Signs and Symptoms of Gigantism Essay - 1058 Words

Introduction Biology mainly concentrates on the study of life and any other factors that affect it positively or negatively. The study of biology is further sub-divided into sections and the most important being genetics that studies the genetically composition and effects to human life. For instance, gigantism which is an abnormal growth caused by the excess hormone growth at childhood before the bone plates closes. Though gigantism is rare, it is caused due to some factors among them; Noncancerous tumor of the pituitary gland, Neurofibromatosis, McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS), Carney complex and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1(MEN-1). This abnormal growth occurs mainly before the closure of the bone growth plate. In any case the†¦show more content†¦How growth hormone regulate various body functions in adults. The growth hormones mainly regulate the body functions via feedback loops. The process is a two way mode of communication whereby the target organ releases molecules that reg ulate the endocrine. The feedback loops are mainly concerned with the maintenance of the hormonal concentration within range. Endocrine disorder can be classified based on the underproduction or excess production of the hormone (Medical Discoveries, 2011). The growth hormone is mainly produced from the brain and it stimulates insulin-like factor (IGF-1). It also mediates the actions of HGH which regulates variety of biological activities including cellular division, development of the body, overall growth and metabolism. It also plays an important role in body composition, bone and muscle strength. The growth hormones play an important role in adults because growth factors have an important role in longevity determination and aging. The growth hormone reverses some of the first signs and symptoms seen in aging and affects the hair color, brain cells and cellulite. The growth hormone decreases as age increases but HGH, HGH releasing hormone and IGF-1 are responsible for the strengthe ning of muscles and bones and prevention of frailty among older people. However, the hormones affecting the important body processesShow MoreRelatedTreatment Of Pituitary Gigantism Is A Rare Endocrine Disorder1776 Words   |  8 Pagespituitary gigantism Nolan Coburn BIOL-2458, Mustafi Raisi, October 12, 2016 Introduction Pituitary gigantism is a rare endocrine disorder in which the anterior pituitary releases an excess of growth hormone (GH) during childhood before the epiphyseal plates close, causing abnormal increased somatic growth in the patient, occurring usually because of a pituitary tumor, also called an adenoma (Goldenberg et al. 2009). There are several treatments that can usually prevent pituitary gigantism or haltRead MoreAcromegaly: Creating Real-life Giants Essay1537 Words   |  7 Pagesbeen famous for his size alone. His drive, talent and ambition, however, proved to be as big as Andre himself, and the wrestler became legendary for his achievements in and out of the ring†¦ Andre, however, suffered from acromegaly†¦also known as gigantism, this disease caused Andres body to continue growing his whole life†¦Sadly, over the years the effects of acromegaly continued to wear down his body. Eventually his immense size was just too much for his heart, and Andre the Giant died in Paris,Read MoreA Brief Note On The, Autosomal Recessive Craniotubular Craniotubular Hyperostosis1471 Words   |  6 Pagesdistortions in facial structure, and entrapment of the 7th cranial nerve. Because of the distortion in facial bones, the cranial nerves can become entrapped, increasing the risk for potentially lethal elevation of intracranial pressure. Recognizing the symptoms is the primary means of diagnosing and treating the disorder. Carmitchel 2 Introduction Sclerosteosis (SOST1: MIM 269500, is a recessive autosomal dysplasia of the skeleton. Throughout the life of the person effected, there is excessiveRead MoreProtein Steroid Management Of Patients With A Normal Hypothalamic Pituitary Axis Essay1638 Words   |  7 Pageshistory of headaches and worsening vision over a one year period. In particular he noticed that he had difficulty in seeing peripherally. His headaches were pounding in character and frontal in location. He had no other significant symptoms. On examination his vital signs were within normal limits. His Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) was 15 with no motor deficits. His visual acuity was 20/200 in both eyes and he had bitemporal hemianopia on confrontation. Fundoscopy did not reveal any evidence of papilloedemaRead MoreThe And Formation Of Chemical Substances2697 Words   |  11 Pageskidneys to retain sodium from the excretion †¢ Autocrine: a hormone that is released and acts on the cells that released it †¢ Calcitonin: hormone release by the thyroid to help with calcium absorption to lower blood calcium and phosphates †¢ Chvostek sign: a test for hypocalcemia where you tap on the patient’s face in the temple are at the mandibular joint which is where the facial nerve is located to test for muscle spasms in the face, lips, and nose †¢ Cortisol: the stress hormone that is released

The Criminal Justice System Media Violence and Social...

Introduction The criminal justice system contains different aspects such as the due process, restorative justice, crime control and social justice models. Criminal justice contains both historical and social content of crime. This article discusses a claim made by many journals, articles and the entertainment results. The claim states that children and adults who are exposed to the media are aggressive and violent. According to such articles, violent content provokes aggressive behavior and violence. Ferguson illustrates that watching satanic content, like in Harry Potter, or teaching of witchcraft can lead to Satanism or mental illness. According to Ferguson (2008), books, rock, jazz, television and watching movies in the media, leads to a wave of moral degradation, rebelliousness and violence. They also clam that new media like internet and video games inevitably cause fear and waves of politicians, and advocates raise concerns over the fate of vulnerable teenagers and children. Th is point of view raises a lot of controversy in respect to violence in television, and film fiction raising the question whether such violence causes further violent behavior in viewers (Ferguson, 2008). According to Aarons journal, concerns about the media have also taken other public forms including entering to political debates about law and order. This has featured arguments about whether media cause unreasonable fear of crime in the context these concerns. This point of view can beShow MoreRelatedAnnotated Bibliography On Crime And Justice1538 Words   |  7 PagesAnnotated Bibliography on Crime and Justice Crime may simply be referred to as an offense against the state or against morality and is punishable by law, while justice is the fairness practiced during judgment of cases usually in instances where crime has taken place. Crime and justice go hand in hand as commonly evident in a case whereby a criminal is apprehended and taken to a court of law, then a ruling of justice practiced on the case and fairness used in passing of judgments. In most governmentsRead MoreThe Australian Criminal Justice System Is Shaped Largely by Our Society. Discuss This Statement.1269 Words   |  6 PagesThe criminal justice system is the system the Australian public look to for protection and justice against those that disregard the law but there are mixed opinions from the general public that the justice system is too lenient and that the public opinion isn’t taken into consideration when assessing crime and punishment. In this essay, I will argue that the Australian criminal justice system is in fact shaped largely by our society because if it doesn’t reflect social conscience, the justice systemRead MoreEssay on Theories of Causation of Crime and Its Solution 1250 Words   |  5 Pages If we studied through the history of criminal theory, spiritual and natural theories are taken as major theories of causation of crime. During medieval period, spiritual explanations were taken as punishment given by god for doing wrong things and any natural disasters like flood, fires, etc were evaluated as curse of high power. In modern period, the basic theories of causation of crime are classical theory, biological theory, psychological theoryRead MoreAnalyzing Violence and Crime in USA1357 Words   |  5 Pagesbeen marred with much violence and turmoil. In America, the roots of the country were established in a very bloody manner and seemingly resonates in todays world as violence permeates the national landscape. The purpose of this essay is to investigate the causes of violence in America and look specifically at the youth of this country and the effects that are produced because of their behavior. Essentially, this essay will t ry to communicate how the proliferation of violence committed by AmericanRead MoreThe Media And The Criminal Justice System Essay1260 Words   |  6 PagesThe media plays the role as entertaining and a source of information to its viewers, however, with the current crime trends, most viewers have the perceptions that our criminal justice system is lacking in areas of proper sentencing and protecting the viewers. All this is based upon what we see in the media is the information reliable or not? I say this because of hearing about news personality lying about their experience only to booster the networks rating. When the criminal justice system hasRead MoreFamily Violence : A Serious Social Problem Essay1575 Words   |  7 PagesFamily violence is a serious social problem that affects many families around the world. It is defined by the University of Michigan as situation that occurs â€Å"when a person uses physical violence, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation, stalking , emotional abuse, sexual abuse or economic abuse to control another partner in a relationship† (â€Å"Understanding Abuse†). This includes any kind of behaviour that might make the other person feel scared, threatened and fearful for their safety. AccordingRead MoreMedia and the Criminal Justice System1533 Words   |  7 PagesMedia has a strong influence on today s society and the criminal justice system. Interaction with the media continues to create problems in overcoming the racial disparities in this nation, due to crime that is committed by ethnic minorities in the media increasing racial stereotypes. Media also has a great influence and disadvantages regarding high profile criminal cases, affecting the way Americans view the criminal justice system. High exposure to the news and entertainment media has beenRead MoreThe Criminal Justice System For Crime Control And Due Process1466 Words   |  6 PagesThe American criminal justice systems have over time faced the need of a justice scheme that incorporated both the crime control and due process. There have been constant debates regarding the superiority of each model. The crime control system is based on curbing criminal activities by focusing mainly on the victim of the crime rather than the rights of the accused criminal. This meant that as long as one claimed breach of rights by another the system would push to punish accused without consideringRead MoreWhy Do We as a Society Need a Criminal Justice System?1179 Words   |  5 PagesWHY DO WE AS A SOCIETY NEED A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM? Introduction The criminal justice system is comprised of a basic formation, the law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the correctional services. This system has existed since ancient times and although the three facilities haven’t completely been replaced over the centuries, there has been a lot of change and amendment to how the system is used to investigate, deter, and keep order and control in today’s society. It is a fundamental partRead MoreCapital Punishment and the Media1249 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Media Xavier Mendez Professor Collica JUS110 September 12, 2011 Capital Punishment and the Media In today’s society, the capital punishment known as the death penalty has played a major role in the criminal justice system. It has brought important debates to the national attention in every aspect to whether end the lives of criminals. With the intense media coverage, it raised high standards on disputes on high profile cases such as serial killers. The attention given by the media towards

The wave - characterization of Ben Ross free essay sample

Ben Ross is one of the main characters in the novel „The Waveâ€Å", written by Morton Rhue in 1981. The story is based on a true story. Ben Ross is a history teacher at the Gordon High School. He is technical untalented and always wants the best for his students. He tries to teach his lessons in a practically way to show his students the „main aspects of history†. When he started to talk with his students about Nazi Germany and if it is possible that nowadays the government might be lead by a leader, the students could not imagine that this can be happen again. With this experiment, called „The Waveâ€Å", he wanted to show that fascism is nowadays still possible and how easy it is to influence human beings settings. At the beginning of the experiment he introduced some guidelines, like „Strength through disciplineâ€Å". With the experiment he wants to get the class in one community which acts by laws and guidelines. We will write a custom essay sample on The wave characterization of Ben Ross or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page First he was fascinated how the students suddenly participated in the lessons like Robert how is normally an outsider but through the organization they get friendly to him. Though Ben Ross enjoys to be leader and to have the power of the actions of his students, his wife becomes sceptical of the project. Despite all cautions of his wife, he still thinks that he can handle everything. Normally she supports him with each project but at „The Waveâ€Å" she worries about the students and forces her husband to put an end to it. Especially he likes that everything is addicted to him and he is not more addicted to somebody but unfortunately to late he noticed that he had got power-obsessed. Eventually he decides to stop the project while he shows his students a picture of Hitler and says that fascism is nowadays still possible. All in all is Ben Ross an intelligent and ambitious teacher who wanted to intrigue his class for a topic but unfortunately he overstates the case with his intention.

Writing My Own Story free essay sample

Everyone has a different story. Sometimes living my own story gets tiring and I just need an escape from everything going on in my life. I think that is why I’ve taken a liking to writing. I enjoy researching about different diseases and disorders that people have to live with daily and I try to create a story around those things. I think that is how I became interested in biology and medicine. I feel like looking at different topics and writing about those topics, give me insight on how the other people have to live, even if it is fictional. I believe that college will allow my mind to explore with the new people I’ll meet and the new experiences I will live. College is so diverse from states to personalities, and I’m excited to see how that will develop my stories. Writing stories has become apart of my everyday life. We will write a custom essay sample on Writing My Own Story or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I’ve seen throughout my writing that if I stop for even a day the story will not have the same affect. Writing is something I do every day even if it is only a sentence. Even though I do not plan on majoring in English, I do plan to continue writing. It is almost like a closet passion of mine. Not many people know that I write stories because it is my own thing. I like having something that is just mine that I can be proud of. I kind of think of my stories as my journal or dairy, even though it’s not about myself, but it’s something just for me. College will open my eyes to different types of people and stories that will allow my writing to grow. College could also spark an idea that can create a new story and eventually become a published book. This is an interest of mine that I don’t see myself losing. This interest has shown me how to observe different people, research different things, and helped me explore who I am as a person.

The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes

The Complete List of IB Courses and Classes SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips What are all the IB courses available to take? Here's our complete list of all SL and HL classes. Every IB School is different, so your IB school may not offer all of the IB courses below. However, these are all of the classes that IB creates a curriculum and test for. There are 56 classes (counting HL and SL separately). I have categorized them by the subject categories that IB defines as the six subject groups. Table of Contents Group 1: Studies in language and literature Group 2: Language acquisition Group 3: Individuals and societies Group 4: Sciences Group 5: Mathematics Group 6: The arts To receive your IB Diploma, you must take from all 6 categories (except you can study an additional science, individuals and societies, or languages course, instead of a course in the arts). You must also complete what is known as the core, which includes one additional class: Theory of Knowledge / TOK I'll dive into more detail on each below: Group 1: Language and Literature Course Name IBO Description Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Language A: literature The course introduces students to the analysis of literary texts. The course is automatically available in 55 languages and available by special request and may be studied in any language with a sufficiently developed written literature. N/A No HL and SL Language A: language and literature The language A: language and literature course introduces the critical study and interpretation of written and spoken texts from a wide range of literary and non literary genres. The formal analysis of texts is supplemented by awareness that meaning is not fixed but can change in respect to contexts of production and consumption. This course is available for study in 17 languages. N/A No HL and SL Literature and performance The literature and performance course aims to explore the relationship between literature and theatre. The main focus of the course is the interaction between the literary skills of close reading, critical writing and discussion and the practical, aesthetic and symbolic elements of performance. It is available in English, and by special request Spanish and French. N/A No SL only Group 2: Language Acquisition Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Classical languages Latin or Classical Greek coursework provides opportunities for students to study the language, literature and culture of ancient Rome or Greece. N/A No HL and SL Language B Language B courses are foreign language courses intended for students who have had some previous experience of learning the language. They may be studied at either higher level or standard level. I took Language B SL (specifically Spanish B SL). After previously taking Spanish 5 years (beginning in 8th grade). I found the written exam very easy. There is also an oral presentation, which was more challenging. You present on a topic and are required to answer any questions that your teacher asks you regarding your presentation. I received a 7 in the class. Yes, Spanish B SL only HL and SL Language ab initio These courses are foreign language for beginners (that is, students who have little or no previous experience of learning the language they have chosen). These courses are only available at standard level. N/A Yes, Spanish ab initio, Mandarin ab initio, and French ab initio SL only Group 3: Individuals and Societies Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Business management Business Management course is a rigorous and dynamic course that explores how business decision-making processes impact on internal and external environments. In turn, it will explore how decision-making processes themselves are affected by internal and external environments. N/A Yes, HL and SL HL and SL Economics The course emphasizes the economic theories of microeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting individuals, firms and markets, and the economic theories of macroeconomics, which deal with economic variables affecting countries, governments and societies. These economic theories are not to be studied in a vacuum- rather, they are to be applied to real-world issues. Prominent among these issues are fluctuations in economic activity, international trade, economic development and environmental sustainability. N/A Yes, HL, SL, and one-year SL HL and SL Geography Geography takes advantage of its position to examine relevant concepts and ideas from a wide variety of disciplines. This helps students develop an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints and ideas. N/A No HL and SL Global Politics This is a relatively new class that was first available for testing in May 2017. The global politics course explores fundamental political concepts such as power, liberty and equality, in a range of contexts and at a variety of levels. It allows students to develop an understanding of the local, national, international and global dimensions of political activity, as well as allowing them the opportunity to explore political issues affecting their own lives. N/A No HL and SL History The Diploma Programme history course aims to promote an understanding of history as a discipline, including the nature and diversity of its sources, methods and interpretations. It also helps students to gain a better understanding of the present through critical reflection upon the past. It is hoped that many students who follow the course will become fascinated with the discipline, developing a lasting interest in it whether or not they continue to study it formally. There are two â€Å"routes†: you can either study the history of Europe and the Islamic world or 20th century world history. Most likely, your school will only offer you one option. I took History HL and covered the History of Europe (I think they adapted it since I took it to add in the Islamic World). I thoroughly enjoyed the course. I think I got a 6 on the exam. No HL and SL Information technology in a global society The ITGS framework is modeled on a ‘triangle’. It uses an integrated approach, encouraging students to make informed judgments and decisions about the role of information and communication technologies in contemporary society. N/A Yes, SL and HL HL and SL Philosophy Philosophy is a systematic critical inquiry into profound, fascinating and challenging questions such as: What is it to be human? Do we have free will? What do we mean when we say something is right or wrong? N/A Yes, SL only HL and SL Psychology The IB Diploma Programme psychology course is the systematic study of behavior and mental processes. I took Psychology SL in high school and loved the course. We learned about very interesting experiments. Yes, SL and HL HL and SL Social and cultural anthropology The IB Diploma Programme social and cultural anthropology course offers an opportunity for students to explore and understand humankind in all its diversity through the comparative study of culture and human societies. N/A No HL and SL World religions It is a systematic, analytical yet empathetic study of the variety of beliefs and practices encountered in nine main religions of the world. The course seeks to promote an awareness of religious issues in the contemporary world by requiring the study of a diverse range of religions. N/A No SL only Group 4: Science Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Biology Biologists investigate the living world at all levels using many different approaches and techniques. At one end of the scale is the cell, its molecular construction and complex metabolic reactions. At the other end of the scale biologists investigate the interactions that make whole ecosystems function. I took SL and remember it being a pretty standard Biology class. It is probably very similar to AP Biology other than it requires more experimentation. No HL and SL Chemistry Chemistry is an experimental science that combines academic study with the acquisition of practical and investigational skills. N/A No HL and SL Computer Science The IB computer science course is a rigorous and practical problem-solving discipline. Computational thinking lies at the heart of the course and is integrated with other topics. This will be supported by practical activities including programming. N/A No HL and SL Design Technology DP design technology aims to develop internationally-minded people whose enhanced understanding of design and the technological world can facilitate our shared guardianship of the planet and create a better world. N/A No HL and SL Environmental systems and societies Through studying environmental systems and societies (ESS) students will be provided with a coherent perspective of the interrelationships between environmental systems and societies; one that enables them to adopt an informed personal response to the wide range of pressing environmental issues that they will inevitably come to face. N/A No SL only Physics Physics is the most fundamental of the experimental sciences, as it seeks to explain the universe itself from the very smallest particles to the vast distances between galaxies. I took Physics HL in high school. It was most definitely the most challenging course and exam I took. We covered very high level physics that many Physics students do not reach until their sophomore or even junior year of college. The experiments were very interesting, and the reports for each were very long. It required a lot of time. No HL and SL Sports, exercise and health science The SEHS course incorporates the disciplines of anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, psychology and nutrition, which are studied in the context of sport, exercise and health. N/A No SL only Group 5: Mathematics There are four math class options: Mathematical Studies SL (known as Math Studies) Mathematics SL Mathematics HL Further Mathematics HL The International Baccalaureate Organization does not do a good job distinguishing between the four courses, but from what I can gather, Mathematical studies SL is the lowest level of mathematics, then Mathematics SL, then Mathematics HL, then Further Mathematics HL. I took Mathematics HL. I found the class totally manageable, but the exam was much more difficult than I expected. This could have been because my class did not prepare me properly or maybe I did not study enough. Only Mathematics SL and Mathematics HL are available online. Group 6: Arts Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Dance The course focuses on the composition, performance and analysis of dance, or â€Å"expressive movement,† which is practiced among peoples of various backgrounds, and for a variety of purposes, throughout the planet. N/A No HL and SL Film At the core of the IB film course lies a concern with clarity of understanding, critical thinking, reflective analysis, effective involvement and imaginative synthesis that is achieved through practical engagement in the art and craft of film. N/A Yes, SL only HL and SL Music Through the music course students develop their knowledge and potential as musicians, both personally and collaboratively. N/A No HL and SL Theatre The IB Diploma Programme theatre course is a multifaceted theatre-making course of study. It gives students the opportunity to make theatre as creators, designers, directors and performers. It emphasizes the importance of working both individually and collaboratively as part of an ensemble. It offers the opportunity to engage actively in the creative process, transforming ideas into action as inquisitive and productive artists. N/A No HL and SL Visual Arts The IB Diploma Programme visual arts course encourages students to challenge their own creative and cultural expectations and boundaries. It is a thought-provoking course in which students develop analytical skills in problem-solving and divergent thinking, while working towards technical proficiency and confidence as art-makers. In addition to exploring and comparing visual arts from different perspectives and in different contexts, students are expected to engage in, experiment with and critically reflect upon a wide range of contemporary practices and media. The course is designed for students who want to go on to study visual arts in higher education as well as for those who are seeking lifelong enrichment through visual arts. N/A No HL and SL Other IB Required Class Course Name IBO Descriptions Personal Notes Available Online? HL, SL, or both Theory of Knowledge (TOK) In this course, students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know. I know that sounds very vague. This was one of my favorite courses in high school. It was a mix of philosophy and personal evaluation. It allowed me to reflect on what issues were important to me. Yes N/A What's Next? Are you hoping to squeeze in some extra IB classes? Learn about the IB courses offered online. Studying for the SAT? Check out our complete guide to the SAT. Taking the SAT in the next month? Check out our guide to cramming. Not sure where you want to go to college? Check out our guide to finding your target school. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Dr. MLK Jr. essays

Dr. MLK Jr. essays Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail, was very persuasive to a wide variety of audiences. Not only did he directly address the writers of the newspaper article, but included fellow African Americans with their struggle to gain acceptance. What makes this letter persuasive, is the amount of examples and situations described by Martin Luther King Jr. King also gains credibility by citing these sources without a history book, using only his own intellect that shows that he is not just your average man. Martin Luther King Jr. directed his letter to the white clergymen of Birmingham, in a response to their newspaper article criticizing him for his actions. At the beginning Martin Luther King Jr. states that he is in Birmingham for three reasons. I along with several members of my staff, am here because I was invited here. I am here because I have organizational ties here. But more basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here.(King, Pg.2) King has gone to where injustice is, and he is carrying the word of freedom with him, Just as the prophets of the eighth century BC left their villages and carried their thus saith the lord far beyond the boundaries of their home towns.(King, Pg.2) With that statement he is reaching to the religious part of the clergymen, stating that he is just like the ancient prophets, building his ethos with his audience. Martin Luther King uses historical examples to prove his point, using logos which most intellectuals can understand, and then uses examples for any African American can understand. In paragraph 16, King talks about St. Thomas Aquinas and his definition of an unjust law. Any law that degrades human personality is unjust.(King, Pg.3) In Paragraph 21, In the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the grou ...

MANAGING CHANGE. Work, Society and Organizations Assignment

MANAGING CHANGE. Work, Society and Organizations - Assignment Example Managing both change and resistance to change has gained significant importance in academics of management in recent years. Change is perceived to be a perfect way of reaction to external threats in volatile environments or as a proactive measure to seize growing business opportunities (Thompson, 1993, p. 697). This piece of paper addresses the theoretical perspectives of ‘change’, ‘managing change’ and managing ‘resistance to change’. This paper gives insight in to how managing change is influenced by individual as well as team motivation and organizational culture and structure. With help of reflect on Ford’s change management process, this paper elaborates real life experience of change and managing change. Managing Change Change is a very powerful strategy, a technique and an opportunity that an organization can achieve its goals by managing it effectively. Change is an opportunity since organizations can try some new ways or methods to carry out organizational activities and management functions and achieve organizational competence. Change is an informed and participative process resulting in newer methods of carrying out business to lead the business or other types of organizations in to success (Jacobs, 1997, p.22). ‘Strategic Change’ has become an increasingly important term in management studies. Strategic change refers to a process by which the present state of strategies will be transformed to compete with counter players in the market and with differentiated functioning so as to attain greater adaptability and viability in the current business contexts. There are basically three types of changes; reengineering, restructuring and innovation (Sekhar, 2009, p. 76). According to the strategic change theory of Peters and Waterman, an organization’s ability to change is the basic key to its excellence. Excellent organizations are those that continually foster on innovation, maintain better pace to quick actions and conduct on-going experimentations (Dobson, et al, 2004, p. 122). Change management involves process, people and managerial technique and incorporates a number of managerial functions like direction, planning, coordinating, organizing and controlling (Palmer, Dunford and Akin, 2009, p. 24). Change doesn’t occur automatically, but it requires managerial action and strategic activities with resources such as people, process, technology and managerial functions as well. Change management is a careful attempt from management to bring a change in any of its functional areas such as HRM, financing, marketing, manufacturing and so on. It is an effort to change the way the business has been carried out. Change management includes a set of concepts, principles, strategies, tools and techniques that are applied to human aspects in order to implementing a change within the organization (Rothwell, Sullivan and McLean, 2005, p. 17). Change management is a multi-d isciplinary action in which the management team who are responsible to execute the change are to possess certain skills, talents, supports, experiences and knowledge so as to influence others to get them involved in the change process. Paton, Paton and McCalman (2008, p. 40) emphasized that the management team being responsible to implement change is expected to possess following skills and abilities: Better communication

College admissions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

College admissions - Essay Example However, there are many institutions, where still legacy applicants are prioritized. In the article, â€Å"Preserve Universities’ Rights to Shape Students Community†, the author describes about Dickinson College in which, students’ â€Å"chance of admission shoots up to 75 %† on the basis their linkage to some person who has remained associated with the college. There are various reasons as to why universities prioritize applicants in terms of legacies. Admissions are given on the basis of the donations that are given by the parents or guardians of applicants. Other reasons given in the article, â€Å"Preserve Universities’ Rights to Shape Students Community† (351) are the students who get admission on the basis of legacy are able to strengthen the traditional set up of the institution and also their parents are very supportive in the activities of the institution. It is also reported that the students that are selected on the basis of legacy have â€Å"stronger academic records†. However, these reasons cannot be justified because the educational authorities have no reason to give admission to an applicant on the basis of legacy and reject a meritorious one. According to Howell and Turner, â€Å"history of legacy admissions in America is tied to an unpleasant history of race and ethnicity† (344) due to which, this is quite clear that legacy admissions cannot be termed as righteous action by the authorities. The writers emphasize the unjustified criterion of admission on the basis of legacy that is imposed on the applicants. The applicants who have legacy rights have nearly double chances to get admission as compared to other applicants. Howell and Turner have included survey results into their article, â€Å"The History of Legacy Admissions†, which describe about use of legacy policies in public and private institutions. According to them, â€Å"both public and

Hume and Kant on Free

Hume and Kant on Free Will Essay Abstract This paper is an attempt to show how Kant’s ideas concerning practical and transcendental freedom of the will was a significant correction to the parallel theories of Hume. It starts out by clarifying Hume’s critique of free will, especially as it appears in An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. It draws the conclusion that Hume’s philosophy is espousing skepticism, and that Kant’s effort is to overcome this skepticism and restore trust in reason. The philosophy of Kant is outlined in order to make the last point. It is generally agreed that Kant supplied the definitive stamp to philosophy that ushered in the modern age. Hume, though enormously influential in his time, and a favorite in the French salons of philosophy, fell into disrepute in the Victorian era, and only since has become a subject of restored interest. Yet Hume is the philosopher cited by Kant as having stirred him from his â€Å"dogmatic slumbers’. He had espoused a philosophy of empirical skepticism, so thorough and devastating in its scope that it became impossible for Kant to remain in his settled certainties of Newtonian science. It was the spur that carried him on to compose the Critique of Pure Reason (1781), where reason is restored, and man is once more vindicated as a rational being. Just because he refuted and answered Hume’s skepticism does not imply that the latter philosophy is nullified. We must keep this in mind, that Hume’s skepticism is completely valid as far as sense experience is concerned, and Kant does not refute any part of this philosophy. What he does is posit a further dimension to human understanding, specifically, the synthetic a priori faculty of the mind, the existence of which Hume did not suspect. Only after this addition is the primacy of reason restored. So we cannot say that Kant has destroyed Hume’s philosophy, rather he has added to it. Central to Hume’s skepticism is his critique of â€Å"cause and effect†, which is spelled out to its most profound depths in chapter VII of the An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1748). The preliminary task is to outline the copy principle. The premise to this is that all knowledge begins from sense experience. Among such we are able to distinguish between primary and secondary sensations. The primary sensations are extension, motion, inertia etc, which are indeed the concepts that physics tackles. Color, taste, smell etc are said to be secondary sensations, composed or derived from the primary ones. The copy principle says that the primary sensations, though not delivering complete information from the material object – which is more poignantly described as â€Å"the object in itself – nevertheless is a faithful copy of it. This is why primary sensations are distinct and forceful presences in our mind. Secondary sensations are in turn copies of the original copy, and due to this derivative nature they lose distinctness to us. We will examine the copy principle of Hume in a moment. For the time being we accept it as such and consider the consequences. For Hume’s purposes, it has allowed him to refer to objects and their motions with confidence, and not to be held back by the validity of these concepts. For without the principle we don’t know as yet that objects are objects, and motion is motion, and we would have had to deal with a chaos of sense experience, and nothing meaningful to refer to it against (1993, p. 12). So now, with the copy principle of Hume as foundation, we proceed to talk about objects in motion. Next, we observe interdependence between objects, carried out in space and time. We â€Å"know† that motion in one object is â€Å"cause† to motion in another. A billiard ball in motion strikes another, and after impact the second acquires a velocity too, and the faculty of our understanding tells us, without the least inkling of doubt, that the impact imparted by the first ball is the cause of the second ball gaining motion. This understanding is so refined that we can, with a little help from Newton’s mechanics, predict the exact trajectory of the second ball by analyzing the trajectory of the first. We know it, but how do we know it? This is the crucial question for Hume. For if we do not have the answer we are left with skepticism. After impact with the first ball the second could have taken any one of an infinite number of trajectories. But it takes only one, and indeed we expect it to take only that one. A physicist may come along and try to convince us that it could not have taken any other trajectory because the laws of motion stipulates that, with the initial conditions given, the path it takes is the only possible one. But this is not an answer to the observer of the billiard ball, because he doesn’t care what the laws of physics are. If nature had followed another mathematical law then another outcome would have been just as valid. The observer could then have framed his conundrum differently: Of the infinite possible mathematical laws why just that one? There is nothing in the inner logic of the situation that dictates that the first ball should produce exactly the prescribed trajectory in the second. Hume said this about the experimental set-up, that we may try an experiment ten times, and may arrive at the exact same result ten times. But this does not prove that the specific outcome is inevitable. Not even if we confirmed the outcome a million times, because we would still only have a statistical probability and not a proof. Hume’s conclusion is that there is no rational link between cause and effect. Yet we expect effect to follow cause, immediately and irrevocably. If this is so then, explains Hume, it is a feeling transmitted to us by custom. What exactly he means by custom is left vague. He could not have meant anything other than â€Å"observing over and over again†, even though this fails to take into account new experience. He himself supplies a famous counterexample in the Enquiry. Some one who has experienced all the shades of blue, except for a tiny strip of the spectrum, is expected to report a gap when looking at the full spectrum of blue. But the fact is that he does not observe a gap at all, and recognizes at once the full spectrum of blue, even though he is experiencing a particular shade on blue for the first time. The recognition was instantaneous, and the eye did require â€Å"accustoming† beforehand. This readily disposes the theory of â€Å"custom†. Hume, however, continues to insist that our convictions regarding cause and effect can have no other source than custom. That the inference to custom is a vague one is made clear when he comes to consider free will. The very act of consciousness, he says, testifies to the existence of free will. But coming to reflect on how it is possible that we are able to willingly set our limbs into motion, and to move and external object thereby, it appears nothing less than miraculous. The mystery in nothing less than how one immaterial body imparts momentum to another: For first: Is there any principle in all nature more mysterious than the union of soul with body; by which a supposed spiritual substance acquires such an influence over a material one, that the most refined thought is able to actuate the grossest matter? (Hume, 1993, p. 43) The upshot is that we cannot explain free will, just as surely as we cannot explain cause and effect. ‘Custom’ was hesitantly introduced to explain cause and effect, and the same comes to the rescue of free will. As constant observers of nature we come to expect an effect to always follow a cause, and the same analysis ought to be applied to the orbit of human will. In all times and in all places humans have shown a constancy in their day to day affairs, which points to a constancy in human nature. The speculation concerning the scope of free will is overdone by the philosophers, maintains Hume. The exercise of free will, when looked at through the vista of human history, does not display divergence as much as it displays constancy. Hume broaches on the distinction between freedom and necessity to make this point clear. Inanimate objects convey to us most clearly the quality of freedom. We may describe an inanimate object as indifferent to the rest of the material universe, and in that sense free. But this freedom also entails necessity. The object is subject to the necessary laws of causation, and indeed is bound entirely by them. This is the relationship that binds cause and effect to inanimate objects, and is a relationship that is composed of both freedom and necessity. Hume transposes the same analysis to the relationship between human beings and free will. The will is indeed free, but being so implies that it conforms to human nature. He proposes the following definition: By liberty, then, we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; this is, if we choose to remain at rest, we may; if we choose to move, we also may. (1993, p. 63) The notion of free will advanced here bears a crucial difference to the popular one, and begs to be spelt out. What Hume describes as free will is not a choice between course ‘A’ and ‘B’. Rather the choice is between ‘A’ and ‘not A’, the latter implying stagnation, not an alternative course. This is the entire extent of our free will. We choose either to move forward, or else to stand still. This is what Hume would describe as freedom to act. Free will, however, is in complete accordance with human nature, and therefore follows the laws of necessity, just as everything else in contingent reality. Free will urges us to act â€Å"freely†. With freedom to act we may respond to this urge, or we may desist. In the final analysis our understanding of free will hinges on custom, in the same way as does our understanding of cause and effect. The past is guide to the future in the probabilistic sense. Beyond probabilities we have no understanding of either, contends Hume. In order to enforce this skepticism he proceeds to dismantle the Cartesian theories that pretended to explain mind and matter interaction, especially the theory of occasionalism advanced by Father Nicholas Malebranche. In this theory God is made both motivator and executor of every act or incident that seems to be â€Å"cause†, while the circumstances which we call a cause are only occasions for God to act in such a manner. Hume complained that this not only made God a slave to his own creation, but it also eradicated free will, making everything â€Å"full of God† (1993, p. 47). By disposing summarily the Cartesian explanations of cause and effect Hume makes his skepticism complete. Kant overcomes this skepticism by revising the premise of Hume. The correction is made most forcefully in the opening to the Critique: Although all our knowledge begins with experience, it does not follow that it arises entirely from experience.   For it is quite possible that our empirical knowledge is a compound of that which we receive through impressions and that which our own faculty of knowing (incited by impressions) supplies from itself†¦ (1999, p. 1) To be fair to Hume, he does consider this possibility, and ponders whether there is a blueprint in the mind where all ‘causes’ and all ‘effects’ can be referred back. (1993, p. 44). But he dismisses this idea when he realizes that a static blueprint can never account for the dynamic reality. However, the faculty that Kant is suggesting is not static, rather dynamic and creative, and here lies the crucial difference. In the technical terms of Kant it is the synthetic a priori faculty of the mind. This is distinguished from the analytic a priori faculty, such as logic. The rules of logic are extant in the mind (a priori), but form a self-consistent system (analytical), and therefore do not depend on sense experience. On the first instance it seems impossible that the mind can have a faculty that is synthetic a priori, where synthetic implies that it is creative. It entails that order is created out of the chaos of sense experience, and order that was not there before. But Kant also provides proof that the mind is capable of synthesis. Mathematical propositions are synthetic a priori, he contended. The proposition â€Å"3 + 5 = 8† may sound like self-consistent logic, but it is not really so. â€Å"8† is a completely new concept, and is not contained in either â€Å"3†, â€Å"5† or â€Å"+†. If we know that â€Å"3 + 5 = 8†, it is due to a synthetic a priori faculty in the mind. As Kant relates in the Prolegomena, when he realized that mathematical propositions are indeed synthetic a priori, it led him to ponder on what other such concepts the mind uses to facilitate understanding, and it appeared to him, in due course, that â€Å"cause and effect† was a concept of understanding that derives from the same faculty. He does not at all concern himself with material reality as a â€Å"thing in itself†, that which the materialist philosophers were after in order to provide a foundation to Newtonian science. Like Hume he maintains throughout that an absolute material reality is beyond knowledge, and to speculate on its existence was futile. We only need to consider what we perceive and what we do. He also shows that Hume falters at exactly those points where he cannot dismiss material existence in itself. The copy principle is slavish to a material object in itself. The object does not deliver copies to our mind; rather the mind provides the concepts of space in which we are able to conjure up material objects from sensory data. Both â€Å"space† and â€Å"time† are pure concepts of the mind, contends Kant, and like â€Å"cause and effect† are the tools by which we come to understand contingent reality (Prolegomena, 2005, p. 26). As soon as it is made out that we are the responsible architects of our own reality, and are not passive bystanders to an absolute material reality beyond our control, we suddenly discover ourselves as moral beings. Therefore the subsequent direction of Kant’s philosophy, after the metaphysics of understanding has been established, is towards a metaphysics of morals. And so emerges the crucial distinction that Kant makes between practical and transcendental freedom. To say that we have practical freedom implies we are able to understand the world, and by doing so we direct the will accordingly. We will do so of course for practical purposes – survival, utility, convenience, happiness etc. this would seem to cover the entire orbit of freedom. But Kant went on to demonstrate, in his Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals (1785), that such freedom is not actually freedom at all, and indeed is a binding. Thus far Kant is in concord with Hume. Now, the metaphysics of understanding, as spelt out in the Critique, is not the entire picture. The synthetic a priori faculty of the mind fashions understanding out of sensory experience. But such understanding does not lead to truth. As pure concepts of understanding space and time are both necessarily infinite. But because they emanate from the finite mind they are also finite. So in their very make-up space and time lead to contradictions. The same end must necessarily meet anything that takes place within space and time. So that matter is both infinitely divisible and also made up of concrete building blocks. As another example, we have free will, but at the same time everything is caused, so we don’t have free will. Such examples are put forward by Kant as pairs of â€Å"antinomies†. According to our understanding both consequences are valid, and yet they mutually contradict each other. All practical reasoning necessarily leads to pairs of antinomies. This must be so, because we reason by means of subject and predicate, where the subject is the cause of the predicate. But this subject is in turn predicate to another subject, and so on in an infinite chain of causation. If there was an ultimate subject at the beginning of this chain, we could have claimed to have discovered the final cause, and thereby have at hand a pronouncement of truth. But in contingent reality there is no such final cause. So whenever we try to make pronouncements of truth we must face contradiction. We cannot say that practical reason is false for this reason. Life is ruled by contingencies, and practical reason is to explain the contingent, or to facilitate such understanding. Absolute truth lies beyond all contingencies, and this is ruled by â€Å"pure† reason, explains Kant. It is not within the grasp of the human mind, yet it is the underpinning of the mind, and is the source of all innate faculties. The same analysis applies to practical freedom, which is but the corollary to practical reason. With practical freedom we choose our course according to practical reason, i.e. we are motivated by self-serving motives – happiness, honor, respectability, and so on. But in doing so we bind ourselves to those endless chains of contingencies, so that we are not really free. We chase material acquisition in order to be happy, and yet it always eludes us. The definition of freedom is to escape all contingencies, and yet by the application of practical reason we are mired more and more into contingent reality. Therefore we are not free. This is indeed a contradiction, one which Hume does not pay heed to. The very act of consciousness tells us that we are free, that out will is free. If practical reason does not embody this freedom, then surely pure reason must do so. By the same token, we are in possession of a transcendental freedom, which is a path that overcomes all contingencies, and is dictated by pure reason. Kant describes this path as the moral one. We recognize and follow this path from a sense of duty. To clarify what it is, duty is done for its own sake. There is no material motive whatsoever attached to it. Not for any particular good, it is done for the universal good. It is a categorical imperative, meaning that the very make-up of our being, or pure reason, dictates that we follow it. As an aid to identifying one’s duty Kant devised the following wording for the categorical imperative: â€Å"I ought never to act except in such a way that I could also will that my maxim should become a universal law† (Moral Law, 2005, p. 74). Kant is described as overcoming Hume’s skepticism. But it is questionable whether the latter is a skeptic at all. According to a contemporary, Hume’s philosophical paradoxes are delivered with a confidence that belies skepticism: â€Å"Never has there been a Pyrrhonian more dogmatic† (qtd. in Mossner, 1936, p. 129). A more recent reassessment of Hume is carried out by the German Neo-Kantian philosopher Ernst Cassirer, who opines, â€Å"Hume’s doctrine is not to be understood as an end, but as a new beginning† (1951, p. 59). The nature of this new beginning is well articulated by Hume himself. â€Å"Indulge your passion for science,† nature tells us, according to Hume, â€Å"but let your science be human, and such as may have a direct reference to action and society† (Hume, 1993, p. 3). If we listen carefully, the moral note that Hume is sounding is hardly different from that of the categorical imperative of Kant. Not for the person’s sake, but for humanity’s sake. Not for the particular good but for the universal good. This is the essence of Hume’s projected â€Å"science of man†, as it is also the heart of Kant’s metaphysics of morals. References Cassirer, E. (1951). The Philosophy of the Enlightenment. Trans. Fritz C. A. Koelln and James P. Pettegrove. Boston: Beacon Press. Hume, D. (1993). An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding. E. Steinberg (Ed.) Boston: Hackett Publishing. Kant, I. (1999). Critique of Pure Reason. W. S. Pluhar (Trans.), E. Watkins (Ed.) Boston: Hackett Publishing. Kant, I. (2005). Kants Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing. Kant, I. (2005). The Moral Law: Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals. Translated by H. J. Paton. New York: Routledge. Mossner, E. C. (1936). Bishop Butler and the Age of Reason: A Study in the History Of Thought. New York: Macmillan.

The Beginning of Human Life Form Essay -- Artificial Protocells Essays

The Beginning of Human Life Form As science and technology advance, an understanding of the origin of life becomes a feasible possibility. Artificial life research seeks to mimic life and to gain knowledge of the origin of life through reenacting it. This research strives to create the simplest possible â€Å"organism† that fulfills all of the requirements of life. These researchers define life as that which can evolve, self-reproduce, metabolize, adapt to environmental changes, and, ultimately, die. A fundamental concept behind research attempts is emergent properties, those that arise in more complex levels and are not predictable from the properties of lower hierarchical levels. Researchers use two approaches to create protolife: the â€Å"bottom up† approach strives to create life from nonliving components, while the â€Å"top down† approach attempts to simplify living cells to create the simplest possible cell and thus give a glimpse of a possible form of the first living cell. The â€Å"bottom up† approach seems to be the more widely attempted method because it is believed that if nature had to start with simple building blocks, we should do the same. There are two theories about the order in which life emerged; â€Å"one [†¦] assumes the primacy of metabolism and cellular organization [while] the other [†¦] assumes the primacy of reproduction and genetic information† (Lifson). Thus, much relevant research focuses on determining whether the origin of life began with self-replicating, information storing molecules (such as RNA or PNA) or with other molecules such as lipids or proteins (which form, for instance, encapsulating membranes). Whatever the order in which these characteristics evolved, there are three components a protocell m... ... Internet document accessed 11/21/04. http://www.geocities.com/giantfideli/ CellNEWS_Scientists_to_Create_A_New_Form_of_Life.html Lifson, Shneior. â€Å"On the Crucial Stages in the Origin of Animate Matter.† Journal of Molecular Evolution (1997) 44:1-8. Rasmussen, Chen, et al. â€Å"Transitions from Nonliving to Living Matter.† Science. Volume 303. 02/13/04. Rasmussen, Steen, et al. Bridging Nonliving and Living Matter. (2003). Bada, Jeffrey L. and Antonio Lazeano. â€Å"Prebiotic Soup—Revisiting the Miller Experiment.† Science. Vol. 300: 745-56. May 2003. â€Å"Scientists Create a Virus.† CreationTalk.com Forum. Internet document accessed 11/21/04. http://www.creationtalk.com/message-board-forum/viewtopic.php?t= 482&view=next Zimmer, Carl. â€Å"What Came before DNA?† Discover. Vol. 25: 34-41. June 2004.

Islam world Essay

European countries colonized most of the Islam world in eighteenth and the first half of the twentieth century. They were able to manage the finances and economies of these countries which only catered on their own interests and in their own ways. Banks all over the world have their own system in operating their organization. They set policies to attain their specific objectives and goals. One of these is the Islamic banking. Islamic banking as defined in Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia refers to a system of banking or banking activity which is consistent with Islamic law (Sharia) principles and guided by Islamic economics. In Islamic law, it forbids usury, the collection and payment of interest which is usually called as riba in Islamic discourse. In general, the Islamic law forbids trading in financial risk which is seen as a form of gambling. It also forbids investing in businesses that are considered haram such as businesses which involve in alcohol or pork, or businesses which produce un-Islamic media. Numerous of Islamic banking was founded in the late 20th century to cater to this specific banking market. History of Islamic Banking During the time of Prophet Muhammad, the Muslim communities have limited banking activity such as acceptance of deposits. In those days, the Muslims deposited their money with the Prophet or with the First Khalif of Islam whose name is Abu Bakr Sedique. The first Islamic bank was founded in Egypt which was put into under cover without giving any hint of Islamic image for having the fear of being seen as a manifestation of Islamic fundamentalism. In 1963, there was a pioneering effort made by Ahmed El Najjar who took the form of savings bank based on profit-sharing in Egyptian town of Mit Ghamr as an experiment. But the experimentation was ended in 1967 because during those days, there were nine banks in the country which had the same system as his. Principles in Islamic Banking Just like other banking systems, Islamic banking follows same purpose except that it operates in accordance with the rules of Shariah which is known as Figh al-Muamalat (Islamic rules on transactions). The sharing of profit and loss and the prohibition of riba’ which means interest is the basic principle in Islamic banking. There are common Islamic concepts which are used by the Islamic banking and these are the Mudharabah ( profit sharing) , Wadiah (safekeeping), Musharakah (joint venture), Murabahah ( cost plus) and Ijarah (leasing). Islamic banking uses many approaches in operating the system, if someone would like to loan the buyer money for him to purchase the selected item he chooses, the bank might be the one to buy that item to the seller and re-sell it to him at a profit by allowing him to pay the bank in installments but before his loan will be approved, the bank would ask him to have his strict collateral for bank’s protection against default. The land or goods which are registered in his name from the start of the transaction are the possible collateral. However, if he has late payment, there will be no additional penalties. This kind of arrangement is known as Murabaha. Ijara wa Iqtina is another approach use by Islamic banking. It is just similar to real estate leasing. All Islamic banks have the same approaches when it comes to vehicle loans. They sell the vehicle at a higher rate than in the market price to the debtor and have his/her ownership of the vehicle until the loan is paid. Islamic banks also used several approaches in business deals. They lend money to the some companies by issuing floating rate interest loans. This floating rate of interest is pegged to the company’s individual rate of return. In other words, the bank’s profit on the loan has equal ratio to a certain percentage of the company’s profit. There will be profit-sharing arrangement if the principal amount of the loan is repaid. This kind of approach is called Musharaka. Another approach is the Mudaraba. It is a venture capital funding which the bank provides financing while a certain entrepreneur provides labor so that both risk and profit are commonly shared. This kind of arrangement reflects the Islamic view that the borrower must not only be the one to bear all the risk or cost of a failure. Islamic banking only finance the Islamic acceptable deals and it doesn’t involve in alcohol, pork, gambling and other form of businesses that are against in their beliefs. The only acceptable form of investment is the ethical investing and moral purchasing is encouraged. Recently, there are numerous Islamic banks opened in the Muslim world but they still have a very small share of the global banking system. Concepts in Islamic debt banking *Wadiah (Safekeeping) The bank is entrusted as a keeper and trustee of funds. An individual deposits fund in the bank and the bank will guarantee and assure refund of the entire amount of the deposit, or any amount of outstanding balance whenever the depositor demands or withdraws it. The depositor may be rewarded with ‘hibah’ also called as gift as a way of showing gratitude for the use of funds by the bank. The bank compensates depositors for the time-value of their money; an example of this is the interest but refers it as a â€Å"gift†. *Mudharabah (Profit Loss sharing) It is an agreement or arrangement between an entrepreneur and a capital provider which the entrepreneur can use funds for his/her business activity. The capital provider and the entrepreneur will share the profits according to an agreed ratio but if ever there are losses, only the capital provider will bear them. The profit-sharing continues until the loan is repaid. The bank will be compensated for the time value of its money through the form of floating interest rate which is pegged to the debtor’s profits. * Musharakah (Joint Venture) This kind of approach is usually applied for joint ventures and business partnerships. They share same profits according to their agreed ratio and divide incurred losses based on the equity participation ratio. This concept is different from fixed-income investing. *Murabahah (Cost Plus) This concept is referring to the sale of goods at a price, which include a profit margin agreed to by both parties. At the time of sale agreement, the purchase and selling price, the profit margin and other costs must be clearly stated. The bank will be compensated for the time value of its money in the form of the profit money. It is a fixed-income loan for the purchase of a real asset such as real estate or a vehicle having a fixed rate of interest. The bank cannot have an additional interest on late payments. The asset remains in the ownership of the bank unless it is fully paid. This kind of concept is also similar to â€Å"rent-to-own† arrangements for furniture or appliances that are very common in North American stores. * Bai’ Bithaman Ajil (Deferred Payment Sale) This concept is almost the same with Murabahah but the debtor in this concept makes only a single installment and will pay on the maturity date of the loan. It also refers to the sale of goods on a deferred payment basis at a price including the profit margin agreed to by both parties. *Wakalah (Agency) The concept happens when an individual appoints a representative to do the transactions on his/her behalf which is just similar to a power of attorney. *Qardhul Hassan (Benevolent Loan) Of all form of loans mentioned, only Qardhul Hassan has an excellent effect to the debtors because in this loan, the debtor is only required to repay the principal amount lent. However, the debtor may pay an extra amount (any amount that is in his heart) beyond the principal amount of the loan as a way of gratitude to the creditor. But this transaction is a true interest-free loan because there are debtors who do not give an extra amount to the creditor. For some Muslims, they consider this loan as the only type of loan that does not go against with the prohibition on riba which is a type of a loan that does not compensate the creditor for the value of money. *Ijarah Thumma Al Bai’ (Hire Purchase) In this concept of loan, there are two contracts involved. Ijarah contract is into leasing/renting and the other contract is called Bai’ contact which means to purchase. These two contracts are undertaken one after the other. An example of this is in a car financing facility. A customer enters in an Ijarah contract where he/she leases the car from the owner which is the bank at an agreed amount over a particular period of time. When his contract in Ijarah expires, the Bai’ contract comes into effect which enables the customer to purchase and own the car at an agreed price. With this, the bank sells the car to the customer at an above market-price profit in return for agreeing to receive the payment over a period of time. The profit margin is equal to the interest earned at fixed rate of return. * Bai’ al-Inah (Sell and Buy back Agreement) In Bai’ al-Inah, the financier sells product to the customer on a long-term payment basis and then the financier immediately repurchased the product for cash with a discount. This agreement permits the bank to assume the ownership over the product or asset in order to protect default without charging interest in late payments or insolvency. *Hibah (Gift) The debtor in this concept voluntarily gives a hibah (gift) as a token given to the creditor in return for a loan. This concept is practice when Islamic banks voluntarily pay their customers interest on their savings account balances. * Takaful (Islamic Insurance) This concept is not new for it had been practiced by the Muhajrin of Mecca and the Ansar of Medina following the hijra of the Prophet over 1400 years ago. Takaful is also an alternative form of cover which a Muslim can avail himself the risk of loss due to misfortunes. Nowadays, in the modern business world, one way to minimize the risk of loss due to unavoidable circumstances is through insurances. The idea behind insurance is the sharing of risk. This concept of insurance does not go against in Shariah concept where resources are accumulated to help those who are in need.

Iron Crowned Chapter 23

I decided it would be best not to mention the twins thing to Kiyo. As it was, I was having a hard enough time processing it. Twins. Twins? This was the ultimate â€Å"when it rains, it pours† cliche. I'd gotten pregnant through an idiotic slip, putting me right in the line of the prophecy I'd tried to avoid for so long. And now, just when I'd managed to coax an early test so I could nip this situation in the bud, I was faced with a potential situation that I never, never could have foreseen. Kiyo had been right. I should have terminated the pregnancy the instant I found out, before I knew more about it. It was becoming real now. Every detail I learned made it more substantial, giving more life to what I carried within me. It's not too late. You don't have to wait for the results. Maybe it's better if you don't. I'd boldly told Jasmine that I'd keep the twins if they were girls, but the reality of that was harsh. How would I raise two children? I didn't know if I could handle one. How could I manage motherhood when half my life was spent in another world? How could I even keep working? Would I get a nanny – or force my kids onto someone like Tim or my mom? That latter seemed pretty unlikely. And then, of course, I was faced with the most mundane problem of all. Money. â€Å"You're going to be in serious trouble if you don't start working again soon,† Lara told me the day after I'd seen the doctor. She'd spent the night again and was sitting at my kitchen table with me. In front of her, a laptop showed an array of spreadsheets. â€Å"You're still okay †¦ but it won't last. Part of your money goes into the business's account – the one I'm paid from. The other profits go to your savings. The first one's running pretty low †¦ and if it goes empty †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We go into my savings,† I finished. She nodded. Her face was grim, a far cry from the giddiness she'd shown when she and Tim had stumbled out of bed this morning. A bitter part of me thought maybe I could pick up extra cash by charging her rent. I dismissed that, of course. None of this was her fault. â€Å"I know there's †¦ stuff †¦ going on, Eugenie, but why can't you start taking more jobs? You cut the workload before, and we still did okay, but now †¦ there's next to nothing. Your savings can't hold out that long. And what on earth did Enrique do that got us such a large bill?† I ignored that and simply stared at the numbers on the screen, my heart sinking. â€Å"I've got a lot of equity in the house.† â€Å"What?† Her jaw nearly dropped. â€Å"You'd risk your house instead of just taking on more work?† A terrible image came to my mind: me, trapped in some small apartment with two screaming babies. End it, just end it. â€Å"It's just an option,† I pointed out. â€Å"A safety net. And speaking of which †¦ Did you talk to Enrique?† Lara nodded. â€Å"I did. I'm going to do a little administrative work for him on the side.† â€Å"Good.† One less thing to feel guilty about. â€Å"You'll be okay then.† â€Å"This isn't about me! I don't understand. Why can't you just take a couple of jobs? I've got reams of requests! There are easy ones, like that ghost the other day.† I tried to hide my dismay at that. â€Å"I haven't been feeling well, that's all. And this is kind of a physical line of work.† Lara's blue eyes scrutinized me for several seconds. â€Å"Then maybe you're the one who needs to be looking for another job.† â€Å"No!† I exclaimed. â€Å"This is what I do. It's the only thing I do.† â€Å"But if you're sick – â€Å" â€Å"I'm fine. I'm seeing the doctor tomorrow and then †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I faltered. And then what? â€Å"And then I'll be fine. Back to work. My appointment's at noon, so hell, you could schedule something later that afternoon. Find me a troll or a banshee.† She sighed. â€Å"I didn't mean to upset you.† â€Å"I'm not upset.† But it was a lie. My volume had increased without my realizing it, and I felt flushed. Lara rose, shutting the laptop and picking up her plate. â€Å"Just get yourself better. We can figure this out then. Do you need a ride or anything tomorrow?† â€Å"I'm not that sick,† I told her. And, of course, I could always have my unlicensed teenage sister drive me. â€Å"We'll be back in business again soon, you'll see.† Lara gave me a tight smile, trying to hide concern but failing. She wandered off to Tim's bedroom, and Jasmine sat up on the couch, where she'd overheard everything. â€Å"That's a good idea, you know,† she said. â€Å"Sell this place. Just move to the Otherworld with the kids.† I started to rebuke her but paused. It was an option. I'd have plenty of daycare there – a whole castle of babysitters. My daughters would be raised like royalty. They were royalty. But raising them there meant they'd probably lose whatever humanity was in them. They would be gentry for all intents and purposes. Was that what I wanted? It was already happening to me. â€Å"They may be boys,† I reminded Jasmine. â€Å"Then it's back to work.† Kiyo called that night, wanting to know if I'd heard anything. I told him it was too soon for the results but that I'd let him know when the doctor called. It was a small lie. As I'd slipped to Lara, I was actually going back to the office for the results. Twins had popped me into a high-risk category, apparently, and along with delivering the results in person, they'd wanted to do another ultrasound. I didn't want Kiyo around for that, obviously, but I wouldn't have minded him coming over that night. I wanted the contact, the love. Most importantly, I wanted to feel like he wasn't repulsed by me in my current state. When noon came the next day, I went like someone going to her own funeral. My mind was blank, unable to focus on anything, and Jasmine probably would have been a safer driver. She'd come along; there'd been no discussion. Neither of us spoke on the drive over, and I could see she was wound just as tightly with tension. Whatever happened, it was going to be big. â€Å"Soon,† I murmured as we walked in. â€Å"Soon this'll be over, one way or another.† Or not so soon. The office was running behind, and it was like the continuation of some cosmic joke. I'd been counting down the seconds until this moment, and now the wait was indefinite while Dr. Sartori caught up with his schedule. Admittedly, I'd never felt angry at doctors who fell behind. I figured it just meant they were giving needed time and care to their patients. Maybe he was tied up because some other woman had discovered she was having a world-conquering monster. â€Å"Eugenie?† The sound of my name made me flinch. A nurse smiled serenely at me. â€Å"We're ready for you.† It was a repeat of before, changing into a gown and getting on the examination table. This is it, this is it. Dr. Sartori was back, but a different tech worked today. Her name was Ruth, and she had a kindly, almost grandmotherly air that felt reassuring. Like she could maybe fix all this. Dr. Sartori had a file of papers he began flipping through as Ruth lubed up my stomach. Again, I stared, still having a hard time believing there were two living beings in there. â€Å"Well,† he said. â€Å"I have good news.† Jasmine made a sound that almost sounded like a laugh. A bitter one, that is. Like me, she knew there was little that was going to be good here. In fact, things soon got worse. A knock sounded at the door, and the nurse I'd seen earlier stuck her head in. â€Å"I'm sorry to interrupt you,† she said. Her eyes fell on me. â€Å"There's a man here who says he's your boyfriend and that he was running late for the exam.† My mouth went dry. â€Å"Kiyo?† I managed. â€Å"That's him. I'll go get him.† She'd taken my ID of Kiyo as confirmation and acceptance. I opened my mouth to protest, but she was gone. I started to tell one of the others to go stop her, but by that point, Ruth's paddle had made contact. The screen again showed shadowy forms, and the sound of those rapid heartbeats filled the room. â€Å"There they are,† said Dr. Sartori. â€Å"We can wait for your boyfriend before getting to the results.† â€Å"No, we – â€Å" The nurse returned with Kiyo, who was all charm and smiles as he introduced himself. â€Å"Sorry I'm late. I had the time wrong. Lara corrected me.† That last part was to me, and despite the pleasant expression on his face, I saw a hard look in his eyes. He didn't like the deception. I had kept this from him, lying about when I'd get the results. How had he found me? Lara had known the time but not the place. For a moment, I thought Jasmine might be playing a game, but her face showed shock and wariness at his arrival. She was as surprised as me. The referral, I realized. He'd read it before and knew which doctor I was seeing. â€Å"Well, then,† continued Dr. Sartori. â€Å"Now that we're all here, we can go over everything. You can rest easy about your family history. No trace of anything abnormal in either one. Both of the fetuses' genetic tests came back fine.† It was a sign of Kiyo's self-control that he said nothing because I could have sworn the word both? was on his lips. His only reaction was another sharp look at me, his expression growing darker as he realized what I'd been hiding. The doctor and tech were watching the monitor, so they didn't see what Jasmine and I did. â€Å"And you know †¦ you know the gender?† I asked. Dr. Sartori nodded. â€Å"You can't actually see it on the ultrasound now, but the one Ruth's got a close-up of now †¦ that's a girl.† I exhaled in relief, and yet †¦ somehow, I knew what his next words would be as Ruth shifted to the other amorphous blob. â€Å"And this one's a boy.† Silence so cold and so heavy fell that I couldn't believe neither of the office's staff noticed the lack of joy this news was receiving. â€Å"A girl,† said Kiyo. â€Å"And a boy.† Dr. Sartori nodded, flipping through a few more pages. â€Å"Based on what you've told us and what we can see, we're putting your due date around the end of October. Although, with twins, you're at a higher risk for early delivery, so we'll be seeing you more often than in a normal pregnancy. And while this test gives us a lot of info, it doesn't tell everything, so you'll have others soon. You haven't had any pain since the CVS, have you? Any reactions?† â€Å"No,† I said flatly. My eyes were on those images, my world dominated by those heartbeats. â€Å"Good. You'll still want to take it easy to avoid any miscarriage risk.† He went over a few more issues, told me when to come back, and then asked if we had any questions. I half-expected Kiyo to ask for an abortion then and there, but he was still biting back his words. It was going to be a for later conversation, I knew. Ruth cleaned me up and then retreated with the doctor. They gestured Kiyo along with them. â€Å"It's crowded,† said Dr. Sartori good-naturedly. â€Å"You can meet up in the waiting room to schedule your next appointment.† â€Å"Yes,† said Kiyo, eyes boring into me. â€Å"We'll talk out there.† I forced a pained smile, and Jasmine turned anxiously toward me the second the door shut. â€Å"He is pissed,† she said. â€Å"I know. You don't have to tell me.† I pulled on my clothes, my limbs feeling leaden. â€Å"Oh God. I can't believe this is happening. Why? Why did I defy the odds? It was a one in three chance. One in three!† My voice was turning hysterical, as I begged this teen girl for answers. â€Å"All girls. All boys. Either was more likely than this. Why couldn't it have been one of those? Why couldn't we have had an easy fix?† Jasmine's face was solemn. â€Å"But you do. You said if one was a boy, you'd still have an abortion. You said you'd do it.† There was a challenge in her voice. I finished putting on my shoes and looked away from her. The monitor was black, the room silent, but I could still hear the heartbeats in my head. If I had an abortion to ensure the prophecy wasn't fulfilled, I'd be taking an innocent life. My daughter – that concept was still crazy to me – had no part in this. It wasn't her fault her brother was destined for blood and destruction. Really, was it even his fault? There was hardly anything to him yet. Just a shadow. And a heartbeat. How could you dictate the future of someone not even born? How could you know what he would turn into? Was anyone's potential really set in stone? And how could I be the one to kill that potential? How could I silence that heartbeat? Either of them. â€Å"Eugenie?† Jasmine's voice was puzzled. â€Å"You're going to do it, right?† I lifted my eyes from my feet. â€Å"I – I don't know.† â€Å"You have to.† A new voice spoke in the room. My skin tingled, and suddenly, Deanna materialized before us. I jumped. In light of everything else that had been happening in my life, she'd kind of gone off my radar. I'd left her in Enrique's hands and assumed that everything was settled with her when she hadn't answered my summoning. â€Å"What the hell?† I demanded. â€Å"What are you doing here?† So much for her moving on. Deanna looked like she always did, wearing that desolate look ghosts so often had. â€Å"You have to,† she repeated, ignoring my questions. Her expression grew bleaker. â€Å"If you don't get rid of your children, Kiyo will kill you.†

Visas para enfermeras para trabajar en Estados Unidos

Visas para enfermeras para trabajar en Estados Unidos Las visas para enfermeras extranjeras para trabajar en Estados Unidos son relativamente frecuentes debido a la escasez de profesionales en ese campo. Existen varios caminos para trabajar, aunque se han reducido desde que se dejase expirar el programa bajo el cual se concedà ­an las visas H-1C, pensado precisamente para este tipo de personal sanitario. Sin embargo, todavà ­a es posible conseguir legalmente un puesto de trabajo en un hospital o clà ­nica. A continuacià ³n se informa sobre la situacià ³n actual de enfermerà ­a en EE.UU. y se explican las distintas opciones migratorias para enfermeras extranjeras que desean venir a trabajar en este paà ­s. Escasez de enfermeras en Estados Unidos Se calcula que 3,9 millones de enfermeras trabajan en la actualidad en Estados Unidos en las diferentes categorà ­as de enfermerà ­a. Segà ºn la Asociacià ³n Nacional de Enfermerà ­a, de ahora al aà ±o 2024 dejarn de trabajar 690.000 enfermeras por jubilacià ³n y por cambio de profesià ³n. Adems, debido al envejecimiento rpido de la poblacià ³n la Oficina de Estadà ­sticas de Trabajo del gobierno estima que se necesitar que un 1.200.000 enfermeras entren a trabajar si no se quiere agravar el problema de escasez de profesionales de enfermerà ­a. Una de las formas de paliar la falta de enfermeras es permitir la contratacià ³n de personal extranjero. Las opciones varà ­an de patrocinio de una tarjeta de residencia a varias posibles visas. Cabe destacar que sin el adecuado documento migratorio no es posible trabajar en Estados Unidos. En la actualidad, la mayorà ­a de enfermeras extranjeras que trabajan en EE.UU. proceden de Filipinas, India, Canad, Corea del Sur, Irlanda, Australia y Reino Unido, sin embargo, existe una necesidad evidente por un mayor nà ºmero de enfermeras de origen hispano ya que en la actualidad sà ³lo el 4,9 por ciento se identifican como a este grupo à ©tnico. Tarjeta de residencia por trabajo para enfermeras extranjeras Sacar la tarjeta de residencia por patrocinio de un empleador estadounidense es un proceso largo y laborioso, pero al completarlo la enfermera podr quedarse de por vida, si asà ­ lo desea, a vivir en Estados Unidos ya que ser titular de una green card. Los trmites pueden tomar entre 12 y 18 meses, aunque dependiendo del paà ­s de origen puede llevar ms. Adems de la oferta de trabajo, la enfermera necesitar ser diplomada universitaria en esa carrera, ser el equivalente al Registered Nurse americano y bien aprobar un examen estatal que certifique sus conocimientos o aprobar el difà ­cil examen conocido como NCLEX u obtener una certificacià ³n que sà ³lo puede ser emitida por la Comission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing. Visa para enfermeras tipo H-1B Estos visados se conceden a profesionales y modelos y son particularmente populares entre las profesiones tecnolà ³gicas. Es muy comà ºn creer que las enfermeras no pueden acogerse a este tipo de visas, pero es un error. Es cierto que estas visas, cuando se conceden a profesionales, exigen estudios universitarios mà ­nimos de licenciatura, o lo que en inglà ©s se conoce como un bachelors degree. Pero lo cierto es que muchas enfermeras han estudiado ms all que la mera diplomatura. Adems es posible compensar la falta de estudios superiores con experiencia laboral pertinente. Otro problema que frecuentemente surge con la visa H-1B cuando se quiere para una enfermera es que Inmigracià ³n pide el certificado del estado para trabajar como paso para aprobar la solicitud de visa. Por otra parte, el estado pide como requisito tener un documento que permita trabajar en EE.UU. para otorgar la certificacià ³n. En este punto cabe destacar que los bufetes de abogados especialistas en esta visa saben encontrar soluciones a este tipo de problema. Adems, las visas H-1B son muy apreciadas porque se consideran de intencià ³n doble, desde el punto de vista migratorio. Esto es, permiten que se cambien por visas de inmigrante o residencias permanentes legales. Si no se hace este cambio a tarjeta de residencia permanente, que necesita el patrocinio de la empresa, los visados son vlidos por tres aà ±os, prorrogables por otros tres. El lado no positivo es que aunque con este tipo de visa se puede viajar y vivir en Estados Unidos junto con cà ³nyuge y los hijos solteros menores de 21 aà ±os, estos no podrn trabajar salvo en casos muy especiales en los que ya est iniciado un trnsito hacia la tarjeta de residencia. Sin embargo, los hijos sà ­ que podrn estudiar. Cada aà ±o fiscal se pueden conceder hasta un total de 65,000 visados de este tipo, ms otros 20,000 adicionales para las personas que hayan realizado estudios de maestrà ­a o doctorado en EEUU. Adems hay 1,400 reservados para los nacionales de Chile. Adems, hay que tener en cuenta que no hay là ­mite anual de visas de este tipo cuando el empleador es un organismo o institucià ³n oficial. En el caso de la sanidad la Clà ­nica Mayo es por ejemplo un importante patrocinador de este tipo de visados y no est sujeto a là ­mites de nà ºmero por aà ±o. Cabe destacar que muchos de los hospitales en el Top 10 para el tratamiento del cncer estn en esta categorà ­a. Incluso ofrecen estadà ­as temporales para el entrenamiento de personal sanitario extranjero. Visa TN para mexicanos Esta visa de trabajo solo aplica a ciudadanos mexicanos y canadienses ya que han sido creadas al amparo del Tratado de Libre Comercio de Norte Amà ©rica. (NAFTA, por sus siglas en inglà ©s). Para beneficiarse de este visado hay que ser una Registered Nurse, no basta con tener simplemente la titulacià ³n de enfermerà ­a. El cà ³nyuge y los hijos pueden vivir en EEUU pero no estn autorizados para trabajar. Para los nacionales mexicanos es de interà ©s conocer  todas las profesiones que permiten  aplicar por una visa TN. Visado E-3 para nacionales de Australia Sà ³lo se pueden acoger a à ©l las enfermeras australianas y se conceden por un periodo de dos aà ±os que se puede incrementar por igual tiempo. Sus titulares podrn vivir en Estados Unidos acompaà ±ados de su familia inmediata. Se parecen mucho a las H-1B pero cuentan con la ventaja de que el cà ³nyuge de un titular de estas visas sà ­ puede obtener un permiso de trabajo. Como nota a tener en cuenta destacar que la E-3 es una de las visas de trabajo que ms rpidamente se tramitan. Ingresos medios de enfermeras Si te preguntas si tanto sacrificio merece la pena, estos son los ingresos anuales medios de las enfermeras en Estados Unidos segà ºn el tipo de especializacià ³n. En relacià ³n a los salarios es importante entender que hay grandes diferencias tambià ©n segà ºn los aà ±os de experiencia laboral, el lugar de trabajo e incluso el tipo de institucià ³n para la que se trabaja. Asimismo, hay que tener en cuenta que lo que realmente se gana puede estar muy influenciado por lo que se paga de impuestos, ya que varà ­an grandemente segà ºn el estado y a veces incluso segà ºn la ciudad o el condado. Agencias que contratan a enfermeras extranjeras Las enfermeras y enfermeros que desean trabajar en Estados Unidos y desean encontrar patrocinador pueden informarse con cualquiera de estas  10 agencias especializadas en reclutar enfermeras  de otros paà ­ses para trabajar en USA. Consejos sobre validacià ³n de estudios Las visas para enfermeras requieren un buen nivel de inglà ©s y los resultados que se exigen de los exmenes aceptados –TOEFL, IELTS o TOEIC- son altos. No sà ³lo basta leer y escribir bien, hay que entender y hablar muy aceptablemente. Se espera un gran nà ºmero de jubilaciones de personal sanitario americano a lo largo de esta dà ©cada, con lo que se pronostica que habr una gran necesidad de este tipo de profesionales extranjeros. Finalmente, los estudios necesitan ser validados correctamente y por organizaciones aprobadas para ello. Puntos clave EE.UU. sufre de escasez grave en profesionales de enfermerà ­aEs posible ser patrocinado por empresa para tarjeta de residencia permanenteLas enfermeras extranjeras pueden sacar visas H-1B, TN y E3 (solo australianos) Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

Inflections in English

Inflections in English Inflections in English Inflections in English By Maeve Maddox Inflections are word elements that indicate grammatical relationships among the words in a sentence. For example, the verb walked is in the past tense; we know this because of the inflectional ending -ed. The noun girls is plural. We know this because of the s that has been added to the singular word girl. All languages make use of inflections. Those that make use of a great many inflections–like Latin–are called â€Å"synthetic languages.† Those that do not have so many–like English–are called â€Å"analytic languages.† The low incidence of inflections in English requires speakers to pay attention to word order. In Latin, on the other hand, word order hardly matters. Take nouns as an example. In Latin, nouns have special forms, according to whether the noun is being used as the subject of a sentence, the direct object, the indirect object, a complement, a noun with a built-in preposition, a possessive noun, or a noun of address. In English, except for possession and number, a noun is a noun is a noun. If we look at the English word girl out of the context of a sentence, we know it’s a noun, but we can’t tell anything else about its grammatical function until it is used in a sentence. If we look at the Latin noun puellam (girl), we know that it is the direct object form. The form puella is a subject form. Puellae is genitive (possessive) form meaning â€Å"of the girl.† Because the inflections are â€Å"built in,† their order in a sentence doesn’t much matter. In English, however, word order tells us if a noun is a subject or an object. If it comes before the verb (usually) a noun is a subject. If it comes after an action verb, it’s an object. For example, in English, â€Å"The boy loves the girl† means something different from â€Å"The girl loves the boy.† In Latin, on the other hand, Puer puellam amat, Puellam puer amat, and Amat puellam puer all mean the same thing: â€Å"The boy loves the girl.† Then there are the adjectives. Latin adjectives have to accord with the nouns. To say, â€Å"The big boy loves the pretty girl† you write: Puer magnus puellam bellam amat. To write, â€Å"The pretty girl loves the big boy,† you can leave the words in the same order, but you have to change the endings to show function and gender: Puella bella puerum magnum amat. Because English retains so few inflections, it is a little surprising that so many of the errors we discuss on this site have to do with the few inflections that do remain. Nouns Nouns are inflected by the addition of an apostrophe to show possession: The boy’s backpack was stolen. (singular noun, ’s) The boys’ backpacks were stolen. (plural noun, s’). The letter s is usually added to a noun to form the plural: The girl climbed Mount Everest. The girls climbed Mount Everest. Errors with plural nouns occur with words that do not form the plural by adding s, for example, woman/women; calf/calves, etc. Errors in placing the apostrophe are quite common. For example: â€Å"The mens’ locker room† instead of â€Å"the men’s locker room.† Some uncertain writers sprinkle apostrophes in very unlikely places: Chloe sing’s with the choir. (Should be sings) The dog hurt it’s paw. (Should be its paw) Verbs Regular verbs are inflected to show past tense by adding the suffix -ed: talk, talked, (have) talked. Errors occur with verbs that indicate past tense by changes in spelling, for example, write, wrote, (have) written. See the DWT post Beware of the Irregular Past Participle. Pronouns Because pronouns have retained more inflected forms than nouns, they are the source of probably half the grammatical errors made by native speakers. The inflections that give trouble with the personal pronouns are these: Subject forms: I, he, she, we, they Object forms: me, him, her, us, them For more on pronoun case, see All Pronoun Cases Are Created Equal. Possessive forms are of two kinds: those that stand for a noun (possessive pronouns), and those that stand before a noun to show possession (possessive adjectives). Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs Possessive adjectives: my, your, his, her, its, our, their For example, That book is mine. (Possessive pronoun standing for book) That is my book. (Possessive adjective qualifying book) The pronouns you and it present no problems because they are the same in both their subject and object forms. Other errors with the possessive forms are misspelling its and using their with a singular antecedent: Wrong: The house is having it’s roof replaced. Correct: The house is having its roof replaced. Wrong: Every scout will do their duty. Correct: Every scout will do his duty. Adjectives Adjectives are inflected to show comparison. This article illustrates the different ways of doing it: Comparative Forms of Adjectives Adverbs Adverbs are also inflected to show comparison. Adverbs that end in -ly are inflected by adding more and most in front of them: happily, more happily, most happily. Note: Some authorities regard the comparison of adjectives and adverbs as word formation rather than inflection. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar 101 category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Addressing A Letter to Two PeopleFor Sale vs. On SaleDrama vs. Melodrama