DATA MINING AND VISUALISATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

DATA MINING AND VISUALISATION - Essay Example Name of Algorithm: Eulid’s Algorithm Criteria of the Eulid’s Algorithm To measure was defined as placing shorter measuring length S in a successful times (q times) along a longer length (L), until the remaining portion (r) becomes less than the shorter length (S). In other words, the remainder r = L – q x s, q as the quotient is the modulus, which is the integer fractional par left after the division. In order for this method to work well, the lengths starting the process ought to satisfy 2 requirements. First, the lengths need not be zero. Secondly, the subtraction need not be proper and the test should guarantee that of the two, the smaller must be subtracted from the larger one. Description of the Eulid’s Algorithm This algorithm was postulated by Euclid who poses a math problem. The problem is such that provided with 2 numbers that are not prime to each other one would find the greatest common measure for the two numbers. In this case, the number was d efined as the multitude consisting of units, a counting number, and a positive integer excluding zero. The original proof of the Euclid adds a third, in which the two lengths not being prime to the other. Euclid stipulated with a view to construct a proof that the common measure for the two numbers is in the greatest. ... This is again subtracted from 21 with the remainder being 14, from which 7 is subtracted. In this case, seven would be left. However, seven cannot be subtracted from 7 (Yanhong, 2002). The diagram below shows the Euclid’s algorithm. Advantages of Euclid’s algorithm Euclid’s algorithm has various advantages. First, the algorithm involves step-by-step rep. of the solution to any given problem and it also has a definite procedure hence it is quite easy understanding it. It is quite easy developing and converting it to the flowchart and finally developing it into a computer program. Additionally, the algorithm is independent of the programming language, and given that every step has its logical sequence it is easy debugging it. Disadvantages of the Eudlid’s algorithm. The use and development process of the algorithm is somewhat cumbersome, as well as time consuming given that the algorithm has to be developed first, then be converted into a flowchart and final ly a computer program. Name of the algorithm: Force-based Criteria of Force-based algorithm The force-based algorithms often achieve the pattern through assigning forces in a set of edges, along with the set of nodes. In this case, the straight forward method entails assigning forces as though the edges were springs and nodes as though they were particles that were electrically charged. The graph is stimulated as though it were the physical system with the forces being applied on the nodes, by pulling the nodes together and pushing the somewhat further apart. The process is repeated iteratively until when the system reaches the equilibrium state. In this case, the relative positions of the nodes are not altered from one position to the other. The graph is then drawn at such

Colorectal Cancer Screening Importance and Strategies

Colorectal Cancer Screening Importance and Strategies The transformation of the United States healthcare system aims to advance and enhance the quality of healthcare delivery and patients health (Krist). Preventive care is a significant aspect of the transformation of healthcare. Cancer remains a top source of the number of deaths in the United States, although colorectal cancer (CRC) is a preventable disease. The prevention requires consistent utilization of screening methods as recommended (Spruce). Vast amount of research has continued to prove that CRC screening greatly reduces the occurrence of and death from CRC. There are a number of interventions for healthcare providers to use that help raise the rates that patients will adhere to screening, but ultimately health-promoting and preventive actions are a shared responsibility between both patient and healthcare provider. In order for the intended goal of raising CRC screening rates to occur, providers must not forget that patients need to be satisfied with their care, and that car ing for and about the patient needs to be forefront (Spruce). This paper will discuss utilization of colorectal cancer screening and strategies to increase screening adherence with a theoretical basis from the metaparadigm of nursing, Watsons Theory of Human Caring, and Reigels Theory of Self-Care, and discuss aspects of colorectal cancer screening in relation complexity science. Phenomenon of Interest CRC screening interventions have targeted different subjects in attempts to raise screening rates including patients, healthcare systems, and healthcare providers (Garcia). Primary care providers should be targeted for implementation of interventions because they are in a unique position at the forefront to impact CRC screening rates. A majority of adult patients have primary care providers that they receive care from regularly, and primary care providers can use these many opportunities to recommend screening to all appropriate patients (Spruce). A recommendation of CRC screening from a healthcare provider is significantly influential in determining if a patient will comply with cancer screening. The process of CRC screening is extensive and involves developing a connection and rapport with the patient, educating the patient and opening discussions about the multiple screening options available to them, and supporting the patients decision (Spruce). Several patient-identified barrie rs to CRC screening exist such as anxiety, embarrassment, fear, and perception of pain, danger, or discomfort. The patient-provider relationship can help to dispel most barriers to screening with proper communication and education (Garcia). Ensuring that patients have options to choose from and encouraging participation in their own health care decisions has proven to raise CRC screening rates (Spruce). Metaparadigm of Nursing Fawcett (1984) identified the metaparadigm of nursing as the most global perspective of nursing that involves four central concepts of nursing as person, environment, health, and nursing. Person is defined as the one who receives nursing care, which often refers to the patient, but can refer to more than one person, including sociocultural factors such as family, friends, and community (Fawcett, 1984, 1996). The next part of the metaparadigm of nurse theory construction is health. Fawcett (1984) defines this as the patients degree of wellness or illness. Patients health refers to a large variety of aspects of the persons wellbeing such as genetic factors, and also includes less obvious factors such as the patients intellectual, emotional, and spiritual wellness (Lusk). In regards to CRC screening, this aspect of the paradigm involves the use of preventive care to maintain a healthy state. Unfortunately, the underuse of preventive care is an issue leading to patients that are most in need of preventive care only going to a provider for sick visits, not for prevention (Krist, 2011). Patients that are seen in these visits perceive themselves to be possible in an ill state, reporting signs and symptoms of gastroenterology issues, often leading to providers to initiate CRC screening based off of symptoms (Garcia). Patients reporting to a provider at a healthcare facility is an example of the patient interacting with their environment, which is another aspect of the metaparadigm. The environment aspect of the metaparadigm refers to all internal and external surroundings, circumstances, and influences affecting the person, including the setting in which nursing occurs (Fawcett, 1984, 1996). Nursing is the fourth concept of the metaparadigm and is defined as nursing interventions done on behalf of or with the patient and the results by which positive changes in health status are affected. Nurse practitioners are in a critical position to reshape primary care to where i t is focused on becoming patient-centered. Reformatting concepts of healthcare practice and introducing more patient-centered models of primary care delivery will allow for patients to receive the screening tests they need based on provider recommendation and individual patient choice (Spruce). Providing patient-centered care allows healthcare providers to respect and care about patient differences, morals, preferences, and needs while advocating disease prevention and promoting wellness (Lusk). Grand Nursing Theory: Watsons Theory of Human Caring Nurse practitioners care for patients from numerous upbringings, cultures, and healthcare challenges. Primary prevention of disease and health promotion are great concepts for health practice, but nurse practitioners have been encouraged to keep nursing theory and research as a basis for their practice. The integration of Watsons Theory of Human Caring into advanced practice provides an all-inclusive, humanistic view of the person which allows the practitioner to look at all aspects of the patient in need of care (Hagedorn). Watson (1990) states that caring is recognized as the central base to the nursing profession. According to Watson (1988), caring consists of ten Caritas factors of care that all create a structure for nursing science. The ten Caritas factors are: humanistic-altruistic system of values, faith-hope, sensitivity to ones self and to others, helping-trust relationship, expressing positive and negative feelings, creative problem solving, caring process, transpersonal teaching-learning, supportive, protective, and (or) corrective mental, physical, societal, and spiritual environment, human needs assistance and existential phenomenological-spiritual forces (Watson, 1988). The first three factors shape the foundation for the science of caring, and the remaining factors stem from that foundation. Caritas Caring is defined as relationships with open communication that create a caring-healing environment (Watson Foster, 2003). These relationships should be integrated with the guiding values o f nursing that include upholding humanity, dignity, and fullness of self. The integration of and advancement of human caring as an initiative in nursing practice is a significant subject (Watson Foster, 2003). Watsons Theory of Human Caring has several aspects that can be used for implications of practice with CRC screening. Colorectal cancer mortality and morbidity is a significant issue. Interventions as large as community-wide educational CRC screening programs embraces the Caritas through the transpersonal teaching and learning carative factor (Garcia). Interventions that are not as grand, such as individual provider and patient relationships to discuss CRC screening are just as powerful, if not more. Watson (1988) stresses the significance of having an equal partnership between nurse and patient rather than a relationship of imbalanced power. Shared decision making is applied and functional in the patient-provider relationship in the discussion of CRC screening strategies, in which the provider implements a caring attitude and respects the patients ultimate goals (Underhill). By sharing knowledge with the patient, the patient is able to assist in the decisions regarding their own care , and is the leader of their own plan (Lusk). Patients gain autonomy with shared decision making, and this leads to patients à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ nding sense and purpose in their own existence. This leads to an increase in their ability to have inner control and to problem-solve (Watson, 1988). The mistake that providers made in the past is presenting a single CRC screening option as the patients only choice as this is not the essence of truly caring for the patient (Spruce). Using Watsons Theory of Caring, the focus should not be to only complete the task of getting the patient to adhere to a screening method, but on all aspects of the patient. This can include offering culturally sensitive interventions to increase knowledge of CRC to help improve screening uptake (Underhill). Providers should present appropriate evidence-based knowledge to the patient that is in their best interest. Most often, the evidence is in favor of a particular screening intervention. The patient should be allowed to make a decision, and this decision will be based on evaluation of the evidence presented but will also involve considering their principals and belief system. The helping-trust relationship between the nurse and the patient supports the patients decision, even if the decision is not in line with the providers suggestion and evidence (Lusk). The patient as a whole should be taken into consideration with CRC interventions to better ensure that the foundation of caring is forefront, and studies show that strategies that are patient-centered improve CRC screening behaviors (Underhill). Middle Range Theory: Reigels Theory of Self-Care and Chronic Illness Reigel, Jaarsma and Stromberg (2013) deà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ne self-care as a process of preserving a healthy state with practices that promote health and handle illness. Self-care can be implemented in a state of health and an ill state. Reigel et al. (2013) explains that when a person is sick but stable, they can still maintain health without necessarily having to transition into a different type of care that focuses on the illness. This is seen in cases when patients report to the healthcare provider with signs and symptoms that may be related to colon cancer, the perceived state of illness, and want to take actions such as CRC screening to try and regain the state of wellness or manage their state. Intended outcomes of selfcare include sustaining a healthy state, stabilization of illness, well-being, and quality of life (Reigel, Jaarsma Stromberg, 2013). The three key concepts that help define self-care explained by Reigel et al. (2013) are self-maintenance, self-monitoring, self-managem ent. Self-care maintenance is defined as actions done to improve well-being, maintain health, or to keep the stability of physical and emotional aspects of the patient. Self-care maintenance tends to be behaviors that reflect the recommendations of providers (Reigel et al, 2013). The behaviors of self-maintenance may be performed by patients after strong encouragement by others such as health care professionals or family members or the patient may choose to perform behaviors on their own to meet personal goals. Recommendations of CRC screening are sometimes initiated by a patients providers and family. Provider recommendation of CRC screening is critical to predicting the use of screening methods (OFarrell). Nurses at all levels of practice regularly provide recommendations for preventive care to patients, and they are in optimal positions to do so because of increased contact with patients. This allows for enhanced CRC screening counseling, providing information that will increase knowledge regarding CRC screening guidelines (Bardach). Self-care maintenance is strongly enhanced when a patient reà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ects on the usefulness of the self-care behavior, is observant in performance of the behavior, and continues to evaluate the beneà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ts and the effectiveness of the activities (Reigel). The purpose of education of CRC screening is for the patient to have knowledge of the benefits of screening and for the patient to continue with this avenue of self-care by adhering to continued screening as recommended by national guidelines (Bardach). Adherence is a critical part of self-care maintenance. Health care providers collaborate with patients to discuss integrating into their daily life as many of the evidence based health-promotion behaviors as the patient can accept (Reigel). Adherence to CRC screening has been shown to be increased when providers utilized patient-centered care. These findings demonstrate the vitality of communication and a quality p atient-provider in regard to screening behavior and have strong implications for clinical practice (Underhill). The second aspect of self-care as stated by Reigel et al. (2013) is self-care monitoring. Self-care monitoring is defined as a process of routine surveillance and observation of ones body. Consistent and orderly monitoring creates the best outcomes (Reigel). Reigel et al. (2013) explains that monitoring ones self, understanding the importance of it, and reporting abnormalities can allow for appropriate healthcare interventions to take place before a situation becomes detrimental. This facilitates the providers ability to give the best care (Reigel). This concept is critical to one aspect of the purpose of routine CRC screening. Signs and symptoms that could be indicative of colon cancer signify a need for CRC screening, and this communication with the provider can facilitate the proper screening method to be implemented to potentially catch a situation before the devastating illness has developed (Bardach). The third concept of self-care is self-care management. This is defined as involving an assessment of any changes in signs and symptoms physical or emotional to decide if an intervention is needed (Reigel). Reigel (2013) explains that decision making is one of the underlying concepts of self-care. Reigel () states that confusion, mistaken beliefs, and insufficient knowledge can all come into play and distort decision making, leading to inadequate self-care. This further indicates the importance of the relationship between patients and the providers (Reigel). Interventions that aim to educate and reduce barriers such as confusion are the most effective interventions targeting the patient for increasing participation rates in CRC screening (Garcia). Reigel () suggests that self-care is not always done by the patient alone. Most patients acknowledge the value of contributions from their environment or community and make use of the welcomed input-a process Reigel et al. (2013) describe s as shared care. Reigel et al. (2013) states that motivation is one of the outcomes of self-car. Patients can be motivated to perform self-care, and describes motivation as the power that influences people to achieve their objectives. The motivation can be intrinsic driven by an internal desire or extrinsic, referring to changing a behavior because it leads to a specific result that is anticipated (Reigel). Many patients have the extrinsic motivation to proceed with colorectal cancer screening with the hope that the outcome will be either remaining free from CRC or catching a potentially deadly disease early enough for the best prognosis (Atassi). Complexity Science Complexity science views systems as complex, having many parts that interact and are unpredictable, but can be adaptable. A complex adaptive system is a significant model of complexity science. Complex systems must be able to adapt, or else it will not survive (Florczak). Most systems involve layers of varied subsystems microsystems that intermingle with each other (Florczak). A complex system can adapt its behavior overtime, and its parts respond to their environment by using adopted rule sets that motivate its behaviors (Plesk). This theory is used to explain an organizations office systems improvements to implement clinical guidelines of CRC screening. Evidence has shown that CRC screening is on the rise due to adjustments and improvements in screening strategies (Atassi). Because the screening rates are still not where national guidelines are targeting, further adaptations and improvements are implemented to increase adherence to screening, such as including patients in the dec ision making, and using information technology for more accurate screening rate surveillance (Triantaà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ llidis). This model is delivered by monitoring performance reports from EMR data, using special alerts embedded in the EMR that remind providers to initiate CRC screening as well as patient reminders, ensuring providers are culturally competent and implementing the concept of patient autonomy in decision making (Triantafillidis). According to the complexity science theory, providers in healthcare facilities that have a goal of increasing colon cancer screening will act accordingly with efforts to recommend CRC screening to patients. Healthcare systems are moving toward adopting practices that focus of preventive care. Colorectal cancer is a disease that is preventable disease that remains a source of the most number of deaths in the United States. The prevention of colorectal cancer, as well as any preventable cancer, requires consistent use of recommended screening methods. Using simple strategies and adapting primary care practice to more patient-centered care will make a difference in the incidence and mortality from CRC. A holistic view of patients should be taken into consideration with CRC interventions to help ensure that caring remains a staple in healthcare. Nurse practitioners have a unique position that would allow for transforming primary care to where it is focused on becoming patient-centered. References Watson, J. (1988). Nursing, human science and human care. New York: National League for Nursing.

Comparing Truth in Death Of A Salesman and The Glass Menagerie Essay

Seeking Truth in Death Of A Salesman and The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Often society seeks to thwart the desire of certain people to find and/or face the truth. Examples of this are found throughut literature. Two excellent example of this are Biff Loman from 'The Death Of A Salesman' and Tom Wingfield from 'The Glass Menagerie'. At some point, they both have to face and understand the truth about their lives. Biff is faced with the lies and   morals of society obsessed with the corrupt version of American Dream, especially his father, and his inability to pursue his own goals and dreams. Tom is faced with the sad reality of life in his family and the desire to escape it.    Biff Loman grew up in a family of a salesman. He had a reasonably happy childhood, and a great school career. He was good at American Football and won a football scholarship. His father, Willy Loman, was always very proud of his son and always praised him and put him above others. Unfortunately, Willy's life philosophy was ruined by the corrupted version of the American Dream. He believed that the key to happiness is money and success and the a person does not necessarily has to work hard to attain it. Biff grew up with those ideas and they influenced him a lot. But when he caught his father with another woman, the realization of the lie and corruption turned his life around. He no longer believes in his father or the dream, and lives a... ...Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. Downer, Alan S. American Drama and Its Critics. Chicago, University of Chicago Press [1965]. pp. 218-239. Hayashi, Tetsumaro.   Arthur Miller Criticism.   Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1969. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Miller, Arthur.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568. Comparing Truth in Death Of A Salesman and The Glass Menagerie Essay Seeking Truth in Death Of A Salesman and The Glass Menagerie      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Often society seeks to thwart the desire of certain people to find and/or face the truth. Examples of this are found throughut literature. Two excellent example of this are Biff Loman from 'The Death Of A Salesman' and Tom Wingfield from 'The Glass Menagerie'. At some point, they both have to face and understand the truth about their lives. Biff is faced with the lies and   morals of society obsessed with the corrupt version of American Dream, especially his father, and his inability to pursue his own goals and dreams. Tom is faced with the sad reality of life in his family and the desire to escape it.    Biff Loman grew up in a family of a salesman. He had a reasonably happy childhood, and a great school career. He was good at American Football and won a football scholarship. His father, Willy Loman, was always very proud of his son and always praised him and put him above others. Unfortunately, Willy's life philosophy was ruined by the corrupted version of the American Dream. He believed that the key to happiness is money and success and the a person does not necessarily has to work hard to attain it. Biff grew up with those ideas and they influenced him a lot. But when he caught his father with another woman, the realization of the lie and corruption turned his life around. He no longer believes in his father or the dream, and lives a... ...Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Tennessee Williams. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House, 1987. 1-8. Downer, Alan S. American Drama and Its Critics. Chicago, University of Chicago Press [1965]. pp. 218-239. Hayashi, Tetsumaro.   Arthur Miller Criticism.   Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1969. Levy, Eric P. "'Through Soundproof Glass': The Prison of Self Consciousness in The Glass Menagerie." Modern Drama, 36. December 1993. 529-537. Miller, Arthur.   Death of a Salesman.   New York: Viking, 1965. Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menagerie. In Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing, 4th ed. Ed. Edgar V. Roberts and Henry E. Jacobs. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995. 1519-1568.

The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Japan

Ivan Morris’ The World of the Shining Prince: Court Life in Japan is an appraisal and an attempt to restore the imaginary life of Prince Genji in the highly illustrious Lady Murasaki’s Genji Monogatari and, for the most part, to portray Japan’s regal, entrenched, strange yet vibrant world. The manuscript was both a source of pleasure to those who would want to enjoy the splendor of literature and a good source of knowledge regarding the Land of the Rising Sun – its history and culture – details that even history failed to recount. This book has, beyond a doubt, disclosed the most intriguing and accomplished culture in our world, mulled over Japan’s classical age of marriage politics and the turbulent political currents of court life, the rise of aristocracy, Buddhists’ and Confucians’ doctrines of salvation and impermanence, the pursuit for elegance and refinement, the roles men and women play, over and above women’s role in the patriarchal society during their time. Physically, little was known about the odd yet amusing country which was â€Å"divided into large estates ruled by feudal baronies, dominated by military men who for over a century had kept the islands in a state of almost perpetual warfare,† (p. xxiii). There was already a well-established religion, rooted in Buddhism and Confucianism. Religious leaders are, in general, wealthy, powerful, and often wielded political influence that they, at times, oppose with secular authorities in supervising the territories. Provincial warriors also rose during the Heian period. Although, the West might have thought of their supreme power since they are physically trained, samurai warriors enjoyed no prestige among the nobles. It was only later that they ascended, which eventually lead to taking power. The Heian epoch is indubitably considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court where sovereignty lays upon the emperor. Nonetheless, power was wielded by aristocratic families, particularly the Fujiwara clan. The emperor upholds dominion over most of the territory. But, he did not have much supremacy to rule with equal firmness over all of this vast territory compared to the aristocrats. The latter filtered out into various ranks. And it had been palpable that the imperative factor in determining an individual’s rank that time was the overall status of one’s extended family. In other words, hereditary privilege is an overwhelming factor in one’s general status. This is why landed gentry would most likely choose to marry those belonging in the upper crust for their personal gain and sustained stature. Aptitude and knowledge might enable someone to advance to some extent, but there was little room for social mobility. The members of the Japanese court have, indeed, lived opulent lives, concerning themselves with works of art aside from their primary occupation of managing lands and came to depend on a system of private estates (shoen) for revenues. A paradoxical fact of the condition of the lower class was also shown in the masterpiece and was noticed by Morris. Ignorant peasants in their society produce nearly all of the country’s wealth but for the most part are experiencing a filthy and wobbly life. The members of the imperial families put land tillers to work to enrich themselves rather than for the benefit of the whole country. Indeed, in the political sense, the period is known for the height of control of the noble families. On the other hand, Heian Japan is also noted for its cult of beauty. In other words, it is a culture that has put emphasis on â€Å"beautiful things† or the â€Å"splendid things. † History would tell us that the aristocrats, particularly the Fujiwara clan, fostered a court culture which devote much of their time on refined tastes and elegant aesthetic pursuits. Since the upper-class Heian life were believed to be confined in their palaces, men and women rarely venture the world outside their homes, â€Å"almost claustrophobic in nature, and living an indoor life to a large extent,† (p. 167), most of them had sufficient leisure time, giving them enough time to develop artistry. Consequently, they became great patrons of poetry, painting, calligraphy, music, dancing, and landscape gardening. Poetry, in fact, became one of the most important skills to develop. The mastery of its technique was necessary in both social exchanges and formal poetic gatherings. The central figure in the Tale of Genji, to whom this book was attributed, dwelt remotely from his relatives and would exchange notes, messages, or poems once they get to see each other, especially during family gatherings. Other spare time activities include sketching and painting depicted in Morris’ account of Genji’s sketches of the sea and the hills, during the Prince’s banishment in Suma, and arrived at a conclusion that â€Å"they were almost all amateur artists,† (p. 186). A popular form of drawing consisted of sketches of men and women. It appears that these sketches were erotic (p. 86), however, there were no other details provided that will substantiate the truth of this claim. But what is apparent is the influence of the Chinese even in the arts. These portrayals reveal to us a particular age and civilization of the extraordinarily sophisticated Japan – a part of the world away from the cultivation of the West, a country so outlandish yet very rich when it comes to art, literature, and culture. The remarkable sense of aesthetics, as Morris noted, and the extent to which aesthetic beauty substituted for moral goodness both defined the characteristic of this ancient society. The other element that should be taken into consideration during the Heian Period is the position of women in the society. The world before is, undeniably, patriarchal. Women are considered inferior to male; a mere shadow to male’s existence; living without freedom; living without name. However, Morris was able to point out women’s position in the society that time. To know that women in Heian Japan were economically independent, or at least semi-dependent, surprised him. He added that they also benefit from total subordination from the domineering sex. This would suggest that Heian women, so long as they are financially stable, can do whatever it is that pleases them, without men dictating it. It is true that women are not quite affiliated politically, yet they were able to do well out of the freedoms that the Western women were not able to enjoy. Although, women were by and large branded as inferior, they could legally inherit and even own properties, as well as engage themselves in all sorts of leisurely activities. In fact, most of Heian prose writers were women. Lady Murasaki, who wrote the Genji Monogatari, along with other world-renowned writers flourished during this period. According to Morris, many of the women then had their own houses and being economically independent, were free to have such relations as they wished and also to terminate them. Part of their freedom is that they could refuse their favor to a man,; they could keep him waiting; they could send him away at any time; or replace him by another lover. This freedom was perceived by Morris as promiscuous, freedom that he himself was not able to characterize during his time. The society that surrounds them is filled with male supremacy but women in this period had a niche of their own – a nook that they know can satisfy them in some ways, in spite of the fierce standards of conduct during that time. Morris also stressed out the intricate relation between men and women of this milieu. Men can only converse with women if the latter were behind curtains. And there were even characters who lived apart from their female relatives and would see them rarely. Morris (p. 167) viewed this as an exaggerated case of formality with regard to the relation of men and women. Incongruously, though, there were some characters like Prince Niou who go to bed with Naka no Kimi on their first meeting and for Kashiwagi to do the same with Prince Nyosan before they have spoken to each other (p. 167). This gives us the impression that women are again classed according to their economic potential. Women can have freedom only if they can keep up with the challenges freedom entails. Women can have their choices granted so long as they can cope with the consequences of their decisions. In Morris’ account of the Shining Prince’s world, we were able to have a glimpse of a paradise located at one part of the globe. Their exquisite traditions, highly majestic politics, the rise and fall of aristocracy, exceptional artistic expression, the pursuit of elegance, and fascinating literature have been one of the world’s wonderful crafts ever hewn in the history of mankind. Overall, Morris’ attempt to discuss the narrative of an Eastern country was a brave endeavor to overcome Western ignorance. He was able to bridge distinct cultures, bringing forth understanding and high regard of unique civilizations, and in turn, minimizing indifference. There may have been lapses in the judgment of Morris regarding Japan’s mysteries, however, somehow his work was able to give a picture of Heian society of aristocratic reign, astonishing veneration for beauty and sophistication, and finally for the depiction of the interesting roles men and women played during that period of classical Japan. Indeed, Morris has produced a work of art that will not only entertain you about Japan’s lovely mysteries but enfold an interesting tale of the efflorescence of an ancient civilization.

Perfect competition V. Monopolies Essay

In the American Economy, business is controlled by the government and the consumer. When a person is the owner of a business that is alone in its product that it provides for the consumer, it is said to be a monopoly. As a monopoly you have sole control over price. Monopolies are regulated by the government in order to prevent the misuse of power that a monopoly has. If a person can only get turkey, for example from one store. Then the store can charge a lot more for that turkey than it could if the store next door was selling it too because then there would be competition. Also, the store would not have to produce a better quality of turkey because there would be no reason for it to do so. In this situation the consumer is taken unfair advantage of by the business owner, in this case the store. Government regulates monopolies to promote a perfect competition economy and to get rid of the â€Å"turkey situation† discussed above. The benefits of a perfect competition economy benefit consumers. For example, if we go back to the store, in a perfect competition economy all of the stores have turkey. Now the stores want to make sure that the turkey that they sell is the best turkey and cost the least. In this situation they are competing for the consumer’s business. However, business owners of a monopoly situation disagree with the government. When there is a business that has the potential to become a monopoly the government watches it very closely and the business has to go through the government for mergers and such. The more the business becomes a monopoly, the more the government says no to the business’s requests. For example, there is Microsoft. The government has been working to keep Microsoft from being the big business that it is today. So, in conclusion, a perfect competition economy makes benefits for the consumer. Likewise, a monopolistic economy makes benefits for the business owner. On the flip side, a perfect competition shows drawbacks for the business owner and a monopolistic economy shows drawbacks for the consumer. The best way to run an economy is to have a balance between the two options. America’s economy does this.