E.E. Cummings Essays - Guggenheim Fellows, La, E. E. Cummings

E.E. Cummings The Poetry of E. E. Cummings E. E. Cummings, who was born in 1894 and died in 1962, wrote many poems with unconventional punctuation and capitalization, and unusual line, word, and even letter placements - namely, ideograms. Cummings' most difficult form of prose is probably the ideogram; it is extremely terse and it combines both visual and auditory elements. There may be sounds or characters on the page that cannot be verbalized or cannot convey the same message if pronounced and not read. Four of Cummings' poems - l(a, mortals), !blac, and swi( - illustrate the ideogram form quite well. Cummings utilizes unique syntax in these poems in order to convey messages visually as well as verbally. Although one may think of l(a as a poem of sadness and loneliness, Cummings probably did not intend that. This poem is about individuality - oneness (Kid 200-1). The theme of oneness can be derived from the numerous instances and forms of the number '1' throughout the poem. First, 'l(a' contains both the number 1 and the singular indefinite article, 'a'; the second line contains the French singular definite article, 'le'; 'll' on the fifth line represents two ones; 'one' on the 7th line spells the number out; the 8th line, 'l', isolates the number; and 'iness', the last line, can mean the state of being I - that is, individuality - or oneness, deriving the one from the lowercase roman numeral 'i' (200). Cummings could have simplified this poem drastically (a leaf falls:/loneliness), and still conveyed the same verbal message, but he has altered the normal syntax in order that each line should show a 'one' and highlight the theme of oneness. In fact, the whole poem is shaped like a '1' (200). The shape of the poem can also be seen as the path of a falling leaf; the poem drifts down, flipping and altering pairs of letters like a falling leaf gliding, back and forth, down to the ground. The beginning 'l(a' changes to 'le', and 'af' flips to 'fa'. 'll' indicates a quick drop of the leaf, which has slowed by a longer line, 'one'. Finally, the leaf falls into the pile of fallen leaves on the ground, represented by 'iness'. Cummings has written this poem so perfectly that every part of it conveys the message of oneness and individuality (200). In mortals), Cummings vitalizes a trapeze act on paper. Oddly enough, this poem, too, stresses the idea of individualism, or 'eachness', as it is stated on line four. Lines 2 and 4, 'climbi' and 'begi', both end leaving the letter 'i' exposed. This is a sign that Cummings is trying to emphasize the concept of self-importance (Tri 36). This poem is an amusing one, as it shows the effects of a trapeze act within the arrangement of the words. On line 10, the space in the word 'open ing' indicates the act beginning, and the empty, static moment before it has fully begun. 'of speeds of' and '&meet&', lines 8 and 12 respectively, show a sort of back-and-forth motion, much like that of the motion of a trapeze swinging. Lines 12 through 15 show the final jump off the trapeze, and 'a/n/d' on lines 17 through 19, represent the deserted trapeze, after the acrobats have dismounted. Finally, '(im' on the last line should bring the reader's eyes back to the top of the poem, where he finds 'mortals)'. Placing '(im' at the end of the poem shows that the performers attain a special type of immortality for risking their lives to create a show of beauty, they attain a special type of immortality (36-7). The circularity of the poem causes a feeling of wholeness or completeness, and may represent the Circle of Life, eternal motion (Fri 26). Cummings first tightly written ideogram was !blac, a very interesting poem. It starts with '!', which seems to be saying that something deserving that exclamation point occurred anterior to the poem, and the poem is trying objectively to describe certain feelings resulting from '!'. black against white is an example of such a description in the poem; the clashing colors create a feeling in sync with '!'. Also, why (whi) suggests amusement and wonder, another feeling resulting from '!'

Jobs and Poverty essays

Jobs and Poverty essays Poverty is defined as having a standard of living below the minimum needed for the maintenance of adequate diet, health, and shelter. With this definition the answer to ending poverty might seem easy. Just create enough jobs so that people are over the poverty line. If we lived in a simple world that might work, but there are many circumstances that will prove that the theory of just creating jobs will not work. Barclay, in his article talks about how he can not keep employees because of the fact they do not have good work ethics, the ability to handle life stresses, or the want to stay clean. He states that he can train them to do a job, but can not make them show up for work, be there on time, or to be clean. With this example just the creation of jobs will not work. Also, if we look at if the world as if it had enough jobs, and the employees showed up on time, would this eliminate poverty? If a person is making minimum wage working 40 hours a week, they will only make $210 a week before taxes are taken out. This works out to be just under $11,000 a year. These numbers are under the minimum requirement for a family of three. Now if the family was made up of two adults, theoretically both adults could work, bringing their standard of living level up above the poverty line, but if you look at the statistics, most families in poverty are of single parents, therefore there is only one working adult. Also with two adults working, the cost of child care is very expensive and it would be more cost efficient for one of the parents to stay home. With the two examples I just presented, we can see that the simple creation of jobs will not eliminate poverty. However, I do feel there are steps to bring down the amount of families below the poverty line in the theory. In order for some of this to work there would need to be some changes in the social welfare system and in the idea of minimum wage, and the allotment of part t...

Externalities in Business Economics and Oil Industry Essay

Externalities in Business Economics and Oil Industry - Essay Example The demand for oil is unlimited where the supply is limited. Consequently, the demand has continued to exceed the supply (Cashin, 2012, p.48). Externalities in economics refer to effects the consumption of a product or service has to third parties. It is also known as spill-over (Hanson, 1974, p.39). The consumption of oil is known to have externalities in that it causes environmental pollution. The gases emitted by vehicles and from industries are known to be harmful to the environment. The pollution has resulted in diseases to human beings and has caused climatic changes. The changes in climate have had far-reaching impacts on the society by causing droughts which have subjected people to poverty and hunger (Hidden costs of energy, 2010, p.70). The government has a role to play in curbing the externalities resulting from the consumption of oil. First of all the government can compel the huge consumers of oil to try and use green energy that is less harmful to the environment. Moreover, they should place a fee on the large consumers of oil who pollute the environment in order to aid the third parties affected.

Meteorology Concepts, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, And Flooding Summary Essay

Meteorology Concepts, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, And Flooding Summary - Essay Example They have similar circumstances in which give birth to them and are associated with similar geographic and climatic conditions. In the recent past many great Hurricanes have been known to cause immense damage to coastlines of various nations. The most prominent and notorious hurricane known to have wreaked havoc in the recent history of mankind id Hurricane Katrina that struck the western coast of north America devastating human settlement, leaving hundreds dead and homeless.(Prothero 276) The primary cause of a hurricane is a steep pressure gradient. If the pressure gradient of the immediate atmospheric layer over sea and land exceeds a certain level under the prevailing atmospheric conditions, it leads to the formation of a swirling vortex of warm and cool air layers or air streams that intertwine and start whirling at extremely high speeds. The warm air rises above making space for the heavier / denser and colder air to rush into the land mass.This happens at great dimensions near sea shores and coastal areas where the air temperature and pressure gradient exists for large volumes of air. The extreme pressure and temperature difference causes the triggering of a hurricane that gathers moisture and air mass as it travels towards the nearest coastal point. Due to lower air pressure near coastal areas during the day time, (because lands heats up and cools down faster than water due to lesser specific heat capacity), hurricanes rush into coastal stretches sweeping along and across their territories. The chief ingredients of hurricanes are warm water and warm air. As water starts evaporating, they rise up and gather in the atmosphere where they begin to condense. These water drops then start coagulating and form a cloud. The water droplets on condensation release heat and causing the moist cool air to rise up making way for more warm air. This cycle of warm air with water vapor rising and condensing to create low pressure continues, until it leads to the formation of a vortex above the sea. They become lethal only when they pickup solid masses like: tin sheds trees, construction equipment, concrete, metal and other solid chunks of masses lying open on the ground. This gives it that devastating strength and inertia to cause unthinkable damage to areas where it has swept across. Typhoons are also borne out of wind and water and due to climatic imbalances affecting coastal areas and causing large scale damage to human property and lives. A Typhoon is very similar to a hurricane and the circumstances under which a typhoon is created are the same as that of a hurricane. Several factors contribute to the formation of a typhoon. Hurricane and Typhoons are the major two natural threats that endanger life and human settlement in coastal areas. Apart from the Tsunami, which is a rather rare calamity and is linked with deep sea earthquakes, these two natural disasters pose a more immediate threat to life and property located along the coastlines of various nations. Factors which contribute to the birth of a Typhoon are similar to those of a hurricane, like warm water vapor, warm air above, the sea surface, atmospheric pressure above sea, temperature and pressure imbalances, steep temperature and p

Sales Management - Report on Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Sales Management - Report on - Case Study Example The company may wish to examine changing the bonus structure from an annual structure to a quarterly method to enhance motivations for those extrinsically motivated. Research indicates that there is another poor performer in the sales group, Robert, who may also be reliant on extrinsic motivational rewards. Based on all statistics and qualitative evaluations of performance, it is recommended that Concorde develop a training program that focuses on cost controls, lean ideology and production surplus to assist salespersons in reducing expenses that are contributing to a low average gross margin. Jose, especially, requires empathic yet assertive discourse about his performance to motivate and inspire Jose to take responsibility for his sales leadership deficiencies. Concorde and Associates, a company specialising in the sale of computer peripherals to major computer manufacturers, achieved a marginal increase in sales which only surpassed sales forecasts by one percent. During the formal performance evaluation period, the regional sales manager began an investigation into the performance statistics of the sales team to determine which were over-performing and which staff members under-performing. Jose, a sales representative from the Arizona territory, had fallen short of achieving the sales expected in his established sales quota on three of the four main product lines offered by the company. Jose was the largest under-performer in the business, which requires a critical assessment of what strategies should be employed to improve his performance and, if appropriate, other salespersons not achieving expected performance goals. This report highlights what might have contributed to Jose’s poor performance, evaluates other salespersons that might have moderate performance issues, highlights the approach that should be taken to fairly and accurately evaluate Jose’s total performance and provides

Evolution of Respiratory Systems in Animals

Evolution of Respiratory Systems in Animals Jonathan Codd Respiration in animals is a necessity as it allows the exchange of respiratory gases that are required for survival. There are huge variations in the designs of respiratory systems and each has evolved due to selective pressures in environments, such as food and territory. The evolution of species is driven in part by limited resources and the adaptations in which these can be exploited. This report will describe the evolution from aquatic environments to terrestrial environments as part of this movement, of animals onto land, created a cause for the fast development of newly designed systems in order to support air breathing as oppose to gaining oxygen from water using gills. Lungfish first developed lungs, and the ability to breathe air instead of water, whilst living in aquatic environments and the appearance of air-breathing in fish is the major foundation for terrestrialization. Each species has different requirements due to different techniques of movement and feeding, for exam ple, and respiratory systems are required to support the lifestyle of each species in order to exchange the maximum amount of gas possible. The ability to develop additional processes able to assist in respiration has ensured that the oxygen demands of each animal is met. The respiratory system of animals is crucial for the life as it allows the exchange of gases between an organism and the environment. These respiratory systems have been forced to continually develop new designs depending on new evolutionary pressures from changing environments. Many species have evolved due to the availability of new niches and unexploited resources and thus have been forced to develop supporting mechanisms of respiration. This report examines the evolution of respiration from aquatic environments to the terrestrialization of land and the rapid expansion of respiratory methods that soon followed. The evolution of lungs from gills in the Sarcopterygii lineage has allowed the tetrapod transition onto land and is responsible for the ability to eventually develop fully terrestrial species that are able to respire solely air. Each system must be complementary to the requirements of the species and environment in order to meet the aerobic demands and some species are able to undergo various methods of respiration in order to undergo sufficient rates of gaseous exchange. Each method has been specifically developed for the niche, and uncinate processes have formed in order to assist with ensuring respiration can be as efficient as possible. Introduction The evolution of air breathing was vital in the transition of life from aquatic to terrestrial environments and, therefore the rapid evolution of the animal kingdoms physiology and anatomy in order to exploit all available niches (Graham, 1997). The development of air breathing would not, however, have taken place if the atmospheric composition had not altered during the Phanerozoic era, around 550 million years ago, when the concentration of oxygen showed an increase, likely due to the appearance of large vascular land plants (Ra et al., 2007). The ozone layer was thought to have formed around two billion years ago (Walker, 1978) and is essential for allowing the survival of life on earth by preventing high-energy ultra-violet radiation from entering the earths atmosphere (Parson, 2003). The movement onto land has allowed for a huge expansion in the amount of available niches and therefore caused a rapid radiation in the body plans of animals and a variety of respiratory mechanisms to evolve in support (Ra et al., 2007)    The Importance of Pulmonary Surfactant Lungs differ throughout the animal kingdom as they have evolved for the specific niche of each species; nevertheless one thing they all commonly include is a gas-liquid interface which allows surface tension to arise, causing complications (Daniels and Orgeig, 2003). The pulmonary surfactant system prevents the collapse of respiratory surfaces in lungs due to unequal pressures arising from differently sized alveoli, as well as maintaining a reduced resistance to air flow and improving lung compliance (Daniels and Orgeig, 2003). There is overwhelming evidence that there was a single evolutionary origin of the surfactant system, thought to be from the epithelial cells lining the pharynx (Daniels et al., 2004), due to Surfactant Protein-A (SP-A) or like-structures being present in all the major vertebrate groups; implying that it is an essential pre-requisite for lung evolution (Sullivan et al., 1998). Surfactant has been studied in swim bladders, which have now been shown to be a homol og of the lung, with the original principal function being an anti-adhesive but also with involvement in preventing water from entering the swim bladders or lungs (Daniels et al., 2004) Pulmonary surfactant composition is primarily lipids (around 90%) most of which are phospholipids, and the remaining ten percent is comprised of proteins. (Veldhuizen et al., 1998). There were found to be four types of surfactant proteins (SPs): A, B, C and D which all have varying properties and roles within the surfactant system; SP-B and SP-C were both found to be highly involved in the surface activity due to hydrophobic properties and SP-D is hydrophilic and part of the collectin family (Wà ¼stneck et al., 2005). Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) is the most hydrophobic lipid component and therefore DPPC-rich monolayers are able to sit packed tightly together, ensuring the exclusion of water, however they are not well suited for the expansion of the lungs and so are alternated with mixed monolayers when necessary (Wà ¼stneck et al., 2005). Respiration in Fish Fish evolution has allowed both water and air breathing to arise as a means of gas exchange and as these vary greatly in properties, such as density and the oxygen concentration, the mechanistic pumps must also show great diversity to meet the requirements for effective respiration (Brainerd and Ferry-Graham, 2005). Fish that breathe in water use gills which are highly evolved organs that provide large surface areas and thin barriers between the fishs blood and the aquatic environment, thus allowing for a high rate of gaseous diffusion (Evans et al., 2005). Whilst they show properties for gaseous exchange the gills are multifunctional organs which are also responsible for the loss of ions and nitrogenous waste, therefore fish must also have regulatory mechanisms allowing them to successfully osmoregulate (Evans et al., 2005). As fish are continually moving they all require a buccal pressure pump as well as a suction pump, most likely the operculum, working in tandem to allow for expansion and compression to move water across the gills; the suction pump is more prominent in some species such as the Osteichthyes compared to the Chondrichthyes (Ap and La, 2001). A counter-current method is established due to water flowing in the opposite direction to the movement of blood, with the secondary lamell ae being the site of gaseous exchange (Shelton and Randall, 1962). The counter-current mechanism is required as the content of dissolved oxygen is less in water than it would be in the atmosphere (Ibanez et al., 2008) and thus allows high concentrations of gas to be exchanged, whereas a con-current mechanism would too quickly reach an equilibrium and efficient extraction of oxygen would cease (Brainerd and Ferry-Graham, 2005). There are two hypothesis surrounding the origin of air breathing in fish, one suggests that lungs arose only once at the base of the Osteichthyes, whereas opposing arguments have recently suggested that lungs evolved on at least two separate occasions and instead developed in both the Actinopterygii and Sarcopterygii (Brainerd, 1994). Some air breathing fish, such as the Actinopterygian, are able to modify their buccal pump to create a four-pump mechanism, using two expiration and compression cycles, in which expired air is first pumped into the lungs before being compressed out into the atmosphere (Perry et al., 2001). When empty fresh air is inhaled via the expansion of the buccal cavity before finally being compressed into the lungs, this is shown to fully expand and compress and so there is little mixing of expired and fresh air (Perry et al., 2001). Not all air breathing fish show this mechanism as some Dipnoi, lungfish for example, will still ventilate using the primitive two-stroke mechanism (Burggren and Johansen, 1986) and even though there can be mixing of expired and fresh air in the lungs, there has been no significant evidence to suggest that this is any less effective than the four-stroke method as breathing accessories allows the increase in volume of inhaled gases (Brainerd, 1994). Terrestrialisation Lungs were an obvious pre-requisite for the transition onto land but there were many other anatomical and physiological adaptations necessary for tetrapods before they were able to fully terrestrialise and survive free of an aquatic environment (Daeschler et al., 2006). In the late Devonian, terrestralisation occurred as a means of exploring previously unexploited niches and resources through the evolution of tetrapods via the Sarcopterygian lineage, whose habitats were most likely mud-flats neighbouring the waters edge (Graham and Lee, 2004). Tetrapods share common features with both modern day land vertebrates and fishes and the discovery of Tiktaalik rosaea allowed the transitional form to be studied in detail to provide evidence on the necessary adaptations required for terrestrialisation (Sarfati, 2007). The skeleton of Tiktaalik was found to be a lot stronger than that of its sarcopterygii-like ancestors and would have allowed it to support its own body weight in substrate, it also showed a longer snout and loss of bony gill covering but still maintained fish-like qualities, such as well developed gill arches and fin rays which implies that it still spent a majority of time in an aquatic environment (Ahlberg and Clack, 2006). Tetrapod digits were seen to arise from the pectoral fins of Sarcopterygii, although there was seen to be a pattern there remained a few anomalies throughout the development (Sarfati, 2007). When discovered Tiktaalik was a hugely important addition to the fossil record and bridged the gap between fish and tetrapods after confirmation from phylogenetic studies placed it on the Sarcopterygian to tetrapod lineage (Sarfati, 2007). The further anatomical and physiological changes that continued after Tiktaalik were responsible for allowing tetrapods to adopt new mechanisms of feeding and locomotion that were required for survival on land and thus was responsible for a huge step in the necessary radiation of respiratory systems (Clack, 2006). Respiration in Amphibians and Non-Avian Reptiles Amphibians are able to breathe by utilising cutaneous methods, using their skin to exchange gases, which could also suggest that it was an important method of respiration used during the transition onto land (Gans, 1970). [JC1]Some amphibians, that have a large enough surface area to volume ratio, such as certain species of salamanders, will rely solely on cutaneous respiration for gaseous exchange due to an absence of lungs (Feder and Burggren, 1985). Cutaneous respiration is based on an infinite pool of oxygen, through air or water mediums, in what is known as a co-current or open flow and is a passive process as there is a lack of inspiratory or expiratory flow (Burggren and Moallf, 1984). Whilst a few amphibians will rely only on cutaneous respiration, most will just use it as an accessory breathing mechanisms and will have other primary methods of respiration (Brainerd and Owerkowicz, 2006). As a means of understanding the primitive breathing in early tetrapods and air breathing fish, other species of salamanders have been studied. It was found that they use a method similar to the two-stroke mechanism previously described in Dipnoi; in which during inspiration they will expand their buccal cavity in order to create a negative pressure required to draw in fresh air, therefore supporting claims that this is most likely the primite mechanism of respiration seen in Sarcopterygii and early tetrapods (Brainerd et al., 1993). Whilst most air breathers will create a negative pressure to cause air to move into the lungs, frogs and some air breathing fish, are known as positive pressure breathers as they use their buccal chamber to fill with air which they will then actively force into the lungs (Jones, 1982). In frogs this system consists of two valves; the paired nares, which remain open for the majority of the time with the function of connecting the buccal cavity to the external air and the glottal valve which spends the majority of the time closed and is only opened when air is entering or leaving the lungs from the buccal chamber (Jones, 1982). This breathing cycle is most likely to begin with expiration as breath-holding was found to most likely occur during the end of the buccal inspiration (Jones, 1982). Reptiles, are believed to be the first group of animals to involve movements of the ribs in the assisting with lung ventilation (Nielsen, 1961). Aspiration breathing is thought to have arison in amniotes, which includes reptiles and mammals, most of which have tried to eliminate their reliance on costal aspiration by evolving accessory breathing methods to aid in respiration (Brainerd and Owerkowicz, 2006). It is evident that aspiration breathing evolved after the buccal pump mechanisms, however, there have been no transitional forms intermediate between the two found which suggests that aspiration breathing developed abruptly and amniotes soon after lost the ability to utilise a buccal cavity (Brainerd, 1999). Studies in lepidosaurs, established that most have an unidivided pleural cavity, which is also present in amphibians and air breathing fish, suggesting that this is the primitive form and that seperation occurred only later on in evolutionary history (Brainerd, 1999). Crocodiles display many unique features compared to the rest of the reptile group as they use a hepatic pistol to ventilate their lungs by utlising a muscle known as the diaphragmaticus, which is not homologous with any other diaphragmatic muscle (Brainerd, 1999). The liver divides the thoracoabdominal cavity and the diaphragmaticus muscle, orinating from the pelvis and caudal gastralia, is responsible for the expansion of the thoracic cavity by retracting the liver; this creates a negative pressure inside and fresh air is forced in, with inspiration containing an intermediate pause (Brainerd and Owerkowicz, 2006). The multicameral chamber seen in crocdiles allows high aerobic demands to be met, which is vital for their survival, and is only found in few other reptile species (Perry, 1988). Respiration in Avian Reptiles Avian reptiles, more commonly known as birds, use a lung-air sac respiratory system which allows cross-current flow, where air and blood are flowing in the same direction to one another (Scheid and Piiper, 1972). The avian respiratory system is small and compact and the thin barriers are thought to be advantageous during flight but not necessary as the mammalian bat respiratory system is dissimilar but still successful for long migratory flights (Schmidt-Nielsen, 1997). Uncinate processes, which alternate depending on the niche of each bird, are fundamental in the avian respiratory system and assist with the movement of the ribs and sternum, allowing for both inspiration and expiration to take place (Codd et al., 2008). The air sacs are used only for ventilation, with gaseous exchanges taking place as air is passed through the parabronchi, which are thin tubes with openings at each end allowing the uni-directional flow of air, which was found to be unique to avian respiration (Scheid, 1979). The parabronchi are packed into a dense hexagonal array with gas exchange tissue, known as the mantle, surrounding the lumen of each; composing a networks of both blood and air capillaries (Brown et al., 1997). The cross-current system found in birds requires these blood and air capillaries to be in close proximity and arranged parallel to one another in order for diffusion to take place; with the uni-directional flow being studied and found to be of no additional advantage to this cross-current system (Scheid, 1979). There are a total of two inspiratory and expiratory cycles that must occur for the complete flow of air through the lungs (Schmidt-Nielsen, 1997). During the first inspiration air flow is split from the trachea to the caudally grouped air sacs or the dorsobronchi, where it will enter the parabronchi and the gas that remained in the lungs from the previous inspiration is forced cranially (Brown et al., 1997). When the first expiration takes place the air remaining in the caudal air sacs moves through the parabronchi, where gas exchange takes place, and another inspiration forces the air into the cranial air sacs (Brown et al., 1997). To exit the respiratory system, the second expiration forces the air to flow from the cranial air sacs through the ventrobronchi and exits using the trachea (Reece et al., 2015). The trachea involved in avian respiration is made up of complete cartilagenous rings and is found to be around 4.5 times the size of mammalian homologues which allows larger tidal volumes and increased compliance within the system (Reece et al., 2015). There have been no valves discovered in the avian respiratory system and therefore to maintain unidirectional air flow it has been suggested that aerodynamics methods, such as jet flow, must be existing in the system during inspiration, and increased resistance through the intrapulmonary bronchus is used during expiratory flow (Scheid, 1979). Respiration in Mammals The respiratory system in mammals is completely separated from the abdominal cavity and the diaphragm and ribs are both crucial in the mechanism of respiration (Keith, 1905). The muscles of the ribs, such as the intercostals, are required for the expansion of the ribcage, which allows the neccesary generating of negative pressure caused by increased the lung volume for aspiration breathing (Perry et al., 2010). The diaphragm is responsible for the control of inspiration as it is able to contract and elongate the thoracic cavity which creates a negative pressure, thus drawing air into the lungs (Loh et al., 1977). The pericardium is closely bound to the lungs and is connected to the central tendon of the diaphragm allowing the vital pairing of both (Keith, 1905). The elevation of the rib cage, which allows further increase in the available volume for external air to enter the lungs, is also under diaphragmattic control (Loh et al., 1977). The mammalian lung is highly complex and involves lots of branching in order to increase surface area from the trachea, which then splits in series into the primary bronchi, secondary bronchi, tertiary bronchi and finally the alveoli. There are around 3108 alveolar air sacs which comprise of thin membranes to increase the surface area and allow the ease of diffusion of gases between them and the capillaries (Hoppensteadt and Peskin, 2002). Inspiration and expiration cycling allows the constant renewal of air into and out of the lungs and provides mammalian species with sufficient oxygen to meet the aerobic demands (Weibel, 1984). Respiration in Insects There is a wide variety of mechanisms adopted by insects for respiration due to the huge variation in available niches. All will utilise a network of air-filled vessels, which are known as tracheae and tracheoles, and can be as small as 1ÃŽÂ ¼m in diameter, with most terminating nearby to the mitochondria of cells (Miller, 1966). The tracheal system at rest is filled with fluid which is thought to be actively absorbed by the permeable inner tracheal wall when required for breathing, using active transport or secretion from cells (Wigglesworth, 1953). Experiments have demonstrated that during tracheal compression, which is controlled by an increased pressure inside the exoskeleton, the tracheae noticeably shrink in diameter to aid in air convection and increased diffusion of oxygen into the tissues due to a high pressure build up (Westneat et al., 2003). Spiracles are required at the external and internal barrier in the tracheael system to allow external air through the skin; and previous experiments have found if these are blocked then the insect cannot survive as respiration will cease (Fraenkel and Herford, 1938). Interneurons are essential as they are responsible for the pairing of spiracle movement with ventilation by communicating with the spiracles motor neurones (Miller, 1966). The discontinuous gas exchange cycles present in insects will typically occur in three stages, beginning the closed-spiracle phase where only small amounts of external gas exchange are able to take place (Lighton, 1996). A fluttering-spiracle phase permits oxygen uptake for the diffusion of gases into the tracheael tissues and finally an open-spiracle phase concludes the cycle whilst allowing the release of accumulated carbon dioxide (Lighton, 1996). Ventilation is under endogenously controlled rhythms produced by the central nervous system which allows aerobic respiration rates in flight muscles to be so successful that they can be challenged only by certain species of bacteria (Miller, 1966). During insect respiration air is sucked into the tracheal system by creating negative alterations in internal pressure using the pumping of hemolymph by the heart or the contracting of abdominal muscles, others can include passive diffusion or autoventilation (Westneat et al., 2003). Respiration in Cetaceans Cetaceans have evolved a much more unusual respiratory system to any terrestrial mammal, as the nasal passageway has moved to a more dorsal position to allow the exclusion of water from the system and ease of breathing as they surface (Thomas and Kastelein, 1991). A nasal plug, made up of nasal plug muscle, connective tissue and adipose tissue, is responsible for the seperation of the internal and external environment and is retracted anteriolaterally for respiration by bilaterally paired nasal plug muscles (Thomas and Kastelein, 1991). The lung size of cetaceans varies depending on the depth of the dives undertaken, due to the variety of pressures causing differing extents of thoracic collapse (Piscitelli et al., 2010). It was found that the lung size will be reduced in cetaceans that undergo deeper dives and there will be an increase in the thoracic mobility. The lungs of larger whales were found to possess extremely heavy myoelastic bundles in the air sacs and alvolar membranes that were not found in much smaller cetacea (Wislocki, 1942). Conclusion The evolution of respiratory systems has been an extremely specific process that has showed both gradual, and rapid changes throughout the many lineages of the animal kingdom in order to encorporate universal requirements, as well as accessory breathing mechanisms (Weibel, 1984). Respiration is a vital life process required for survival and it is essential that gas exchange is as efficient as possible in order to allow high oxygen-demanding aerobic activities to take place when necessary (Perry, 1988). Each respiratory system may have a variety of additional mechanisms, uncinate processes, that assist in the breathing mechanics to enable the ease of transporting larger volumes of air within each system (Codd et al., 2008). The pulmonary surfactant system is of great importance, as it allows the successful existance of such mechanisms by preventing collapse of respiratory surfaces, as well as aiding them by increasing lung compliance and reducing the resistance to air flow (Daniels and Orgeig, 2003). The evolution of efficient respiratory systems, when paired with other necessary adaptations, has provided a foundation for more complex body systems to develop to allow the utilisation of previously unexploited resources and niches, thus providing organisms advantages in the animal kingdom (Graham, 1997). Bibliography Ahlberg, P.E., Clack, J.A., 2006. Palaeontology: A firm step from water to land. Nature 440, 747-749. doi:10.1038/440747a Ap, S., La, F.-G., 2001. Ventilatory modes and mechanics of the hedgehog skate (Leucoraja erinacea): testing the continuous flow model. J. Exp. Biol. 204, 1577-1587. Brainerd, E.L., 1999. New perspectives on the evolution of lung ventilation mechanisms in vertebrates. Exp. Biol. Online 4, 1-28. doi:10.1007/s00898-999-0002-1 Brainerd, E.L., 1994. The Evolution of Lung-Gill Bimodal Breathing and the Homology of Vertebrate Respiratory Pumps. Integr. Comp. Biol. 34, 289-299. doi:10.1093/icb/34.2.289 Brainerd, E.L., Ditelberg, J.S., Bramble, D.M., 1993. Lung ventilation in salamanders and the evolution of vertebrate air-breathing mechanisms. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 49, 163-183. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8312.1993.tb00896.x Brainerd, E.L., Ferry-Graham, L.A., 2005. Mechanics of Respiratory Pumps, in: Physiology, B.-F. (Ed.), Fish Biomechanics. Academic Press, pp. 1-28. doi:10.1016/S1546-5098(05)23001-7 Brainerd, E.L., Owerkowicz, T., 2006. Functional morphology and evolution of aspiration breathing in tetrapods. Respir. Physiol. Neurobiol., Frontiers in Comparative Physiology II: Respiratory Rhythm, Pattern and Responses to Environmental Change 154, 73-88. doi:10.1016/j.resp.2006.06.003 Brown, R.E., Brain, J.D., Wang, N., 1997. The avian respiratory system: a unique model for studies of respiratory toxicosis and for monitoring air quality. Environ. Health Perspect. 105, 188-200. Burggren, W., Moallf, R., 1984. Active regulation of cutaneous exchange by capillary recruitment in amphibians: Experimental evidence and a revised model for skin respiration. Respir. Physiol. 55, 379-392. doi:10.1016/0034-5687(84)90059-8 Burggren, W.W., Johansen, K., 1986. Circulation and respiration in lungfishes (dipnoi). J. Morphol. 190, 217-236. doi:10.1002/jmor.1051900415 Clack, J.A., 2006. The emergence of early tetrapods. Palaeogeogr. Palaeoclimatol. Palaeoecol. 232, 167-189. doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2005.07.019 Codd, J.R., Manning, P.L., Norell, M.A., Perry, S.F., 2008. Avian-like breathing mechanics in maniraptoran dinosaurs. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B Biol. Sci. 275, 157-161. doi:10.1098/rspb.2007.1233 Daeschler, E.B., Shubin, N.H., Jenkins, F.A., 2006. A Devonian tetrapod-like fish and the evolution of the tetrapod body plan. Nature 440, 757-763. doi:10.1038/nature04639 Daniels, C.B., Orgeig, S., 2003. Pulmonary Surfactant: The Key to the Evolution of Air Breathing. News Phsiology Sci. 18, 151-157. Daniels, C.B., Orgeig, S., Sullivan, L.C., Ling, N., Bennett, M.B., Schà ¼rch, S., Val, A.L., Brauner, C.J., 2004. The Origin and Evolution of the Surfactant System in Fish: Insights into the Evolution of Lungs and Swim Bladders. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. Ecol. Evol. Approaches 77, 732-749. doi:10.1086/422058 Evans, D.H., Piermarini, P.M., Choe, K.P., 2005. The Multifunctional Fish Gill: Dominant Site of Gas Exchange, Osmoregulation, Acid-Base Regulation, and Excretion of Nitrogenous Waste. Physiol. Rev. 85, 97-177. doi:10.1152/physrev.00050.2003 Feder, M.E., Burggren, W.W., 1985. Cutaneous Gas Exchange in Vertebrates: Design, Patterns, Control and Implications. Biol. Rev. 60, 1-45. doi:10.1111/j.1469-185X.1985.tb00416.x Fraenkel, G., Herford, G.V.B., 1938. The Respiration of Insects Through the Skin. J. Exp. Biol. 15, 266-280. Gans, C., 1970. Respiration in Early Tetrapods-The Frog is a Red Herring. Evolution 24, 723-734. doi:10.2307/2406552 Graham, J.B., 1997. Air-Breathing Fishes: Evolution, Diversity, and Adaptation. Academic Press. Graham, J.B., Lee, H.J., 2004. Breathing Air in Air: In What Ways Might Extant Amphibious Fish Biology Relate to Prevailing Concepts about Early Tetrapods, the Evolution of Vertebrate Air Breathing, and the Vertebrate Land Transition? Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 77, 720-731. doi:10.1086/425184 Hoppensteadt, F.C., Peskin, C.S., 2002. Gas Exchange in the Lungs, in: Modeling and Simulation in Medicine and the Life Sciences, Texts in Applied Mathematics. Springer New York, pp. 75-108. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-21571-6_3 Ibanez, J.G., Hernandez-Esparza, M., Doria-Serrano, C., Fregoso-Infante, A., Singh, M.M., 2008. Dissolved Oxygen in Water, in: Environmental Chemistry. Springer New York, pp. 16-27. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-49493-7_2 Jones, R.M., 1982. How toads breathe: Control of air flow to and from the lungs by the nares in Bufo marinus. Respir. Physiol. 49, 251-265. doi:10.1016/0034-5687(82)90077-9 Keith, A., 1905. The Nature of the Mammalian Diaphragm and Pleural Cavities. J. Anat. Physiol. 39, 243-284. Lighton, J.R., 1996. Discontinuous gas exchange in insects. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 41, 309-324. doi:10.1146/annurev.en.41.010196.001521 Loh, L., Goldman, M., Davis, J.N., 1977. The assessment of diaphragm function. Medicine (Baltimore) 56, 165-169. Miller, P.L., 1966. The Regulation of Breathing in Insects, in: J.W.L. Beament, J.E.T. and V.B.W. (Ed.), Advances in Insect Physiology. Academic Press, pp. 279-354. doi:10.1016/S0065-2806(08)60189-7 Nielsen, B., 1961. On the Regulation of the Respiration in Reptiles. J. Exp. Biol. 38, 301-314. Parson, E.A., 2003. Protecting the Ozone Layer: Science and Strategy. Oxford University Press. Perry, S.F., 1988. Functional Morphology of the Lungs of the Nile Crocodile, Crocodylus Niloticus: Non-Respiratory Parameters. J. Exp. Biol. 134, 99-117. Perry, S.F., Similowski, T., Klein, W., Codd, J.R., 2010. The evolutionary origin of the mammalian diaphragm. Respir. Physiol. Neurobiol. 171, 1-16. doi:10.1016/j.resp.2010.01.004 Perry, S.F., Wilson, R.J.A., Straus, C., Harris, M.B., Remmers, J.E., 2001. Which came first, the lung or the breath? Comp

Malcolm X - Changes in Malcolm’s Perspective of White People Essay

Malcolm X - Changes in Malcolm’s Perspective of White People Malcolm X was one of the primary religious leaders and reformers of the 1960, where he fought for and ultimately gave his life for racial equality in the United States. His father was a reverend who believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Throughout Malcolm’s life he was treated horribly by white people, hence shaping his misconceptions of all white people and developing his strong belief in black separatism. It wasn’t until years later where he embraced his black identity and discovered all races could live and work together for a common goal, brotherhood. Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little on May 19, 1925, in Omaha, Nebraska. Malcolm’s father believed in self-determination and worked for the unity of black people. Malcolm was raised in a background of ethnic awareness and dignity, but violence was started by white racists trying to prevent black people from succeeding. From the very beginning, even though Malcolm had not discovered his black identity, he had a very clear picture of what it meant to be black in the United States. As a young child, Malcolm, his parents, brothers, and sisters were shot at, harassed, threatened and burned out of their home. One of Malcolm’s earliest memories was when the KKK set his family’s house on fire as the â€Å"white police and fireman stood around and watched our house burn to the ground† (p.3). This type of racism ultimately led to the demise...

Course: Contract and Liquid Chemical Co.

The Cost Analysis for Decision Making project is intended to be a comprehensive evaluation of the key objectives covered throughout this course. It will challenge you to apply your knowledge of cost information when evaluating the decision to make or buy a product. Please use this outline and grading rubric as a guide to completing your course project. It provides specific details of the required elements of the project, and it will be used by your instructor as a grading guide. Read Integrative Case 4-61, â€Å"Make versus Buy,† on pages 151 and 152 of the course text.Assume that you are the general manager (Mr. Walsh) faced with this decision. You have identified the following four alternatives available to Liquid Chemical Co. †¢Alternative A: It is the status quo. (i. e. , Liquid Chemical Co. will continue making the containers and performing maintenance. ) †¢Alternative B: Liquid Chemical Co. will continue making the containers, but it will outsource the maintena nce to Packages, Inc. †¢Alternative C: Liquid Chemical Co. will buy containers from Packages, Inc. , but it will perform the maintenance. Alternative D: It is completely outsourced. Packages, Inc. will make the containers and provide the necessary maintenance. Your project should include the following items: †¢Part (a): Discuss each of the four alternatives outlined above. Identify the relevant costs (including amounts) for each of the four alternatives, and explain why these costs are relevant to the decision. Identify any costs that are not relevant, and explain why they are not relevant. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative? Who benefits and who loses? Part (b): Other than the relevant costs identified in Part (a), what additional information would you use when making your decision? Are there financial factors other than those identified in the case study that you would incorporate into your decision? What nonfinancial information would affect y our decision? †¢Part (c): As the general manager, which alternative would you choose, and why? Support your conclusion with facts and figures, as necessary. The Liquid Chemical Company manufactures and sells a range of high-grade products. Many of these products require careful packaging.The company has a special patented lining made that it uses in specially designed packing containers. The lining uses a special material known as GHL. The firm operates a department that maintains and repairs its packing containers to keep them in good condition and that builds new ones to replace units that are damaged beyond repair. Mr. Walsh, the general manager, has for some time suspected that the firm might save money and get equally good service by buying its containers from an outside source. After careful inquiries, he has approached a firm specializing in container production, Packages, Inc. and asked for a quotation. At the same time, he asked Mr. Dyer, his chief accountant, to let h im have an up-to-date statement of the costs of operating the container department. Within a few days, the quotation from Packages, Inc. , arrived. The firm proposed to supply all the new containers required—at that time, running at the rate of 3,000 per year—for $1,250,000 a year, the contract to run for a guaranteed term of five years and thereafter renewable from year to year. If the number of containers required increased, the contract price would increase proportionally.Packages, Inc. , also proposed to perform all maintenance and repair work on existing packaging containers for a sum of $375,000 a year, on the same contract terms. Mr. Walsh compared these figures with Mr. Dyer’s cost figures, which covered a year’s operations of the container department of the Liquid Chemical Company and appear in Exhibit 4. 13. Walsh concluded that he should immediately close the packing container department and sign the contracts offered by Packages, Inc. He felt an obligation, however, to give the manager of the department, Mr.Duffy, an opportunity to question his decision before acting. Walsh told Duffy that Duffy’s own position was not in jeopardy. Even if Walsh closed his department, another managerial position was becoming vacant to which Duffy could move without any loss of pay or prospects. The manager Duffy would replace also earned $80,000 per year. Moreover, Walsh knew that he was paying $85,000 per year in rent for a warehouse a couple of miles away that was used for other corporate purposes. If he closed Duffy’s department, he’d have all the warehouse space he needed without renting additional space.Duffy gave Walsh a number of considerations to think about before he closed the department: â€Å"For instance,† he said, â€Å"what will you do with the machinery? It cost $1,200,000 four years ago, but you’d be lucky if you’d get $200,000 for it now, even though it’s good for another five years. And then there’s the stock of GHL (a special chemical) we bought a year ago. That cost us $1,000,000, and at the rate we’re using it now, it’ll last another four years. We used up only about one-fifth of it last year. Dyer’s figure of $700,000 for materials includes $200,000 for GHL.But it’ll be tricky stuff to handle if we don’t use it up. We bought it for $5,000 a ton, and you couldn’t buy it today for less than $6,000. But you’d get only $4,000 a ton if you sold it, after you’d covered all the handling expenses. † Walsh also worried about the workers if he closed the department. â€Å"I don’t think we can find room for any of them elsewhere in the firm. However, I believe Packages would take all but Hines and Walters. Hines and Walters have been with us since they left school 40 years ago. I’d feel bound to give them a supplemental pension—$15,000 a year each for five years, sa y.Also, I’d figure a total severance pay of $20,000 for the other employees, paid in a lump sum at the time we sign the contract with Packages. † Duffy showed some relief at this. â€Å"But I still don’t like Dyer’s figures,† he said. â€Å"What about this $225,000 for general administrative overheads? You surely don’t expect to sack anyone in the general office if I’m closed, do you? † Walsh agreed. â€Å"Well, I think we’ve thrashed this out pretty well,† said Walsh, â€Å"but I’ve been turning over in my mind the possibility of perhaps keeping on the maintenance work ourselves. What are your views on that, Duffy? â€Å"I don’t know,† said Duffy, â€Å"but it’s worth looking into. We wouldn’t need any machinery for that, and I could hand the supervision over to the current supervisor who earns $50,000 per year. You’d need only about one-fifth of the workers, but you cou ld keep on the oldest and save the pension costs. You’d still have the $20,000 severance pay, I suppose. You wouldn’t save any space, so I suppose the rent would be the same. I don’t think the other expenses would be more than $65,000 a year. † â€Å"What about materials? † asked Walsh. â€Å"We use 10 percent of the total on maintenance,† Duffy replied. Well, I’ve told Packages that I’d give them my decision within a week,† said Walsh. â€Å"I’ll let you know what I decide to do before I write to them. † Assume the company has a cost of capital of 10 percent per year and uses an income tax rate of 40 percent for decisions such as these. Liquid Chemical would pay taxes on any gain or loss on the sale of machinery or the GHL at 40 percent. (Depreciation for book and tax purposes is straight-line over eight years. ) The tax basis of the machinery is $600,000. Also assume the company had a five-year time horizon for this project and that any GHL needed for Year 5 would be purchased during Year 5.

Rape Shield Laws and Kobe Bryant Case essays

Rape Shield Laws and Kobe Bryant Case essays Colorado Rape Shield Laws and the Kobe Bryant Case Laws in forty-nine states limit the use of a victim's prior sexual history as an attempt to undermine the credibility of the victim=s testimony. Arizona is the only state that does not have these laws in place, which are referred to as rape shield laws. One state that has been surrounded by much controversy as of late is the state of Colorado with the notorious Kobe Bryant case. It was not until the 1970's that most states enacted the Rape Shield Law to ease the emotional burden of rape victims who testified in court. ALate in 1978, the United States Congress followed this trend and enacted Rule 412 of the Federal Rules of Evidence@ (Womens Issues). Rule 412 states that evidence used to prove the victim engaged in other sexual behavior, or evidence to prove any victim=s past sexual history, is generally inadmissible in any civil or criminal trials involving alleged sexual misconduct. This law may or may not be a good thing. If a lawyer tries to question victims about their sexual past, it will tend to humiliate them and make them want to drop the charges. If the victims know that they are going to be questioned about the number of people they have had sex with, how often they have sex, or what their preferences are, most people would not feel comfortable answering the questions, especially with family and friends in the courtroom supporting them. The defending attorney knows and loves this fact. If victims are humiliated and drop the charges, it is a win for the defense. On the other hand, it has been almost thirty years since the law was introduced. A lot has changed in those thirty years. People are a lot more open about sex and their sexual views. ADue to this and the increasing awareness of rape, there are some people who believe that the Rape Shield Law is no longer necessary and should be repealed. Some of these people believe that the rape shield law ...

Essay on Several Different Papers part 3Essay Writing Service

Essay on Several Different Papers part 3Essay Writing Service Essay on Several Different Papers part 3 Essay on Several Different Papers part 3Essay on Several Different Papers part 2Week 7 Decision making processThe decision making process is very important for the successful business development but often this process confronts substantial challenges, especially when family members come into business together and fail to decide their responsibilities and determine the essence of the decision making process. In this regard, referring to the case of the retail clothing store, run along with a family member, it is possible to recommend to determine exactly how decisions are made within the company and who exactly takes what decisions.First of all, the decision making process should be collective that means that both family members take decisions. However, their authority should not overlap that means that they should take decisions on different issues. For instance, one family member is responsible for suppliers and delivery of products to the clothing store, while another is responsib le for sales, human resources and public relations of the company (Masterson Picton, 2004). In such a way, they should distribute different areas of their responsibility between each other. Thus, both family members will participate in the decision making process and will play an important part in this process. At the same time, such decision making model will be effective because family members will distribute their functions and will focus on their specific fields (Breneman Taylor, 2006). As a result, they will not waste their time and efforts on other fields that will maximize their effectives in those areas, which they are responsible for.On the other hand, such decision making model will decrease the risk of conflicts. As each family member is responsible for his/her fields only, then they do not intersect and they do not have the pretext and cause for the conflict. They just concentrate on their own work and decisions.Nevertheless, the proposed model does not mean that there will be no conflicts at all. On the contrary, conflicts still are likely to occur because they comprise a natural part of any business. In such a situation, the prevention of conflicts is particularly important because conflicts can deteriorate the organizational performance. The conflict prevention and resolution should involve consultations between the two family members. What is meant here is the fact that they should find consensus to take the right decision that meets the vision of each family member. They should learn to compromise to make effective and fast decisions. For instance, if family members face a conflict over funding of the new promotional campaign or singing a contract with a new supplier, they should weigh both options and select the one that matches the current needs of the company, its mission, vision and marketing strategy. Therefore, if the company lacks supplies, the new supplier should be signed, while if the company has low sale rates, the company should rather invest into the promotion of its products and brand.Thus, the conflict prevention is very important, while the resolution of conflicts should involve the close interaction and communication between both family members running the store. In this regard, the distribution of responsibilities and functions and, therefore, decision making processes will decrease the risk of conflicts and help the company to develop successfully.

P.O.S essay 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

P.O.S 2 - Essay Example Benefits of the POS System The POS system being online will ensure that all across the Wal-Mat store there will be real and up dated POS solutions. In addition, since the POS system is custom made it will be custom made and thus compatible with most of the programs and hardware, which are to be installed. Furthermore, it will ensure that there is less inventory shrinkage. This is because through POS system it will be easier to keep track of obsolete and damaged inventories. Because of the effectiveness with which customers are served, it will ensure and lead to more customer service efficiency, customer satisfaction and customer retention and loyalty. It will facilitate timely and accurate reports as well as fast and effective analysis of sales date which is paramount to management information for decision-making process. In addition, the online POS software package will offer the advantage of management through remote access i.e. while in different store and while on leave. Moreover , having installed POS system Wal-Mat can easily expand in case of increased customers. This is because it only needs to mount new computers and other relevant hardware to create a new service station. The other minor benefits that Wal-Mat will get by setting up the POS will be prevention of theft, accuracy, and effective inventory management. ... Furthermore, with the retail POS system Wal-Mat will experience potential security risks with regard to software corruption by viruses, credit cards, and debit cards. Moreover, considering that the POS system is custom made, with the software applications used there will be need for regular updates to the system that may be done at an extra cost. POS Contingency Measures Since running of the POS system will be dependent on the electricity for smooth running, implies that in case of power outages the business will stop. These business standstill means loss of revenue, dissatisfaction of customers and under utilization of resources. Wal-Mat to combat electricity failures has bought and installed a diesel driven generator with the capacity to run the POS system for more than 12 hours. In addition, UPS s- uninterruptible power supply - have been fitted on every computer. This is to ensure smooth transition and business continuation while switching to the generator. Wal-mat has also set u p another back-up server computer in another independent location that store up real-time transactions happening in the main business stalls. This is meant to militate against any outages of the POS system in case of fire breakout in the main business area. In addition, after every 1 hr of the normal business hours, it is a requirement that there be a print out of sales receipts for every one hour. This is to ensure that in case of failure of the two back-up servers there can be hardcopy back up to mitigate it. Weakness and Recommendations to POS System Due to the continued high customer satisfaction, there has been an influx of new clients to our business, which has resulted to slower than normal

Within the context of 1881-1991, how far was the Cuban missile crisis Essay

Within the context of 1881-1991, how far was the Cuban missile crisis the low point in relations between the USSR and the West - Essay Example Graham’s Essence of decision: Explaining the Cuban Missile Crisis explains in great detail the situation of both the United States and Cuba during the crisis and presents the decisions that the authorities and military leaders of the two states had to make. Gaddis’ The Cold War: A New History discusses about the cold war in depth and analyse the relationship that existed between the US and the Soviet Union over several years. Andrew Kydd on the other hand analyzes the relationship that existed between different countries of the world; especially the major powers. Years of Russia, the USSR and Collapse of the Soviet Communism traces the history of the USSR and its ultimate collapse as a world super power. The book follows the relationship that the USSR and Russia had with the United States, Cuba and other countries. Many of the books that have been used present similar facts or points of view. Although sources authored by the CIA, Cimbala Fenno and Parrot were referred to and were quite useful in getting insights into the state of affaires at during the Cuban missile crisis, they have not been directly referred to in the body of the paper. Several reputable websites have also been used in the study. All of the online sources referred to are published by reputable organizations or persons. Ibiblio, for example traces the events that led to the missile crisis while Nuclear Files shows the timeline of the events of the time. The US State Department on the other hand shows the Act that was enacted in the country in view of the Cuban crisis and the relations that the country had with Russia and the USSR. In general, all the sources that have been used are reputable and reliable although some may be considered to be outdated. Many of the sources agree on different topics although they are written and published in the United