Role of Women in Greek Myth Essay - 874 Words

The role of women in ancient Greek life was insignificant compared to that of Greek men. A womans job was to take care of the children and to cook and clean unless she had servants or slaves that would do it for her. Yet, in Greek mythology, women were often written as major characters. Well-known Greek plays contain many well-written, complex, female characters. Female individuals in Greek mythology were often seen as very powerful and fierce and were depicted by â€Å"her wits, her beauty, or her bad deeds.† To start off we have Helen of Troy, a mortal woman, thought to be one of the most beautiful in her time. She left her husband Menelaus of Sparta for Paris of Troy and because of that and her beauty a 10 year war surged between Sparta†¦show more content†¦Another woman who also became strong and fierce with her vengeance was Medea, â€Å"her glare [was] as fierce as a bull’s†¦ [and she was] wild like a lion [who’d] just given birth...† Medea was a powerful witch and when she was wronged by her husband she used her powers for revenge. Medea’s husband, Jason, left her for another woman; he left her for a princess. And to that she stated â€Å"Most of the time, I know, a woman is filled with fear. She’s worthless in a battle and flinches at the sight of steel. But when she’s faced with an injustice in the bedroom, there is no other mind more murderous† (Medea 267-271). After lots of grieving for her husband’s treacher y she decides to pretend to be on good terms with him and sends his new with gifts; an embodied robe and a golden crown. She sent these gifts to her with her children however, using her powers she poisoned them so that the gifts would kill the new wife. Jason’s new wife â€Å"took the intricate robe and wrapped it around her body, and set the golden crown upon her curls†¦what happened next was terrible to see. Her skin changed color, and her legs were shaking†¦white foam at her mouth, her eyes popping up, the blood drained from her face†¦the gold gripped tight, and every movement of her hair caused the fire to blaze out twice asShow MoreRelatedThe Amazons Were A Group Of Warrior Women Who Fought Many Of The Great Greek Heroes1596 Words   |  7 Pagesgroup of warrior women who fought many of the great Greek heroes. They consistently went against what was considered the normal female role and led lives like their male counterparts. Unlike some myths in Greek m ythology, the myths that involve the Amazons are spread out over time and often have multiple variations of one myth. Myths involving the Amazons even sometimes have versions of the same myth with different Amazon warriors, making it difficult to understand what Amazon women is associated withRead MoreEssay on Mythological Gender Profiling and the Women of Greece811 Words   |  4 Pagesthe Women of Greece In the myths of the Centauromachy and the Amazonomachy, the Greeks found a manuscript for moral and disciplinary guidance in their dealings with the women of the time. By assigning the women of Greece hybris, Greek men targeted the women of Greece to intense programs of subjugation and social retribution in order to prevent the emergence of Centaurian or Amazonian traits, which would destroy the patriarchal nature of Archaic Greek culture. Generally, Greek myths tendRead MoreWomen s Influence On Women1545 Words   |  7 Pageshistory until about the last couple century’s women have had not as many rights compared to their male counter parts and this was especially evident in the ancient world. However women had more rights in places for example they had a bigger role in society compared to that of Greek women in ancient Greece. Women were cogs in a patriarchal dominated society woman were very much under their husbands control according to law and the most important role of women was to raise the children and work at theRead MoreHomeric Hymn To Demeter1287 Words   |  6 PagesHomeric Hymn to Demeter details the kidnapping of Persephone and the consequent fallout of this event. The myth itself represents a change in the structure of Greek myth, shifting from a centrally matriarchal system to that of a patriarchal. By casting feminine traits in a negative light and masculine traits in a positive light, the myth spreads a new ideology to the formerly matricidal Greeks. When taken individually, each of the scenes could be construed to be symbolic of this new system crushingRead MoreEssay about Gender Roles in Ancient Greek Society1391 Words   |  6 PagesGender Roles in Ancient Greek Society Throughout history, the roles of women and men have always differed to some degree. In ancient Greece, the traditional roles were clear-cut and defined. Women stayed home to care for children and do housework while men left to work. This system of society was not too far off the hunter gatherer concept where women cared for the house and the men hunted. Intriguingly enough, despite the customary submissive role, women had a more multifaceted role and imageRead More Greek Goddesses Essay1145 Words   |  5 Pages The Greek Goddesses In Greek mythology the gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus played a major role in everyday life. The Greeks respected them and thought of the gods as all mighty. In Ancient Greece the people honored and believe in the deities. Myths, poems, and epics tell the stories and beliefs referring to the gods and goddesses. Many literary works display the power and jobs of the goddesses. The Greek people lived to please the deities in hope of gaining a better lifestyle. TheRead MoreThe Myth Of Atalant A Reflection Of The Greek Values And Culture By Reading These Myths1386 Words   |  6 Pagesthe oath of the Gods. This shows that Greek culture greatly valued dependability and loyalty. Even though Apollo knew that bad things would happen if Phaeton rode the chariot, he had to keep his promise. In many cases the myths are a reflection of the Greek ideals and culture By reading these myths, it can be inferred that the Greeks valued loyalty greatly. 26. The myth of Atalanta shows that the Ancient Greeks saw women as less valuable than men. In the myth, Atalanta’s father abandoned her to dieRead MoreAncient Creation Myths1669 Words   |  7 PagesCreation Myths of the Ancient Greeks, Mesopotamians, and Chinese Zach Lenart Ancient Mythology East and West Professor Shawn Youngblood October 2, 2012 Lenart-1 Creation myths of are often examined, but more often than not they are looked at individually. Much more can be learned if different myths are analyzed at the same time, recognizing similarities and differences as well as overlapping themes in these myths. We can learn about many aspects of a culture from their creation myths. TheRead MoreGreek Goddess And Greek Women874 Words   |  4 PagesThis review attempts to analyze the Greek goddess Athena as well as Greek women whose function in society contrasts with the roles of a goddess. This topic is of relevance to feminist’s who are smashing down barriers on stereotypes of women, this study attempts to shed some light to recognize the roles of Athena and Greek women. Past research has analyzed the differences between Greek women and Athena on how they contrast with responsibilities. What is often ignored is the complexity of both individualsRead MoreGreek Mythology Of Ancient Greece1551 Words   |  7 Pagescreations of Anci ent Greece would have to be Greek mythology. These myths included hundreds of stories and teachings that would have a lasting effect on Greek culture for centuries to come. When taking a deeper look into some of these myths, one may notice gender and sexual behavior to be themes that occur quite frequently. One also cannot help but notice that some social conditions in Ancient Greece, such as the importance of beauty, the treatment of women, and beast-like sexual behavior, revolved

The Changing Roles of Women in Susan Glaspell’s Trifles...

In Susan Glaspell’s Trifles, the theme of contrasting roles between men and women is magnified by the setting of a lonely, Midwestern farm isolated from the public. This play demonstrates how different the roles between men and women were, and how women were treated. Trifles, also illustrates the changing times in the late 19th century to early 20th century. During this time period, women become more independent and wanted to be equal to men instead of inferior to them. Trifles, takes place in the late 1880s to early 1900s on a Midwestern farm in a small town. The play is about a woman named Minnie Wright who is a suspect in her husband’s murder. The police begin to search through the Wright home looking for evidence to†¦show more content†¦Men were considered the â€Å"breadwinners† of the family, and they got all the respect. Their jobs were very physically demanding and extremely difficult. The men spent a majority of their time out working in the fie lds. They would plow the fields and harvest all the plants and crops. The men were responsible for raising the cattle, hogs and other farm animals. They also had to raise grains and hay for the winter so the animals would have food. Men had to go out hunting and bring home food for their families so they could eat. The men controlled all of the money in the house, including the money that the wife and children made. â€Å"In general, women and boys earned half to two-thirds of an adult mans wage, which, in 1930, ranged from around $1.50 a day in southern Illinois to around $2.20 a day in the wealthier prairie regions† (â€Å"The Changing Roles of Farm Women†). Women and children made substantially less than the men did, even though their jobs were just as demanding as the men’s. (â€Å"The Changing Roles of Farm Women†). The role for women on farms was much different and arguably harder than that of the men’s. Many women in the 19th century worked out in the fields with their husbands for a good portion of the day. On top of this they had to cook at least three large meals a day, take care of the children and perform many other tasks. â€Å"They cared for the sick and infirm, having primary responsibility for aging relatives† (â€Å"The Changing Roles of FarmShow MoreRelatedEssay on Feminist Themes of Susan Glaspells Plays1558 Words   |  7 Pages Susan Glaspell was one of the first great American female playwrights. Her plays are often short, one or two acts, but they tell a story greater than just what appears on the page. Three of her plays, Trifles (1916), Women’s Honor (1918), and The Verge (1921), have feminist themes that show the consequences of the oppression of women, as is the case with many of her plays. All three plays were written during the first wave of feminism, during which there was a push for women to have jobs and opportunitiesRead MoreFeminist Criticism Of Susan Glaspell s Trifles 1512 Words   |  7 Pagesand always changing. What stems from the feminism theory is feminist literary criticism â€Å"feminist criticism examines the ways in which literature (and other cultural productions) reinforces or undermines the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women† (Critical Theory Today, 4 Feminist Criticism, pg. 79 Tyson, Louis). This theory shows us how patriarchal ou r society is and that’s how Susan Glaspell’s shows her work in her life time where women only had a few roles. They wereRead MoreThe Use of Symbols in Susan Glaspell’s Play Trifles1421 Words   |  6 PagesIn the nineteenth century until the twentieth century, women lived under men’s shadows. In that time, inequality between genders was the most obvious thing that characterized the society. Women’s role was guided by men and was simply related to their domestic environment; nothing but a caring wife and a busy mother. Unlike now, men looked at women as machines that had to provide comfort and mind relax to their husbands even if their husbands did not provide that to them. To be specific, society inRead MoreSusan Glaspell s Trifles And A Jury Of Her Peers984 Words   |  4 Pages Although â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers† and â€Å"Trifles† are similar in plot, Mustazza’s article, â€Å"Generic Translation and Thematic Shift in Susan Glaspell’s ‘Trifles’ and ‘A Jury of Her Peers’† highlights the differences and similarities between the two. Mustazza’s article may help aid readers to understand the differences between Glaspell’s two works and provide understanding as to why Glaspell may have changed the genre and form of the plot. â€Å"Trifles† is a dramatic play whereas â€Å"A Jury of Her Peers† is proseRead MoreThe Feminist Manifesto, And Susan Glaspell s Trifles1257 Words   |  6 Pagesboth victorious struggle and violent controversy. As women fought for equality with men in the early twentieth century, literature was inspired by this movement. Modernist writers used their artform to provide social commentary in similar ways to realistic writers of the nineteenth century. However, modernist thought allows a much more obvious agenda to be presented through literature. Mina Loy, in â€Å"Feminist Manifesto,† and Susan Glaspell, in â€Å"Trifles,† both used their respective writings to convey personalRead MoreThe Oppression Of Women : Susan Glaspell s Trifles And Sophocles Antigone981 Words   |  4 PagesOppression of Women in a Male Dominated Society The plays Susan Glaspell’s Trifles and Sophocles’ Antigone, examine the contrast between the roles of women versus that of a man. The women in Trifles are viewed as second class citizens, who are expected to follow the beliefs and commands of the man, whereas, Antigone is a head strong and defiant woman, who didn’t mind challenging man’s authority. From the beginning of time, the view of women is that as inferior to men. In both of these plays, the women areRead MoreGender Roles In Trifles By Susan Glaspell1200 Words   |  5 Pagesgender socialization and gender roles have existed in society. During the late 19th to the early 20th century, genders roles began to shift. This is mainly due to the shift as more women took on more professional affairs. Because of this shift, women became less reliant on male dependency, allowing them to be socially equal in the eyes of men. In Susan Glaspell’s play, Trifles makes a moving statement how the gender role s were in the early 20th century and how women were treated. The play takes placeRead Moreâ€Å"a Doll’s Trifles† a Essay Comparing the Plays â€Å"Trifles† and â€Å"Dollhouse.†1937 Words   |  8 Pagesâ€Å"A Doll’s Trifles† A essay comparing the plays â€Å"Trifles† and â€Å"Dollhouse.† Joshua Long English 102 Amy Lannon Read MoreSymbolic Inequality In A Jury Of Her Peers Essay1670 Words   |  7 Pagesoppression of women throughout the centuries can be seen in many literary sources. The system from which women experienced misogyny and oppression is a social structure known as patriarchy. Furthermore, in A Jury of Her Peers, symbolism conveys the patriarchy of the Nineteenth Century. First, it is imperative that one knows what exactly patriarchy is: â€Å"a social system in which power is held by men, through cultural norms and customs that favor men and withhold opportunity from women† (â€Å"Patriarchy†)

Emergent Properties free essay sample

Emergent Properties Emergent properties are properties that come about when smaller components combine together to form a large unit that works together for a common purpose. The idea of emergent properties is based on the fact that the whole combined unit is more efficient than the sum of all of the units. These properties cannot be seen when the organisms are separated from one another, the organisms must be together for the properties to take effect. Emergent properties have come about for the fact that when combined, these organisms can perform much more complex and advanced tasks that the organisms would not be able to complete on their own. In nature we see many emergent properties arise from evolution. When birds branched off from reptiles during their evolution, they developed feathers instead of scales. These feathers do not enable flight on their own, however when combined to form a wing they become much more efficient. We will write a custom essay sample on Emergent Properties or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page When these two wings come together to form a pair of wings the result is an extremely efficient form of transportation that is not only light but also water resistant. Another example of emergent properties would be evident in our brain. Which each brain cell does not possess much computing power, however when billions of them are combined together, the result is a very efficient computing unit that can provide us with such things as thoughts emotions and character. Each brain cell alone would not be able to do these things. Emergent properties exist all around us and we even display some of these properties. One example of emergent properties would be the collaboration of many human beings. Separated, our minds are powerful, but nearly limited. Once combined we can collaborate with each other and perform many tasks efficiently, such as running a county, for example. It is not a coincidence that dictatorships are notoriously unsuccessful. There are also many emergent properties that exist beyond living things. For example when you have a hurricane, essentially all you have is air and water at various different temperatures. The randomness of this collection of air produces a large air mass that has a specific circular motion which is very powerful and devastating to anything that comes into contact with it. The air itself and the water vapor would not be able to cause this force on their own. It is the random order that makes this hurricane so powerful and hard to predict. Another example of emergence away from biology is currency. Currency or money came about as people wanted to trade with one another, but had no medium to do so. Alone, a single person would not need money. It is only useful and evident as many people come together to form a group. Without this group the money would have no value because it’s value is determined by people who are willing to trade with it. In conclusion emergence is evident throughout nature and even past it. It is the way  complex systems  and patterns arise out of a  multiplicity  of relatively simple interactions. Emergence is central to the understanding of communities and ecosystems where it be in living organisms or beyond biology.

College Tuition free essay sample

A Hardship for American Families To flourish in America today, the average student will have to go to a high-quality college, earn a degree and land a successful job to eventually support a family. However, success is easier said than done, because all of those steps are vital. The step that many Americans struggle with is affording a high-quality college, not because they arent smart or skilled enough, but because Americans cannot pay for the pricy tuition and additional expenses. The rising of college tuition scares many, even though they yearn for a college degree. Two reasons for this struggle are that college costs are taking a monumental percentage out of Americans salaries, and most importantly the large amount of debt students await after graduation. Even though many people succeed in our country today, most Americans struggle to send their child to a good college to fulfill his or her dream. Even though many Americans succeed in our country today, most Americans struggle to send their child to a first-class college to fulfill his or her dream. B ooks, housing, tuition, and transportation combined for college dents a hole in Americans annual income. The cumulative college expense is stealing too much money out of Americans wallets. Even though many think college is worth the price; is it worth risking all that money? For example, in 2012, college cost took 55% of the lowest income Americans salaries compared to only 39% from 1999- 2000. For those Americans, college seems like a long shot because they still have to pay for the of living, which includes food, housing, and paying taxes (Update:  College  Tuition Costs) . Also, college costs took 25% of the total salary of middle- income families and16% of upper- middle income families (Update:  College  Tuition Costs). For those families, college is a huge possibly, but those students will still have a large amount of debt to pay off afterwards. The impact of these percentages rising is the fact that Americans might not be able to send their child to the college of his or her choice because of rising costs. Americans may argue that these rising percentages cause colleges to make more money and eventually put more Americans to work by establishing different programs. In order for colleges to succeed, they will an increase in enrollment, to eventually force colleges to make the college dream more affordable. If the price of college decreases, the debt that awaits most students post graduation will decrease immensely. The rising college costs are pinning Americans with thousands of dollars of debt post graduation. Recent studies show that sixty nine percent of families eliminated college choices because of costs (Adams). Parents want the best for their children, and want to do anything for them. Conversely, at the end of the day, families need to think what they can financially afford; and in our economy today college is not affordable. For example, in 2012, the average student debt after college was $25,250. 0. Because of this massive amount of debt, Americans are constantly scrambling to earn extra money to eventually pay off the debt (Average Student Loan Debt: $25,250). The impact of college debt is that Americans are struggling to spend more money on necessities because they are too busy worrying about their college debt. Americans may counterclaim that most Americans eventually pay off their college debt. That is not the point. The point is that most Americans walk out of graduation with thousands of dollars of debt, and that in some cases it is unavoidable. The Pew report found that even the richest twenty percent of households, owed the biggest share of student debt (Yen). Even families whose income exceeds seventy thousand a year struggle with paying tuition. Should families sacrifice college in order to save money? No, college is important and tuition must be lowered in order for family and students to constantly stop worrying about finances. The combination of the price to afford college and the amount of debt that awaits most Americans after graduation is outrageous. Even though many Americans succeed in our country today, many Americans struggle to financially afford to send their child to a commendable college in order to acquire a prestigious degree. This is truly a shame, but in some unfortunate cases, inevitable. In these tough economic times, Americans need to be a part of at an excellent college, but they will first have to overcome huge obstacles. Someone has to give in order for Americans to succeed. Christine McKeon Mrs. Hayes Honors English IV 12 December 2012 Works Cited- Argumentative Paper Finnegan, Leah. Average Student Loan Debt: $25,250.   The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 03 Nov. 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. Update: College Tuition Costs.   Issues amp; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 22 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 Jan. 2013. lt;http://www. 2facts. com/article/i1400140gt;. Adams, Caralee J. College Choices Shift in Tough Economy.   Education Week  8 Aug. 2012: 4. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. Yen, Hope. Student Loan Debt Stretches To New Record Number Of Households: Pew Research Analysis.   The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 26 Sept. 2012. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. Gale Database: Update: College Tuition Costs.   Issues amp; Controversies. Facts On File News Services, 22 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 Jan. 2013. lt;http://www. 2facts. com/article/i1400140gt;. A record 18. 4 million students enrolled in U. S. colleges for fall 2009, the last year for which data are available. A college degree or advanced degree—whether an associates degree, which typically takes two years to earn; a bachelors degree, which often takes around four years; or a degree that requires even more study, such as a masters or doctorate—is seen as essential for a person wishing to join the so-called knowledge-based economy. If one aspires to any of a variety of jobs, whether a low-level office worker, a heart surgeon or an investment banker, the pursuit of that position starts with obtaining a college degree. College tuition, however, is increasingly expensive, and typically rises each year, often at a rate that far exceeds the rate of growth of the consumer price index, an economic indicator that tracks changes in prices. Consequently, the inflation-adjusted cost of attending college in the 2008–09 academic year was approximately three times more than the cost of attending college in 1973–74. Many critics have questioned that drastic increase, arguing that it is not fair for todays college students to pay tens of thousands of dollars more for a college degree than students did several generations ago. [See  Update: College Tuition Costs] In December 2007, the U. S. entered an economic recession, further complicating the college-tuition debate. The recession has caused colleges across the U. S. to tighten their belts and reduce spending. At the same time, most schools have raised their tuition, although the rate at which they have done so for recent school years was not nearly as drastic as in past years. The average four-year public college or university increased tuition 6. 5% between 2008–09 and 2009–10, while tuition at private colleges and universities went up 4. 4%. Both of those rates are higher than the overall rise in the consumer price index over that time, 3. 8%. Nevertheless, college tuition remains a source of fierce debate among parents, students, college administrators and government officials. In 2009–10, the average four year-public college charged in-state students $15,213 in tuition plus room and board; the average private institution charged $35,636. Does college in the U. S. cost too much? Critics of college tuition costs say that college is becoming increasingly the domain of the wealthy, with a growing number of lower-income and middle-class families unable to pay the stratospheric costs, including tuition, room and board, books and other miscellaneous expenses. College students who manage to graduate are typically saddled with enormous debt, critics say; they note that many students have even begun paying their tuition with credit cards. Critics also assert that many students do not even receive an adequate education in return for their money. Because college is so expensive, most students graduate with significant amounts of debt. A College Board report found that roughly 66% of students who earned their bachelors degree in 2008 graduated with outstanding student loan debt. On average, students graduating in 2008 owed $23,200, according to a study by the Project on Student Debt, a non-profit organization. That figure represented an increase of about 25% increase over the corresponding 2004 data, suggesting that student debt is growing at an alarming rate. Finnegan, Leah. Average Student Loan Debt: $25,250.   The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost. com, 03 Nov. 2011. Web. 06 Dec. 2012. Members of the college class of 2010 who took out student loans owed on average $25,250 upon graduation, a 5 percent increase from the year before, according to a new analysis released Thursday. The figures, compiled using college survey data by The Project on Student Debt, indicate average indebtedness increasing at about the same annual rate as in the last five years, but still give a fresh snapshot of what many advocates and experts call an alarming reliance on borrowed money to pay for college. Roughly two-thirds of the class of 2010 borrowed for college, and they were hit especially hard because the unemployment rate for new college graduates stood at 9. 1 percent the year they graduated – though thats less than half the rate for counterparts who only have a high school degree. Another cause for concern: because of data limitations, the figures do not include students at for-profit college, where other recent data show 96 percent of graduates have loans and they borrow nearly 50 percent more than those who graduate from other four-year schools. Debt levels do vary widely from school to school, and from region to region. The average level at individual colleges ranges from $950 to over $55,000. The report identifies 15 nonprofit institutions where students graduate with unusually high debt levels, a list that encompasses schools ranging from Regent University in Virginia to New York University to a number of art schools. Meanwhile, students in the Northeast and Midwest generally had substantially higher debts than those in the West. New Hampshire had the highest average graduating debt of any state at $31,048, while Utah was lowest at $15,509.

Ranking in Round-robin tournament free essay sample

Having examined the method and theory of scheduling single round-robin tournament, the example of ranking systems of it will be covered in the following sections. Most common way to rank players or teams in round-robin tournament Round-robin tournament is widely applied in competitions which are able to be held for a long period and need a comprehensive ranking of the players or teams. In order to acquire the ordering of teams and player, the most convenient and common way is to rank the participants according to their total victories. Nevertheless, tie may appear in an individual competition of the whole tournament. Considering three possible outcomes of a match, different scores are rewarded for having a winning, tie and losing game. The method used in the well-known English professional football league, Premier League, can be taken as an example here. Premier League is constructed by the competitions between the 20 top football clubs in England, in which double round-robin tournament is used, implying each team competes with all other teams twice. We will write a custom essay sample on Ranking in Round-robin tournament or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Three, one and zero point will be rewarded for a win, tie and lose in each competition. In the end of the league, a ranking list will be mainly arranged by the total scores of each team. Problems arisen by ranking with total scores Yet, this method may not be a perfect one when taking account of the outcome and fairness. Firstly, the total scores of the top two teams may be the same, showing that comparing only score is possibly inadequate to decide the champion. Secondly, the ranked ordering does not accurately reflect each team’s ability as a victory against a stronger team is more worthy than a win against a weaker team. (M. Stob,1985) Solution to the problem of tie in ranking To tackle the first problem, other criteria can be added into the arrangement of ranking by considering the nature of that sport itself. Referring to figure 1, the top two clubs have the same points but different ranking in the Premier League 2007/2008, because if there are same points between teams, the goal difference (Number of goal scored – Number of goal conceded) will be the second comparing factor, and the total goal scored will be the  third factor. Lastly, if there is really such a coincidence that two important teams are still with same point, an extra match between them will be launched to solve the ranking problem. (Deloitte LLP, 2012) Likewise, other types of competition can consider extra factors other than just counting total points to avoid same ranking of teams. Solution to the problem of fairness For the second problem, it is much more complicated to deal with it. Goddard (1983), who had a deep study in ranking players in round-robin tournament, has proposed the concept of upsets to reflect the fairness of a ranking system. Upset in an ordering refers to a team with lower ranking defeats another team with higher ranking according to that ordering. (M. Stob,1985) From the table, every row refers to the competition performance of each team. A team gets 1 point if it wins and 0 point if it loses. There are a total of two upsets in this ranking system, in which team 7 (weaker team) defeats team 1 (stronger team) and team 6 (weaker team) defeats team 2 (stronger team) are exactly the two upsets. Having figured out the measure of fairness, Goddard suggested a new ranking approach called p-connectivity matrix which takes the different importance of victory into account. It actually works like how Google calculating the importance of web pages. (Springer US. 2005) Firstly, it takes the ranking of comparing total points as the basic ranking. Then, every victory in the tournament should be weighted in accordance with the primary ranking of the losing team, in other words, winnings against teams with higher primary ranking have a higher weight. The second ranking can thus be constructed with weighted winning. Similarly, the third ranking is built by using weighed victory which is adjusted according the second ranking. This process then repeats many times, in which generates many different ranking and the one with minimum upsets should be chosen as the final ranking. (M. Stob, 1985) Nevertheless, neither the calculation process nor result of this ranking method is convinced to the teams and players. Even though the importance of different winning games is considered, players and teams may not be convinced to the fact that they get more victories but lower ranking than another team with less wins. Therefore, most of the round-robin tournament still adopt ranking without weighted victory. All in all, it is not easy to find the fairest ranking system. Even until now, there is not a so-called fairest ordering method.

Free Essays on Non Verbal

Humans, like most other species of animals, have what we call "personal space". When we interact with other individuals, we prefer to be close enough to them for effective communication, but not too close. We feel uncomfortable when an individual gets too close or invades our personal space. The selective advantage for this behavior may lie in our evolutionary history as a social species. Most of the members of our social group are potentially rivals or social enemies; these individuals were in the past (and in some cultures still are) capable of inflicting bodily injury. We are trying to serve two conflicting social demands: one, to interact socially and thus foster cooperative behaviors, and two, to avoid potentially harmful competitive interactions. Our personal space or preferred social distance is a reflection of this internal conflict. Personal space is affected by a variety of social factors. For instance, the personal space of married individuals is smaller when approached by the spouse than when approached by some other individual. Preferred personal distance between a married man and a woman who is not his spouse is greater when his spouse is present than when his spouse is absent. Personal space is greater (and emotional reaction is stronger) when individuals are approached (experimentally) by strangers who are perceived as "unattractive" or "creepy" than when approached by "attractive" or "normal" strangers. Intentional invasion of personal space may be used as an intimidating or threatening behavior in situations of social conflict (as in "in your face"). There are also cultural differences in personal space and in tolerance of intrusion. Elevators, buses, theaters, and many other "crowding" situations tend to reduce personal space; people who routinely find themselves in such situations have smaller personal space and more tolerance for intrusion (at least in the crowding situations) than do people who are unused to cr... Free Essays on Non Verbal Free Essays on Non Verbal Humans, like most other species of animals, have what we call "personal space". When we interact with other individuals, we prefer to be close enough to them for effective communication, but not too close. We feel uncomfortable when an individual gets too close or invades our personal space. The selective advantage for this behavior may lie in our evolutionary history as a social species. Most of the members of our social group are potentially rivals or social enemies; these individuals were in the past (and in some cultures still are) capable of inflicting bodily injury. We are trying to serve two conflicting social demands: one, to interact socially and thus foster cooperative behaviors, and two, to avoid potentially harmful competitive interactions. Our personal space or preferred social distance is a reflection of this internal conflict. Personal space is affected by a variety of social factors. For instance, the personal space of married individuals is smaller when approached by the spouse than when approached by some other individual. Preferred personal distance between a married man and a woman who is not his spouse is greater when his spouse is present than when his spouse is absent. Personal space is greater (and emotional reaction is stronger) when individuals are approached (experimentally) by strangers who are perceived as "unattractive" or "creepy" than when approached by "attractive" or "normal" strangers. Intentional invasion of personal space may be used as an intimidating or threatening behavior in situations of social conflict (as in "in your face"). There are also cultural differences in personal space and in tolerance of intrusion. Elevators, buses, theaters, and many other "crowding" situations tend to reduce personal space; people who routinely find themselves in such situations have smaller personal space and more tolerance for intrusion (at least in the crowding situations) than do people who are unused to cr...

English Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

English - Essay Example In football, the players use their hands throughout the game except the first kick. On the other hand, the match is also regulated by different timings. For soccer, each tournament is composed of two halves each lasting 45 minutes usually with a 15 minute break in between. Football is composed of four quarters each lasting 15 minutes each. The elements of the game also vary in these two games. Soccer requires player to wear shirt, sock, stockings, footwear, and shin guards. Football players are wears more necessary protection which is composed of three protections: head protection for the upper body; leg protection for the lower appendage; and body protection for the arms and middle body. However, the most common distinction is the type ball which is used. In soccer, the ball is round and made of synthetic leather with 22 inch diameter. On the other hand, the ball in football is pointed oval shaped made up of four pieces of leather stitched together. These differentiating factors mentioned above set the games apart from each other. The style of the game, its elements, and the type of balls utilized each contribute to their uniqueness. However, it is irrefutable are both world’s favorites as they are equally distinct and

Case Study of Competition in Video Game Consoles Essay

Case Study of Competition in Video Game Consoles - Essay Example The early video games were simple and were not backed by sophisticated technology. In the current times, technology driven powerful consoles, pricing, wide variety in games and portability across different platforms are key elements that give leverage to the company. Indeed, though pricing of game units and games is hugely important, it is observed that advancing technology has increasingly played vital role in attracting the gamers. The next generation consoles, Xbox and Xbox 360, launched by Microsoft, have been leading game systems which have given tough competition to Sony’s PSP and PS2 systems and Nintendo’s Wii. Technology has emerged as important factor that provides gamers with unique experience and intrigues them as well as helps them to exploit their capabilities as gamers. The variety in games and appealing game titles constantly attract existing gamers as well as new ones and provide them with new ways to test their skills. Thus, firms which can provide the market with wide varieties in games that are backed by technology and relatively low cost would help become market leader in the video game industry. Answer 2 There are four chief drivers that are changing the dynamics of video games industry: demography: console technology; mobile gaming and online gaming. The first one is the widening database of gamers which have cut across age and gender. ... The next generation technology is important as fast processors, high-resolution screens and sound effect provide the gamers with high-end experience. The increasing popularity of handheld gaming devices like PSP has inspired the industry to introduce sophisticated games in the mobiles. Moreover the expanding database of mobile users is crucial factor that could provide the firms with competitive advantage in the industry. Thus, leading game providers are forging network relationships with mobile manufacturers and using the platform to maintain their leverage in the industry. The last but not the least important is the use of internet in gaming devices. The users are able to download new games and movies that significantly cuts cost of going to the market and buying games. Most importantly, use of wi-fi in the gaming devices greatly facilitates mobility and helps users to access new games even when they are outside their house. Answer 3 Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are three big compa nies in the field of video games in US. Microsoft has been a leadership company in the area of computing and home entertainment. It has exploited its technology expertise to develop video games that would enhance user experience. The company has also used extensive marketing, especially viral marketing to advertise its video games consoles and video games. It has also tried to ensure that its first mover advantage is maintained by constantly improving its technology and giving more variety in games. Sony has used its market leadership in audio-video products, communication and IT based products to introduce video games and capture significant market share of the industry.

ALS and how it affects middle-aged americans Research Paper

ALS and how it affects middle-aged americans - Research Paper Example Evidence from population studies in the U.S.A. indicates that more than 5,600 new cases of ALS are diagnosed every year, and that its prevalence is 30,000 at any given period of time. The predominant age span at which ALS develops is between the ages of 40 years and 70 years, though cases have been reported in the age group of 20 years and 30 years. Men are more frequently diagnosed with ALS than women and there is a high rate of affliction of the disease among the Caucasian race. Only 50% of those afflicted with the disease live three years or more, with 20% likely to live for five or more years, and 10% living beyond 10 years. In recent years live span of individuals with ALS is found to be longer than earlier, with the likely causes being improved management of the patients and clinical interventions (ALS Association, 2011). There is lack of clarity on how ALS is initiated. Traditionally ALS has been looked upon as a disease that lacks adequate evidence of a genetic basis. This appears to be true as 95% of patents affected by ALS do not have first degree relatives affected by ALS. However, the recent finding of TDP43 as a signature protein in ALS has brought back the question of a genetic connection in the initiation of ALS. This is because TDP43 is found to be a gene wherein mutations have been seen in 3% to 4% of familial ALS. This finding has not removed the fog around the cause of ALS, but may be a light in the dark tunnel. Disparate pathways that include RNA processing, protein turnover and mitochondrial function have been found to initiate ALS, yet a universally acceptable model that describes how ALS is initiated and propagated has not emerged (Talbot, 2011). In the opinion of Talbot 2011, p. 1329, â€Å"the concept of ALS as a pure motor system disease having a single cause, and ultimately a co mmon treatment, has to be abandoned in favor of a model where complex multisystem

Treatment for Patients with Trauma After Head-on Collisions

Treatment for Patients with Trauma After Head-on Collisions The Optimal Treatment for Patients with Trauma Following Head-on Collisions Trauma patients always call for specialized treatment and also care in a bid to save their lives. The existing literature always underpins the conviction that trauma-related mortality could be worked down through promptly absolute consideration conveyed by means of a multidisciplinary approach. Each health care institution with an enthusiasm for looking after the injured ought to assess its internal human and office- based assets in order to create a protocol for suitable multidisciplinary group activation. Building the Trauma Team Activation Policy for many health centers is an internal hospital/Trauma Systems Committee examination. The essential objective of trauma group initiation criteria is to guarantee that the necessary resources in line with addressing the clinical needs of injured patients are always accessible. This is clearly outlined in the Trauma Team Activation policy (Stiell Wells, 2011). PICO Framework In line with coming up with the clinical question, the PICO framework is pertinent: P represents the patient’s problem or population. The chief concern of the patient is given credit in this regard. I represents intervention where one has to come clearly up with what he plans to do with the patient. C represents comparison, where an alternative has to be sought in case the first way fails. O represents outcome, which is what is expected in the end. Clinical Question What can be the best clinical interventions and predictions post triage activation for head-on collisions? Methods Identification: The identification was mainly done by database searching, where links that were pertinent to the research were readily available. This entailed gaining insight from the most recent sources and the available pieces. There were two sources that were purely found on the internet and were easy to locate. Screening: The screening entailed considering the issues being outlined in the sources identified. Those sources that touched on both the policy and the response from different quotas were considered. Those that were narrow in their perspective were excluded in a bid to ensure that the information matched the needed criteria. In the long-run, five articles were deemed relevant and eligible for the research. Eligibility: There article that was considered for eligibility. However, after assessing the keenness and the way the article related to the clinical question, some information was deemed ineligible. The considerations given an upper hand were how the head-on-collision were to be treated and how the team was to respond. Aim: To understand the main issues necessary to be handled in line with the head-on collisions. The fundamental trauma causes of TBI incorporate violent hostility, transportation accidents, and falls. TBI victims are for the most part young men aged seven to10. TBI-related results advance past recorded fatalities. They can also be seen towards victims who survive trauma. These people may exhibit physical, cognitive, correspondence, and behavioral incapacities. They can also exhibit inadequacies at a few levels in line with enduring issues on social and occupational levels. The outcomes of trauma consequences also touch the exploited peoples families. These are families who might be viewed as concealed exploited people. An emergency in the family system frequently emerges. It is also the rise of sicknesses that bargain the familys capacity to function and recover (Cotton, Dossett Haut, 2010). The support of the speech therapist in the multidisciplinary team provides care to TBI victims. This care is significant people because this proficient will can survey the particular needs of the exploited people at an early stage. This can be conducted in line with communicative skills and other related issues. This is carried out to prevent, minimize, or avoid possible trauma squeal. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has given out one of the effects of Trauma (Cotton, Dossett and Haut 2010). They have said patients with traumatic cerebrum damage may encounter challenges in discovering words to communicate. They may also encounter problems in understanding a thought through discourse, composition, or reading. This dialect or speech and cognitive modifications compromise an individuals correspondence to several degrees. These levels range from minimal to extensive. Critique Speech and language processing activities include notable exercises in the cerebral cortex. Thusly, several sorts of changes in the Central Nervous System (CNS) may bring about different kinds of language or speech issue. Trauma is the leading cause of death in the initial four decades of life in Norway. Esposito and associates have shown that one out of four deaths brought about by trauma could be prevented with better trauma care. They have also found that the preventable death rate declined to 15% after system change. Chiara and associates found that 43% of deaths caused by trauma were probably preventable. They also found that in excess of half of trauma patients received wrong medicine in the hospital. A most recent study revealed that most medication treatments still take place in the crisis room stage. The study has also found that one of the 12 deaths was considered possibly preventable (Cotton, Dossett Haut 2010). Validity and Reliability Qualitative Research is an essential exploratory research. It is utilized to increase an understanding of underlying reasons, assumptions, and inspirations. Quantitative Research is normally used to analyze the problem hin different ways. One of the ways is creating numerical information that could be converted into usable facts. It is used to quantify mentality, suppositions, practices, and other characterized variables. It also sums up results from a bigger group of individuals (Klugh 2009). Quantitative Research uses measurable information to form truths and uncover designs in research. Quantitative data collection systems are significantly more organized than Qualitative data collection systems. Quantitative data collection incorporates different manifestations of studies. Some of these studies include online overviews, paper reviews, versatile studies and booth reviews. Other studies include eye to eye meetings, phone meetings, longitudinal studies, site interceptors, online sur veys, and efficient perceptions. In Norwegian hospital centers, there are different groups dealing with trauma. This variety enhances the success of a group association. There is also a critical range of the hospital centers regarding trauma burden (Mallor 2005). Hospital centers vary in size from small hospitals with few traumatized patients to doctors facilities. Different projects have been made to treat trauma in the country. The BEST Foundation created a Norwegian production model using reproductions for group production of healing facility trauma groups. The focus of this production system is on non-specialized abilities as communication, initiative and collaboration (Robertson 2011). It is worth noting that the etiological, disciplinary and regulatory social processes intersect in line with patients who have had accidents, and always influence the progression of this illness. Despite the fact that the precise explanation for most maladjustments is not known, it is coming to be clear through exploration that a number of these conditions are initiated by trauma and recuperation from a maladjustment is not essentially a matter of will and self-discipline (Cotton, Dossett and Haut 2010). The society needs to support these people, on all fronts, in order to ensure that they fit in all settings. This can be done through contribution of funds to the charity, mainly in monthly subscriptions. This will help build on the awareness of the ailment, and also enlighten the society on the importance of accommodating these patients. People can also offer counseling sessions, both to the victim and his or her family. This will help weed out any fears of the positive relations tha t existed in the society. People always gear towards attaining and advocating for trauma health: the ability to like life and adapt to its tests. Issues that influence this limit are shifted in sort and intensity. In some intense cases the term psychiatric ailment, or trauma, is utilized. Trauma issues can affect both youngsters and mature people. Changes in correspondence abilities, social aptitudes, and swallowing examples (dysphagia) are characteristics of trauma issues that discourse and dialect specialists may be included with (Holbrook 2012). Data collection Sampling technique was embraced (Healey 2011). At present the greater part of open use in trauma goes on individuals experiencing trauma- who are around a quarter of a million individuals. At any one opportunity there are 1 million individuals experiencing the clinical sorrow, and an alternate 4 million experiencing clinical uneasiness states (Holbrook 2012). For these assemblies, the discouraged and the frightful, there is very nearly nothing aside from a couple of minutes. A significant number of these individuals dont need pills yet they do need trauma treatment. As per the Psychiatric Morbidity Survey under a 50% of all the individuals experiencing dejection were gaining any medicine, and under 10% were appropriating any trauma treatment. For individuals with uneasiness each of these figures ought to be split. This is completely unacceptable. Assuming that individuals have any industrious physical ailment like asthma, pulse or skin malady they immediately see an authority. There are two purposes behind this disregard. One is stigma and the different is an uncommon deferred reaction to the way that we now have medications that work, which we didnt have 50 years back. Therapists and doctors say that the brain can be subdivided into many different areas and structures. Cognitive behavior therapy has dealt with a number of disorders one of which is social phobia and others disorders that manipulate peoples thoughts and feelings, this therapy is famous for treating disorders though not most of them and is the most form of modern psychotherapy practiced widely. When they are attacked, they tend to sweat, blush, urgent masturbation, heart pounds, dry lips, nausea, voice trembles, and tension of the muscles. This is also believed to be a common disorder in adults around the world. The people who have the bigger percentage of the disorder are single individuals and their socioeconomic status is low. Therapists have made developments in relation to the treatment of phobia and research more about the disorder, they have been doing this for the past decades; this is because they know that the disorder can neither be medicated nor diagnosed. The existence of the cognitive behavioral therapy to treat social phobia has made efforts to treat the disorder effectively compared to other supportive and wait list therapies. This therapy is intended to provide training to their clients according to how the therapy works, they focus on creating the tie between the negative thinking or assumptions and the anxiety they suffered in their condition. The cognitive behavioral therapy concentrates much on trauma cases and information processing. Patients suffering from disorders are given a chance to know their problem and know the cause of the catastrophe, this done through being diagnosed by the therapist. Although its focus is on peoples thoughts and feelings it cannot treat all trauma problems caused by disorders but it mainly focuses on the symptoms of schizophrenia. A therapist has to help the patient to create the link between the patients thoughts and feelings and later find out the solution to the problem on the ground. In the ABC model that was introduced by Ellis and Harper states that the patient has to make a link between his or her belief and its problems not forgetting the activating events. The therapist has to find a way of making the patient improve on the negative attitude and concentrate o the positive side of life (Kouraklis Spirakos 2012). Authority of Trauma Team Activation Policy Protocols for any given Trauma Team Activation ought to be determined by various variables. The latter have to incorporate characterizing the most severely injured patients and hence determine the prompt resource needs to convey ideal consideration to the patient. The contemplations ought not to remain solitary as actuation criteria, but be assessed in the setting of physiologic, anatomic and mechanism of the given injury criteria. This is done in anticipation of the probability of increased danger of morbidity and mortality that may warrant a more thorough reaction and assessment than that of the given trauma patient. The document elucidates that Trauma Activation Criteria ought to be dependent upon least ACS criteria and other authoritative guidelines. The approach characterizes the person answerable for corresponding with EMS in regards to an inbound trauma patient. It also considers how specialists affirm how they are mindful of initiation ought, and to whom they impart. Extra cr iteria ought to be dependent upon accessible resources as recognized through discussions with trauma colleagues, therapeutic direction and health organizations. The policy characterizes every part and obligations, and incorporates doctors, specialists, nursing, laboratory staff, profound consideration, social administrations, clinic organization and any relevant members of the group. Trauma is caused by traffic collisions. It is one of the most outstanding causes for death in people aged 10 to 24. There is awkwardness in the prevalence of the danger of traffic related trauma in developed and underdeveloped countries. Both of these countries must have the higher risk which may be found in the future. Components include infrastructure quickens mechanization of its population. Conclusion Trauma Team Activation policy is an exceptional domain of being and life as a unique condition. It relates to the same way that science is an uncommon domain of science, dissimilar from physical science. The policies contention is that, if the trauma things rolling out from the brains of living things are a dissimilar domain of presence, then strictly physical hypotheses about the inceptions of life. For example many hypothesis, cannot be deemed as completely right. Life cannot have gone out exclusively from a primordial concoction response, and the methodology of characteristic choice cannot represent the formation of the domain of brain (Stiell Wells 2011). Trauma Team Activation policy turns into a contingent of ideas that are drastically different from the head-on collision. It is worth noting that it manages an unlimited and urgent domain of phenomena that physical science does not, on any front include, accurately because they are major parts of living things. Research always indicates the effectiveness of the treatment approaches which come as a result of using various principles of the contingency management. This includes giving tangible rewards to patients in a bid to reinforce them towards the positive behaviors. The Psychosocial counseling treatment and methadone programs stated that the incentive-based interventions are effectively promoting drug abstinence and even trying to increase treatment attentions. Reference List Cotton, B, Dossett, A. Haut, E. 2010. Multicenter validation of a simplified score to predict massive transfusion in trauma. J Trauma; 69 Suppl 1: S33-S39. Healey, J. F. 2011. Statistics: A Tool for Social Research (revised ed.). London: Cengage Learning. Holbrook, T. 2012. The impact of major trauma: quality-of-life outcomes are worse in women than in men, independent of mechanism and injury severity. J Trauma; 56(2): 284-290. Kouraklis, G. Spirakos, S. 2012. Damage control surgery: an alternative approach for the management of critically injured patients. Surg Today; 32(3): 195-202. Klugh, H. E. 2009. Statistics: the essentials for research (6, illustrated ed.). New York: Wiley. Mallor, J. P.(2005). Business Law: The Ethical, Global, and E-Commerce Environment (13 ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Robertson, C. (2011). Management of cerebral perfusion pressure after traumatic brain injury. Anesthesiology; 95(6): 1513-1517. Stiell, I. Wells, G. (2011). The Canadian CT Head Rule for patients with minor head injury. Lancet; 357(9266): 1391-1396.

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative

Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure. Human Qualities that Truly Endure Essay examples -- Personal Narrative Human Qualities that Truly Endure Puberty first sneered its cynical smirk at me early in seventh grade. That always-tortuous awakening came even more cruelly to me than to most. The boundaries of my coming-of-age world were defined by "cool" and "un-cool." I for one was hopelessly beleaguered by the yoke of un-coolness, but had not yet given in to it. I desperately fumbled and stumbled in my attempts to be numbered among the cool, oblivious that it had already been deemed unattainable to me by the social conventions of adolescence in middle-class Jewish Chicago. In truth, I was every mother's dream. But I knew deep inside that I was, in fact, little more than a victim of my own ambivalence: My desperate yearning to be cool, and my even more compelling desire to please parents who expected their son to be obedient, neatly groomed, respectful of elders, academically superior, in a word, the very antithesis of cool. The path to cool could not be paved with science fair victories, prize-winning essays on Americanism, sharing a bedroom with one's grandmother, a wardrobe determined by a mother's definition of good taste, a father's insistence tha... ...d dirty bucks. The only part of the fantasy to come true was the Rambler. There had been no call, no picking up, no dropping off, no Robin, no dance. I returned to my place not angry, but humiliated. The humiliation lingered like most pubescent dreams until it dissipated into deeper, more circumspect wisdom that I would never admit sounded conspicuously like the advice my mother would prudently dispense: The virtues of inner charm, the deceit of superficial beauty, the fleetingness of popularity, the preciousness of a good companion, the human qualities that truly endure.

Differences and Comparisons of Ethics Essay

When we think of ethics, we think of two words, good or bad. Through the history of our world, philosophers and scientists have devised several thoughts that include a system that we are able to use to determine who and what is good or bad. As a population, we can use these different terms and types of ethical theory to determine which style, form, or behavior of ethics fits with our beliefs and culture. Some of these different types of theories include virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. Although these all fall into the category of a theory of ethics and may seem to be similar, they are also very different. When looking at the virtue theory of ethics, we can see that the term character can be used in the place of virtue. According to Ben (2007), the virtue theory has roots that reach back to the time of Plato. Plato, and the virtue theory, suggest that all men and women would be happy if they would only grasp the eternal Form of the Good as his or her criterion. In contrast to the virtue theory, the utilitarianism theory suggests that a person present or have behavior of good for the entire team or group. One of the problems associated with this theory according to Boylan (2009) is that for any moral theory to work in a group, the group must first come to some terms of a general agreement. Knowing this and thinking on this statement, there are few times in my life where a team or group of people come together on any idea and agree on its entirety. The deontological theory suggest a contrasting idea to the other two theories, it suggests that there are features within the actions of the individual that determine whether it is right or not. The first theory was about the character of the individual, the second theory was about a group of individuals, this theory involves the actions of a person. The deontological theory also suggests that an individual may believe that good intentions are more important than the results. One personal experience  that comes to mind when writing about these theories. Many years ago, I worked for an electrical contractor, his moral concepts and mine were not the same. His idea of running a business was to bid much lower than any other contractor, when in fact, he did get the job, the work he applied was shoddy and the materials were sub-par. He could not perceive the value of the labor that was performed by his employees, he could have simply bid more per job, paid his employees’ wages tha t fit their position, and used materials that were deemed appropriate. His virtue or company mission statement was; â€Å"get the job done as cheaply as possible†. As a businessman I can realize the importance of saving money and using business sense to achieve business directives, however, purposefully paying employees low wages, using non name brand parts and bidding lower than any other contractor for every job is one ethic that I do not agree with. There are seven general ethical categories used in defining the ethical values and morals people follow. Each category has different subsections and expectations for a person’s behavior. A person’s morals and ethical beliefs develop from a mixture of values from these various theories; therefore he or she does not necessarily fit snugly into one category. The top three ethical theories are deontological, utilitarianism, and virtue-based ethics – these are the theories under examination. Deontological Theory Also known as ‘duty-based’, ‘categorical imperative’, and ‘The Golden Rule’, deontology focuses on â€Å"decisions about what’s right [based] on broad, abstract universal ethical principles or values such as honesty, promise keeping, fairness, loyalty, rights (to safety, privacy, etc.), justice, responsibility, compassion, and respect for human beings and property† (Trevino, 2011, pg. 42). People following this ethical category believe moral principles outline the necessary obligations and duties – principles developed by biblical or religious beliefs and societal or government laws. A deontological person does not worry about the consequences of a decision. Their concerns focus on duty or moral obligations. In a professional capacity, the person follows instructions of managers or supervisors because it is his or her duty to respect authority, even if the instructions are unethical. Utilitarianism Theor y The second most common category of ethical behavior is also known as  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœconsequence-based’ or ‘teleological ethics’. In this category, people focus on decisions that result in the most benefits for the greatest number of people in a society. Utilitarianism ethics applies to much of the decision-making in the business world, as a company exerts an effort to become environmentally responsible and trustworthy. A difficulty that arises with utilitarianism is that the decisions made cannot account for every possibility. This means that the person is â€Å"unlikely to arrive at a completely accurate assessment of all future consequences [and] †¦ the rights of a minority group can easily be sacrificed for the benefit of the majority† (Trevino, 2011, pg. 42). Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics tend to fit in more with the deontological category than with utilitarianism. In this category, the focus is on making good decisions because it reflects the type of person one wants to be. A good person makes good decisions and exerts effort â€Å"to cultivate excellence in all that [they] do and all that others do† (Boylan, 2009, pg. 133). In this category, people take a personalized approach to decision-making that not only accounts for societal expectations but also for how the person wants to be perceived, focusing on the act or decision instead of the consequences. Virtue ethics are beneficial to people working in specialized professional communities. A professional community or organization, such as physicians or lawyers, has a highly developed set of ethical standards. These standards give the members of the community guidelines to follow when trying to be good moral agents. Personal Experience In a gambling casino, deontological values are important. In any position, there are local, state, and federal laws that govern the activities within the casino. State regulations are especially strict on how employees handle money and gambling chips. As a surveillance employee in a local casino, my deontological ethics followed company and state policies. Because of the possible legal ramifications, I chose to place state regulations before company obligations. There were inconsistencies in how management handled money – per state guidelines; documentation was required for every step in the process. Whenever I saw something getting done incompletely or  inappropriately, I documented each instance. After a few weeks of documentation, I discovered that the Washington State Gambling Commission representative had never seen any of the paperwork. This meant that my immediate supervisor and the owners had concealed the paperwork so that the company would not have to make the necessary changes or possibly face fines for improper handling of money. My morals and values caused an ethical dilemma because I knew that the company was following improper procedures but I also knew that informing the representative of the missing paperwork and improper handling practices could cost me my job. I chose to follow the higher level duties and obligations outlined by the state regulations in an effort to prevent the loss of the company. This choice backfired on me in the end – management fired me because I informed the state representative of the issues. Conclusion Each ethical theory has its own rules and expectations. There are sub-levels within each category that creates even more varied options. When a person knows his or her own values and morals, it is easier to identify which ethical category he or she fits into. In this manner, a person is more aware of why he or she makes the decisions he or she does and can see other viewpoints more clearly. There are different types of ethical theories. Ethical theories help to find how a person should act towards another or in a situation. The various types of ethical theories helps people define what is right and what is wrong and how we make those assumptions. Although the three main theories of ethics have the same purpose they are different from one another. The virtue theory is the ethical theory also called character ethics is based on the moral of what is ethical. It is based on personal belief and feeling of character. It â€Å"describes the character of a moral agent as a driving force for ethical behavior, rather than rules (Wikipedia, 2012). Virtue ethics is character based and focuses on helping people develop a better character trait. According to the text (2009), virtue ethics â€Å"take the viewpoint that in living your life you should try to cultivate excellence in all that you do and all that others do. These excellences or virtues are both moral and non-moral.† It deals with the moral character of a person rather than what is the more ethical thing to do or what society expects from them. Utilitarianism states that something is  morally right if it is for the greater good of all. It is most often used in the United States government because of the principle of satisfying everyone. According to Wikipedia (2012), it is the measurement between what is right and wrong without consequence. A utilitarian is a person who puts the need of others before their own. They believe that success is achieved as a whole rather than individually. It is based on factual beliefs where the moral worth is based on the overall outcome. Deontological or â€Å"Duty† ethics is the ethical theory that is based on one’s duty to do the right thing. Deontology states that people act ethically moral because of what is expected from them in a particular situation. For example, at work you are more likely to use deontological ethics in determining how to behave in the workplace. It is because your employer expects for you to follow the code of ethics set forth by the company. It is based on what society expects out of you as a person and a citizen. Voting could be considered to be a deontological ethical decision as well as utilitarianism because even though you may want to vote because of your personal beliefs and character, most people do it because it is necessary and they are expected to do so. It also is for the good of all Americans and if one person fails to vote it can affect the people as a whole. For me this is also a virtue base theory as well because I feel that it is my duty to myself to vote because of how I was raised. I was always taught the importance of voting and the things that can become from voting. The three main ethical theories are the basis of the path to making decisions and how decisions are made. They set the standard for how and why people act the way they do or why and how they make the decisions that they make. It helps to determine what is right and what is wrong and how assumptions are made to come to conclusions. Although the three main ethical theories serve the same purpose of establishing ethical principles (Rainbow, 2002), they differ from one another because they each define different points and differ in a person’s duty to make ethical decisions. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory. An action is right or wrong based on its consequences. John Stuart Mill was an important philosopher in developing the idea of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism holds that any action that  results in a greater amount of happiness in the world is a right action and any action that results in pain or less happiness is wrong. Utilitarianism can be divided into di fferent versions. Act utilitarianism is one of the versions of utilitarianism. Act utilitarianism’s goal is to maximize the overall happiness of the universe. Act utilitarianism uses the Greatest Happiness Principle which says in every situation, choose the option that you believe to be most likely to produce the greatest possible happiness or least possible unhappiness for the all people who will be affected. An act utilitarian would determine if robbing a bank is a right action or not by determining how much happiness the robbery would create. To do this he would have to use the hedonistic calculus, which is a way of adding up all the happiness that everyone affected by an action would receive. If the results of this calculation show that the bank managers, the hundreds of investors, and the police would all be unhappy with this action and only the robber and maybe his family would be happy, then robbing the bank is a wrong action. If the bank managers did not care about the customer’s money, the FDIC insured all the stolen money, the police wer e not unhappy because of the robbery, and the robber was extremely happy because he could move to the Caribbean and never work again, then robbing the bank would be a right action. There are many good points to act utilitarianism. It is very appealing because most people want to increase their happiness and reduce their pain. Act utilitarianism says that people could do that and they would not only make everyone happier but they would also be doing what is morally right. Act utilitarians will not have conflicts over any action being right or wrong because the hedonistic calculus is an objective test that proves the amount of please or pain that will result. It is a standard that all actions can be evaluated by. Another point or act utilitarianism that can be seen as an advantage over rule utilitarianism is that each individual situation can have a different action be right. This means that in every situation the right action will provide more happiness or less pain as opposed to rule utilitarianism where the individual situations do not matter. Act utilitarianism also has some disadvantages. One major fault of act utilitarianism is that some actions would produ ce a greater amount of happiness if they were done in secret. The same action, however, would produce less happiness if it were done in public. That means that the exact  same action and situation would be right if no one knew about it but wrong if enough people were aware of it. If people know about an action and believe it is wrong, then wouldn’t it be just as wrong if no one knew about it? The action would still have the same affect on the same amount of people, they just would not know about, so they could not be unhappy about it. Act utilitarianism can also seem unjust because the hedonistic calculus may say that it is right to take away the rights of a person because it will contribute to the overall happiness in the universe. Act utilitarianism would say an action producing pain for a small number of innocent people is right as long as the rest of the world is happy about it. Another problem is the feelings of a person are disregarded; only the consequences are important. Some other problems with act utilitarianism are if a person has never experienced a similar situation, then they will be unable to perform the hedonistic calculus because they will not know if people will be happy or not. It also may not be possible to compare the different people’s happiness. Act Utilitarianism has many problems. If everyone acted according to act utilitarianism, then the majority or people would probably be happier. But morally correct actions do not necessarily have to make people happy, so act utilitarianism might not be a good way to determine if an action is really right or wrong. References 2006 Pearson Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River NJ 07458 The Legal Environment of Business: A Crititical Thinking Approach 4th Edition Nancy K. Kumasek, Bartley ABrennanm M. Neil Browne, Bowiling Green University 2009 Oxford University Press Business Ethics and Ethical Business Robert Audi, University of Notre Dame New York /Oxford 2011 SAGE Publications, Inc Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility: Stakeholders in a Global Environment 2nd Edition William B Werther Jr(University of Miami) and David Chandler (University of Texas at Austin) 2013 South-Western CENGAGE Learning Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases 9th Edition O. C. Ferrell, John Fraedrich and Linda Ferrell Mason, Ohio

Graduarse Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples

Graduarse Conjugation in Spanish, Translation, and Examples The Spanish verb graduarse is a reflexive verb that means to graduate, whether it be from high school, college, etc. The stem verb graduar can be used non-reflexively, in which case it also means to adjust or calibrate. For example, you can say Queremos graduar la temperatura (We want to adjust the temperature). However, this verb is most commonly used as the reflexive graduarse to talk about obtaining a degree or completing an educational level. Since this verb is often used reflexively, this article includes graduarse conjugations with the reflexive pronoun. You will find tables with conjugations in the present, past, conditional, and future indicative; the present and past subjunctive; the imperative, and other verb forms. Graduarse Present Indicative Since graduar is a regular -ar verb, the conjugations of graduarse follow the regular -ar verb pattern. However, notice that in some of the present indicative conjugations an accent mark is needed to maintain the stress in the correct vowel. Also, remember to include the reflexive pronoun before each conjugated verb. Yo me gradà ºo I graduate Yo me gradà ºo de la universidad. Tà º te gradà ºas You graduate Tà º te gradà ºas de la escuela primaria. Usted/à ©l/ella se gradà ºa You/he/she graduates Ella se gradà ºa con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Nosotros nos graduamos We graduate Nosotros nos graduamos juntos. Vosotros os graduis You graduate Vosotros os graduis de la secundaria con buenas notas. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se gradà ºan You/they graduate Ellos se gradà ºan con honores. Graduarse Preterite Indicative The preterite tense conjugations for yo and à ©l/ella/usted contain an accent mark on the last vowel. Yo me graduà © I graduated Yo me graduà © de la universidad. Tà º te graduaste You graduated Tà º te graduaste de la escuela primaria. Usted/à ©l/ella se graduà ³ You/he/she graduated Ella se graduà ³ con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Nosotros nos graduamos We graduated Nosotros nos graduamos juntos. Vosotros os graduasteis You graduated Vosotros os graduasteis de la secundaria con buenas notas. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se graduaron You/they graduated Ellos se graduaron con honores. Graduarse Imperfect Indicative The imperfect tense is conjugated by starting with the stem gradu and adding the imperfect ending for -er verbs (aba, abas, aba, bamos, abais, aban). The imperfect tense can be translated as was graduating or used to graduate. Yo me graduaba I used to graduate Yo me graduaba de la universidad. Tà º te graduabas You used to graduate Tà º te graduabas de la escuela primaria. Usted/à ©l/ella se graduaba You/he/she used to graduate Ella se graduaba con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Nosotros nos gradubamos We used to graduate Nosotros nos gradubamos juntos. Vosotros os graduabais You used to graduate Vosotros os graduabais de la secundaria con buenas notas. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se graduaban You/they used to graduate Ellos se graduaban con honores. Graduarse Future Indicative Yo me graduarà © I will graduate Yo me graduarà © de la universidad. Tà º te graduars You will graduate Tà º te graduars de la escuela primaria. Usted/à ©l/ella se graduar You/he/she will graduate Ella se graduarcon un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Nosotros nos graduaremos We will graduate Nosotros nos graduaremos juntos. Vosotros os graduarà ©is You will graduate Vosotros os graduarà ©is de la secundaria con buenas notas. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se graduarn You/they will graduate Ellos se graduarn con honores. Graduarse Periphrastic  Future Indicative   To conjugate the periphrastic future you need the present indicative conjugation of the verb ir (to go), the preposition a, and the infinitive graduar. The reflexive pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb ir. Yo me voy a graduar I am going to graduate Yo me voya graduar de la universidad. Tà º te vasa graduar You are going to graduate Tà º te vasa graduar de la escuela primaria. Usted/à ©l/ella se vaa graduar You/he/she is going to graduate Ella se vaa graduar con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Nosotros nos vamosa graduar We are going to graduate Nosotros nos vamosa graduar juntos. Vosotros os vaisa graduar You are going to graduate Vosotros os vaisa graduar de la secundaria con buenas notas. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se vana graduar You/they are going to graduate Ellos se vana graduar con honores. Graduarse Present Progressive/Gerund Form The gerund or present participle can be used as an adverb or to form progressive tenses like the present progressive. The present progressive is usually formed with the auxiliary verb estar. When conjugating a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun should be placed before the conjugated verb estar, or you can attach it to the end of the present participle. Present Progressive ofGraduarse se est graduando / est gradundose Is graduating Ella se est graduando con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Graduarse Past Participle The past participle can be used as an adjective or to form perfect tenses, such as the present perfect (with the auxiliary verb haber). When conjugating a reflexive verb, the reflexive pronoun is placed before the conjugated verb haber. Present Perfect of Graduarse se ha graduado Has graduated Ella se ha graduado con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Graduarse Conditional Indicative The conditional tense can be translated to English as would verb. It is used to talk about possibilities. Yo me graduarà ­a I would graduate Yo me graduarà ­a de la universidad si estudiara ms. Tà º te graduarà ­as You would graduate Tà º te graduarà ­as de la escuela primaria, pero debes repetir un aà ±o. Usted/à ©l/ella se graduarà ­a You/he/she would graduate Ella se graduarà ­acon un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n, pero se cambià ³ de carrera. Nosotros nos graduarà ­amos We would graduate Nosotros nos graduarà ­amos juntos si tuvià ©ramos la misma edad. Vosotros os graduarà ­ais You would graduate Vosotros os graduarà ­ais de la secundaria con buenas notas si fuerais ms aplicados. Ustedes/ellos/ellas se graduarà ­an You/they would graduate Ellos se graduarà ­an con honores, pero recibieron una mala calificacià ³n. Graduarse Present Subjunctive The present subjunctive is used to talk about emotions, doubts, desires, recommendations, or other subjective situations. Que yo me gradà ºe That I graduate La profesora espera que yo megradà ºede la universidad. Que tà º te gradà ºes That you graduate El maestro espera que tà º tegradà ºes de la escuela primaria. Que usted/à ©l/ella segradà ºe That you/he/she graduate El jefe espera que ella segradà ºe con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Que nosotros nos graduemos That we graduate Esteban quiere que nosotros nos graduemos juntos. Que vosotros os graduà ©is That you graduate Pap pide que vosotros os graduà ©is de la secundaria con buenas notas. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas segradà ºen That you/they graduate La directora espera que ellos segradà ºen con honores. Graduarse Imperfect Subjunctive There are two options for conjugating the imperfect subjunctive. Option 1 Que yo me graduara That I graduated La profesora esperaba que yo megraduarade la universidad. Que tà º te graduaras That you graduated El maestro esperaba que tà º tegraduaras de la escuela primaria. Que usted/à ©l/ella segraduara That you/he/she graduated El jefe esperaba que ella segraduara con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Que nosotros nos graduramos That we graduated Esteban querà ­a que nosotros nos graduramosjuntos. Que vosotros os graduarais That you graduated Pap pedà ­a que vosotros os graduarais de la secundaria con buenas notas. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas segraduaran That you/they graduated La directora esperaba que ellos segraduaran con honores. Option 2 Que yo me graduase That I graduated La profesora esperaba que yo megraduase de la universidad. Que tà º te graduases That you graduated El maestro esperaba que tà º tegraduases de la escuela primaria. Que usted/à ©l/ella segraduase That you/he/she graduated El jefe esperaba que ella segraduase con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n. Que nosotros nos gradusemos That we graduated Esteban querà ­a que nosotros nos gradusemosjuntos. Que vosotros os graduaseis That you graduated Pap pedà ­a que vosotros os graduaseis de la secundaria con buenas notas. Que ustedes/ellos/ellas segraduasen That you/they graduated La directora esperaba que ellos segraduasen con honores. Graduarse Imperative The imperative mood is used to give orders or commands. Notice that the placement of the reflexive pronoun varies for positive and negative commands. Positive Commands Tà º gradà ºate Graduate!  ¡Gradà ºate de la escuela primaria! Usted gradà ºese Graduate!  ¡Gradà ºese con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n! Nosotros graduà ©monos Let's graduate!  ¡Graduà ©monos juntos! Vosotros graduaos Graduate!  ¡Graduaos de la secundaria con buenas notas! Ustedes gradà ºense Graduate!  ¡Gradà ºense con honores! Negative Commands Tà º no te gradà ºes Don't graduate!  ¡No te gradà ºes de la escuela primaria! Usted no se gradà ºe Don't graduate!  ¡No se gradà ºe con un tà ­tulo en administracià ³n! Nosotros no nos graduemos Let's not graduate!  ¡Nonos graduemos juntos! Vosotros no os graduà ©is Don't graduate!  ¡Noos graduà ©is de la secundaria con buenas notas! Ustedes no se gradà ºen Don't graduate!  ¡Nose gradà ºen con honores!

Medieval Methods for Making Fabric From Wool

Medieval Methods for Making Fabric From Wool In the Middle Ages, wool was turned into cloth in the thriving wool production trade, in home-based cottage industry, and in private households for family use. Methods could vary depending on the wherewithal of the producer, but the basic processes of spinning, weaving, and finishing cloth were essentially the same. Wool is usually sheared from sheep all at once, resulting in a large fleece. Occasionally, the skin of a slaughtered sheep was utilized for its wool; but the product obtained, which was called pulled wool, was an inferior grade to that shorn from live sheep. If the wool was intended for trade (as opposed to local use), it was bound up with similar fleeces and sold or traded off until it reached its final destination in a cloth-manufacturing town. It was there that processing began. Sorting The first thing done to a fleece was to separate its wool into its various grades by coarseness because different types of wool were destined for different end products and required specialized methods of processing. Also, some types of wool had specific uses in the manufacturing process itself. The wool in the outer layer of fleece was ordinarily longer, thicker and coarser than the wool from the inner layers. These fibers would be spun into worsted yarn. The inner layers had softer wool of varying lengths that would be spun into woolen yarn. Shorter fibers would be further sorted by grade into heavier and finer wools; the heavier ones would be used to make thicker yarn for the warp threads in the loom, and the lighter ones would be used for the wefts. Cleansing Next, the wool was washed; soap and water would usually do for worsteds. For the fibers that would be used to make woolens, the cleansing process was particularly stringent and could include hot alkaline water, lye, and even stale urine. The aim was to remove the wool grease (from which lanolin is extracted) and other oils and greases as well as dirt and foreign matter. The use of urine was frowned upon and even outlawed at various points in the Middle Ages, but it was still common in home industries throughout the era. Following cleansing, the wools were rinsed several times. Beating After rinsing, the wools were set out in the sun on wooden slats to dry and were beaten, or broken, with sticks. Willow branches were often used, and thus the process was called willeying in England, brisage de laines in France and wullebreken in Flanders. Beating the wool helped remove any remaining foreign matter, and it separated entangled or matted fibers. Preliminary Dyeing Sometimes, dye would be applied to fiber before it was used in manufacturing. If so, this is the point at which the dyeing would occur. It was fairly common to soak fibers in a preliminary dye with the expectation that the color would combine with a different shade in a later dye bath. Fabric that was dyed at this stage was known as dyed-in-the-wool. Dyes usually required a mordant to keep the color from fading, and mordants often left a crystalline residue that made working with fibers extremely difficult. Therefore, the most common dye used in this early stage was woad, which did not require a mordant. Woad was a blue dye made from an herb indigenous to Europe, and it took about three days to use it to dye fiber and make the color fast. In later medieval Europe, such a large percentage of wool cloths were dyed with woad that cloth workers were often known as blue nails.1 Greasing Before the wools could be subjected to the harsh processing treatment that lay ahead, they would be greased with butter or olive oil to protect them. Those who produced their own cloth at home were likely to skip the more rigorous cleansing, allowing some of the natural lanolin to remain as a lubricant instead of adding grease. Although this step was done primarily to the fibers intended for woolen yarn, there is evidence that the longer, thicker fibers used to make worsteds were also lightly greased. Combing The next step in preparing wool for spinning varied depending on the type of wool, the instruments available and, oddly enough, whether certain tools had been outlawed. For worsted yarn, simple wool combs were used to separate and straighten the fibers. The teeth of the combs might be wooden or, as the Middle Ages progressed, iron. A pair of combs was used, and the wool would be transferred from one comb to the other and back again until it had been straightened and aligned. Combs were usually constructed with several rows of teeth and had a handle, which made them look a little like a modern-day dog brush. Combs were also used for woolen fibers, but in the central Middle Ages cards were introduced. These were flat boards with many rows of short, sharp metal hooks. By placing a handful of wool on one card and combing it until it had been transferred to the other, and then repeating the process several times, a light, airy fiber would result. Carding separated wools more effectively than combing, and it did so without losing the shorter fibers. It was also a good way to blend together different types of wool. For reasons that remain unclear, cards were outlawed in portions of Europe for several centuries. John H. Munroe posits that the reasoning behind the ban could be a fear that the sharp metal hooks would damage the wool, or that carding made it too easy to fraudulently blend inferior wools into superior ones. Instead of carding or combing, some woolens were subjected to a process known as bowing. The bow was an arched wooden frame, the two ends of which were attached with a taut cord. The bow would be suspended from the ceiling, the cord would be placed in a pile of wool fibers, and the wooden frame would be struck with a mallet in order to get the cord to vibrate. The vibrating cord would separate the fibers. Just how effective or common bowing was is debatable, but at least it was legal. Spinning Once the fibers were combed (or carded or bowed), they were wound on a distaff a short, forked stick - in preparation for spinning. Spinning was chiefly the province of women. The spinster would draw a few fibers from the distaff, twisting them between thumb and forefinger as she did so, and attach them to a drop-spindle. The weight of the spindle would pull the fibers down, stretching them out as it spun. The spinning action of the spindle, with the help of the spinsters fingers, twisted the fibers together into yarn. The spinster would add more wool from the distaff until the spindle reached the floor; shed then wind the yarn around the spindle and repeat the process. Spinsters stood as they  spun  so that the drop-spindle could spin out as long a yarn as possible before it had to be wound up. Spinning wheels were probably invented in India sometime after 500 CE.; their earliest recorded use in Europe is in the 13th century. Initially, they werent the convenient sit-down models of later centuries, powered by a foot pedal; rather, they were  hand-powered  and large enough so that the spinster would need to stand to use it. It may not have been any easier on the spinsters feet, but much more yarn could be produced on a spinning wheel than with a drop-spindle. However, spinning with a drop-spindle was common throughout the Middle Ages until the 15th century. Once the yarn was spun, it might be dyed. Whether it was dyed in the wool or in the yarn, color had to be added  by  this stage if a multi-colored cloth was to be produced. Knitting While knitting wasnt wholly unknown in the Middle Ages, scant evidence of hand-knitted garments survives. The relative ease of the craft of knitting and the ready availability of materials and tools for making knitting needles makes it hard to believe that peasants didnt knit themselves warm clothing from wool they got from their own sheep. The lack of surviving garments isnt at all surprising, considering the fragility of all cloth and the amount of time that has passed since the medieval era. Peasants could have worn their knitted garments to pieces, or they may have reclaimed the yarn for alternate uses when the garment grew too old or threadbare to wear any longer. Far more common than knitting in the Middle Ages was weaving. Weaving Weaving cloth was practiced in households as well as in professional cloth-making establishments. In homes where people produced cloth for their own use, spinning was often the province of women, but weaving was usually done by men. Professional weavers in manufacturing locations like Flanders and Florence were also usually men, though women weavers were not unknown. The essence of weaving is, simply, to draw one yarn or thread (the weft) through a set of perpendicular yarns (the warp), threading the weft alternately behind and in front of each individual warp thread. Warp threads were usually stronger and heavier than weft  threads  and came from different grades of fiber. The variety of weights in warps and wefts could result in specific textures. The number of weft fibers drawn through the loom in one pass could vary, as could the number of warps the weft would travel in front of before passing behind; this deliberate variety was used to achieve different textured patterns. Sometimes, warp threads were dyed (usually blue) and weft threads remained undyed, producing colored patterns. Looms  were constructed to make this process go more smoothly. The earliest looms were vertical; the warp threads stretched from the top of the loom to the floor and, later, to a bottom frame or roller. Weavers stood when they worked on vertical looms. The  horizontal loom  made its first appearance in Europe in the 11th century, and by the 12th century, mechanized versions were being used. The advent of the mechanized horizontal loom is generally considered the most important technological development in medieval textile production. A weaver would sit at a mechanized loom, and instead of threading the weft in front of and behind alternate warps by hand, hed merely have to press a foot pedal to raise up one set of alternate warps and draw the weft underneath it in one straight pass. Then hed press the other pedal, which would raise the other set of warps, and draw the weft underneath  that  in the other direction. To make this process easier, a shuttle was used a boat-shaped tool that contained yarn wound around a bobbin. The shuttle would glide easily over the bottom set of warps as the yarn unspooled. Fulling  or Felting Once the fabric had been woven and taken off the loom it would be subjected to a  fulling  process. (Fulling wasnt usually necessary if the fabric was made from worsted as opposed to woolen yarn.) Fulling thickened the fabric and made the natural hair fibers mat together through agitation and the application of  liquid. It was more effective if heat was part of the equation, as well. Initially,  fulling  was done by immersing the cloth in a vat of warm water and stomping on it or beating it with hammers. Sometimes additional chemicals were added, including soap or urine to help remove the natural lanolin of the wool or the grease that had been added to protect it in the earlier stages of processing. In Flanders, fullers earth was used in the process to absorb impurities; this was a type of soil containing a significant amount of clay, and it was naturally available in the region. Though originally done by hand (or foot), the  fulling  process gradually became automated through the use of fulling mills. These were often quite large and powered by water, although smaller, hand-cranked machines were also known. Foot-fulling was still done in household manufacturing, or when the cloth was particularly fine and wasnt to be subjected to the harsh treatment of hammers. In towns where cloth manufacture was a thriving household industry, weavers could take their cloth to a communal fulling mill. The term fulling is sometimes used interchangeably with felting. Although the process is essentially the same,  fulling  is done to cloth that has already been woven, whereas felting actually produces cloth from unwoven, separate fibers. Once cloth was fulled or felted, it could not easily unravel. After  fulling, the fabric would be thoroughly rinsed. Even worsteds that didnt need  fulling  would be washed to remove any oil or dirt that had accumulated during the weaving process. Because dyeing was a process that immersed the fabric in liquid, it may have been dyed at this point, especially in home industries. However, it was more common to wait until a later stage in production.  Cloth  that was dyed after it was woven was known as dyed-in-the-piece. Drying After it was rinsed, cloth was hung up to dry. Drying was done on specially-designed frames known as tenter frames, which used tenterhooks to hold the cloth. (This is where we get the phrase on tenterhooks to describe a state of suspense.) The sturdy frames stretched the fabric so that it wouldnt shrink too much; this process was carefully gauged, because fabric that was stretched too far, while large in square feet, would be thinner and weaker than fabric that was stretched to the proper dimensions. Drying was done in the open air; and in cloth-producing towns, this meant the fabric was always subject to inspection. Local regulations often dictated the specifics of drying cloth in order to ensure quality, thus maintaining the reputation of the town as a source of fine cloth, as well as that of the cloth manufacturers themselves. Shearing Fulled fabrics- especially those made from curly-haired woolen yarn were often very fuzzy and covered with nap. Once the fabric had been dried, it would be shaved or  sheared  to remove this extra material. Shearers would use a device that had remained pretty much unchanged since Roman times: shears, which consisted of two razor-sharp blades attached to a U-shaped bow spring. The spring, which was made of steel, also served as the handle of the device. A shearer would attach the cloth to a padded table that sloped downward and had hooks to keep the fabric in place. He would then press the bottom blade of his shears into the cloth at the top of the table and gently slide it down, clipping the fuzz and nap by bringing down the top blade as he went. Shearing a piece of fabric completely could take several passes, and would often alternate with the next step in the process, napping. Napping or Teaseling After (and before, and after) shearing, the next step was to raise the nap of the fabric enough to give it a soft, smooth finish. This was done by grooming the cloth with the head of a plant known as a teasel. A teasel was a member of the  Dipsacus  genus and had a dense, prickly flower, and it would be rubbed gently over the fabric. Of course, this could raise the nap so much that the cloth would be too fuzzy and had to be sheared again. The amount of shearing and teaseling necessary would depend on the quality and type of wool used and the result desired. Though metal and wood tools were tested for this step, they were considered potentially too damaging for fine cloth, so the teasel plant was used for this process throughout the Middle Ages. Dyeing Cloth might be dyed in the wool or in the yarn, but even so, it would usually be dyed in the piece as well, either to deepen the color or to combine with the previous dye for a different tint. Dyeing in the piece was a procedure that could realistically take place at almost any point in the manufacturing process, but most commonly it was done after the fabric had been sheared. Pressing When the teaseling and shearing (and, possibly, dyeing) was done, the fabric would be pressed to complete the smoothing process. This was done in a flat, wooden vise. Woven wool that had been fulled, dried, shorn, teaseled, dyed, and pressed could be luxuriously soft to the touch and made into the finest clothing and draperies. Unfinished Cloth Professional cloth manufacturers in wool production towns could, and did, produce cloth from the wool-sorting stage to the final pressing. However, it was quite common to sell fabric that wasnt completely finished. Producing undyed fabric was very common, allowing tailors and drapers to choose just the right hue. And it was not at all uncommon to leave out the shearing and teaseling steps, reducing the price of the fabric for consumers willing and able to perform this task themselves. Cloth Quality and Variety Every step along the manufacturing process was an opportunity for cloth-makers to excel or not. Spinners and weavers who had low-quality wool to work with could still turn out fairly decent cloth, but it was common for such wool to be worked with the least possible effort in order to turn out a product quickly. Such cloth would, of course, be cheaper; and it might be used for items other than garments. When manufacturers paid for better raw materials and took the extra time required for higher quality, they could charge more for their products. Their reputation for quality would attract the wealthier merchants, artisans, guildsmen and the nobility. Although sumptuary laws were enacted, usually in times of economic instability, to keep the lower classes from garbing themselves in finery ordinarily reserved for the upper classes, it was more often the extreme expense of the clothing worn by the nobility that kept other people from buying it. Thanks to the diverse kinds of cloth manufacturers and the many types of wool of different levels of quality they had to work with, a wide variety of wool cloth was produced in medieval times.