Tobacco growth Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tobacco growth - Lab Report Example The study recommends growth of Burley tobacco in artificial soil. Research questions The study sought to investigate the following research questions. Does the soil type affect germination of plants? Does the soil type affect the growth of plants? Hypotheses In order to answer the research questions, the research explored the following sets of hypotheses, Ha1:  µA=  µP=  µO; there is no significant different on the effect of type of soil on germination of tobacco. (Where  µA,  µP, and  µO are the mean percentage of germinated seeds for artificial, plain, and organic soils respectively) Ho1: Any of the  µA,  µP, or  µO is different; there is a significant difference in the soil’s effects on the ability of tobacco to germinate. Ha2:  µA=  µP=  µO; There is no significant difference on the effects of type of soil on the tobacco’s grow. (Where  µA,  µP, and  µO are the mean length of the plants for artificial, plain, and organic soils respectiv ely) Ho2: Any of the  µA,  µP, or  µO is different; there is significant differences in the soil’s effects on the ability of tobacco grow. Materials and methods Materials The following materials were used in the experiments; Burley tobacco seeds, 15 small growers’ pots, labeling stickers, three different types of soil (artificial, plain and organic), light spray, tweezers, spatula, water, and zip-ock-bags. Design The research applied a complete randomized design in its experimental set up. The design involves separate blocks for experiments and each block has the same number of treatment. The design was selected for its advantages that would facilitate exploration of the research questions and the research hypotheses. One of its advantages is its level of precision that also eliminates error because of existence of control. It also offers more information as compared to other designs because treatments across all blocks can be paired during analysis. The design i s also simple to implement and is flexible. It is however suitable for blocks with relatively small sizes (Montgometry and Runger, 2010). Research procedure The research process involved acquisition of 15 small grower’s pots that were labeled with the group’s identification number. The pots were organized for three treatments and each treatment had five replicates that were achieved in five different pots and were each labeled. Each of the pots was filled to 1 inch below the top with the appropriate soil. Using a light spray from the hose, the soil was saturated, evenly, so that it settled. One more inch of soil was then added to the saturated soil from the top and watered. The process was repeated until the potting mix no longer settled. Tweezers was then used to disperse 10 tobacco seeds into a small beaker before the 10 seeds were evenly and randomly distributed across the surface of each pot. Care was taken to get exactly 10 seeds into each pot. Each pot was then s lowly dipped into a pan of water until saturation was achieved. â€Å"Watering from the bottom† technique was used, throughout the study, to achieve this. The pots were then sealed in their own labeled Zip-Lock bag and placed, randomly, under grow lights as directed. Once a week, we went down as a group to count how many plants had germinated and watered our plants. We placed a toothpick next to each sprout to mark its location for analytics purposes in case germinated seeds dried up. At the end of the study, we determined the percentage germination and

SQL Server Column Level Encryption Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SQL Server Column Level Encryption - Case Study Example Even though firms try to encrypt data with various methods and keys, it has been noted that these companies are exposed to two major categories of threats (Jayanty, 2011). Chiefly, restricting access to sensitive information is a basic protective approach to the firm’s data. However, considering that cyber-attacks comprise a major threat to business and research firms, it is observed that access restriction is not enough. Consequently, encrypted data and restricted access to sensitive information suffer from the possible virus attack that can destroy the data rather than expose it. With this in mind, ABC Institute of Research and XYZ Inc. are vulnerable to losing data or having their research finding on genetics expose to their rivals. For this reason, column-level encryption using symmetric keys (Aqarwal, 2011). Under the circumstances defined above, when encrypting data, it is important to note that data can be accessed in two ways. Firstly, sensitive data is stored in forms of memory and anyone can have access to these memory devices. Secondly, sensitive data can be acquired from its storage device for access to another device. As a result, data encryption should ensure that once an unauthorized personnel is able to get to the data, access to that data is not discernable using a simple query. Ordinarily, ABC and XYZ would store their research findings in various columns that comprise of genetic patterns, associations, links, and procedures of deciphering various DNA codes that all need to be encrypted. Using the SQL Server Symmetric key encryption, the SQL Server allows the encryption hierarchy that needs to be followed to the latter. Forthwith, the hierarchy allows the creation of a master key for the SQL Server which provides the first step of encrypting the database using a password.  

Explanation Of The Internal Point Of View

Explanation Of The Internal Point Of View Jurisprudential debate concerning the nature of law is often thought of as a long-running battle between two schools of thought the rival camps of natural law and legal positivism. The natural law tradition has always emphasised laws grounded ness in justice and the common good, while legal positivism had tended to emphasise laws basis in authority. Legal positivism emerged from the work of Jeremy Bentham and his disciple John Austin. The latter famously claimed that the idea of sanctions is the key to the science of jurisprudence.  [1]  Therefore he held that legal rules are to be threats backed by sanctions and statements of legal obligations, so as the threatened sanctions to be carried out. Another great legal positivist, Hans Kelsen, tried to explain legal rules and obligations in terms of norm, to be directives to courts requiring them to apply sanctions. In addition Alf Ross separating the difference between Austin and Kelsen, understood of legal rules as norms addressed to courts guiding the use of sanctions and statements of legal validity as predictions that these norms will be followed. However, one of the two greatest twentieth-century (the other one is Hans Kelsen) exponents of the legal positivism was, without question, Hart. In his principal book The Concept of Law  [2]  , Hart describes the central thesis of legal positivism as the simple contention that it is in no sense a necessary truth that laws reproduce or satisfy certain demands of morality, though in fact they have often done so.  [3]  Therefore the central claim of legal positivism is that law is separate and distinct from morality. Also, Hart showed that sanction-centred accounts ignored an essential feature of law. This feature was termed the internal point of view. Harts internal point of view claims that the law is seen not just sanction-threatening, directing, or predicting, but imposing obligations. Therefore, what, precisely, is the internal point of view? And hence, what role does it play in Harts theory? In short, the internal point of view is the practical attitude of rule acceptance. It does not suggest that people accept their moral legitimacy, but only that they are willing to guide, and evaluate their conduct according to the rules. As for its importance to Hart theory, it plays four roles: (1) it specifies a particular type of motivation that someone may take towards to the law; (2) it constitutes one of the main existence conditions for social and legal rules; (3) it accounts for the intelligibility of legal practice and discourse; (4) it provides a naturalistically acceptable semantics for legal statements.  [4]  This concept perhaps is Harts greatest contribution to jurisprudential theory but it is often easily misunderstood. To begin with, Hart dictates that the element of authority involved in law has always been one of the obstacles in the path of an easy explanation of what law is.  [5]  He argues that the command theorists  [6]  explain force as the main component of law and have looked only on one side of the coin the external element of law. It compels people to act only out of fear. This may be the bad mans view of the law and Hart argues that it does not present a balanced picture. A positivist theory of law must offer an account of the nature of law-making authority. At the same time, positivists claim that the validity of a law does not entail an obligation to obey it. This means that the theory is quite independent of any theory about the basis of a moral obligation to obey the law. Bentham and Austin approached these problems by treating statements about sovereignty, rights and obligations as straight forward statements of observable social facts. Therefore in focusing only on the com mands and actions of a sovereign in imposing sanctions, the command theorists have ignored the internal aspect which characterises all law. This is element is the internal point of view which make people feel a sense of obligation to obey the law. In fact, as Hart explains there is a distinction between the two aspects of law, to be obliged thus to act in a certain way because of some threat or by force, such as when an armed man orders a person to hand over money, and to be under an obligation thus to feel in yourself a sense of duty to act in a certain way without some external factors such as threat or sanctions. Therefore, for Hart the command theories try to explain the law only in terms of the first notion, therefor they are inadequate, because the law has both an external and an internal fashion to induce compliance. According to Stephen Perry, for example, the general idea of the internal point of view is that an adequate jurisprudential account must at some point take into consideration how the practice looks to at least some of the practices participants, from the inside.  [7]  Similarly, Gerry Postema writes: The law, like other similar social practices, is constituted not only by intricate patterns of behavioural interactions, but also by the beliefs, activities, judgments and understandings of participants. The practice has an inside, the internal point of view of participants.  [8]   In regard to the above, Harts doctrine demands that legal theories to become across with the shared experiences of legal natives. Jurisprudence must take the insiders point of view, and have a conflict with those theories that ignore the attitudes and beliefs of the people that are under the law. Therefore the internal point of view came to question sanction-centred theories of law, such as those suggested by Hans Kelsen and Oliver Holmes. Hart claimed that these theories are lacking insight because they ignore or conceal the range of attitudes that people have in the direction of the law. The problem in Kelsens theory, is that the law directs officials to punish those who dont comply with the rules instead of providing guidance for those who want to live according and under their obligations. Also the difficulties with bad man theories such as Holmes is that they assume that people are driven to follow the law merely in order to avoid sanctions, rather than because that rules requir e so. In addition, Holmes who is an insider himself, his curiosity about the law is explained only by his aversion to sanctions. He benefits one type of insiders point of view over another. So as Hart says, theorists by focusing only on the perspective of the bad man, sanction-centred theories define, only the other point of view, particularly, the internal point of view out of existence. Thus for Hart the the internal point of view is actually the practical attitude of rule-acceptance. It happens when people accept or endorse a convergent pattern of behaviour as a standard of conduct towards a social rule. Therefore when the phrase the internal point of view has one meaning, it refers to a specific practical attitude. Moreover practical point of view has two attitudes that an insider can follow towards the rules: acceptance and non-acceptance. According to Hart, if someone accepts the rules have taken the internal point of view. In reverse, if someone does not accept the rules, either because they accept the bad man point of view, or because they are just observing, they dont take a practical attitude at all, it is just the external point of view. However, what does he mean to accept a social rule? Hart claims that to accept a social rule is to regard a pattern of behaviour as a general standard to be followed by the group as a whole.  [9]  It is to treat existence of the rule as a reason and justification for action, as the basis for claims, admissions, demands, punishment or criticisms, as establishing the legitimacy of these demands and criticisms.  [10]  Hart clears out that the moral legitimacy of the law does not needed in order to accept its authority. Hence the standard of conduct meant by Hart is certainly not the moral legitimacy of law. Therefore as he said is that when one takes the internal point of view towards a rule, acts according to the commands of the rule.  [11]  But since this can be comfort by the bad mans theories Hart added, The second way in which the internal point of view is expressed is through critical evaluation.  [12]  So as people who accept the rules criticize others even themse lves for not conforming to the rules. In the end, the internal point of view is often expressed by words such as must, ought, wrong, and right. As Scott J. Shapiro in his Journal said if someone accepts the rule that men must bear their heads upon entering a church, this practical attitude might be expressed by statements of the form: You ought to take off your hat in Church or It was wrong of me not to take off my hat last Sunday.  [13]  These statements are internal statements as described by Hart.  [14]  Therefore, Hart compares these practical statements with theoretical statements that others accept a particular rule. For example, someone might say, Episcopalians accept a rule requiring men to take off their hats in Church.  [15]  For Hart, these are the external statements since they express the external point of view.  [16]   To sum up, as Scott J. Shapiro said in his Journal Harts internal point of view must be understood as a commitment to act in all of the above ways. That is, one takes the internal point of view towards a rule when one intends to conform to the rule, criticizes others for failing to conform, does not to criticize others for criticizing and expresses ones criticism using evaluative language.  [17]  Basically, Hart concept of the internal aspect distinguishes between social rules and social habits. A crucial difference from a social habit and a social rule is that habit lack criticism from others in a group when the convergent behaviour is deviated from. However, as it is seen, the internal aspect and therefore rules is an important ingredient for Hart conception of law. At first impression Hart conception of law, is a symbiotic relationship between primary and secondary rules, and more importantly the internal point of view seems valid. A primary rule imposes duties and prescribes how one must act by way of recognizing a general standard mode of behaviour. The secondary rules consist of the three important characteristics, which can be characterized as sub rules, which give the concept of rules as law and obligations, but more importantly, law as a system of rules. First is the rule of recognition, which helps to determine whether a rule is indeed a rule, this is determined by the influx of criticism for deviation of the rule and the existence of social pressures to conform. The second, denoted as the rule of change, which allows for the creation of new primary rules or the change and modifications of old rules for the group to live by, these rules are also subject to procedural standards. The final characteristic is the rule of adjudication that de termines whether or not a primary rule has been violated and prescribes the procedure the courts must follow to apply sanctions. There is also a strong connection with the rule of adjudication and the rule of recognition because, if the courts are empowered to make authoritative determinations of the fact that a rule has been broken, these cannot avoid being taken as authoritative determination of what the rules are.  [18]   Indeed the mosaic of the internal aspect, the primary and secondary rule as law is very attractive for Hart because he is able to explain where Austin has failed. Primary rules are laws, because they are general and span over the territory in which the sovereign has authority, and secondary rules are a means to enforce and amend the laws. The power conferred to the individual is not a duty, but merely powered conferred to identify rules and the breach of obligation, this is justified by inextricably linking the rules of recognition and the rule of adjudication. The existence of secondary rules, giving amendment ability and the creation of new rules, has an exacted resemblance of a legal system. However Hart analysis is open to scrutiny. One element that can be objected to is his assumption on why individuals obey law. For Hart, people obey rules hence law, because of the internal aspect. Individuals obey, not habitually or because of some sense of reason, but because other are doing so. The internal aspect also makes an assumption that a society where the internal aspect is at large is one that is duly homogenous. The individuals in this society all think in a similar fashion, they share the same morals, ethics and perspective and because of this they know rather instinctually know. Hart idea of the internal aspect is an explanation of why people obey and follow laws, but the implications of this theory is that the individuals under sovereign rule are completely oblivious and unthinking to law and the creation of laws is largely reactionary, where there are no presupposed principles of the social group in question. Hart points out that that there is no necessary conceptual connection between law and morality. He supports that there can be legal rights or duties that have no moral justification or force. On the other hand Dworkin which occupies a theoretical position somewhere between natural law and legal positivism maintains that there must be moral grounds fo r the assertions of the existence of legal rights and duties. That is, legal rights are a species of moral rights. Hart points out that his theory enables the identification of the law based on a relatively straight forward application of a rule of recognition. Dworkins theory on the other hand, requires a complex moral calculation and interpretation to identify even the simplest rule as a rule of law. The notion that the internal aspect is the main and only reason for peoples compliance and obedient nature to law is insulting to the populations intelligence and the diversity of peoples, morals, ethics and thought. To conclude by the combination of primary and secondary rules Hart believes that he has found a significant weapon for the analysis of much that puzzled both the jurist and the political theorists, namely, the heart of a legal system. He believes that this approach is greater than his predecessors to explain the nature of law. He rejects the sanction-centred theories because they are based only on the motivation that people will obey only through fear. Also Hart allows us to see legal phenomena, not in terms of isolated precepts with not meaningful link to social reality but as a unified system upon the concept of rule of recognition.

A Modest Proposal for Euthanasia Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Arg

A Modest Proposal for Euthanasia Euthanasia is a controversy that cannot be resolved from a single court ruling or a single person’s opinion. Many proposals have been suggested based on various studies and surveys. In â€Å"You Say Murder, I Say Euthanasia,† Clair Rayner describes a notable proposal regarding extreme euthanasia cases. The proposal, which has been put into the Science of Museum forum, recommends complex cases to be considered individually. In â€Å"Assisted Suicide Largely Shunned,† the anonymous author offers statistics that oppose the ethics of euthanasia. In â€Å"You Say Murder, I Say Euthanasia,† Rayner commences the article by describing the exhibits of the Science Museum. One exhibit that the author discusses has a personal computer that operates as a euthanasia machine. The machine was given to the museum from the Voluntary Euthanasia Research Foundation of Australia. Many disabled people and euthanasia advocates relate differently to these exhibits presented in the museum. Rayner then introduces her proposal stating that complex cases, sometimes involving facts that are sometimes overlooked by court systems, need to be carefully examined individually (Rayner 31). Her proposal is based on the fact that the number of people who want voluntary euthanasia is small compared to the numbers who do not want treatment for euthanizing purposes. Legislation has offered laws that prohibit euthanasia in many areas but also permit it in other areas. Laws regarding euthanasia are useless when contemplating whether to euthanize a human being due to the fact that every case is unique. Rayner introduces us to the case involving Tony Bland, which serves as a precedent to the proposal. â€Å"When Tony Bland was app... ... Rayner, in his article, proposes a solution that would solve a lot of problems when doctors are confronted with the ethical dilemma of euthanasia. The idea that every case is distinct and needs to be analyzed individually is a noteworthy suggestion. Rayner does a plausible job in outlining the proposal in an orderly fashion. The author in the second article, however, presents a narrow-minded viewpoint that ignores the other side of the issue at hand. The statistics are disorganized and not supported by the author’s own thoughts and ideas. Despite this fact, the article supports the cons of euthanasia by exposing the audience to a number of surprising statistics regarding euthanasia. Works Cited Rayner, Clair. â€Å"You Say Murder, I Say Euthanasia.† New Statesman June 2000: 31 â€Å"Assisted Suicide Largely Shunned.† The Christian Century Dec 2000: 1267

Cell phones †How have they changed us socially? Essay

After more than a century, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines continues to perform a significant role in nation-building and it remains steadfast in its resolve to participate in the national and global academic arena. The current university administration, with Dr. Emanuel C. De Guzman at the helm, strengthens and highlights even further the role of the University in the production of important knowledge, information and ideas as aptly reflected in the University’s vision of becoming an EPISTEMIC COMMUNITY. In this regard, the University adopts a clear, practical, and realizable University Research Agenda (URA) meant and calculated to (1) unify the direction and framework of the research activities of the University; (2) align the research efforts of the University with the thrust and priorities of the National government agencies, such as the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA), Commission on Higher Educ ation (CHED) and others; and (3) generate researches, scientific innovations, speculative and theoretical paradigms which are expected to drive economic, scientific, social, moral and technological development. The University Research Agenda is categorized into five general themes, to wit: (1) peace, security and poverty reduction; (2) accelerating infrastructure development; (3) competitive industry and entrepreneurship; (4) social and cultural development; and (5) conservation, protection and rehabilitation of the environment towards sustainable development. 1 PEACE, SECURITY AND POVERTY REDUCTION This research theme addresses three important national and global issues that mankind is squarely faced: peace, security and poverty. The University is  in the belief that these issues are interrelated—solving one means solving others. A. Peace and Security Studies Peace and security studies and researches are expected (1) understand the causes of armed conflicts, religious disagreements, cultural clashes, war, terrorism, genocide, human rights violations and others; (2) develop ways and devises to prevent and resolve identified peace and security problems; and ultimately (3) build peaceful and just communities, systems, and societies. Obviously, these types of studies require interdisciplinary approaches and expertise. Henceforth, researches with the following topics could meet the above expectations: (1) Understand the causes of armed conflicts, religious disagreements, cultural clashes, war, terrorism, genocide, human rights violations and others with focus or emphasis on: a. Political dynamics, b. Democratization, c. National and human security, d. Social Issues, e. Social Movements, f. Migration, g. International relations and trans-border issues, h. Internationalization, i. World politics, j. Ethnographic and ethnicity studies, k. Knowledge and Belief systems, l. Religion and Philosophy, m. Human growth and development, n. Other related topics. (2) Develop ways and devises to prevent and resolve identified peace and security problems, particularly on: a. Organizational communication, b. Development communication, c. Cross-cultural communication, d. Peace communication, e. Psycho-trauma and crisis intervention, f. Translation studies, g. Ethno-linguistics, h. Behavioral, psychosocial, psychological researches, i. Macroeconomics and globalization issues, and j. Other related topics. (3) Build peaceful and just communities, systems and societies, exploring: a. Access, equity and ethics, b. Globalization of education and cross cultural aspects, c. Institutional development, d. Women and children issues, e. Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual and Transsexual (LGBT) issues, f. Gender and development studies, and g. Other related topics. B. Poverty Reduction Studies The University works with the paradigm that the poverty issue is multi-dimensional and is driven by multifarious causes. Poverty studies therefore should cover the many facets of the causes and effects of poverty as well as the ways of addressing them. They should also be linked with peace and security concerns of localities, regions and countries. The studies should reveal the relationships of poverty to security, human rights, governance, lack of education, and limited access to social services for according to Kofi Annan, development cannot be enjoyed without security and security cannot be enjoyed without development. Roles and models on local resource and local actors mobilization, increasing productivity and creativity, community-driven development, and development partnerships between public and private sector should likewise be included among the focus of poverty studies. The following research topics are herein identified for poverty reduction according to different dimensio ns: Social, Political and Cultural Dimension Knowledge and Belief systems Social Welfare Local Government Studies Public-private partnership Public personnel management and development Marriage and Family Human development and social protection Quality of Life Fighting poverty with good governance Other related topics Educational Dimension Educational technology/Innovation and change Communication Technology Student support services Professional development and faculty support Quality assurance Curricular benchmarking Institutional development Policy studies Outcome-based education Inquiry-based education Promotion of full, decent and productive employment Transformative education Consumers’ Rights Teacher and student achievements Quality service Home-School-Community collaboration Employment impact Graduate tracer studies Economic Dimension National and local economic policies Growth and equity Local/community and distributive economics SMEs, cooperatives and social enterprise Food sufficiency and productivity Corporate social responsibility Supply chain management Micro-finance/micro lending strategies Employment ACCELERATING INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT Consistent with the National Government’s thrust, the University is determined to effect significant economic growth, human development and social protection through acceleration of infrastructure development. Undoubtedly, infrastructure development is one of the major priorities of the national government as it is clearly and concretely outlined in the recent National Economic and Development Authority agenda. The University, in support to the government’s efforts, undertakes to provide the country with research-based studies, scientific and engineering innovations that would enable both the government and private sectors in hastening infrastructure development. The University identified the following areas and topics to concentrate on: Hard Infrastructures and Software Infrastructures. Hard Infrastructureswhich are meant to support the drivers of economic growth such as tourism, agriculture, industry, energy and others, specifically: Urban and Rural Housing Transportation and Structural Engineering Energy Related Infrastructure (e.g. power sources, upgrade of existing power plants, etc.) Transportation technology Energy conservation facilities Flood control and management Irrigation systems Resettlement frameworks for informal settlers Water treatment facilities Transport policy studies Other related topics Software Infrastructureswhich are meant to provide the necessary services for human development and social protection such education, health, information technology and others specifically: E-governance Software development and theory Transaction processing systems Management Information Systems/Reporting Systems Distance Teaching Systems and Institutions E-Learning and related technology development Internet and web applications development Data engineering and Ubiquitous computing Knowledge management Mobile computing systems Computer Aided Instructions Network security and issues IT-Enabled Services COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP The University recognizes the country’s need to strengthen the competitiveness of its industries particularly those which are driving the nation forward in terms of economic growth such as tourism, agriculture, skilled manpower in ICT and language proficiency, retail, exports, investments and banking. Furthermore, PUP is one with the National Government in its objective of assuring rapid and sustained growth for the country. In view of this, the University with its various academic and research arms, identify important research topics and areas which could be explored to reveal important trends, issues and challenges confronting these industries; and to discover devices and ways to address these challenges. The following research topics are hereunder identified: Market for Agriculture Industry Cooperative Management Resource Management Quality Management Medium and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Executive/Enterprises Information Systems Industry needs analysis Human resource management practices and issues Management studies (Cooperative management, resource management, quality management) Work values Macro and micro economics Investments and banking systems and operations Enhancing competitiveness of industry and services Intelligent agents in Ecommerce Management and organization Tourism and Hospitality Management National and Local Economic Policy research (NEDA, LGU projects, DTI) Another related facet of this research theme is entrepreneurship. Along this line, the University hereunder identified the following research topics and areas: Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Studies Development Projects Livelihood Business Development and Innovations Product Development Incubation and commercialization Business generation E-Business researches/ E-commerce SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT Culture and society are linked to each other. Generally, culture is an important element of social development. The University, with its strong Academic/ Research Centers and Institutes pertaining to cultural and social studies, is bent to support the national government in the: (1) creation of intellectual potential; (2) building of human capital; (3) popularization of culture, arts and heritage; (4) forging social integration; (5) promotion of national identity through local and national historiography; (6) prevention of social pathologies; (7) initiation and establishment of cooperation; (8) advancement and promotion of national solidarity and patrimony; and (9) reduction of disproportions of personal development of citizens as a form of social advancement. The following research topics are identified in order to direct the University research activities along the line of cultural and  social development: Philosophical Studies Sociological Studies Historiography Literature, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Folk Arts Heritage studies/ Intangible cultural heritage/Heritage conservation Popular culture Filipino worldview Media in the ASEAN Filipino culture Communication and society Media laws and ethics Communication technology Media literacy Media usage and effects Information campaign and evaluation, AD/PR principles and case studies Human growth and development studies Sexuality and health-risk behaviors Organizational behavior, multiple intelligences, giftedness and learning disabilities Technology-mediated, language learning and teaching, Philippine languages, translation studies, ethnolinguistics, registers CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND REHABILITATION OF THE ENVIRONMENT TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Conservation, protection and rehabilitation of the environment is a significant factor in the maintenance of community`s sustainability. It includes the sustainable use and management of the natural resources such as water, natural energy, air, wildlife and minerals. The University recognizes this as a very important element of national development. The following research areas and topics have been identified to generate knowledge to supplement the existing body of works regarding the management, care, use and exploitation of the natural resources: Climate change mitigation Climate change adaptation Disaster management, preparedness and monitoring Energy conservation Environmental conservation and preservation Environment protection and stewardship Urban ecology Global warming

“A” for Alienation Essay

Alienation is a common theme in all writing; however, in The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, never has alienation been so vividly accounted. The Scarlet Letter is a story about Hester Prynne, a woman who commits adultery against her husband named Roger Chillingworth, with the local reverend named Arthur Dimmesdale; the result is a strange child named Pearl. The plot thickens as the mistress and the reverend strive to keep their sin a secret, and as Chillingworth appears back in town hiding his true identity; it climaxes on a scaffold where all secrets are revealed. Alienation is a heavy theme throughout the book, and it adds an incredible twist to see it’s affect on the characters. Alienation is portrayed through symbols, behavior, and drama with Hester, Pearl and Dimmesdale. Each character is associated with an important symbol that sets them apart from society. They also each deal with their alienation in different ways with different behaviors, and they are treated d ifferently by society causing drama. In the end, some can deal being outcasts from society, but some cannot. Hester, the main character of the book, is most evidently alienated from society for her sin. The most important symbol in the book, the embroidered â€Å"A† on her bosom, sewed on as punishment for adultery, is also a symbol for alienation. She is different from all of society because of that mark, and can never live a normal life because of it. â€Å"†¦Let her cover the mark as she will, the pang of it will be always in her heart,† (38), said a townsperson at first sight of the scarlet letter. As seen in this quote, society will always look at the scarlet letter as a wall between themselves and Hester. Hester’s behavior shows how greatly she is affected by her alienation. â€Å"Lonely as was Hester’s situation and without a friend on earth who dared to she herself, she, however, incurred no risk of want,† (57); in this quote one sees how being alienated from society can cause a person to become an introvert and become a lifeless body as Hester had become. There is a lot of drama surrounding Hester; all of society looks at Hester in shame. This complete shun from society drives Hester to live in an isolated cottage away from people. â€Å"In this little, lonesome dwelling†¦Hester established herself with her infant child,† (57). This particular dramatic  event alienated Hester geographically as well as socially. Hester’s alienation also causes others to become alienated like her daughter and the one she has an affair with; however, Hester is most sharply alienated from all. Hester’s daughter, Pearl, is also alienated from society. Her alienation has different circumstances, however, because she was born an alien, she did nothing wrong. Since she is the product of sin, many consider her a â€Å"demon child† with supernatural powers. For this reason, she herself is a symbol of her alienation; â€Å"It [Pearl] was the scarlet letter in another form; the scarlet letter endowed with life!† (70). She is compared to Hester’s symbol of alienation, but she is a breathing, living form of the same symbol. She alienated herself and her mother from society. She is not your normal child, she acts very different; â€Å"She [Hester] could recognize her [Pearl] wild, desperate, defiant, mood, the flightiness of her temper, and even some of the very cloud-shapes of gloom and despondency that had brooded in her heart,† (63). In this description of Pearl’s behavior, we see a child that does not fit in your normal Puritan mold; she is a child filled of energy, character, and mischief. She finds a way to live a happy life regardless of being an outcast from society. Because of Pearl’s behavior and her mother’s sin, lots of drama occurs around the possession of the child; â€Å"Women it is thy bandage of shame! †¦It is because of the stain which that letter indicates, that we would transfer thy child to other hands,† (76). Here, Governor Bellingham is trying to take Pearl from her mother to give her a â€Å"normal† life in attempt to raise the child into your average, molded Puritan. Pearl is a free willed little girl who circumstantially is outcasted by society. Arthur Dimmesdale, the local reverend, is Pearls father; however, this is a secret kept from society and is revealed in the final scene. Dimmesdale’s secret guilt alienates him internally from everyone around him. His hidden sin is eating him alive while he continues to put a mask on and preach to society as if nothing is wrong. This hidden secret is symbolized in the book as an unknown marking on his chest over his heart. â€Å"With a convulsive motion he tore away the ministerial band from before his breast. It was revealed!†Ã‚  (172); here, Dimmesdale reveals the markings on his chest to all of society and reveals his secret. This marking, weather it be a scarlet letter or not, is what symbolizes his alienation. It is an internal alienation from the outside world, and is not known by society until this moment. His behavior prior to this event should signs of a deep illness, not curable by any medicine. â€Å"His nerve seemed absolutely destroyed. His moral force was abused into more than childish weakness,† (109). Dimmesdale is weak in spirit and in health due to his extreme guilt alienating him from society. His behavior reflects his health which is in jeopardy due to his secret. This extreme pressure causes dramatic events to occur before the final climax. â€Å"Walking in the shadow of a dream, as it were, and perhaps actually under the influence of a species of somnambulism,† (101). The author here describes Dimmesdale’s journey to the scaffold one night; this night he can take the guilt no longer. It describes him to be in another world controlled by his guilt. He is alienated from all when he is in this frame of mind, and this can be seen through dramatic events such as this. Dimmesdale’s secret sin has caused his character to change considerably while ali enating him for the rest of the town. The three â€Å"aliens† in this story have different types of alienation, and are under different circumstance too; nevertheless, the simple fact remains, they are alienated from their surroundings. Each character deals with their alienation a different way, and this is evident at the end of the story. Dimmesdale cannot take his inner guilt any longer and dies, Pearl fights through her problems to live a normal life, and Hester lives forever in her sin on her own. Through symbols, each character’s behavior, and the drama occurring in their lives, alienation can be depicted with each character; however, the outcome of their alienation is governed only by the inner qualities of the character that the author has created. This reoccurring theme in literature has never taken a similar twist of outcomes, and it has brought interest, excitement, and meaning to the story.