and awoke to see a dark figure on the other side of the room. I could not sense what it was. The shape did not make sense to me, and because I could not identify it I could not put it in to words. Words failed me. So much of our world is described by the language that we use and so our thoughts are limited by our vocabulary in many instances. Another important point: our value system shapes the way we think about the world. Our ethical beliefs provide an important direction to our mode and method of thought. For example, deontological ethics assumes that morality is universal. If something is good it has always been good and will always be good in all situations. It is, as Kant wrote, a categorical imperative. If lying is bad, it is always bad. Even if you are protecting Jews in your attic from Nazis who are
Monday, September 23, 2019
Observation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Observation - Research Paper Example The interactions were thus, mainly between the coffee shop waiters and the students or among the groups of students. The observations of the first day were students coming in mostly in groups and sitting at large tables. The waiters greeted them nicely and in a friendly manner asking them what they would want to have. The students discussed with one another, showed certain confusions, conflicts, indecisiveness, and lack of coordination. The order was taken and the waiter simply smiled at the group of students. The students then interacted with one another, enjoyed, and talked about their colleagues, teachers, and studies. They talked about their upcoming history project that they all found difficult and were tensed about. Then they talked about their rival group in class and how much they disliked them. They continued their discussions while eating and having their coffees then went away. Another couple walked in by then, the waiter greeted them and took their order; they talked to each other all the time, and then went away after their coffee. On the second day, again a group of college students entered the coffee shop. The waiter greeted them nicely and they seemed to know him well as they asked him how heââ¬â¢s doing and whether his new boss is taking too much work from him. This group of students walked in with bags and books in their hands. They were calm and rather more sophisticated than the group on the first day. One of them gave the order to the waiter on behalf of everyone and soon they started their group study session. One of the group member started explaining the others and they heard him with serious expressions while having their coffees. On the third day of observation, the coffee shop was highly crowded and rushed. There were three girls sitting on one table constantly gossiping and talking to one another and they had their phones in their hands too through which they clicked several pictures. A
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Euthanasia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1
Euthanasia - Essay Example According to my survey, it is apparent that quite a number of people have little understanding of euthanasia and are adamant to embrace the practice. In an attempt to elucidate the opinion of the people and evaluate their propositions about euthanasia, a survey was done. The survey targeted twenty respondents who were required to answer fifteen questions based on the topic of euthanasia. To prevent any inconveniences to the respondents, the survey took approximately ten to fifteen minutes per respondent. The questions were framed in such a manner that one question led to a more deeper and specific question. The responses were brief, most of them having yes/no questions, while some required some brief explanations. No personal data was supposed to be provided in the survey forms in order to protect their confidentiality. The questions were brief, simple and clear so that the respondent clearly understands what the questions involved. Majority of the people interviewed have some basic understanding of euthanasia. Fourteen out of the twenty respondents could distinguish euthanasia and assisted suicide. The reasons given by the respondents about the differences were justifiable, a situation that demonstrated that they understood some aspects of the practice. The basis of assisted suicide as revealed by most of the respondents relates to a person wishing to die. In addition, it is not done to escape a painful and incurable situation. True to the fact that euthanasia is a controversial issue, most of the respondents believe that the practice is not ethically justifiable, nobody among the group stood for the ethical justification. However, lack of experience in having people who were willing to be euthanized among majority of the respondents revealed that, they didnââ¬â¢t really comprehend the magnitude of the situation facing these people. Only two among the twenty had an experience with an individual willing to be euthanized. Euthanasia is one of the practices th at are common in the media. A whooping majority, seventeen out of twenty respondents confessed having never heard or read about the practice in the media. This presents the situation as minor, because if it were a major issue many would have read about euthanasia in the print media and heard through the electronic media. Euthanasia does not appear to be one of the emerging issues neither is it a problem that has been given a lot of attention. However, the fact that a few individuals have heard and read about the practice is enough evidence to reveal that Euthanasia is not any strange around us. Death and pain are resented aspects according the findings of the survey. The majority of the people was of the opinion that life is extremely important and should be protected at all costs. A substantial majority of the people said they would prefer having a person who helps another in committing suicide be prosecuted. In addition, they would not support a death sentence for such an offender but they supported the argument of the legal system handling the case appropriately. However, considering the sensitivity of the cases presented, a majority are of the opinion that euthanasia should be made legal in some cases. This proves the understanding of the people about euthanasia and the opinion they have towards unbearable pain and
Saturday, September 21, 2019
The Role of Consumer Protection Agency and the Judiciary on Consumer Protection Essay Example for Free
The Role of Consumer Protection Agency and the Judiciary on Consumer Protection Essay A consumer can be defined as someone who acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing. Consumer protectionà consists of laws and organizations designed to ensure the rights of consumers as well as fair trade competition and the free flow of truthful information in the marketplace. The laws are designed to prevent businesses that engage in fraud or specified unfair practices from gaining an advantage over competitors and may provide additional protection for the weak and those unable to take care of themselves. Consumer protection laws are a form of governmentà regulationà which aims to protect the rights ofà consumers. For example, a government may require businesses to disclose detailed information about productsââ¬âparticularly in areas where safety or public health is an issue, such as food. Consumer protection is linked to the idea of consumer rights (that consumers have various rights as consumers), and to the formation ofà consumer organizations, which help consumers make better choices in the marketplace and get help with consumer complaints. Other organizations that promote consumer protection include government organizations and self-regulating business organizations such as consumer protection agencies and organizations, the Federal Trade Commission etc. Consumer interests can also be protected by promoting competition in the markets which directly and indirectly serve consumers, consistent with economic efficiency. In Nigeria, the major Consumer Protection Agency saddled with this responsibility is the Consumer Protection Council (CPC). Consumer Protection Council (CPC)à is a Parastatal of the Federal Government of Nigeria, supervised by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment. Though established by Act No. 6 of1992, it commenced operations only in 1999, when its institutional framework was put in place. The mandate of CPC is to, among others, eliminate hazardous products from the market, provide speedy redress to consumers complaints, undertake campaigns which would lead to increased consumer awareness, ensure that consumersââ¬â¢ interest receive due consideration at the appropriate forum, and encourage trade, industry and professional associations to develop and enforce in their various fields uality standards designed to safeguard the interest of consumers. While using all legitimate means to eliminate the scourge of consumer rights abuse in the Nigerian market place, it is common knowledge that an uninformed consumer population cannot be effectively protected if they do not know that they have rights, what the rights are, and how the rights could be protected. On the other hand, businesses and organizations also need to be well acquainted with their obligations to consumers. Based on this, the CPC serves to effectively police the market, sensitizing consumers to their rights and responsibilities and at the same time ensuring that businesses are committed to fulfilling their obligations to consumers. This is all in a bid to ensure that the country would become a better consumer-friendly nation. Consumers are entitled to a variety or rights, and the Consumer Protection Council and other consumer protection agencies serve to create awareness of these rights. All of which must be insisted upon, and most of which are stated below: 1. The Right to Satisfaction of Basic Needs: Access to basic goods and services necessary for survival, such as food, water, energy, clothing, shelter, health-care, education and sanitation. Goods and services must meet the standard of quality promised such that there is value for money in the purchase. 2. The Right to Safety: Protection from hazardous products, production processes and services. The Right to Information: Provision of information enabling informed consumer choice as well as protection from misleading or inaccurate advertising and labeling. 4. The Right to Choose: Access to variety of quality products and services at competitive prices. 5. The Right to Redress: Compensation for misrepresentation, shoddy goods and unsatisfactory public and private services, including the right to adequate legal representation. 6. The Right to Consumer Education: Acquisition of the skills required to be an informed consumer throughout life. 7. The Right to Consumer Representation: Advocacy of consumers interest and the ability to take part in the formulation of economic and other policies affecting consumers i. e. the right to be heard. 8. The Right to a Healthy Environment: Habitation is a place that is safe for present and future generations and which will enhance the quality of their lives. On its own part, the Judiciary is defined as the system of courts of justice in the country, and serves to ensure that all laws regarding consumer protection are enforced and strictly adhered to, and stiff penalties are meted out to defaulters. The laws, terms and conditions regarding consumer protection are reflected in The Consumer Protection Council Act (1992 No 66), where control of key aspects of consumer protection such as sales promotions, advertisements, products and services monitoring and regulation are explicitly stated. For instance, in the case of sales promotions, The Consumer Protection Council Act grants authority to the CPC to verify the genuineness of all sales promotions, ensuring that they are within legal, decent, honest and faithful limits, and ensure their direct supervision. The judiciary metes out penalties to erring parties which could be in the form of suspension for a definite period of time, fines and/or direct prohibition of activity. These, to a large extent are aimed at regulating and controlling the excesses of manufacturers, advertisers and consumers and ensure that all practices concerned are within legal and permissible limits, and is especially necessary in countries such as Nigeria because the global crisis has made ready markets in developed countries to look for emerging markets with a huge population base to dump their products, and Nigeria fits the description of such emerging market. The judiciary, through the enforcement of The Consumer Protection Council Act (1992 No 66), which guides consumer protection, ensures that Nigeria does not become a ready market for unscrupulous foreign countries and companies to dump products and services.
Friday, September 20, 2019
The Reflective Report Audit Trail Nursing Essay
The Reflective Report Audit Trail Nursing Essay I wish to reflect on the whole learning activities that I have been done for this module in this reflective report. I have learned a few strengths and potential weaknesses of myself which would help me in my future journey. I derive five important skills while go through this process which are communication skills, presentation skills, teamwork, time management and critical thinking. All these skills are useful for me to uncover my strengths and weaknesses which I can refer back on my working life. Communication skills This is not my first time doing a presentation, but it is the first time I have a group with the international students. Normally, my group members are my Chinese friends. At first, I found it was difficult to talk with my group members and to express my ideas. I did a lot of simple grammar mistakes and I am always the one who talks too little during our discussions. I think my group members are having problem to understand what I am saying. Therefore, I felt distressed and anxious for coming to discussions. However, they have given me ample opportunities to learn to communicate my points and thoughts. According to Collins and Miller (1994), self-disclosure is the act of disclosing personal information to another people. To develop a good communication in a relationship, self-disclosure is one of the important mechanisms. I believed that a good relationship is based on trust so I decided to let my group members to know things about myself. I remember feeling uncomfortable when I did some of the mistakes, but my group members were not judgemental and helped me to solve the problem. After this, I felt that by sharing opinion and thought with each other can really strengthen my confidence. I am glad that the wall which blocking me from communicate with others had been removed and I am able to speak out my opinion now. As pointed out by one of my lecturer, Mr Mahathir, good communication in the workplace will maximise work efficiency. From his past experiences, I learn that we must not being shy to meet the boss because the boss is the one who evaluate our performance in the workplace. Having good communication might also benefit me in my later on working life as I can ask for help from colleagues when having problems. Presentation skills Although I managed to finish my speech during first presentation, I think my performance was not very well. Overall presentation as a group was good because my group members presented confidently and able to provide convincing answers when questions were asked by the tutor. I definitely found that a presenter must have great knowledge of the topic so that he can elaborate it by himself without looking at notes. I had a problem with this in my presentation. I involved all the information in such a limited presentation. I think I should make the information more relevant to the audience in my future presentations. Besides that, nervousness is a major problem for me. It wasnt my first time to speak in the public but I still felt nervous and resulted in me left out some parts that I was going to say. I think that it can be solved with experience and confidence. Therefore, I should overcome this weakness. After a couple weeks of practicing, this was reflected during my presentation as I was successful in explaining the proposed solutions to my peers. I made eye contact with the audience, and was able to acquire their attention towards my presentation. Hence, I would say that I think I did above average for my presentation and I am happy with my performance. However, I do believe that there is still much room for improvement such as research more tools (eg Youtube) to use and make it simplistic yet complex. Since I have had rehearsals for a couple of times, I believed that I was well prepared for my presentation. This resulted in one of the main strengths of my presentation was that my verbal messages were presented quite fluently. Also, I felt that I projected my voice effectively throughout my presentation and this is really the main cause of my satisfaction with my presentation. This is because I have received feedback from my classmates that the volume of my voice was not loud enough when I was speaking. I am glad that I have managed to speak at an appropriate volume. I liked my slides as well, as I felt that its simple layout was easy on the eyes and yet, it still managed to be visually attractive. I realise that the delivery of the presentation is important for its success and the key to delivering a good presentation is practice, confidence, have an interest and knowledge of the topic, not memorized the whole things. I have reflected on my strengths and weaknesses, and I am ready to perform better in the near future. Teamwork Working in group can be more trouble as conflicts may occur during discussion; however, I think it provided an opportunity for us to understand other peoples point of view. This exactly happened in my group as we always discuss the questions together at first. Each of us had different opinions so that the end result will be a combination of best ideas. I am glad that we were able to finish our presentations quickly yet maintain good quality. I learned that communication, trust and leadership are the three main components of a strong teamwork skill. Good communication enables the group to perform well and each member must trust one another so that progress can be made efficiently. A team without a leader will result in fail. This module has contributed the improvement of my teamwork skills. I have learned to be an effective team member which requires active participation in group discussions. Through the group presentations, I believe that my experience can be readily applied into future working environment because high level of teamwork is important in todays workplace. Overall it has been very learning experience for me because teamwork allows me to be involved and participate in equal ways. This helps to broaden my thinking to achieve the best outcomes and able to collaborate with others in the future. Time management One of the major challenges that I faced is time management. Time management is one of the skills that no one will teach you in school but you have to learn it. I was the worst procrastinator because I would put things off until the very last minute. That turned into me having a lot of late work, or not very good quality work. One of my lecturers had mentioned that, When it comes to time management it is important to find a system that works for you. I think that I could improve my time management skills making a schedule. It was very beneficial to keep a schedule. Instead of cramming everything all at once, set a schedule helped me to get better grades. I believe that as mentioned earlier, having a calendar that states those deadlines will help motivate me because all the deadlines are visibly in sight. I can also track the progress of my assignments by categorizing the tasks and see which stages I am in at the current progress. I have to always remember that we may delay, but time will not. I believe that proper planning is the key to managing my time well. With proper planning, I can prepare to take on the task mentally. Thus, time management is a very valuable skill in todays society.Ã Critical Thinking As for critical thinking, Taylor (1992) stated that it is a result of reflecting on ones learning and developing a meta-awareness by reflecting on ones thoughts, feelings and actions. Critical thinking is considered to be one of the most important indicators of student learning quality. For me, I learned to think critically when I was doing the report. I analysed the issues and gave evidence to support my opinions. I have learned a lot of critical thinking through doing this report. Although it is not an easy experience but it helped me to understand the pros and cons of every possible outcome and to value them according to the goals that I wanted to achieve. When I apply critical thinking concepts in the workplace, I will develop more ideas, make fewer mistakes and reach better decision. We know that not only the managers have the responsibility of taking decisions, but people at all levels into an organisation may also call to face and resolve problems. I think it also has a good impact on the relationship between colleagues. By using critical thinking, I can enjoy the benefits throughout my life in the future. (1500 words)
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Solar Photovoltaic Cells Essay -- Solar Energy Heat Sun essays
Solar Photovoltaic Cells Solar energy is a general term referring to any process that turns sunlight into energy. Two common forms of solar energy are used today: Solar photovoltaic cells and solar thermal technology. Solar thermal technology uses the heat generated from sunlight to create energy. Most commonly, this can be used to heat water for a house or other projects. Or, with increasing complexity, it can turn the heat into electricity. Unfortunately, much of this technology is too expensive and complex to be practical in the United States on any large scale. However, solar photovoltaic cells are a far more promising technology. They provide a simple way of turning light directly into energy. This paper will examine how this technology works on a basic level while accessing the possible benefits and problems this technology has. It will also examine possible technology in the future in an attempt to overcome these problems. How solar photovoltaic cells work: A photovoltaic cell uses semiconductor material to transform light into electrical energy. Photons from light hitting the material excite electrons, releasing them from their atoms into the material. Once electrons are excited, they are able to move freely within the material. The semi-conductor then serves to force the electrons in the desired directions. By creating a junction of a p and n type semiconductor, an electrical potential is created. The electrons move from the n-type to the p-type. Meanwhile, the positively charged atoms move from the p-type to the n-type. As a result, the n-type material gains a positive charge and the p-type gains a negative charge. When an electrical circuit connects the p-type and n-type ends, difference in e... ...rrent conventional energy. It has promising chances of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and thus reducing global warming. But, it sill cannot compete economically with current energy means and as a result, more research must be dedicated into the cause in order for its benefits to be fully realized. Works Cited Berinstein P. 2001. Alternative Energy: Facts, Statistics, and Issues. Wesport (CT): Oryx Press; 208p. Current Solar Systems: Modern Photovoltaic Solar Cells. http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/t/s/tss178/pvcells.htm [2004 Oct 19] Ramage J. 1997. Energy, A Guidebook. New York: Oxford. 194p. Sorensen B. 2000. Renewable Energy: Its physics, engineering, use, environmental impacts, economy and planning aspects. 2nd ed. San Diego: Academic Press. 912p. http://www.worldbank.org/html/fpd/energy/subenergy/solar/solar_pv.htm [2004 Oct 18]
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
reality and choice theory :: essays research papers
1. "Reality therapy concentrates on the client's needs and getting them to confront the reality of the world. In Reality Therapy, these needs are classified into power, love and belonging, freedom, fun, and survival. Survival includes the things that we need in order to stay alive, such as food, clothing and shelter. Power is our sense of achievement and feeling worthwhile, as well as the competitive desire to win. Love and belonging represent our social needs, to be accepted by groups, families and loved ones. Freedom is our need for our own space, a sense of independence and autonomy. Fun is our need to enjoy ourselves and seek pleasure. We seek to fulfill these needs at all times, whether we are conscious of it or not." Choice theory, the new theory of how our brain functions that supports reality therapy, directly challenges this belief. I contend that when we are unable to figure out how to satisfy one or more of the five basic needs built into our genetic structure that are the source of all human motivation, we sometimes choose to behave in ways that are currently labeled mental illness. These needs, explained in detail in Choice Theory, are: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom and fun. What is common to these ineffective and unsatisfying choices, no matter what they may be, is unhappiness: there is no happiness in the DSM-IV. Choice theory explains that, not only do we choose all our unhappy behaviors, but every behavior we choose is made up of four components, one of which is how we feel as we behave. When we choose a behavior that satisfies our needs, immediately or eventually, we feel good. When we choose a behavior that fails to satisfy our needs, sooner or later, we feel bad. But the choice to be unhappy is not mental illness. Our society is flooded with people who are choosing anxious, fearful, depressive, obsessive, crazy, hostile, violent, addictive and withdrawn behaviors. All of them are seriously unhappy; there is no shortage of unhappy people in the world. But, unfortunately, many mental health practitioners who believe in mental illness don't see the unhappy people described above as capable of helping themselves or benefitting from therapy. They see them as "suffering" from brain pathology, incapable of helping themselves without drugs. They reject psychotherapy as useless or too time-consuming. In my new book, Reality Therapy in Action, I describe how my use of reality therapy has helped many seriously symptomatic clients choose to function normally without the use of drugs.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Nauru: The Gap Between Perception and Reality Essay -- Country Analysi
It would be easy to overlook the third smallest country in the world as a frivolous waste of time. Nothing could be further from the truth in regards to the island of Nauru. It is a multifarious nation described as almost a topographical micro slice of paradise. The Nauruan people have formed a democratic republic with a constitution safeguarding liberties and ensuring prosperity. At least this is according to the Nauru websites available to the public. Countries often present themselves as a glossy postcard picture on the outside. This picture does not always match the reality of what is on the inside. Looking at what the Nauruan Government and Tourist Organization have to say can serve as a baseline for comparison to the realities that Nauru is facing and the gap between the two. Nauru is a small island located only 26 miles south of the equator with a land mass of just over eight square miles. The government describes the island purely in topographical terms as ââ¬Å"surrounded by a coral reef, exposed at low tide and dotted with pinnacles. The reef is bound seaward by deep water, and inside by a sandy beach. The presence of the reef has prevented the establishment of a seaport â⬠¦a 150ââ¬â300 meter wide fertile coastal strip lies landward from the beach. Coral cliffs surround the central plateau. The only fertile areas are the narrow coastal beltâ⬠(Republic of Nauru [RON], 2012, p.1). The Nauru government is also very proud of their parliamentary democracy and much of their website explains not only the freedom but also compulsory voting at age twenty and above. Their constitution also touts the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms such as ââ¬Å"life, liberty, security of the person, the enjoyment of property and th... ...all, D. (2009). Doomed Island: Nauru's short-sightedness and resulting decline are an urgent warning to the rest of the planet. Alternatives Journal, 35(1), 34-37. Nauru Tourism, Department of Economic Development.(2012). Unique Nauru. Retrieved on 27 May 2012 from: http://www.discovernauru.com/ Singh, S. (2007, Mar 28). South pacific: Island nations struggle with obesity epidemic. Global Information Network, pp. 1. http://search.proquest.com/docview/457564219?Accountid =38569 The Republic of Nauru.(2011). Republic of Nauru. Retrieved on 27 May 2012 from: http://www.naurugov.nr/index.html The Republic of Nauru.(2011). The constitution of Nauru. Retrieved on 27 May 2012 from: http://www.naurugov.nr/parliament/constitution.html U.S, Department of State Website(2012) Background Note: Nauru. Retrieved on 27 May 2012 from: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/16447.htm
Monday, September 16, 2019
Explore and evaluate Shakespeareââ¬â¢s use of the supernatural in Macbeth Essay
Explore and evaluate Shakespeareââ¬â¢s use of the supernatural in Macbeth, supporting your answer with a detailed discussion of two scenes of your choice. In the play Macbeth, the supernatural is a major theme, and is important on a number of levels: firstly, it held many attractions for its original audience, both general and specific; secondly, the supernatural is an intriguing dramatic device, used to drive the play along and to keep it exciting; finally, the supernatural also has a great thematic significance to the play. This essay will look at each of these points in turn, and supplement them with a detailed analysis of exactly how Shakespeare uses the supernatural in relation to two scenes; Act One Scene One, and Act Five Scene One. It is important, however, to begin with a definition of the supernatural and what it encompasses. The supernatural is defined as forces, occurrences, and beings that cannot be explained by science. When people think of the supernatural they automatically think of dark and mysterious beings such as ghosts and witches, but phenomena such as hallucinations, prophecies, vision and apparitions can also be grouped under the supernatural. The supernatural comes from the two words ââ¬Å"superâ⬠and ââ¬Å"natureâ⬠. In this case the word ââ¬Å"superâ⬠means ââ¬Å"beyondâ⬠, so the supernatural can encompass all things beyond nature, or perversions of nature, such as unusual weather and weather and sleep disorders. Finally, the supernatural can also mean disrupting the natural order, such as regicide. When Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, he wrote it for a specific as well as a general audience: The specific audience was James I, and the general audience were the theatregoers of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. It was very important that when Shakespeare wrote Macbeth, he wrote in a way that would appeal to James I. James I had been the Patron of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s band of actors, The Kingââ¬â¢s Men, since 1603, and it is thought that Macbeth was first performed in August 1606 to celebrate the visit of Jamesââ¬â¢ brother-in-law, King Christian of Denmark, so James I would have been the Patron of The Kingââ¬â¢s Men for three years. It was important that the Patron enjoyed the plays because he or she was one of the main sources of money for the actors. In Macbeth, witches were the main supernatural phenomenon in the play, and for the audience of the time, witches were believed to be very real, and a subject of great conversation, not only with the regular working-class, but also with the great thinkers of that time. This notion was also memorably and hilariously in the famous debate scene from ââ¬Å"Monty Python and the Holy Grail.â⬠Most importantly, though, the use of witchcraft in Macbeth would have appealed greatly to King James I. James I always had a fascination with witches. In 1950, while he was still King of Scotland, he had over 300 ââ¬Å"witchesâ⬠tortured in order to extract confessions that they were conspiring against him. King James took an active part in these trials, believing that, since the Kings was believed to be Godââ¬â¢s representative on Earth, he would obviously be the main target of these ââ¬Å"agents of the devilâ⬠. Also, James himself wrote and published a book about witchcraft around 1597, the Demonology, in which he detailed their supposed powers of predicting the future, affecting the weather, defying all laws of physics and taking demonic possession of innocent people. In 1592, King James had a meeting with a lady called Agnes Simpson, someone who for a long time had been suspected of being a practising witch. James met with her to interrogate her about her witchcraft, but was highly disturbed when Simpson began quoting the exact same words Jamesââ¬â¢s wife said to him on their wedding night. This made James far more engrossed with witchcraft, and made him even more determined to rid the world of these ââ¬Å"agents of the devilâ⬠. Finally, in 1604, new laws were enacted by James I stating that practising witches would be punished by execution. Shakespeare not only used the witches to grab the attention of James I; he also used them as a way to flatter James, his friends and his relatives. The witches are used to prophesise the succession of Banquoââ¬â¢s progeny as King, and help to show Banquo favourably: In the original story of Macbeth, found in Holinshedââ¬â¢s Chronicles of Scotland, Banquo is complicit to Duncanââ¬â¢s murder, but Shakespeare changes this to show that Banquo is a honest, pure-of-heart person, which will please James I as Banquo is a old ancestor of his. He also shows Banquo to be a wise person in Act One Scene Three, where Banquo and Macbeth meet the witches for the first time. Macbethââ¬â¢s reaction is one of ambition, and is captivated by what the witches say, whereas Banquo has a far more cautious response, and is aware that the witches could well be up to no good. I, iii 123 ââ¬â 126 And oftentimes to win us to our harm, The instruments of darkness tell us truths, Win us with honest trifles, to betrayââ¬â¢s In deepest consequence.- This will please James I, to know that his relatives were also aware of witchesââ¬â¢ evil. James I is also mentioned in Macbeth, when Macbeth has a vision of eight Kingââ¬â¢s, on with ââ¬Å"two-fold balls and treble sceptresâ⬠. These were Jamesââ¬â¢ regalia, and symbolised Jamesââ¬â¢s power over Macbeth. James I is also seen to have power of Macbeth when Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost is seen sitting in Macbethââ¬â¢s chair. This use of the supernatural suggests that Banquoââ¬â¢s ancestors will one day take over the throne from Macbeth. Macbethââ¬â¢s fear of Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost also suggests again that Banquo is superior to Macbeth. Finally, Shakespeare uses the supernatural to interest James I when Macbeth seems powerless in the face of Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s illness. Malcolm and Macduff talk about how the true king has the power to cure the Kingââ¬â¢s Evil, as disease called scrofula. James I was believed to have this power and it would have pleased James to know that Shakespeare has shown him to be more powerful than Macbeth. Shakespeare also realised how important it is for plays to appeal to their general audience, and uses a number of different methods to carry this out. The regular people of Elizabethan and Jacobean England also had a fascination with witches, and every town in England would have suspected witches, so it was a common subject of conversation. From these conversations sprouted rumours about the ways and lifestyles of witches, and Shakespeare put hints of these stories into Macbeth. In Act 1 Scene 3, Witch 2 says she has been ââ¬Å"Killing swineâ⬠, whilst witch 1 says that ââ¬Å"in a sieve Iââ¬â¢ll hither sailâ⬠. The people of that time did actually believe that witches killed pigs and sailed over the ocean in a sieve, and hearing these things in a play would have lit up their enthusiastic fascination and would have grabbed their attention. In Macbeth the witches are not only used to fascinate the audience but also to amuse them. The audience would have enjoyed the reference to the witches ââ¬Å"beardsâ⬠in Act 1 Scene 3, as the witches would have been played by men, and the self-aware joking from the actors would have gone down well with the whole audience. Shakespeare also uses recent events to attract the audience. Macbeth becomes very concerned about the fact that he has no heir to his throne, and the audience will be able to relate this to their recent experience of Queen Elizabeth, who died with no natural heir. The supernatural also adds to Macbeth on a dramatic level, and is used to create suspense, embellish themes of the play and to accentuate the characters personalities, amongst other things. As previously mentioned, the supernatural encompasses hallucinations, and Macbethââ¬â¢s hallucination of a dagger is a great dramatic device to give the audience the full, haunting extent of Macbethââ¬â¢s inner turmoil. In some performances of Macbeth, the dagger actually appears hovering onstage, and whilst that maybe an interesting use of special effects, I think it is far more effective when the dagger is invisible, as we can see that he is in fact seeing things, and that what is going on is just in his mind. Similarly, when Macbeth sees Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost sitting in his chair, having no one sitting in the chair shows how disturbed Macbeth is. Also, this would the audience in the same position as his friends at the table, perplexed and worried about what is happening. On the other hand, if someone was to play Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost, it would allow for the actor to make use of the stage trapdoor, which would have gone down very well with the audience. Another use of Banquoââ¬â¢s ghost is to mark a turning point in the play; before the ghostââ¬â¢s arrival, Macbeth is authoritative and respected, but his reaction to the ghost shows him in a completely different light, nervous and vulnerable, and this would change his friendsââ¬â¢ opinions. This signifies a big change in the play, and from this point onward things become progressively words for Macbeth. Another example of how the supernatural is used as a dramatic device is when Macbeth and Banquo first meet with the witches. The audience know that Macbeth is to be soon hailed Thane of Cawdor, but Macbeth is unaware. This use of dramatic irony gives the audience a sense of superiority, and draws them into the play. Finally, in Act 2 and Scene 4 Ross and the Old Man are commenting on how the events of Macbethââ¬â¢s regicide have affected the wider world. Here they act almost like a Greek chorus, providing a running commentary on events. The events they describe, such as Duncanââ¬â¢s horses eating each other and a Falcon being eaten by a Mousing Owl effectively tell the audience that Macbethââ¬â¢s actions have far-reaching consequences. Macbeth is a tragedy, and Shakespeare uses the supernatural to reinforce this. Macbeth is tragic because at the beginning of the play Macbeth is a brave, honourable man, but by the end he is a weak, self centred man, who is eventually killed through fault of his own. This fits Aristotleââ¬â¢s notion of what a tragedy is. In his Poetics he says that a good tragedy has to be about the downfall of a man from a position of greatness to one of lowliness and death. However, Aristotle then goes on to say that it is only a true tragedy if the downfall was brought about by an aspect of the manââ¬â¢s personality, what Aristotle called his ââ¬Å"fatal flawâ⬠. Macbethââ¬â¢s fatal flaw is his ambition, and the supernatural is used to back this up in a number of ways: The witches in Macbeth are used to show how Macbethââ¬â¢s ambition takes over everything in his life, and is responsible for Macbethââ¬â¢s killing of Duncan. In Act 1 Scene 3, the witches donââ¬â¢t say anything about killing Duncan, but Macbeth is so captivated by the fact that he has been told he could be King, his ambition takes over and he would do anything to get to the crown. Shakespeare also uses Banquoââ¬â¢s reaction to the witchesââ¬â¢ prophecies to bring out Macbethââ¬â¢s burning ambition further still. Banquo hears the same things from the witches, but responds in a far more level-headed way, which shows how great an effect Macbethââ¬â¢s ambition has on his thoughts. Ambition is one of the main themes in Macbeth, but perhaps the most important theme is that of Kingship, and the lengths Macbeth will go to to become King, which includes Regicide. In Shakespearean times people were far more aware of The Divine Right of Kings, and therefore killing a King was the next crime down from killing God. An assault on the King is an assault on God, and it was shown by Ross and the Old Man in Act 2 Scene 4 that the killing of Duncan had supernatural consequences. These consequences are an example of how nature is disordered and unnatural, and the supernatural also conveys this in a number of ways: In the opening scene, the witches talk about paradoxes such as ââ¬Å"fair is foul and foul is fairâ⬠, and they say Banquo is ââ¬Å"lesser that Macbeth, and greater.â⬠This is Shakespeareââ¬â¢s way of showing that things in the play are the opposite of what they seem, and that there are many double meanings to what the witches say. Even the appearance of the witches show that things are reversed and upside down, as displayed by the witches beards. Also, Shakespeare uses the interruption of natural rhythms such as sleep to show how the natural order has been interrupted. Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s somnambulance is a clear example of how disturbed she is over the death of Duncan, and because Lady Macbeth is always putting a front on in public laced with smiles, sleepwalking is a highly effective way of bringing out her inner turmoil. Finally, Shakespeare uses pathetic fallacy to show what effect Macbethââ¬â¢s actions have on the rest of the world. The stormy weather and earthquakes described once again by Ross and Old Man demonstrate that there not just a few people suffering from Macbethââ¬â¢s actions, it encompasses a whole nation. This essay has shown how Shakespeare uses the supernatural in a dramatic, thematic and audience-specific ways, but in order to see just how effectively he integrates into the text, it is important to look at two scenes where it is most memorably used. This essay will be looking at Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 5 Scene 1. ACT 1 SCENE 1 The opening scene is an excellent platform to see the supernatural in its most common manifestation in Macbeth: the three witches. The first scene introduces the audience to the witches, and Shakespeare uses the witches to set the scene for the rest of the play. Before the witches even speak, we know this is going to be a dark, intense play from the stage directions. Firstly, thunder and lightning is Shakespeareââ¬â¢s way of using pathetic fallacy to tell us what sort of mood the play has. Thunder and lightning creates a very tense mood, as you never know when the lightning will strike. It will also create a dark sky, making it every scarier. Thunder and lightning also symbolises that everything is not in order, and things arenââ¬â¢t running smoothly. The second part of the stage directions simply says ââ¬Å"Enter THREE WITCHES.â⬠I have already said how fascinated people were with witches in Shakespearean times, and seeing on stage as soon as the play begins would have lit their enthusiasm and grabbed their attention instantaneously. Witches are of course encompassed by the supernatural. These agents of the devil are there to show that the natural order of things and the natural order of God has been disrupted, and all is not well. When the Witches begin talking, it becomes apparent that they want to meet with Macbeth, and that things in the play arenââ¬â¢t all well. When they say ââ¬Å"when the battleââ¬â¢s lost and wonâ⬠, these oxymoronic statements show that everything is upside down, and that one thing can quite easily mean the other. It emerges that they will meet again with Macbeth upon the heath before the set of the sun, meaning today. They also talk about their ââ¬Å"demonsâ⬠, Paddock and Greymalkin, a toad and a cat. People at the time believed witches kept pets to spy on people so they could posses them. James I wrote about it in his book. The language that witches use and the way they talk is quite unusual, and shows why the three have been branded ââ¬Å"The Wyrd Sistersâ⬠. When the witches are talking, they never talk in iambic pentameter, the usual pattern of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s writing. The iambic pentameter symbolises a natural rhythm, and the disruption of this rhythm demonstrates the natural order of things has been disrupted. This is very similar to Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s sleepwalking in Act 5 Scene 1. Also, the witchesââ¬â¢ phrases seem to carry on from one another. An example of this is when Witch 2 says ââ¬Å"When the battleââ¬â¢s lost and wonâ⬠, and Witch 3 immediately replies ââ¬Å"That will be the ere the set of sun.â⬠This sort of language could mean that they are all part of one body, and controlled by one greater power, namely the Devil. It also could be seen to show that the witches are using telepathic powers to communicate with one another. The people of Shakespearean times were firm believers that witches could communicate with each other through the power of their minds, and James I also wrote about it in his book The Demonology. The penultimate line in this scene, ââ¬Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fairâ⬠once again shows how one thing can mean the other, and that the witches are turning over Godââ¬â¢s natural order. The first scene in this play isnââ¬â¢t very long at all, but in it Shakespeare manages to tell us an awful lot about the nature of the play, and sets the scene well for the rest of the play. This haunting scene shows the final degeneration of Lady Macbeth, in which the supernatural plays an important part in conveying the full extent of Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s troubles. Prior to this scene, Lady Macbeth has never let her cover slip. She has remained ââ¬Å"thââ¬â¢innocent flowerâ⬠in public, and only alone or with Macbeth has she been ââ¬Å"the serpent underââ¬â¢tâ⬠. This is the first point where she subconsciously lets her facade slip. Only when she says she would have murdered Duncan ââ¬Å"had he not resembles / [her] father as he sleptâ⬠does the audience see she has the tiny piece of humanity, and the audience also sees a glimpse of her guilt when she says that ââ¬Å"Naughtââ¬â¢s had, allââ¬â¢s spent, / Where our desire is got without consent.â⬠Apart from these two comments, Lady Macbeth has appeared strong and not let her front slip, so it is a great shock to see her so vulnerable and weak in such a verbal and visual way. The stage directions of this scene are ââ¬Å"Enter a DOCTOR OF PHYSIC and a WAITING-GENTLEWOMAN.â⬠The fact that there is a Doctor is a concern to the audience, because a doctor is only ever present when someone is ill (nature being disordered), or there is a need to stave off death. Also, a waiting-gentlewoman suggests that Lady Macbeth that has to depend on someone else, which is a huge contrast to her ever-independent personality, especially since the waiting-gentlewoman is of a lower status to herself. So just by the stage directions, we know that Lady Macbeth is in need of help. We are also aware of that Lady Macbeth is troubled from the conversation between the Doctor and waiting-gentlewoman. For a start, it turns out that that the pair have been watching Lady Macbeth for two nights now. The fact that Lady Macbeth has let people watch her without her realising shows how vulnerable she is because she doesnââ¬â¢t know what information she is giving to the audience. The gentlewoman then goes on to tell the Doctor (and the audience) a list of what Lady Macbeth has done ââ¬Å"Since his majesty went into the fieldâ⬠. The fact that she automatically throws ââ¬Å"her night-gown upon herâ⬠suggests that she is subconsciously ashamed of herself and has a desire to conceal her true self. This is a very effective insight to Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s inner thoughts, although this is lost in the Polanski version of Macbeth, where she appears naked. This essay has already discussed how Macbeth is full of oxymorons and contradictions, and this scene is no exception. When the waiting-gentlewoman talks about how Lady Macbeth has managed to complete all these actions that usually occur when people are awake (she manages to ââ¬Å"unlock he closet, take forth paperâ⬠etc.), it is highly strange for anyone to do them ââ¬Å"in a most fast sleepâ⬠. This is another way of Shakespeare showing that nature has been disrupted. The Doctor explains it well that there has to be ââ¬Å"A great perturbation in nature, to receive at once the benefit of sleep, and do the effects of watching!â⬠He then follows this with the oxymoronic ââ¬Å"slumbery agitationâ⬠, another sign of a natural rhythm being overturned. Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s actions are also full of contradictions, as noted by the comments: ââ¬Å"her eyes are openâ⬠â⬠¦ ââ¬Å"but their senses are still shutâ⬠; and also ââ¬Å"she has spoke what she should notâ⬠, displaying once again the fact that she has no control over what people hear her say. Finally, the fact that the servant wonââ¬â¢t tell the Doctor what she has seen her do previously heightens the suspense. When Lady Macbeth finally arrives onstage, the stage directions say ââ¬Å"with a taper.â⬠The taper could resemble her isolation, a small candle in a dark room, or it could emphasise her desire for light, in contrast too her ââ¬Å"dark desiresâ⬠. It would also give extra meaning to Macbethââ¬â¢s famous ââ¬Å"out, out brief candleâ⬠speech, which he gave just after the news of his wifeââ¬â¢s death. Sleepwalking is unnatural, as a natural bodily cycle is being interrupted. The audience may have seen this as supernatural possession, possibly by the witches, which would have made the scene even more intense. When Lady Macbeth is in her ââ¬Å"slumbery agitationâ⬠it seems as if she is in another world. The fact that she is being commented on by the Doctor and waiting-woman emphasises her isolation from the rest of the world. Also, the fact that the audience can see hear Lady Macbeth without her knowing will give them a feeling of superiority over her, and make her feel less powerful. When Lady Macbeth comes onstage the audience is drawn to ââ¬Å"how she rubs her hands.â⬠The audience are told that she has been known to do this for a quarter of an hour makes clear the extent of her deterioration. When Lady Macbeth first speaks, she talks of the imaginary, supernatural ââ¬Å"spotâ⬠of blood on her hand. This mirrors Macbethââ¬â¢s hallucination of the ââ¬Å"air-drawn daggerâ⬠. Lady Macbeth is experiencing what Macbeth has already encountered, but she has suppressed all humanity and compassion in her to such an extent that it has to find a way out, and the only way is when she is unconscious. When Macbeth sees the dagger he appears to have gone mad to the audience, but his cathartic projection of his fears is far healthier. In this scene, Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s language has changed dramatically. Her first speech is only four syllables long, but it is in prose, as opposed to the formal iambic pentameter verse. Her speech is disjointed, which represents her isolation from the world. Also, there is so little rhythm to it, although it could be argued that the phrase takes a spondaic form, which would suggest a very disordered state and lack of control. Also, her speech is purposefully bland, reserved for those of a lower status, and most certainly not royalty like herself. This is very similar to Macbethââ¬â¢s linguistic degeneration, when he addresses the Murderers in prose. Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s language is a highly telling manifestation of her degeneration. The contrast between her poetic, calculated persuasion of Act One to the child-like drivel of ââ¬Å"The Thane of Fife had a wifeâ⬠. Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s final speech is of a woman who is no longer exists in the present: she is in the past reliving her memories, almost in some horrifying reverie. The fact she is reliving the past is backed up with ââ¬Å"thereââ¬â¢s knocking at the gateâ⬠, reflects a reliving of the last few moments before their act of murder was discovered. The speech is also crammed with repetition, with ââ¬Å"comeâ⬠repeated four times and ââ¬Å"to bedâ⬠five. Finally, the phrase ââ¬Å"give me your handâ⬠is a perfect expression of her feelings towards her husband ââ¬â she still loves him but she still feels the desire to command and control. The doctorââ¬â¢s final speech widens the scope of Lady Macbethââ¬â¢s experiences to take in the whole world: ââ¬Å"Foul whisperings are abroadâ⬠can be used to apply to the death of Lady Macbeth herself, but can also relate to the supernatural side-effects of Macbethââ¬â¢s regicide. After the degeneration of Lady Macbeth, one of the most powerful and vivid character in all of drama, it is the lowly doctor who talks in poetry, not his usual prose. ââ¬Å"Unnatural deeds/ Do breed unnatural troublesâ⬠sums up the play brilliantly, but a terrifying reminder of the consequences the Macbeths have to live with. SECTION SEVEN: conclusion This essay has looked at Shakespeareââ¬â¢s use of the supernatural in great detail, commenting on it in a thematic, dramatic and audience-specific sense and focusing in extra detail on Act 1 Scene 1 and Act 5 Scene 1. Shakespeare makes excellent use of the supernatural through witches, hallucinations, prophecies, somnambulance and freak weather. Whether they dominate the scene or not, the many manifestations of the supernatural are used precisely and effectively to add an extra dimension to Macbeth.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Examine the view that ‘successful families need two loving heterosexual parents’
his statement represents the view that the typical family is a nuclear family; that is: 2 generations of parents & children living together in 1 household, & legally married, and that the nuclear family is the ideal. Murdock claimed that the nuclear family is universal and for any society to exist four basic functions [functional requisites] must be fulfilled. These are > Reproduction ââ¬â to produce the next generation. > Sexual ââ¬â to control sexual behaviour, to prevent conflict between adult males over women. > Socialisation ââ¬â to prepare children for their wider social roles. > Economic ââ¬â to survive economically the male acts as breadwinner & the female as carer. Functionalists would say these are essential for social life, since without the sexual and reproductive functions, there would be no members of society, without the economic function, life would cease, and without education [socialisation] there would be no culture. Human society without culture could not function. Not all families fit Murdock's definition of family. There are examples of ââ¬Ësocial arrangements' or ââ¬Ëfamilies' that contradict Murdock's definition. One example being the ââ¬Ënew world black family'. Generally these families are Matrifocal and mother-centred and consist of a woman and her dependant children and do not include an adult male. The mother is the main carer and breadwinner and rely's on help from female kin relatives. Another example is ââ¬ËThe Nayer' of south India. After marriage the husband did not live with his wife nor was he under any obligation to have any further contact with her. The males in the household would be either uncles or brothers but not the biological father. These male kin would serve the economical & socialisation roles within the family. Gay, lesbian & lone parent families also contradict Murdock's definition. The lone parent family has only one gender role to follow, ââ¬â the carer, breadwinner role, is undertaken by one adult, as well as the economic factor again undertaken by one adult. The lone parent can still maintain a sexual relationship outside of the family unit; therefore the sexual factor is still maintained. Reproduction can start without sexual contact, as the lone parent tends to rear the children in the early years, and then educational establishment assists. Even with only one gender role to be followed, socialisation prepares children for their wider social and gender roles. It would be fair to say that Murdock did not take into account the various diversities within the family, such as structural & cultural diversities. The family is socially constructed and varies from one culture to another. To say that ââ¬Ësuccessful families need two loving heterosexual parents' is a very narrow functionalist view of the family. People are now choosing to have different types of family life, and it is more socially acceptable. Many families are no longer conventional but society still exists.
Implementation of Lsb Steganography and Its Evaluation for Various File Formats
Int. J. Advanced Networking and Applications Volume: 02, Issue: 05, Pages: 868-872 (2011) 868 Implementation of LSB Steganography and its Evaluation for Various File Formats V. Lokeswara Reddy Department of CSE, K. S. R. M. College of Engg. , Kadapa, A. P. India Email: [emailà protected] com Dr. A. Subramanyam Dept. of CSE, AITS, Rajampet, Y. S. R. (Kadapa) Dist.. A. P. Dr. P. Chenna Reddy Dept. of CSE, JNTUCE, Pulivendula, Y. S. R. (Kadapa) Dist.. A. P. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âABSTRACTââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-Steganography is derived from the Greek word steganos which literally means ââ¬Å"Coveredâ⬠and graphy means ââ¬Å"Writingâ⬠, i. e. covered writing. Steganography refers to the science of ââ¬Å"invisibleâ⬠communication. For hiding secret information in various file formats, there exists a large variety of steganographic techniques some are more complex than others and all of them have respective strong and weak points. The Least Significant Bit (LSB) embedding technique suggests that data can be hidden in the least significant bits of the cover image and the human eye would be unable to notice the hidden image in the cover file. This technique can be used for hiding images in 24-Bit, 8-Bit, Gray scale format. This paper explains the LSB Embedding technique and Presents the evaluation for various file formats. Keywords: Steganography, Least Significant Bit (LSB), GIF, PNG, BMP. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-Date of Submission: 24, August 2010 Date of Acceptance: 08 November 2010 are transferred through unknown cover carriers in such a manner that the very existence of the embedded messages is undetectable. Carriers include images ; audio, video, text or any other digitally represented code or transmission. The hidden message may be plaintext, cipher text or anything that can be represented as a bit stream. II. IMAGE STEGANOGRAPHY Image compression techniques are extensively used in steganography. Among the two types of image compressions, lossy compression and loss less compression; lossless compression formats offer more promises. Lossy compression compression may not maintain the original imageââ¬â¢s integrity. Lossless compression maintains the original image data exactly, hence it is prefered. Example of Lossy compression format is JPEG format files. Examples of Lossless compression formats are GIF[3] and BMP formats. We have used an 8-bit image size for implementation of our steganography. Improvement in stegnographic techniques is make it possible to apply the Detecting LSB Steganography in Colour and Gray- Scale Images which were confined to gray scale images in the initial stages The difficulty in colour images control is solved later on in many techniques such as the analysis of the variation of the gradient energy. The secret message embedded in the target image is detected in both gray and colour images, and the length of the embedded message is estimated [5, 6]. ââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬âââ¬â-I. INTRODUCTION Digital content is now posing formidable challenges to content developers, aggregators, distributors and users. Th e destruction, extraction or modification of the embedded message is required to develop more robust systems so that the digital content processing and organization becomes easy. Cryptography was created as a technique for securing the secrecy of communication and many different methods have been developed to encrypt and decrypt data in order to keep the message secret. Unfortunately it is sometimes not enough to keep the contents of a message secret, it may also be necessary to keep the existence of the message secret. The technique used to implement this, is called steganography. The shift from cryptography to stegnography is due to that concealing the image existence as stegno-images enable to embeded the secret message to cover images. Steganography conceptually implies that the message to be transmitted is not visible to the informal eye. Steganography has been used for thousands of years to transmit data without being intercepted by unwanted viewers. It is an art of hiding information inside information. The main objective of Steganography is mainly concerned with the protection of contents of the hidden information. Images are ideal for information hiding[1,2] because of the large amount of redundant space is created in the storing of images. Secret messages Int. J. Advanced Networking and Applications Volume: 02, Issue: 05, Pages: 868-872 (2011) III. HIDING METHODS IN IMAGE STEGANOGRAPHY In Image Steganography, There are a variety of methods using which information can be hidden in images. Least Significant Bit Replacement Technique: In image steganography almost all data hiding techniques try to alter insignificant information in the cover image. Least significant bit (LSB) insertion is a common, simple approach to embedding information in a cover image. For instance, a simple scheme proposed, is to place the embedding data at the least significant bit (LSB) of each pixel in the cover image[7,8,9] . The altered image is called stego-image. Altering LSB doesnââ¬â¢t change the quality of image to human perception but this scheme is sensitive a variety of image processing attacks like compression, cropping etc. We will be emphasizing more on this technique for the various image formats. Moderate Significant Bit Replacement Technique: The moderate significant bits of each pixel in the cover image can be used to embed the secret message. This method improves sensitivity to modification, but it degrades the quality of stego-image. Experiments have shown that the length of hidden messages embedded in the least significant bits of signal samples can be estimated with relatively high precision. IV. THE LSB TECHNIQUE The least significant bit i. e. the eighth bit inside an image is changed to a bit of the secret message. When using a 24bit image, one can store 3 bits in each pixel by changing a bit of each of the red, green and blue colour components, since they are each represented by a byte. An 800? 600 pixel image, can thus store a total amount of 1,440,000 bits or 180,000 bytes of embedded data. As an example, suppose that we have three adjacent pixels (9 bytes) with the RGB encoding. 10010101 00001101 11001001 10010110 00001111 11001011 10011111 00010000 11001011 When the number 300, can be which binary representation is 100101100 embedded into the least significant bits of this part of the image. If we overlay these 9 bits over the LSB of the 9 bytes above, we get the following (where bits in bold have been changed) 10010101 00001100 11001000 10010111 00001110 11001011 10011111 00010000 11001010 Here the number 300 was embedded into the grid, only the 5 bits needed to be changed according to the embedded message. On average, only half of the bits in an image will need to be modified to hide a secret message using the maximum cover size. Since there are 869 256 possible intensities of each primary colour, changing the LSB of a pixel results in small changes in the intensity of the colours. The human eye cannot perceive these changes ââ¬â thus the message is successfully hidden. With a well-chosen image, one can even hide the message in the LSB without noticing the difference[10]. Fig. 1 Block Diagram for implemented Logic of LSB embedding V. DESIGN DETAILS This section focuses on algorithms Steganography and Steganalysis[10] A. Algorithm for Hiding (Steganography) 1. 2. 3. Read the original image and the image which is to be hidden in the original image Shift the image to hide in the cover image by X bits. And the original image or cover image with 240 which is 11110000 So four MSBââ¬â¢s set to 0. Because of this only four LSBââ¬â¢s considered further. The shifted hidden image and the result of step 3 are bitored. This makes changes only in the X LSB bits so that the image is hidden in the original image. of LSB 4. In MATLAB we convert it to unit8 format. This image can be called as the stego image B. Algorithm for Steganalysis 1. The stego image is bit shifted by 4 bits since it was shifted by 4 bits to insert it into the original image. 2. The image is the ANDED with 255 i. e. , 11111111, which gives the original image. It is ANDED with 255 because initially all the LSBââ¬â¢s were made 0. Now it is recovered back. 3. To get it to Unit8 format we, convert it back to unit8 which is the extracted image. Int. J. Advanced Networking and Applications Volume: 02, Issue: 05, Pages: 868-872 (2011) that a message is being passed is being achieved. C. LSB in GIF 870 Fig. 2: Block Diagram for Steganalysis VI. IMAGE ANALYSIS A. LSB in BMP The BMP file format also called bitmap or DIB file format (for device-independent bitmap), is an image file format used to store bitmap digital images. Since BMP is not widely used the suspicion might arise, if it is transmitted with an LSB stego. When image are used as the carrier in Steganography they are generally manipulated by changing one or more of the bits of the byte or bytes that make up the pixels of an image. The message can be stored in the LSB of one colour of the RGB value or in the parity bit of the entire RGB value. A BMP is capable of hiding quite a large message. LSB in BMP is most suitable for applications, where the focus is on the amount of information to be transmitted and not on the secrecy of that information. If more number of bits is altered, it may result in a larger possibility that the altered bits can be seen with the human eye. But with the LSB the main objective of Steganography is to pass a message to a receiver without an intruder even knowing that a message is being passed is being achieved. B. LSB in PNG Portable Network Graphics (PNG) is a bitmapped image format that employs lossless data compression. PNG was created to improve upon and replace GIF. Since PNG is widely used the suspicion might not arise if it is transmitted with an LSB stego. When images are used as the carrier in Steganography they are generally manipulated by changing one or more of the bits of the byte or bytes that make up the pixels of an image. The message can be stored in the LSB of one colour of the RGB value or in the parity bit of the entire RGB value . A PNG is capable of hiding quite a large message. LSB in PNG is most suitable for applications where the focus is on the amount of information to be transmitted and not on the secrecy of that information. If more number of bits is altered it may result in a larger possibility that the altered bits can be seen with the human eye. But with the LSB the main objective of steganography i s to pass a message to a receiver without an intruder even knowing Graphics interchange format also known as GIF is one of the machine independent compressed formats for storing images. Since GIF images only have a bit depth of 8, amount of information that can be hidden is less than with BMP. Embedding information in GIF images using LSB results in almost the same results as those of using LSB with BMP. LSB in GIF is a very efficient algorithm to use when embedding a reasonable amount of data in a grayscale image. GIF images are indexed images where the colours used in the image are stored in a palette. It is sometimes referred to as a colour lookup table. Each pixel is represented as a single byte and the pixel data is an index to the colour palette. The colours of the palette are typically ordered from the most used colour to the least used colours to reduce lookup time. Some extra care is to be taken if the GIF images are to be used for Steganography. This is because of the problem with the palette approach. If the LSB of a GIF image is changed using the palette approach, it may result in a completely different colour. This is because the index to the colour palette is changed. The change in the resulting image is noticeable if the adjacent palette entries are not similar. But the change is not noticeable if the adjacent palette entries are similar. Most applications that use LSB methods on GIF images have low security because it is possible to detect even moderate change in the image. Solutions to these problems could be 1. Sort the palette so that the colour difference between consecutive colours is minimized 2. Add new colours, which are visually similar to the existing colours in the palette. 3. Use Gray scale images. In a 8 bit Gray scale GIF image, there are 256 shades of gray. This results in gradual changes in the colours and it is hard to detect. VII. EXPERIMENTED RESULTS Following experimental results highlights on 8 bit LSB Steganography. A. Results for . png image 8 bit stego image Int. J. Advanced Networking and Applications Volume: 02, Issue: 05, Pages: 868-872 (2011) 871 B. Results for . bmp file 8 bit stego image PSNR is measured in decibels (dB). PSNR is a good measure for comparing restoration results for the same image, but between-image comparisons of PSNR are meaningless. MSE and PSNR values for each file format is shown in table 1. Table 1: Image quality metrics for bmp file Cover image 224. 948 24. 6100 Stego image 244. 162 24. 2540 Cover- Stego image 69. 826 29. 690 MSE PSNR Stego Recovered IX. EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES There are many steganographic algorithms available. One should select the best available algorithm for the given application. Following characteristics are to be evaluated while selecting a particular file format for Steganography. Steganography says that the secret message is to be hidden and it should result in an distortion less image. The distortion must not be visible to the human eye. The amount of data embedded in the image also plays an important role. The algorithm decides how much amount of data could be embedded in the image resulting in a distortion less image. Steganalysis is the technique of detecting the hidden information in the image. The algorithm for Steganography must be such that the steganalysis algorithms should fail. i. e the Steganography algorithms must not be prune to attacks on steganalysis. During communication the intruder could check the original image to remove the hidden information.. He/she may manipulate the image. This manipulation may include cropping or rotation etc of the images. The manipulations done may cause the image distortion. Steganographic algorithms chosen must be such that it overcomes such manipulation and the steganographic data reaches the destination in the required format. VIII. EVALUATION OF IMAGE QUALITY For comparing stego image with cover results requires a measure of image quality, commonly used measures are Mean-Squared Error, Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio[3] and histogram. A. Mean-Squared Error The mean-squared error (MSE) between two images I1(m,n) and I2(m,n) is: M and N are the number of rows and columns in the input images, respectively. Mean-squared error depends strongly on the image intensity scaling. A mean-squared error of 100. 0 for an 8-bit image (with pixel values in the range 0-255) looks dreadful; but a MSE of 100. 0 for a 10- bit image (pixel values in [0,1023]) is barely noticeable B. Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) avoids this problem by scaling the MSE according to the image range Int. J. Advanced Networking and Applications Volume: 02, Issue: 05, Pages: 868-872 (2011) Table 2: Comparison of LSB technique for various file formats LSB LSB LSB In BMP in GIF In PNG Percentage Distortion less High Medium High resultant image Invisibility Steganalysis detection Image manipulation Amount of embedded data Payload capacity Independent of file format X. CONCLUSION Since BMP uses lossless compression, LSB makes use of BMP image. To be able to hide a secret message inside a BMP file, one would require a very large cover image. BMP images of 800? 600 pixels found to have less web applications. Moreover such uses are not accepted as valid. For this reason, LSB Steganography has also been developed for use with other image file formats. Although only some of the main image steganographic techniques were discussed in this paper, one can see that there exists a large selection of approaches to hiding information in images. All the major image file formats have different methods of hiding messages, with different strong and weak points respectively. LSB in GIF images has the potential of hiding a large message, but only when the most suitable cover image has been chosen. High Low Low High High Low Medium Low Low Medi um Medi um Low Medium Low Low Medium Medium High Authors Biography 872 Steganography: Seeing the Unseenâ⬠, Computer Journal, February 1998. [5] Li Zhi,Sui Ai Fen. , ââ¬Å"Detection of Random LSB Image Steganographyâ⬠The IEEE 2003 International Symposium on Persona1,lndoor and Mobile Radio Communication Proceedings, 2004. [6] Jessica Fridrich, Miroslav Goljan, and Rui Du. , ââ¬Å"Detecting LSB Steganography in Color and GrayScale Imagesâ⬠, ââ¬â IEEE Multimedia. [7] F. Collin,Encryptpic,â⬠http://www. winsite. com/bin/ Info? 500000033023. [8] G. Pulcini, Stegotif,â⬠http://www. geocities. om /SiliconValley/9210/gfree. html. [9] T. Sharp, Hide 2. 1, 2001,â⬠www. sharpthoughts. org. [ 10] Deshpande Neeta, Kamalapur Snehal, Daisy Jacobs ââ¬Å"Implementation of LSB Steganography and Its Evaluation for Various Bitsâ⬠Digital Information Management, 2006 1st International conference. pp 173-178,2007. V. Lokeswara Reddy did his M. Tech (CSE) from SRM University, Chennai in the year 2005. He did his M. C. A from S. V. University, Tirupati in the year 2000. He is pursuing his Ph. D from JNTUA, Anantapur. He has a total of 09 years of experience in teaching. Currently he is working as Associate Professor at K. S. R. M College of Engineering, Kadapa. He has presented 2 papers in International and National Conferences. Dr. A. Subramanyam received his Ph. D. degree in Computer Science and Engineering from JNTU College of Engineering, Anantapur. He has obtained his B. E. (ECE) from University of Madras and M. Tech. (CSE) from Visweswaraiah Technological University. He is having 17 years experience in teaching. He is currently working as Professor & HOD in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering of Annamacharya Institute of Technology & Sciences, Rajampet, Y. S. R. (Kadapa) Dist. A. P. He has presented and published number of papers in International and National Conferences, International and National Journals. He is guiding few Ph. D. s. His research areas of interest are parallel processing, network security and data warehousing. Dr. P. Chenna Reddy did his B. Tech (CSE) from S. V. University College of Engineering, Tirupati in the year 1996. He did his M. Tech from JNTU, Anantapur. He completed his Ph. D from JNTU, Hyderabad. He has a total of 13 years of experience in teaching. Currently he is working as Associate Professor at JNTUA College of Engineering, Pulivendula, Y. S. R. (Kadapa) Dist. , A. P. He has number of publications to his credit. References [1] Pfitzmann Birgit. Information Hiding Terminology, First International Workshop, Cambridge, UK, Proceedings, Computer Science, 1174. pp. 347-350, Mayââ¬âJune. [2] Westfield Andreas and Andreas Pfitzmann, Attacks on Steganographic Systems, Third International Workshop, IH'99 Dresden Germany, October Proceedings, Computer Science 1768. pp. 61- 76, 1999. [3] Moerland, T. , ââ¬Å"Steganography and Steganalysisâ⬠, Leiden Institute of Advanced Computing
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