Portable X-ray fluorescence Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Portable X-ray fluorescence - Research Paper Example ng solutions in the presence of several additive ions by portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) revealing an optimum potassium gold cyanide concentration of 2 - 3 g/L for maximum cathode efficiency. Further, there is exploration of utility of XRF to determine the thickness of gold plated on copper substrates up to 6 microns. For the second experiment, the objectives were to determine the detection limits, accuracy, repeatability and efficiency of a X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (Niton XRF analyzer) in comparison with the traditional analytical methods, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Further, the experiment also involved applying inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-MS) in screening of major and trace elements of environmental samples including estuary soils and sediments, contaminated soils, and biological samples. For the third experiment the major objective was to compare lead concentrations in surface peat samples from the South Pennines (UK) derived using (a) X-ray fluorescence spectrometry is a core aspect in analysis especially in the field of science and industry application. The concept of XRF lies on the principle that individual atoms, wherever excited as a result of contact with an external energy source, ends up emitting X-ray photons characterized by a a wavelength or energy. In which case, on this basis one can define the identity and quantification of an element present therein by simply counting the number of photons contained in energy from the given sample. Henry Moseley coined the technique, after being led by a discovery of X-ray tube that he applied in bombarding samples containing high energy electrons. Intuitively, Henry ended up with a mathematical relationship that could related the atomic number to the element’s emitted X-ray frequency. The years were followed by eventual development of the instrument leading to a modern XRF instrument that is reliable for analysis

Does Kripke's Pierre Really Believe of London both that It Is Pretty Term Paper

Does Kripke's Pierre Really Believe of London both that It Is Pretty and that It Is not Pretty - Term Paper Example Saul Kripke clearly brings into focus the narration about Pierre in his article, a puzzle about belief. This story could be possibly true on earth as we know it. The story lacks twin worlds or people who are identical. For this reason, it distinguishes itself as a more innocent story compared to other recent past experiments of philosophical thought Sorensen, Roy. Without employing the use of dramatic devices, the story appears to point to realistic possibilities. The possibilities seem to have a lot of philosophical blasts. Supposedly, the story about Pierre has become common knowledge to philosophers by now. Pierre was initially a normal French speaker. Later, he moved to London where he learned and practiced English. He did this without attempting to use the dictionary or any other reference material2. While still in France, he used to hear about London. As a result of what he heard concerning London, he obtained a disposition to subscribe to the sentence â€Å"Londres est jolie†. He still has this disposition. After spending some time in England, learned and became a normal English speaker. Following what he had seen in London, he now asserts to the sentence that London is not pretty. Pierre does not notice that the very city he calls London and wishes when he speaks French is that same city as that which he calls London when he now speaks English. When communicating to his English friends, Pierre asserts that London is not pretty. When conversing with the French in this same city, he sometimes claims that "Londres est jolie", meaning that London is pretty3. According to the principles of our common practice of belief acknowledgment, we appear to be compelled to assert that Pierre believes that London is not pretty. This is based on his assertion that London is not pretty. At the same time, we appear to be compelled to conclude that Pierre believes that in fact, London is pretty. This assertion is based on the strength of Pierre’s assertion that â€Å"Londres est jolie† these contradictory statements bring about a puzzle in the story about the common idea of belief. In other words, it creates a puzzle on the semantic role of proper nouns like London and Londres.

UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay Example for Free

UNICEF and the Safeguard of Children Rights Essay UNICEF’s mission is to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. UNICEF is guided in doing this by the provisions and principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNICEF, 2008). Built on varied legal systems and cultural traditions, the Convention is a universally agreed set of non-negotiable standards and obligations (UNICEF, 2006). The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the first legally binding international instrument to incorporate the full range of human rights civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights (Freeman, 1996). In 1989, world leaders decided that children needed a special convention just for them because people under eighteen years old often need special care and protection that adults do not (Alston, 1992). The leaders also wanted to make sure that the world recognized that children have human rights too. The Convention sets out these rights in 54 articles and two Optional Protocols. It spells out the basic human rights that children everywhere have: the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life (UNICEF, 2006). The four core principles of the Convention are non-discrimination; devotion to the best interests of the child; the right to life, survival and development; and respect for the views of the child (Jasper, 1994). Every right spelled out in the Convention is inherent to the human dignity and harmonious development of every child. The Convention protects childrens rights by setting standards in health care; education; and legal, civil and social services (Jasper, 1994). By agreeing to undertake the obligations of the Convention, national governments committed themselves to protecting and ensuring childrens rights and they have agreed to hold themselves accountable for this commitment before the international community. States parties to the Convention are obliged to develop and undertake all actions and policies in the light of the best interests of the child (Stein, 1998). Most of the governments have incorporated this issue in their development plan courtesy of UNICEF. UNICEFs work for the overall protection of childhood is guided by the principles and standards established by the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Walker, 1999). In advocating to protect childrens rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential, UNICEF helps to change the legal and policy framework of States parties and to improve understanding of the Convention itself at all levels of society (Walker, 1999). Among other activities, UNICEF works in nearly 160 countries to support ratification and implementation of the Convention and the Optional Protocols on the involvement of children in armed conflict and on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF draws attention to the duties of governments, families, communities and individuals to respect those rights and supports them in doing so. During armed conflict, children are targeted for the worst possible violence and abuse, including abduction, rape and recruitment as child soldiers, and may be forced or coerced to take part in atrocities (Peters, 1997). Because children are among the most affected by conflict they become victims and witnesses of these offences (Brandes, 1999). The lack of accountability for conflict-related crimes against children can leave child victims vulnerable to further violation and abuse. Accountability in post-conflict situations can fulfill a number of important functions (Peters, 1997). It contributes to the process of healing and helps children understand that they are not to blame for what has happened. By investigating and documenting violations committed, accountability processes raise public awareness of the impacts of conflict on children (Dobrish, 1999). Accountability can also help to break the cycle of violence, restore confidence in democracy and the rule of law, and strengthen the legitimacy and authority of the new government (Fox, 1997). In recent years, truth, justice and reconciliation processes have begun to focus specifically on crimes committed against children and have involved children proactively, including through testimony that bears witness to their experiences(Dobrish, 1999). The recent involvement of children and adolescents in providing testimony to international and national courts and truth commissions has demonstrated their unique role as participants and as members of their communities (UNICEF, 2008). But if children are to engage in transitional justice processes their rights must be respected. The review and analysis of emerging good practices on the involvement of children and adolescents in truth, justice and reconciliation processes has brought to light a number of dilemmas. For example, it is recognized that children and adolescents who have been recruited to take part in hostilities are primarily victims of armed conflict. At the same time, many argue that some form of accountability for crimes committed by children is in their best interests and could contribute to processes of reconciliation and reintegration (Teitelbaum, 1999). Mechanisms of accountability for serious violations committed during armed conflict include a wide range of options, such as judicial prosecutions, truth commissions, restorative justice processes and traditional practices (Kurmay, 1996). When children engage in truth, justice and reconciliation processes, new possibilities and new challenges are encountered. In a number of instances, child-friendly procedures have been introduced to safeguard the rights of children who become involved and to support their protection throughout the process (Teitelbaum, 1999). This can help build children’s confidence and restore their sense of justice in the social and political order, while also establishing a mechanism of accountability for crimes committed against them. However, many questions remain as to how best to protect the rights of children involved as victims and witnesses in these contexts. Ideally children’s participation should strengthen and enhance their protection, and protection measures should enable participation (Kurmay, 1996). In the long term, if children are excluded from transitional processes, they may become frustrated and vulnerable to a continuing cycle of violence, impacting future generations. Failure to address their concerns also wastes the capacity and potential of children and adolescents to serve as catalysts for reconciliation and peace-building within their own communities (Dwyer, 1999). The importance of furthering efforts to support children’s involvement in transitional justice processes was identified during an expert discussion on Transitional Justice and Children convened by the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre (IRC) in November 2005. It was proposed that research on children and truth commissions be undertaken, identifying good practices and lessons learned, and recommending strategies to improve and facilitate children’s participation in future truth commissions(UNICEF, 2006). Documentation on the role of children in truth commissions was initiated by UNICEF IRC and the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) (UNICEF, 2006). In the course of research underway on children and truth commissions, a number of issues have emerged requiring further research and analysis in order to better understand the potential and the limits of children’s participation in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). As a result it was decided to initiate an Expert Paper Series on Children and Transitional Justice, addressing a broad range of issues, including judicial accountability, truth-seeking, local, traditional and restorative justice processes, and institutional reform. The Series has helped to build a network for sharing information and expertise, generating discussion and debate among key stakeholders (UNICEF, 2006). These include child protection advocates, government agents, legal experts and academics. The objective of the expert paper series is to improve accountability for crimes against children and to protect the rights of children involved in transitional justice processes (ACF, 2007). Specific papers will document and analyze emerging good practices and lessons learned; evaluate the potential role of children; and anticipate and promote strategies for involving children in future transitional processes(ACF, 2007). It is anticipated that studies undertaken in this series will help to guide the involvement of children in truth, justice and reconciliation processes in post-conflict transition. UNICEF works closely with other human rights bodies such as Human Security Network (HSN). This is an organization which has a long-standing commitment to human rights and to the protection of the most vulnerable both in peace and in times of conflict (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network plays a decisive role in advancing the implementation of the Convention and of its two Optional Protocols, and in reaffirming, in each and every decision the general principles of non discrimination, best interests of the child, survival and development and participation of the child (UNICEF, 2008). The year 2007 was a landmark year for the protection of children’s rights. Indeed, 2007 marked the 18th anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (Marta, 2007). As the Convention entered a new stage of adulthood there was an opportunity to celebrate the many important achievements and to critically reflect on the best ways of addressing the challenges ahead. The year was also marked by the General Assembly mid decade review of the follow-up to the Special Session on Children. This process was an important opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to children, to advance the Millennium Agenda and further consolidate a world fit for children (Marta, 2007). By 2007, there is a full prohibition of all forms of violence against children in 19 countries (UNICEF, 2008). Legislation was adopted in The Netherlands where law enactment is being supported by a communication plan designed to inform parents and the general public about the legal ban in the lead up to its entry into force. New Zealand has banned the use of reasonable force for parents in the disciplining of their children (ACF, 2008). In a number of other nations draft legislation has been prepared and in others public commitments have been undertaken to ban all forms of violence (ACF, 2008). Once the changes become effective within each of these States, one fifth of the UN Member States would have extended legal protection to prevent violence against children (UNICEF, 2008). UNICEF have recently developed and launched a Handbook on what parliamentarians can do to protect children from violence (UNICEF, 2008). With the participation of parliamentarians and international organizations from more than 100 countries, the launch was an opportunity to anticipate actions parliaments can take to ensure children’s freedom from violence, including through their legislative power, and to encourage and oversee government action and to promote the allocation of resources for relevant programmes and interventions(UNICEF, 2008). The Handbook will be translated in national languages and used as an important tool to support follow-up to the UN Study on Violence (Marta, 2007). The Human Security Network have partnered to promote its wide dissemination and use. Naturally, legislation is only meaningful when it is effectively applied. To make law enforcement a reality it is important to engage children in the process of implementation (Masson, 1999). It is for this reason that UNICEF has joined efforts with a number of partners to produce the child friendly version of the UN Guidelines on justice in matters involving child victims and witnesses of crime. The child friendly version was launched at the recent Crime Prevention Commission, in Vienna (UNICEF, 2008). The previous months show the instrumental role played by Professor Pinheiro as a global advocate and a catalyst for social change. But the task is just beginning and only by moving the implementation forward can we build a world free from violence for every child, wherever he or she may live (Marta, 2007). France hosted a major conference in 2006 where a wide range partners endorsed the Paris Principles to stop the recruitment and use of children in adult wars. The document represents the state of the art knowledge in the prevention, protection and reintegration of children recruited by armed forces and groups. And it has a unique potential to ensure the realization of children’s rights more broadly (UNICEF, 2008). These milestones are mutually complementary and provide a strategic vision for the future. More importantly, they give us a golden occasion to make a real difference in the lives of children (UNICEF, 2008). At the heart of this process are two closely related dimensions; child participation and the prevention of violence and conflict. Together, they both support the protection of children’s rights. A recent study of the Innocenti Research Centre a partner of UNICEF on â€Å"Birth Registration and Armed Conflict† revealed a few truths. Birth Registration is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence (Marta, 2007). It is a fundamental human right and has strong implications for the enjoyment of other human rights it thus stand as a vivid illustration of the indivisibility of children’s rights and a call to always keep a child centered approach. In times of war, birth registration gains a special relevance for child protection, for the prevention of child recruitment, abduction and exploitation, as well as for access to humanitarian assistance (ABA, 2007). Over 25 truth commissions have been convened in various countries over the last decades and several have addressed the experiences of children (ABA, 2007). But the Truth Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Sierra Leone was the first truth commission to specifically focus on children as victims and witnesses, and to profile children’s role as actors in the reconciliation process. It is also the first case where a children’s version of the Commission’s report was prepared (ACF, 2008 ). The children’s version of the Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report is one example of how children can contribute to community efforts towards reconciliation and transition, while helping to break the cycle of violence and re-establish confidence in the rule of law. UNICEF has had its fair share of challenges in protecting the rights of children. Civil wars especially in Africa have always targeted the children as recruits and this has always been a hurdle for the organization to overcome. Advocacy for children rights in a civic war infested area has not always been easy for them since the lives of the employees are also threatened. Lack of political will in various countries to support the UNICEF’s initiatives has been another monster in children rights protection. Some government agents like the police may be uncooperative in issues of child trafficking, pornography and other related cases hence the risk of failing to catch non-convicted abusers. Other barriers that have been along UNICEF’s path to success are undeveloped, unimplemented and conflicting policies on children rights and responsibilities in many countries. Lack of adequate funds to support their initiatives especially in less developed countries. Traditional practices and taboos among communities are also a major impediment since some encourage abusive practices against children such as communities’ warriors, early marriages, and local slave trade among others. Children are members of their communities and by taking part in community action they increase awareness and confidence and build their capacity for citizenship (Teitelbaum, 1999). Through their involvement in community reconciliation efforts, children can become advocates and catalysts within their families and communities, energizing reconciliation and nation building efforts (Jackson, 1999). It is by addressing the root causes of conflict and providing realistic opportunities for young people that we can begin to break the inter-generational violence that has resulted in protracted conflicts in many countries today. Finally, as we move forward and support actions to prevent all forms of violence in peace and in war through UNICEF, we must not forget that at the centre of all our efforts are individual children whose lives hang in the balance of our actions. We cannot wait another minute. When Graca Machel prepared her report in 1995, she was asked by a child, â€Å"How long will it take before things get better? A month, a year? † Today that child is an adult and another generation of children is asking the same question (UNICEF, 2008). How long will it take? The life of a child leaves no second chance. That is the urgency that must drive us in our efforts to make a real difference, a lasting difference. References: Alston, Philip, et al. , Children, rights, and the law. Oxford England: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1992. Alston, Philip. The best interests of the child: reconciling culture and human rights. Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1994. Angel, William D. The international law of youth rights : source documents and commentary. Dordrecht ; Boston : M. Nijhoff, 1995. Carey, Jacqueline M. Section of Family Law Home Page. American Bar Association Family Law Section. URL: http://www. abanet. org/family/ Cohen, Cynthia Price. Childrens rights in America : U. N. Convention on the rights of the child compared with United States law. [Chicago, Ill. ] : American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law, [in cooperation with] Defense for Children International-USA, c1990. Freeman, Michael. Childrens rights : a comparative perspective. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt. : Dartmouth Pub. Co. , c1996. Jasper, Margaret C. Juvenile justice and childrens law. Dobbs Ferry, NY : Oceana Publications, 1994. Masson, J. M. (Judith M. ) Out of hearing : representing children in care proceedings. Chichester ; New York : Wiley, c1999. Mezey, Susan Gluck. Children in court : public policymaking and federal court decisions. Albany : State University of New York Press, c1996.

The 4g Wireless Networks

The 4g Wireless Networks The current system has very limited services; 4G is going to be The Technology which is going to be highly in demand. With the developing of 4G this power can be utilized to its fullest potential for various people in different walks of life. This is will help the military services of any nation to a great extent as the video clarity and data transfer speed will help the uniformed men in the war front. Likewise for the corporate this is a boon as they can have virtual offices all over the world and monitor their business by sitting in one corner of the world. And even for the personal use it is of great help to the people as it has the better quality of service, connectivity and also helps the people in all the fields. This fourth generation helps us to gather all kinds of information which is needed without any difficulty. This 4G has lots more benefits when compared to the 3G and it also provides better service to the people in a high level. Introduction: The wireless technologies evolution has many generations such as 1G, 2G which is of wireless cellular system. The wireless systems which are currently in use provide only limited services. The users of 2G and 2.5G are asking for better quality in data, multimedia and voice similar to the quality of the wired. But the data rate required for it is very high, which is also beyond the 3G capabilities. This motivated in the research of the Fourth Generation wireless network s (4G). The 4G vision unifies many mobile and the wireless networks. Anyway, there is a basic difference to the wireless cellular and the WLANs. The wireless networks in the fourth generation will have different networks and it will overlie one with the other. The mobile station which has multiple interfaces will be fully equipped which will enhance its mobility. The 4G wireless networks will have different kinds of wireless components which will provide large number of service to the users, so that the people can communicate with the help of these networks and architecture. The 4G wireless networks are very flexible and will provide wide range of technology to the users. They will not only be able to use the internet services but also will be able to use the other services like voice and some other day-to-day applications. They not only help in improving the services but also help us to obtain wide range of information and services. Requirements: The 4G is a safe and secure platform and many services can be made use of it. It gives the complete satisfaction to the users. Low Handoff: This handoff will cause the delay in the services and it will also create loss to the communication of the data. Hence this should be managed for the better communication. Access: The access is the important thing in the 4G networks as it gives connectivity to the users and it also provides the end services. Network: The network should be of multi-service so that it will not only give the basic access but also gives a wide range of services to the people who will need voice and other services. Broadband: The 4G network integrates using the high end platform and it is also cheaper and effective to use, and it can be maintained easily. Security service: For success of 4G, the important aspect is security and to make sure that the networks are safe and protected. Models: The 4G has different range of models and it can be made use as required. Optimal networks: In this, according to the agreement the optimal network for the service is selected and the connectivity is selected based on the internet network layer. Hybrid networks: The core layers will be present and the layers will have networks of different kinds which will be presented layer below layer. Heterogeneous networks: This deals with different and all kinds of networks which has one common network. When the core layer is the same it minimizes the overheads and will also improve in the performance of the network. The fourth generation wireless network comprises 4 basic layers. They are Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN), Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), and Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN). WPAN Networks WLAN Networks WMAN Networks WWAN Networks The networks of the lower levels has high bandwidth and play a small area of networking and sometimes the networks of the lower level can play the role of the networks in the higher level. The WPAN has the shortest network connectivity. It has connection only to the personal needs like; the Bluetooth can be used with it. It covers only a relatively short distance. The WLAN also covers a short area, but more than the WPAN. It covers the local area. For e.g. the use of internet in an area. The WMAN covers more than the WLAN. It provides communication between a metropolitan area. The WWAN is the wide area but it does not have a very high bandwidth. The use of cellular, GSM can be accessed with this network. Wireless Fourth Generation Architecture: Inter Technology Hybrid Unit (HU): This hybrid unit acts as a bridge between the different layers. It combines many networks to access different technologies. The hybrid units are of different types, they are: WWAN-WMAN: This node provides a link between the WWAN and the WMAN network. For the WWAN it can act as the base station and for the WMAN it acts as a subscriber station. WMAN-WLAN: For the WLAN this unit acts as an access point, and for WMAN, it is the subscriber station. WLAN-WPAN: The networks WLAN and WPAN will be interconnected using this unit. It can operate the Bluetooth the ad-hoc networks. The main components of the cellular networks are the Mobile Switching Center (MSC), Home location Register (HLR), Serving GRPS Support Mode (SGSN). Properties of 4G: Network Architecture: It has Hybrid network architecture. Driving Architecture: It has converged data and voice over IP. Switching: It has digitalized switching with packetized voice. Radio Access: MC-CDMA, OFDMA. Database: ELHR, VLR, EIR, AuC. Data rates: It has data rates of 100Mbpsc. Roaming: It has global roaming. Compatible: It is compatible to 3G. Handsets: Numerous mode voice, data streamed video with higher data rates. Applications: Internet, MMS, Multimedia, HDTV M TV Bandwidth: It has bandwidth of 100MHz Frequency Band: It has higher frequency bands of 2-8 MHz Component Design: It has smaller antennas, software multiband and wideband radios. FEC Tech: It has concatenated coding scheme. IP: All IP (IP6.0) As the wireless communication system develops the expectations and the demand among the people keeps increasing. These wireless networks work on their capacity and limits also has some crucial period. The re-configurability can be done at any level, and it will be useful for the network provider as well as the user perspective. This provides selection between the alternate networks and is based upon all the issues. The re-configurability mechanism tells not only about the physical layer but also the stacks of the entire protocol. These 4G systems will provide many features to the users and it will provide end-to-end connectivity. The accessing, roaming and the other dynamic features are very useful and everything is obtained at a minimal cost. They can also choose between the other wireless networks if required. The following figure shows about the interoperability of the 4G layers. The 4G networks usually support the global roaming and the end-to-end services in the wireless networks, and these thing usually depend upon the Quality of Service issues (QoS). The capacity and the bandwidth for the 4G should be many times more than that of the 3G to meet the business requirements. The 4G depends not only upon the speed and version but entirely for its service and the quality. The main difference between the 4G and the previous generations is that in 4G both the voice and data can be sent, but in the other generations the voice and only a small amount of data can be sent across. The 4G can be used wireless with the Digital Subscriber line (DSL). The people throughout the world would be benefited and can use for communication, as its service and quality are very good. They can even do business from one part of the world to the other as it has good speed and is reliable. The people who have not yet used the 3G can directly hop on the 4G as it is more useful and of good speed. It will be based on the network IP technology. 4G is more useful than Wi-Fi. In Wi-Fi the distance matters and it can be accessed only in the slow path. But this 4G is faster and it can be accessed from any place and it is also cost-effective. Quality of Service: The quality of service plays a very challenging role in the 4G networks. It provide a wide range of service and a better quality to the users. There are 4 types of quality of service, they are: 1. Packet- level Quality of service: This QoS refers to the packet level service which also takes care of the error rate, and the space occupied by the buffer. It has a good packet quality which is very helpful to the users. 2. Transaction level Quality of Service: This transaction level depends on the transaction time it takes to complete a service and also about the packet loss. Some of networks can accept the packet loss but the others cannot. 3. Circuit level Quality of Service: The circuit level service is about the calls which have been connected and also about the circuit level transfer and other transactions. It provides a good quality of service for the calls and services. 4. User-level Quality of Service: The user level quality depends upon the application and the other services. It also depends upon the mobility of the users which may support the quality of the network. Conclusion: 4 G is developed with the following aspects and advantages: Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s speed would be 50 times high than 3G. The expected bandwidth of 4G is about 10Mbps. It has options of three-dimensional virtual reality, video and the ability to feel at the event even if you are not present physically there. We get to interact with people, products and know about the places when the cyber and real world merge. The smart card in your mobile would advice you to do what next as it will be monitoring your movements. Last but not the least 4G will provide access and support for authentication, paying off bills, security and also supports whichever has mobile specific services.

Operation Barbarossa Essay -- essays research papers

OPERATION BARBAROSSA The invasion of Russia was the largest military campaign of the Second World War. Operation Barbarossa, as it was known, was launched on 22 June 1941 and completely took Russia by surprise. The widening war raging in Africa and eastern Europe were key distractions for Hitler from his ultimate goal of attacking Russia. Although the British army remained undefeated in the west, Hitler’s goal proved an urgency for him to begin moving on the east. Whilst planning was made throughout 1940 for the invasion of Russia, time was favorable towards the Russians and they continued to mobilize their resources and strengthen their defense forces. The invasion of the Germans was a complete surprise as Russian dictator, Josef Stalin, had failed to acknowledge the increasing German troop concentrations on the border and he had also ignored British intelligence reports stating that Germany had intended to attack. Hitler once again used the Blitzkrieg technique with German tanks and air power leading the attack. There were three powerful German armies, made up of over 3 million men which moved into Russia. As one army group headed north towards Leningrad, a center group headed towards Moscow and a southern group moved to capture the food producing area of the Ukraine. By now, the Germans were thrilled with their fast advancements and initial success, including the fact that they had captured over 400 000 Russian soldiers. In late July, the advance on Leningrad and Mosco... Operation Barbarossa Essay -- essays research papers OPERATION BARBAROSSA The invasion of Russia was the largest military campaign of the Second World War. Operation Barbarossa, as it was known, was launched on 22 June 1941 and completely took Russia by surprise. The widening war raging in Africa and eastern Europe were key distractions for Hitler from his ultimate goal of attacking Russia. Although the British army remained undefeated in the west, Hitler’s goal proved an urgency for him to begin moving on the east. Whilst planning was made throughout 1940 for the invasion of Russia, time was favorable towards the Russians and they continued to mobilize their resources and strengthen their defense forces. The invasion of the Germans was a complete surprise as Russian dictator, Josef Stalin, had failed to acknowledge the increasing German troop concentrations on the border and he had also ignored British intelligence reports stating that Germany had intended to attack. Hitler once again used the Blitzkrieg technique with German tanks and air power leading the attack. There were three powerful German armies, made up of over 3 million men which moved into Russia. As one army group headed north towards Leningrad, a center group headed towards Moscow and a southern group moved to capture the food producing area of the Ukraine. By now, the Germans were thrilled with their fast advancements and initial success, including the fact that they had captured over 400 000 Russian soldiers. In late July, the advance on Leningrad and Mosco...

Dealing With Drugs :: essays research papers

My mother knew sports were the most important thing in my life. She tried to use my love of sports to keep me away from drugs. She told me drugs would keep me from performing at my best when I played football. But I had been reading the sports page since I was a little kid. I knew some of the best athletes in America were using drugs. Guys who could run a hundred yards in less than ten seconds were using drugs. They were doing great. Drugs weren’t hurting their performance. So I didn’t pay any attention to my mother’s warnings, and I started using drugs when I was fifteen (qtd. in Perkins and McMurtrie-Perkins 25-26). On the weekends, there is at least one party planned. Teens will find someway, no matter what to get either drunk or high. Many will lie, steal, or cheat so they can use. Some teens even spend an entire day trying to obtain their drugs of choice. Although many teens don’t use drugs because it is unacceptable, there is an increase in drug use among teens today, because sports athletes, movies, and music make it appear acceptable. It is true, of course, that athletes will and do get reprimanded for the use of drugs, but many still run the risk, and don’t get caught. They either use substances that are illegal in the sport or on the street. Steroids were first used by the Germans in World War II, then the Soviets started using them in sports in the late 1940’s(Cox). It seems that if an athlete gets caught with drugs they receive more publicity, young people see this and think that if they do drugs too then they will get more attention. Furthermore, Many young people consider athletes, actors, actresses, and musicians as role models. They try to model their lives after them, this, many times includes the celebrity’s drug use if they have used before. There are many biographies on television that deal with a celebrity and their drug use. Young people see these bios and think that drug use is just a part of growing up and that they will have to do it sometime so why not get it out of the way (Duncan). Undoubtedly, many actors and actresses have been involved in anti-drug campaigns; still many have been caught or confessed using drugs. They also play many roles in movies and shows in which they use drugs, granted older people know that they are only playing a role, but many younger viewers don’t.

How Poe Observes the Characteristics Essay

How Poe Observes the Characteristics of the American Gothic Literature Tradition in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† Edgar Allan Poe was destined to a life of darkness and insanity. As the son of traveling performers, Poe was abandoned to the horrors of the world at a young age. Poe is generally regarded as the father of American Gothic Literature, an example to such authors as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville. The stories that Poe inscribed are prevalent in modern times, creating genres such as horror films and science fiction movies. â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is one of Poe’s most memorable short stories, that epitomizes the American Gothic Literature Tradition through the dark narrative. In this short story Montresor, the protagonist, has a vendetta against Fortunato, a man that has wronged him thousands of times. To carry out his revenge, Montresor proceeds to lure Fortunato into the catacombs of his cellar, promising him amontillado, a rare wine. In the end, Fortunato is bound to a wall, while simultaneously being entombed by Montresor. The symbolism, settings, and narrator employed by Poe in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† are the stereotypical elements to Southern American Gothic Literature To begin, Edgar Allan Poe utilizes his patriarchal mastery of symbolism to adhere to the characteristics of The American Gothic Literature Tradition in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† Poe uses the symbol of Fortunato’s attire to describe his personality as foolhardy and gullible. He adorns â€Å"a tight fitting party-striped dress and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells† (Poe 1). He was dressed as a jester; this symbolic representation portrays Fortunato as a fool. Trent Lorcher touts â€Å"This is Montresor’s way of humiliating Fortunato further for the anger he has caused Montresor. Montresor wants Fortunato to die like the fool that he is â€Å"(Lorcher 1). Additionally, the amontil lado is a symbol within itself for deceit. Amontillado is a rare and delightful wine, a significant temptation to one who is a wine connoisseur such as Fortunato. The amontillado symbolizes Montresor’s deceit of Fortunato; at the mere mention of the amontillado by Montresor, Fortunato exclaims â€Å"To your vaults!† (Poe 1). Lorcher justifies this â€Å"Fortunato’s passion for good wine  leaves him susceptible to flattery, flattery which Montresor provides† (Lorcher 1). Another symbol is the way in which Montresor disposes of Fortunato, which depicts Montresor’s hatred and scorn for Fortunato. Montresor murders Fortunato in the most unusual fashion, he walls him up within a dungeon. In killing Fortunato in this humiliating method, it signifies Montresor’s true detestation for Fortunato and the want to dispatch of him in a humbling methodology. Poe describes this burial in such a manner: â€Å"I forced the last stone into position and plastered it up†¦. for the half of a century no mortal has disturbed [his bones]† (Poe 1). R.J. Russ supports this assumption by stating: â€Å"The way he a ctually killed Fortunato was torturous and cruel. This proves how angry he was at Fortunato†¦ Montresor [did] it because he wanted Fortunato to die in an [embarrassing] fashion that Montresor believed he deserved† (Russ 1). From Fortunato’s wardrobe, to the deceitful wine, to the mode that Fortunato was killed; Poe uses these symbols to observe the characteristics of the American Gothic Literature. As well as using symbolism to adhere to the elements of the American Gothic Literature tradition, Poe also delves into the twisted thoughts of a vengeful narrator. Poe uses the dynamics of a tortuous plan, an irrational storyteller, and honor of aforementioned Montresor to craft â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† into an American Gothic classic. Montresor tells the story of his revenge against Fortunato nearly fifty years after the live burial. He is proud of his intricate plan to take vengeance. Through imagery, Poe depicts a premeditated murder as planned by a ruthless Montresor. â€Å"Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar† (Poe 7). The prior planning required to execute this intricate plan is evident, as Montresor created the ideal situation t exact his revenge. Womack states, â€Å"By the end of Poe’s story, Montresor has gotten his revenge against unsuspecting Fortunato, whose taste for wine has led him to his own death† (Womack 5). In order to continue, Montresor supplies the weakening Fortunato with alcohol to further lower the senses of the impulsive Fortunato. The lure of Amontillado is too much for the jolly Fortunato, willing to stagger to his death at the promise of a taste of the fine sherry. Montresor attacks the pride of Fortunato when mentioning that Luchresi may be a better connoisseur of wine, in fact leading Fortunato to declare that â€Å"Luchresi cannot tell Amontillado from  Sherry† (Poe 3). This moment shows not only the pride imperative to Montresor’s plan for vengeance, but also the dignity that connoisseurs of wine such as Montresor and Fortunato possess. This pride is magnified in Montresor more so than Fortunato, as shown by the narrator’s opening line, â€Å"The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge† (Poe 1). The insult of Montresor is the death sentence for Fortunato, though the nature of the insult nor the consequence upon Montresor’s dignity is described. Montresor’s pride is the nature of his family as the motto upon the family crest, â€Å"Nemo me impune lacessit† (Poe 5). Simply, Poe shows that Montresor’s ancestry contains the same pride by creating a motto saying â€Å"No one assails me with impunity† (Poe 5). Poe further challenges the reliability and character of the narrator, and in fact â€Å"Poe does not intend for the reader to sympathize with Montresor because he has been wronged by Fortunato, but rather to judge him† (Womack 4). The narrator evolves throughout the story as his insanity grows, and doubt is created in the reader as to the reliability of Montresor. As the end of his deed draws near, the agonized howls of Fortunato are heard when the certainty of doom finally emerges upon the captive. The story continues, â€Å"I replied to the yells of him who clamored. I re-echoed, I aided, I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still† (Poe 8). The insane narrator is a characteristic of Poe’s American Gothic Literature tradition, a characteristic that continues in the Cask of Amontillado with Montresor, who recounts the story nearly 50 years after the murder of Fortunato. Womack expounds upon Poe’s fascination with the mad chronicler, saying, â€Å"Once again, the reader is invited to delve into the inner workings of a sinister mind† (Womack 4). Poe’s â€Å"Cask of Amontillado† is characterized as American Gothic Literature by th e story-telling of a vengeful narrator as well as the dark setting that is described. Lastly, in Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† dark setting is portrayed through the use of a medieval carnival to adhere to the American Gothic Literature tradition. To begin this short story, the cheerful setting of a medieval carnival is described â€Å"they walked amidst the drunken and mirth.† (Poe 1). The carnival is a profound, ironic representation of Poe’s twisted plots in which he conveys fear to his audience. Poe strays from a prototypical melancholy setting associated with  the American Gothic Literature tradition. â€Å"You would never expect a tale of sick revenge to take place at the same time as a merry making carnival† (Palmer 3). Another setting representative of evil is portrayed in Poe’s work through the isolation of the catacombs. â€Å"We passed through a range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descended, arrived at a deep crypt in which the foulness of the air caused our flame beat torches to grow the flame† (Poe 3). Poe’s use of imagery when describing the catacombs fashions a scene of isolation and despair common among short stories classified as American Gothic Literature . The use of a deep underground tomb is used to portray sinister setting and the chaos of impending death. â€Å"I busied myself among the pile of bones†¦. a succession of loud and shrill screams busted suddenly from the throat of the chained form† (Poe 6). The moment described in the quote is Fortunato’s realization that he will die as the egress to his tomb is gradually sealed. â€Å"Poe’s work in a sense puts the reader in the shoes of the victim in the tomb. As they experience fear, panic and rage in their final moments of struggle† (Moore 2). Poe’s use of setting in â€Å"The Cask of Amontialldo† is archetypal to the American Gothic Literature tradition, using the setting to further create a sense of mystique and unease. To conclude, Edgar Allan Poe is purely a master of The American Gothic Literature Tradition. He utilizes the prototypical elements of symbolism, a vengeful character, and an eerie setting to adhere to the specific protocol of The AGLT (American Gothic Literature Tradition). Poe’s exploitation of symbolism conveys underlying messages about the short story’s plot and characters. Poe’s dominance over the concept of having an unstable and vengeful protagonist entices the reader to read on. Finally, Poe’s use of a carnival as a setting is a sick twist, a place where one expects merriment is substituted with a place where revenge is taken. It is safe to presume that Poe’s life of disappointment, resilience, darkness, and mystery shaped him into an individual that properly utilizes all of the elements of The American Gothic Literature Tradition. Works Cited Lorcher, Trent. Symbolism and Irony in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. 17 January 2012. September 2013 . Poe, Edgar Allan. The Cask of Amontillado. 1846. September 2013 . Russ, R.J. Symbolism in Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado. 28 April 2008. September 2013 . Womack, Martha. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe’s â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†Ã¢â‚¬  The Poe Decoder. 1997, September 2013 < http://www.poedecoder.com/essays/cask/>. Poe, Edgar A. Short Stories: The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe