King Lear Play Essays - King Lear, British Films,

King Lear Play In the play King Lear written by William Shakespeare a collection of images are used to express different points Shakespeare is trying to relay to his audience. One reoccurring image that kept popping up was animal images. Shakespeare displays these animal images when King Lear and many of the other characters in the play talk about Goneril and Regan. The animals that Lear and the other characters compare the two sisters to are not very pretty. They are compared to the likes of tigers, serpents, and even monsters. These reoccurring images have an important idea behind them that Shakespeare hopes to communicate his readers. Shakespeare waste no time in comparing Goneril and Regan to animals. When Lear parts from Goneril at the end of Act I, after she has sneered at him and diminished the number of his retainers, he calls her a "Detested kite" (I. iv. 269.). He also compares her to "the sea-monster" (I. iv. 268.), by which he possibly means a mythological monster that would betray its own father. King Lear also comments on his daughters ingratitude using animal imagery when he said," How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child" (I. iv. 295-296.). Lear comments once more on his daughter's "monster ingratitude" (I. v. 40.). Lear is showing how he feels about how his daughters are treating him by comparing them to unpleasant animals. Lear in scene IV has a quarrel with his other daughter, Regan, where again he uses animal images to show how his daughters are sinking below manhood to animals. Lear seeks out his daughter, Regan, at Gloucester's castle, and finds out that her husband has put his faithful friend Kent in the stocks and that both husband and wife have retired to bed and do not wish to see him. When Regan finally comes down, she tells him "You should be ruled, and led by some discretion that discerns your state better than yourself" (II. iv. 147-149). Lear responds by saying"struck me with her tongue, most serpentlike, upon the very heart. (II. iv. 159-160). Lear here again is describing Regan to a serpent, which is a large poisonous snake. Both daughters seem to him now like unusually cruel animals. They show this when they shut him out into the stormy night. In the storm scene, Lear's hurt from his daughters affect his attitude to the mad Tom of Bedlam (Edgar). He thinks, on the analogy of his own suffering, that his daughters must have abused Poor Tom. Nothing else could have brought him to such a pathetic state. This reminds Lear of his own "pelican daughters" (III. iv. 75). This is an allusion to the medieval belief that pelican young fed on the blood of the parent bird. This analogy compares to how Lear's daughters are feeding on him giving them the control of the kingdom. Shakespeare uses these animal images throughout his play to describe Goneril and Regan. It will be noticed that most of the animals used in these comparisons are unpleasant (kite, serpent, tigers, pelicans, foxes, and even monsters). Shakespeare is showing that the sisters are sinking from the level of man, who stood between the angels and the animals, to the level of the animals. They have become like some of the most unpleasant birds and animals of prey. In their cruelty and unnaturalness they are less than human.

Critical Study of Nutrient Sensing and Root System Architecture (Arabidopsis Thaliana) The WritePass Journal

Critical Study of Nutrient Sensing and Root System Architecture (Arabidopsis Thaliana) 1. Introduction Critical Study of Nutrient Sensing and Root System Architecture (Arabidopsis Thaliana) 1. Introduction2. Problem Statement Root System Architecture   Arabidopsis ThalianaEZ-Rhizo3. Background Survey Development LanguageDrawing packagesJava 2DOpenGLFractal DimensionAlpha BlendingVisualization Uncertainty 4. Proposed ApproachBasic FunctionalityAdditional FunctionalityDesign MethodologyRisk Analysis5. Work Plan Background ResearchRequirements Capture Implementation of the Basic FunctionalityTesting of Basic FunctionalityDesign and Build PrototypesExperiments with PrototypesIntegrate desired Prototypes Testing of Additional FunctionalityComplete and Submit DissertationBibliography Related 1. Introduction In 2004, the United Nations published a report (United Nations, 2004) predicting that the world’s population would steadily increase, year on year, until at least 2050. Between 2004 and 2010 the world’s population increased by 5 million people (PRB, 2004 and PRB 2010), demonstrating the validity of this prediction. Last year, the United Nations (United Nations, 2010) published another report estimating that over 900 million people were still suffering from malnourishment, highlighting an insufficiency within the volume and distribution of food currently being produced.   As a consequence, it has recently been suggested that as the population grows the number of people facing food insecurity will also increase (Den Herder et al, 2010), unless the pressures affecting food production can be alleviated. To increase the volume of food being produced, scientists have advised that at least one of the following objectives has to be achieved (Godfray et al, 2010): Improve the quantity and quality of crop harvesting Identify or create more arable land (land that can be used for growing crops) By increasing the quantity of the food we produce we should theoretically be able to feed the growing population. In recent years the use of fertilizers and pesticides have been used to enhance the quality and quantity of the crops however use of this cannot be increased due to the risks to public health (Den Herder et al, 2010), and so other options must be explored. Scientists are investigating methods with which to promote a plant’s intake of nutrients and to increase their tolerance against hostile environmental conditions such as drought. Another area scientists have been exploring is that of how to convert land that would be considered unsuitable for plant growth (Den Herder et al, 2010). By finding more land on which to cultivate crops, we could generate more produce using our existing techniques. There is extensive research being conducted in both of these areas however this project will only be focussing on the work being contributed by the Plant Science Group.   This Group are part of the Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology within the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow.   The Plant Science Group consists of over 50 active scientists, of which Dr Anna Amtmann is currently a Research Group Leader, and their work covers a range of topics from plant nutrition to plants effect on human metabolism.   Within the Plant Science Group, Dr Amtmann’s Research Group is conducting research into the plant Arabidopsis Thaliana, with the aim of â€Å"understanding the molecular mechanisms involved within (Amtmann, 2011)†: Nutrient usage efficiency Salt and drought tolerance Interaction between abiotic and biotic stress To achieve this understanding experimental research is being conducted in a number of areas by her team, and this project aims to support the work within Nutrient Sensing and Root System Architecture. This research involves growing Arabidopsis Thaliana in controlled environmental conditions and analyzing the effect on the plants by monitoring their individual root structures. By comparing root system architectures that have developed in different environmental conditions, specific traits can identified which can lead to the understanding of how plants intake different nutrients and respond to specific stresses. Currently, the team grows hundreds of samples Arabidopsis Thaliana and records information about each of their root system architectures. This results in large volumes of data that require analysis and documentation. Currently the team create graphs to visualise and analyse this data but they have recently advised of the unsuitability of this approach.   This is predominantly due to the limited visualization options of graphs when considering root parameters and the fact that graphs can extremely time-consuming to construct. Therefore, this project aims to develop a system that will allow Dr Amtmann’s Research Group to visualise root system architectures of Arabidopsis Thaliana by using techniques that will manipulate the root structure architectural data into interesting and understandable representations. The following chapters of this proposal aim to document the proposed work that will be undertaken in a master project that will achieve this aim. 2. Problem Statement Due to the biological nature of this project, this section will define a number of key concepts required to understand the work undertaken by Dr Amtmann and her colleagues, and the issues they face, before discussing the intentions of this project. Root System Architecture Dr Amtmann’s team assesses the root system architectures of Arabidopsis Thaliana to understand how environmental conditions affect its development. The root system of a plant is responsible for the intake of water and nutrition (Malamy, 2005), among other essential functions, and so plays an important role within the development of any plant.   The root system normally consists of a main root with a number of lateral branches, which contain a number of root hairs that are responsible for the uptake of nutrients and water (Wikipedia, 2011). The way in which these underlying roots expand and branch is considered to be the root system architecture (RSA) (Figure 1). Depending on the environment in which a plant resides, changes occur to the RSA that can have a significant effect on the water or nutrient uptake of the plant(Armengaud et al, 2009). Therefore by understanding the environmental conditions that promote the growth of a successful RSA we can ensure the development of a healthy plant. Figure 1 – Root Structure Architecture (RSA) taken from â€Å"Root-System Development and Water-Extraction Model Considering Hydrotropism† by D. Tsutsumi et al.   Arabidopsis Thaliana Like many other research projects, Amtmann’s group uses the plant Arabidopsis Thaliana within their investigations. Arabidopsis Thaliana is considered to be a model species within plant science and biology as its genome was sequenced in 2000, meaning that its complete DNA sequence was determined (Wikipedia, 2011).   As the genome is relatively small it is easier to work with and analyse. It is also closely related to a large number of other plants such as (Somerville and Koorneef, 2002) meaning that any finding could be widely applicable. It can also be easily grown in laboratory conditions due to its small size and straightforward growth conditions. As a result of the Arabidopsis Thaliana sequenced genome, scientists can determine which genetic combinations are responsible for certain characteristics of the plant, such as the direction of root growth or number of lateral branches.   Figure 2 highlights some variation in roots of Arabidopsis Thaliana. Figure 2 Different Root Structure Architecture for Arabidopsis taken from unil.ch/dbmv/page36242_en.html Currently Dr Amtmann’s group grows multiple instances of Arabidopsis Thaliana in square agar plates that allow them to take two-dimensional images of the plant roots as it grows.   These images are then examined using a bespoke system called EZ-Rhizo, which was developed by Dr Amtmann’s Research Group, to determine the RSA of the plant. EZ-Rhizo EZ-Rhizo is freely available software that detects and measures the RSA of a plant quickly and accurately (Armengaud et al, 2009) when supplied with an image of a root system. It was developed by Dr Amtmann’s Research Group in conjunction with undergraduate students from l’Ecole Supà ©rieure dIngà ©nieurs en Electrotechnique et Electrique in 2008.   The main function of the system is to measure information about the main root and the lateral roots of a plant, and record this. All numerical values are stored in centimetres.   It then uses this data to derive further parameters such as the apical zone or straightness of the root. The key parameters that are captured by EZ-Rhizo in relation to this project are as follows: Apical Zone, which is the length of the root between the top of the main root and the oldest lateral root Length, which is the total length of the root from the origin of the main root to the tip of it.   (Note that as roots do not grow straight this value may be very large but the root may not have grown that far towards the ground) Vector Length, this is similar to the length however it calculate the shortest possible length of the root starting from the origin of the main root to the tip of it. Straightness, which is the Vector Length, divided by the Length. Angle, which is the degree between the Vector of the root and complete verticality. A full listing of all the parameter capture by EZ-Rhizo can located in the in that’s publication The system was developed for the Microsoft Windows operating system and stores data in a MySQL database. Queries can then be submitted to the database, which will retrieve all of the stored data for a specified root and output it into a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file (Armengaud et al, 2009). Project Objective As previously described, the main method used by Dr Amtmann’s Group to analyse and compare the plant root data, recorded by EZ-Rhizo, is to gather the required CSV files and generate the appropriate graphs in Microsoft Excel. The current methods used by this group can be extremely time consuming and could be subject to error if mislabelling on a graph occurs or if a value within a CSV file is misread. As the team work with large quantities of data there is a high probability of this occurring.   Also, the format of the results could also inhibit certain comparisons, as the visualization of the roots is limited to the graph format. Therefore the aim of this project is to design and implement a new system that will enable Dr Amtmann’s Research Group to overcome these difficulties. The proposed system will allow them to analyse and visualise their root data, collected from EZ-Rhizo, in a more flexible and reliable manner. The basic functionality of this system will be to create a realistic visualization of a root based on the supplied parameters. This will provide the foundation for developing alternative visualizations but it will also allow the researchers to understand the data that EZ-Rhizo is recording. As the system will re-create the root system architecture based on only the values provided by EZ-Rhizo, the re-creations will highlight which characterises of the root can be displayed. Therefore, once the visualizations have been created it may show that more root data is required to be captured by EZ-Rhizo in order to for the root system architecture to be properly documented.   This verification could not be achieved from a graph of the values or from viewing the original root structure image that is supplied to EZ-Rhizo. Once the basic functionality of this system is operational it can be enhanced, by the use of prototypes and experimentation, to find suitable techniques that allow for a meaningful representation of more than one root. For example, the average value of each parameter could be determined for a set of roots and the system could draw the average root. Alternatively given the parameters for a set of roots, the system may be able to estimate a root visualization that had all of those parameters altered by a set value and so produce a theoretical root.   Estimations of this nature would not be possible using the group’s current graphical techniques. In summary, the objective of this project is to implement a system that will create interesting and realistic visualizations of plants root system architectures that will be used by Dr Anna Amtmann and her Research Group in their experiments. 3. Background Survey Development Language One of the functional requirements that was supplied by Dr Anna Amtmann’s Research Group during the initial discussions of this project was that they require this system to be multi-platform, unlike EZ-Rhizo, which was specifically designed for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems. As a result of this requirement and the author’s previous development experience, the Java development language has been selected for this project.   As Java is a cross-platform language that be run anywhere, as long as the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) is present, it meet the requirement set by the Research Group.   Also, as a main priority of this project is to develop and experiment with the greatest number of prototypes, it is advisable to reduce the learn curve that would be required in understanding a new language and so as Java is the developers strongest language it has been selected. Drawing packages Java 2D The Java 2D is a freely available drawing framework that allows for the construction of two-dimensional images (Wikipedia, 2011) and is part of the core Java Standard Edition Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) developed by Sun Microsystems, and now maintained by Oracle (Oracle, 2011).  Ã‚   The key strengths of this API are that it supports the drawing of basic shapes such as rectangles and ellipses but also basic lines, which is required for this project. Also, it will export any images created into well-known formats such as JPEG or GIF (Sun Developer Network, 2011).   As this is a JAVA API there is also a great deal of implementation support provided. OpenGL Open Graphics Language (OpenGL) is a mutli-platform API for creating two-dimensional or three-dimensional graphics (OpenGL, 2011) that is now considered to be an industry standard for graphical development. Currently OpenGL can be used with a number of development languages including Java (JOGL), Python, C++ and C.   As this project will be constructed in Java, JOGL would be the appropriate selection and since the release of Java Standard Edtion 6 in December 2006, JOGL and Java 2D can be used concurrently. However, one limitation of JOGL is that it will add complexity to a if the developers has no previous experience with this API as it currently has 250 different function calls for drawing one image (Wikipedia, 2011). JHotDraw Fractal Dimension One of the key elements of the root visualization is to get it to be as realistic as possible. Now it is likely that the root will be drawn out of straight lines how it will be essential that Alpha Blending Visualization Uncertainty 4. Proposed Approach The suggested approach for this project will involve designing and implementing a basic system that contains all of the functionality required to visualize one root based on the information provided from EZ-Rhizo. Upon successfully implementation of this initial system, a number of prototypes will be created around techniques, such as Alpha Blending, that will manipulate this functionality to draw clusters of roots or alter the initial visualization to provide a different perspective for the user. Any prototype functionality that is considered to be useful, interesting or successful will then be fully integrated into the main system as additional functionality. Basic Functionality It is likely that the new system will send requests directly to the database to retrieve this information rather than obtaining this from CSV files. However this functionality will be discussed with Dr Amtmann’s group during the design phase of the basic system alongside all other functional and non-functional requirements This system will only work with data from EZ-Rhizo at this time and it is assumed that the parameters will be from Arabidopsis Thaliana JAVA – it needs to be multi-platform unlike Ez-rhio   and JDBC Additional Functionality Currently at least two general prototypes have been envisioned with the following functionality Being able to represent average values for root parameters, such as length, and display them in a readable and understandable manner Being able to represent the lifecycle of a root based on the parameters recorded on the first day of growth to the last. It is likely that each of these general prototypes will have sub-prototypes that will evaluate techniques that display the information to achieve the objective. After the more successful techniques have been identified they will be developed and presented to the research group to confirm if they still wish this prototype to be included. Design Methodology To ensure the success of this project, the implementation of this project will follow an iterative software development methodology of design, implementation and testing.   This has been selected because one of the key components of this project is to build upon a basic system. It is therefore essential that this be successfully deployed before introducing any further functionality from desired prototypes. Due to this requirement the selected methodology will be The Spiral, which supports iterations and constant reviews and refinements as shown in Figure 3. It is also vital to review each prototype after it has been implemented to ensure that the original functionality has not been compromised. Figure 3 – Spiral Software Development Methodology taken from http://as.exeter.ac.uk/divisions/exeterit/iws/projects/ede/ Risk Analysis As with any software development project there is a certain element of risk in undertaking the assignment, and the key risks identified within this project are as follows: Terminology Due to biological terminology involved in the understanding of the system requirements there is a possibility that these may be interpreted wrongly. Therefore it is imperative that this be considered at every stage involving an element of design, and clarification will be sought if any ambiguity arises. Time Constraints As this project is due to be completed over a 15-week period there is potential for the project to overrun at any point and so continual review of the work plan is required. The stage with the highest potential for delay would be that of developing and testing prototypes.   Once the initial prototypes have been produced there is a possibility that revision will be required after discussions with Dr Amtmann’s Research Team.   Where possible all prototypes will be implemented to the highest standard however at a given point the further development of the prototypes will have to be discontinued. Regular discussions with Dr Rogers and Dr Amtmann regarding this should identify a suitable stopping point and prevent the project from suffering from delays. 5. Work Plan This chapter will detail the provisional work plan for this project and it has been estimated that work will begin on 20th June 2011.   Please note that weekly meetings will be scheduled with Dr Simon Rogers during this time and there will be a high level of communication between Dr Anna Amtmann’s Research Group and myself. Figure 4 – Gantt Chart Showing Estimated Project Timescale The following sections detail the work that will be done in each phase of the project as shown in the Gantt chart in Figure 4. Background Research During this time I will study the areas identified in section three in more depth and review this background research.   At this stage I will also investigate further techniques that could be used to develop additional prototypes that could be used to manipulate and display the root data in an interesting manner. Deliverables: Revised Background Section Critical Rating: Preferably Risk Factor: Low Requirements Capture This stage will involve identifying and creating a detailed list of the functional and non-functional requirements of the system.   During this time a requirements document containing the appropriate UML diagrams will be developed and will be approved by Dr Simon Rogers and Dr Anna Amtmann before any implementation begins. Deliverables: A clear requirements document Critical Rating: Important Risk Factor: Medium Implementation of the Basic Functionality After the basic requirements of the system have been determined they will be implemented in an application. At this stage, the system should at a minimum be able to use the data from EZ-Rhizo and create a visualization of at least one root. A test plan will also be created at this time. Deliverables: Implementation of Basic System and Test Plan Critical Rating: Fundamental Risk Factor:   Medium Testing of Basic Functionality This stage will ensure that the basic system is operational and that all of the functional requirements have been achieved.   This may involve getting feedback from the Plant Science Group depending on their availability and whether or not they wish to test the completed project. Deliverables: Critical Rating: Important Risk Factor: Low Design and Build Prototypes The next section will involve developing prototypes that manipulate and display the root data in various interesting manners.   Each prototype will involve a technique identified previously in section three or found within the further research conducted at the beginning of the project plan. Deliverables: A number of prototypes that modify the visualization of a basic root Critical Rating: Fundamental Risk Factor: Low Experiments with Prototypes At this time Dr Amtmann and her team will review the prototypes with a follow up discussion with Dr Rogers and myself to confirm that they capture useful information.   At this time, depending on time constraints, additional prototypes may be developed based on the discussions, however this will be reviewed at the time. Deliverables: A list of prototypes that are deemed to be visually interesting and useful Critical Rating: Preferable Risk Factor: Medium Integrate desired Prototypes Any prototypes that are deemed to be successful will then be integrated into the basic system.   This will be completed in iterations, with testing being conducted after each integration to ensure that the new prototype does not break the basic system. Deliverables: Critical Rating: Important Risk Factor: High Testing of Additional Functionality Once every prototype has been implemented successfully, further testing will be conducted to ensure that the original functionality still meets the initial criteria and that the prototype functionality is producing valid and interesting results.   At this stage a small user evaluation may be conducted to ensure that the user interface developed for the system is successful. Deliverables: Critical Rating: Important Risk Factor: Low Complete and Submit Dissertation Finally, a dissertation documenting the work that has been undertaken will be composed and will be approximately 60-70 pages long.   It will be submitted on the 6th September 2011.   During the project, work will be provisionally documented to ensure an easier transition from implementation to documentation. Deliverables: A complete dissertation documenting the progress and outcome of this project Critical Rating: Fundamental Risk Factor: Low Bibliography (Armengaud et al, 2009) Armengaud, P., Zambaux, K., Hills, A., Sulpice, R., Pattison, R. J., Blatt, M. R. and Amtmann, A. (2009), EZ-Rhizo: integrated software for the fast and accurate measurement of root system architecture. The Plant Journal, 57:  pp. 945–956. DOI:  10.1111/j.1365-313X.2008.03739.x (Den Herder et al, 2010) Den Herder, G., Van Isterdael, G., Beeckman, T. and De Smet, I. (2010), The roots of a new green revolution, Trends in Plant Science, Volume 15, Issue 11, November 2010, pp. 600-607. DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2010.08.009. (Godfray et al, 2010) Godfray, H.C., Beddington, J.R., Crute, I.R., Haddad, L., Lawrence, D, Muir, J.F., Pretty, J. Thomas, S.M. and Toulmin, C. (2010), The challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science Magazine, 12th February 2010: 327 (5967), pp. 812-818. DOI: 10.1126/science.1185383 (Malamy, 2005) Malamy, J. E. (2005), Intrinsic and environmental response pathways that regulate root system architecture. Plant, Cell Environment, 28:  pp. 67–77. DOI:  10.1111/j.1365-3040.2005.01306.x (PRB, 2004) Population Reference Bureau, www.prb.org/pdf04/04worlddatasheet_eng.pdf, accessed 20th March 2011 (Population Reference Bureau, 2010) Population Reference Bureau, www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2010/2010wpds.aspx, accessed 20th March 2011 (Somerville and Koorneef, 2002) Somerville, C. and Koornneef, M. (2002), A fortunate choice: the history of Arabidopsis as a model plant. Nature Reviews Genetics, 3:11, pp. 883 889 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nrg927 (United Nations, 2004) United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Population Division, un.org/esa/population/publications/longrange2/WorldPop2300final.pdf, accessed 2nd March 2011 (United Nations, 2010) Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations, www.fao.org/hunger/en/, accessed 2nd March 2011 (Wikipedia, 2011) Wikipedia. Root Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Retrieved March 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root (Wikipedia, 2011) Wikipedia. Genome Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Retrieved March 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome_sequence

Bahrain Geography, History, Culture, Economy

Bahrain Geography, History, Culture, Economy Population: 738,004 (July 2010 estimate)Capital: ManamaArea: 293 square miles (760 sq km)Coastline: 100 miles (161 km)Highest Point: Jabal ad Dukhan at 400 feet (122 m)Bahrain is a small country located in the Persian Gulf. It is considered a part of the Middle East and it is an archipelago that is made up of 33 islands. The largest island of Bahrain is Bahrain Island and as such it is where most of the countrys population and economy is based. Like many other Middle Eastern nations, Bahrain has recently been in the news due to increasing social unrest and violent anti-government protests. History of Bahrain Bahrain has a long history that dates back to at least 5,000 years ago, at which time the region served as a trading center between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. The civilization living in Bahrain at that time was the Dilmun civilization, however, when trade with India declined around 2,000 B.C.E, so too did their civilization. In 600 B.C.E, the region became a part of the Babylonian Empire. According to the U.S. Department of State, little is known about Bahrains history from this time until the arrival of Alexander the Great  in the 4th century B.C.E.During its early years, Bahrain was known as Tylos until the 7th century when it became an Islamic nation. Bahrain was then controlled by various forces until 1783 when the Al Khalifa family took control of the region from Persia.In the 1830s, Bahrain became a British Protectorate after the Al Khalifa family signed a treaty with the United Kingdom which guaranteed British protection in the event of a military conflict with Ottoma n Turkey. In 1935, Britain established its main military base in the Persian Gulf in Bahrain but in 1968, Britain announced the end of the treaty with Bahrain and other Persian Gulf sheikdoms. As a result, Bahrain joined the eight other sheikdoms to form a union of Arab emirates. However, by 1971, they had not officially unified and Bahrain declared itself independent on August 15, 1971.In 1973, Bahrain elected its first parliament and drafted a constitution but in 1975 the parliament was broken up when it tried to remove power from the Al Khalifa family which still forms the executive branch of Bahrains government. In the 1990s, Bahrain experienced some political instability and violence from the Shia majority and as a result, the government cabinet underwent some changes. These changes initially ended the violence but in 1996 several hotels and restaurants were bombed and the country has been unstable off and on since then. Government of Bahrain Today Bahrains government is considered a constitutional monarchy and it has a chief of state (the countrys king) and a prime minister for its executive branch. It also has a bicameral legislature that is made up of the Consultative Council and the Council of Representatives. Bahrains judicial branch consists of its High Civil Appeals Court. The country is divided into five governorates (Asamah, Janubiyah, Muharraq, Shamaliyah, and Wasat) that is administered by an appointed governor. Economics and Land Use in Bahrain Bahrain has a diversified economy with many multinational firms. A large part of Bahrains economy depends on oil and petroleum production, however. Other industries in Bahrain include aluminum smelting, iron pelletization, fertilizer production, Islamic and offshore banking, insurance, ship repairing and tourism. Agriculture only represents about one percent of Bahrains economy but the main products are fruit, vegetables, poultry, dairy products, shrimp, and fish. Geography and Climate of Bahrain Bahrain is located in the Middle Easts Persian Gulf to the east of Saudi Arabia. It is a small nation with a total area of just 293 square miles (760 sq km) spread out over many different small islands. Bahrain has a relatively flat topography consisting of desert plain. The central part of Bahrains main island has a low elevation escarpment and the highest point in the country is Jabal ad Dukhan at 400 feet (122 m). The climate of Bahrain is arid and as such it has mild winters and very hot, humid summers. The countrys capital and largest city, Manama, has an average January low temperature of 57ËšF (14ËšC) and an average August high temperature of 100ËšF (38ËšC).​ References Central Intelligence Agency. (11 February 2011). CIA - The World Factbook - Bahrain. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ba.html Infoplease.com. (n.d.). Bahrain: History, Geography, Government, and Culture- Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107313.htmlUnited States Department of State. (20 January 2011). Bahrain. Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26414.htmWikipedia.com. (27 February 2011). Bahrain - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahrain

Growth and Expansion of the Nazi Party 1933 - 1934 Essay

Growth and Expansion of the Nazi Party 1933 - 1934 - Essay Example This research tells that on November 9, 1918, just two days before the end of World War I, the German Emperor, William II abdicated and signed the armistice that ended the war. This was followed by major reparation payment demands and other reforms that caused massive hardships for Germany in the interwar period. Elections were held in January 1919 which elected a national assembly that was to draft a new constitution. The Weimar constitution gave way to much more liberal methods of governance as opposed to the authoritarianism and militarism of the previous regime and government. The constitution also gave way to the formation of two houses of parliament. This included the lower house, the Reichstag which was to be constituted by elected parliamentarians chosen by the German people through a universal adult suffrage. The model of the constitution was such that small parties were guaranteed seats in the parliament and it was virtually impossible for any single party to control the Re ichstag. This created cracks in the constitutional system of Germany which gave rise to the Nazi party and ultimately, the rise of Hitler as the supreme authority of Germany. The Weimar Republic’s constitution made it imperative for the President to appoint the Chancellor and the Reichstag had the power to interrogate the chancellor candidate and could pass a vote of no confidence in such a candidate. The President could also dissolve the Reichstag in emergency situations through Article 48. In 1930, there had been numerous situations where the German President, Paul von Hindenburg had bypassed the Reichstag in making numerous decisions. This set a precedent in which the German parliament was seen as a weak body that did not have its own will or own position in matters and situations. This created cracks that Hitler could exploit in order to take up a position in the government. After winning the most seats in 1932, Hitler had won the election and was in line to become chance llor in January 1933. Paul von Hindenburg, the German President moved to dissolve parliament and asked for new elections. This is because Hindenburg did not like the ideologies of Hitler. He, therefore, dissolved the Reichstag and asked for fresh elections.

The 'Colored Revolutions' of Eastern Europe During the 2000s Essay

The 'Colored Revolutions' of Eastern Europe During the 2000s - Essay Example It is certainly alluring to see the breakdown of the Soviet territory as the segment of a universal disintegration of autocracies. This opinion surely prejudiced how the democratic changeover in Eastern and Central Europe has been observed in the West (as the "end of history") as well as by some of its characters. Ten years after, nonetheless, even with widespread Western exertions at democracy advancement, the democratic current has rather withdrawn, leaving a depiction of accomplishments in Central Europe (along within Latin America and fragments of Asia) counterbalance by hindrances in the earlier Soviet Union and the Balkans (but similarly in China and most of Africa) (Jacques, 2000). The examination of the consequences of domestic changes for the local system of international dealings should take place from the implication of the main factors and procedures, which formed the post-soviet space design in the last decade. The first amongst these is the procedure of state and nation -structuring in the Afresh Independent States. Fresh political leaders in the previous Soviet states had a particular image of their state-projects which, as a law, protected Euro-Atlantic ambitions and, in reality, detached relations with Russia as well collaboration in the post-Soviet region from the list of primaries in their foreign policy schedules. Secondly, these objectives, along with the fluctuations in Europe and its boundary, stemmed in the participation of outside troupes in the post-soviet district - US, EU, NATO, and the Western European countries, and, some local actors, i.e. Poland, Turkey, China etc.

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ROME, SEPT. 21, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Advocates of abortion often insist that it needs to be legal and readily available so as to reduce health risks for women. Some recent studies show, however, that abortion brings with it considerable risks. Research in Finland published in the journal â€Å"Human Reproduction† collected data from all 300,858 first-time mothers in Finland between 1996 and 2008, LifeNews.com reported on Sept. 6. The results showed that women were three times more likely to have a very premature baby, born before 28 weeks, if they had had three or more abortions. According to an analysis of the findings published by LifeNews.com and written by Dr. Peter Saunders, it is an important study, but by no means the first revealing such risks. He said there are â€Å"around 120 articles in the world literature already attesting to an association between abortion and premature birth.† Nevertheless, the Finnish study carries a lot of weight due to the large number of women in it and also because it controlled for factors such as maternal age, socioeconomic level and various health factors. Similar results were found in another study also recently published. Lead researcher Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, chair in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Aberdeen, and his colleagues studied how differing methods of abortion affected the future likelihood of premature births, the Medical Daily Web site reported on Sept. 5. They looked at the records of Scottish women from 1981 to 2007 and found that abortions increased the risk of giving birth prematurely in future pregnancies by an average of 37% compared to women who had never been pregnant before. Complications The study was presented at the British Science Festival.... ...esult from the pharmaceutical. Wright put at 14 the number of women who have died in the United States as a result of using RU-486 since it was legalized. Nevertheless, the push to make RU-486 available continues. In Australia until now only a small number of doctors were authorized to administer it, but now pharmacies will be able to sell it following a decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the Australian newspaper reported Aug. 31. In the past six years that RU-486 has been available in Australia, TGA figures show 792 cases of "adverse events" from the use of the drugs. â€Å"Women facing un-supported pregnancy should be offered real choices by our society, not a dangerous chemical to poison their unborn child,† commented Wendy Francis for the Australian Christian Lobby. A valid point not only for Australia but for other countries as well.

Experience& self awareness

Furthermore I can assure you my service will be of benefit certainly look forward to hearing back from you soon. Kathy lacked sufficient emotional intelligence to be effective in her new project manager assignment by Self awareness: Kathy had a deep understanding of her strength not her weakness to have time to talk to her staff. There was also lack of empathy as she failed to have the â€Å"ability to recognise the feelings and expectations of others and take them into consideration† as they were also local residents. Poor relationship with the staff resulted to â€Å"a campaign of passive resistance to her leadership†. 2.The element she exhibit successfully were: Motivation: although the project became quickly bogged due to poor performance she still managed to motivate herself and â€Å"pushed her team hard†. Also by settling goals for staff and senior members of the project to â€Å"work long hours† to accomplish important milestones in order to comple te the assignment. B. Main methods of communication include: Verbal communication either through sound, work or speaking to other members of the project or recorded clips of the senior members.Also Written communication either emailing or letters with the use of computers and internet for emails. In addition visual communication through graphs from excel or video clips on YouTube or television therefore contributing to the IT and applications. C. 5 Traits of emotional intelligence me: Self awareness: In high school was given a presentation on Kidneys, a sensitive topic managed to trust my intuition& took control of my emotions as that was my weakness. Self regulation: one of my cousins used my bag without asking, i had to hink of how I was going to talk to them instead of fighting.Motivation: When given 2 or more assignments during college treated myself if i finished a day before the deadline& the days increased as the year progressed. Empathy: when my friend lost her Job& i had Ju st got a Job I helped her with some of her bills as I had been in a similar situation before. Social skills: I managed to build a good relationship with my new workmates as well as maintaining one with my friends and family. experience& self awareness By naume2