Caligula Was The Most Sinister Psychology Essay

Caligula Was The Most Sinister Psychology Essay Caligulas father, Germanicus, was the grandson of the well-regarded Emperor Augustus and the nephew of Emperor Tiberius, the adopted son and the successor to his fathers throne of power. When Emperor Augustus died, he left Tiberius in command to become the royal heir to the emperor. Although, Tiberius knew that Geramanicus was next in line to rule, his jealousy and insecurities kept him from appointing him as the next emperor of Rome. Unfortunately, Germaicus died mysteriously, leaving his dedicated supporters and his family, grief stricken. After Caligulas father demise, he moved three times until he joined Tiberius on the island of Capri. It was rumored that during one of those moves, Caligula began an incestuous relationships with his sisters. While on the island of Capri, Caligula was forced to suppress his feelings, once he learned that Tiberius were responsible for the death of his father, mother and siblings. However, due to Caligula ability to control his emotions, he began to act out his aggression through sexual deviant behaviors on men and women; sometimes, making the men watch as he had sex with their wives and daughters. Tiberius had two sons, Nero and Drusus, who he was grooming to succeed him as emperor, but as fate would have it, both died too young, leaving Caligula next in line to become emperor. After Tiberius died, Caligula became the emperor of Rome. He was generous, thoughtful and prodigious during the first months of his reign. He freed political prisoners, pardon those who were exiled and terminated the treason trials. He implemented games and chariot races, in which became quite popular during his reign. He established a rapport with the Senate and later adopted his cousin, Tiberius Germanicus as his son and heir. Approximately six months later, the Emperor who was well-revered, became the well feared. An illness fell upon the Emperor when he was thirty-seven years old, causing possibly delirium. Although, Caligula may have been cruel and sexual perverted before his illness, but after his recovery, there were significant changes his behavior. His behaviors were even more bizarre, brutal and deviant. He later regarded himself as a God; would lavishly spend money to build a marble house for his horse; tormented his prominent and influential senators by ordering them to run for miles in front of the chariot; had sex with his supporters wives; built a two miles bridge out of boats, so he could ride his horse back and forward over the floating bridge; and ordering the men to shave their hair, because he was losing his hair. As to make matters worse, Caligula had his adopted son and heir to the throne, Tiberius Germanicus murdered. Next, he ordered the revitalization of the treason trials, so he could confiscate the losers property for money. This infamous tyrant was murdered by several of guards after serving merely fourteen hundred days in office. Caligulas personality could best be explained by identifying the most obvious characteristic or social skills of a person (McAdams, 2009). In reviewing the set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual, is to comprehend the influences and interactions Caligula had to adapt to within his environment, which includes the six domains of knowledge: dispositional, biological, intrapsychic, cognitive-experimental, social and cultural and adjustment. During 12 AD, there were no means to detect lead in the water system, so this could have effected Caligulas body development and growth. According to the Mayo Clinics (2011), small amounts of lead in children who are exposed to lead poisoning can experience mental and physical problems. From infancy to toddlerhood, the most important physical development is an infants body weight, motor skills and reflexes, as well as, sensory and perceptual abilities. Although, there is limited information about Caligulas early childhood, there are documentations of Caligula experiencing irritability and behavioral problems as a child. Historian documents more about biological changes during early adolescence to early adulthood, such as Caligulas unusual body weight and height. Caligulas body structure could be the results of exposure to lead poisoning. In examining how environmental factors that can influence an individuals growth, is to consider ideas from William Sheldon (McAdams, 2009). Sheldon (McAdams, 2009) was one of the most interesting philosophers of his time as he examined and introduced the idea that body feature may influence and possibly predict certain characteristics of an individuals personality. During his exploration into this area, he identified three different forms of human physiques, for example, endomorph visceratonic, mesomorph somatotonic and ectomorph cerebrotonic. Sheldon argued that a high correlation occurs between physique and behavior, in which could have affected Caligulas mental state. Historian documented that Caligula was tall in height with a skinny neck and scrawny legs. Also, he had a receding hair line, hairy body and his forehead was unusually large. One can only image the names he was called growing up and how it shaped his personality. Piaget (McAdams, 2009) contended that an individuals mental mode of thinking can relate to schemata. Schemata are defined as an individual who understands the basic concept of the world (McAdams, 2009). The basic concepts of these ideas are centered on three basic schemata, for example, sensorimotor, symbolic and operational schemata. These three basic concepts of the world, lays down a framework for a child to begin with concrete interactions and progress to a more symbolic and intellectual thinking process. During the sensorimotor or cognitive development stage, it was undetermined if Caligula experienced a delay in object performance (McAdams, 2009). Piaget maintained that when an infants develops the capability to imitate what they see, their reflex goes far beyond, whats in their environment (McAdams, 2009). As Caligulas personality and cognitive skills began to transform into a dictator, a more controversial theory emerged that could explain his behavior that is dissimilar from Sheldon and Piagets theories. Raymond Cattell, psychologist, argued that an individuals personality is defined as behavioral prediction (McAdams, 2009). During Cattells exploration in this personality arena, he identified three different classification of personality data, such as, life data, questionnaire data, and test data (McAdams, 2009). If historian was able to use this type of analysis during Caligulas reign of terror, the data combination from all three sources and the sixteen personality factor questionnaire, could have accurately foretold his character traits and improve behavioral predictions (McAdams, 2009). McAdams (2009) contended that a persons personality can be best described as inappropriate behavior and characteristics that can deviate from the norm that is explained in the Diagnostic and Stati stical Manual of mental disorders. Several theorist and historians suggest that Caligula exhibited a combination of narcissistic and antisocial personality disorder (McAdams, 2009). The mixture of the two makes one reflect on several of the most prolific serial killers of the century, for example, Manson, Gacy, Bundy and Dahmer. All were grandiose, lack sympathy for others, need or commanded admiration, cruel, aggressive, lack remorse, destroyed property or deliberately injured people (McAdams, 2009). The combination of the two was Emperor Caligulas character. McAdams (2009) discussed Kohlbergs theory concerning moral thinking or reasoning. Kohlberg contended that an individuals moral reasoning is undeveloped and this is the reason a person commits a crime. Kohlbergs stages of moral development are best described as preconventional, conventional and postconventional. Hans Eysencks theories differed from Eysencks personality theories (McAdams, 2009). Eysenck argued that certain personalities are born to commit atrocities (McAdams, 2009). He contended that a persons environment such as exposure to poverty and the wrong criminal element, can possibly account for criminal behavior. This can be better explained with terms proximal and distal contribution. Eysenck makes the argument that there are only three personality types, instead of Cattells sixteen traits. The four types of traits are extraversion, introversion, neuroticism and psychoticism. Psychoticism appeared to be the trait that Caligula displayed, gradually from childhood to adulthoo d. Although, it was documented by historians, Caligula was secretively cruel towards his followers, but after his close death experience due to an elevated fever, his behavior seemed to blatantly escalate to delusion of grandeur, extreme cruelty and antisocial behavior (McAdams, 2009). The torture techniques he ordered or participated in behind closed doors, was now done openly for his own personal amusement. Also, Eysenck questioned if genetics and biological functioning has anything to deal with genetics after investigating criminal behavior with the twin adoption method. In examining this concept is to examine Costa and McRaes Big Five traits, such as, extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness, Caligulas personality matched the facets of neuroticism, such as anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsiveness and vulnerability. These traits sketched an outline of the persons personality and psychological qualities, yet, Allport contended that a persons trait is characterized as the consistency and coherence of human behavior which is called common traits and personal disposition. He further broke down these comparison and personal dispositions into different varieties, such as cardinal disposition, central disposition and secondary disposition. Building on the works of other theorists and causing years of controversy, Michel maintained that behavior is much more situationally specific than cross-situationally reliability (McAdams, 2009). He proposed that trait labels occurs more in the minds of spectators than in the actual personality of the individual being observed. In Caligulas case, his overall pattern of cruelty was linked to a certain stimuli, for instance, as a result of his excessive spending habits; he would raise taxes or extorted money from individuals who participated in the treason trials. In examining the behaviorist and the socialist view pertaining to Caligulas personality is to study the behavior that is learned in the environment. There are two different fundamental forms of learning such as classical and instrumental conditioning, in which Caligula displayed quite often. He would reward those who worship him and executed individuals who spoke against him. In studying personality, the most comprehensive and controversial theories of Sigmund Freud was his in-depth case studies. His original and cutting edge theory of personality was based on the hypothesis that there are two key elements of which our personality is based on, the consciousness and unconsciousness, whereas, Psychologists, John Dollard and Neil Miller maintained that observed drive, cue, response, and reinforcement was the critical component in personality. This was regarded as a series of learned behaviors. Freud argued that a persons personality is an organized in a psychological and physical compon ent inside a person. This component has the ability to create and determine the individuals unique characteristic behaviors. Historian documented that when Caligula was three years old, he would accompany his father on several of his military campaigns. One can only guess, how many times Caligula was left unattended in the company of soldiers, who either demonstrated or exposed him to perverted desires that he locked in his unconsciousness that were too disturbing or horrible to keep consciously aware. Although, there are historians who chronicled Caligulas childhood, there is limited information if he was molested as a child; yet, there are chronological record of events of him observing Emperor Tiberiuss brutal behavior towards men and women, especially those who spoke against him. This may have been the foundation that shaped Caligulas behavior and personality, in which psychologists calls observational learning. The positive version of this behavior is called modeling, yet, as C aligula exposure wasnt exactly positive. Bandura argued that when children imitate adults behavior, they can astonishingly create and plot torture strategies of their own. At a young age, Caligulas early message was that aggressive behaviors towards others were acceptable and being merciful with their captive does not stimulate the same aberrant responses. Caligula innate and thirst for control and power molded a miniature Tiberius. Even though, Freud ideas has met harsh criticism, he may have been on to something in understanding the basic structure and psyche of an individuals psychosexual development. Freud contended that a persons personality represents a power struggle hidden within himself; that the id controls our impulses, therefore, when the ego is able to negotiate between the id and superego, the superego is able to keep a person on the path of moral integrity and proper conduct. Furthermore, Freud argued that a persons unique character is the product of how an individual s behavior develops during childhood. As a child, Caligula suffered many challenges during his early stages of development in which possibly effected his growth and maturity, wherein Freud called the oral stage, anal stage, phallic stage, latency stage and genital stage. Probably during the psychosexual development called the latency stage, the onset of the puberty stages became dominated. Historian writes of Caligulas selfishness and pleasure seeking behavior, as he engaged in inappropriate conduct to get what he wanted, in which was acquired through, abnormal, calculating, heartless and unpleasant manner.

Free Essays - The Tall Tale in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn :: Adventures Huckleberry Huck Finn Essays

The Tall Tale in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Mark Twain's timeless American classic, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the narrator often finds himself in undesirable situations.   These situations, which are far-fetched even for the nineteenth-century, provide much humor to the novel and demonstrate Huck's cunning.   Huck's adept use of the tall tale becomes a survival tool on this adventure.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the novel, Huck sees lies as more of a practical solution to problems than as a moral dilemma.   He rationalizes that he has "never seen anybody but lied, one time or another"   (1).   Unlike the lawless adventurer of the frontier, Huck does not use his knack for selfish purposes.   He, instead, uses his lies strictly as a means of escaping misfortune and never for his own profit.   At one point in the story, Huck uses his skill to fabricate a story that keeps a skiff of slave-hunters away from Jim:   " 'Well, there's five niggers run off to-night, up yonder above the head of the bend.   Is your man white or black?'...'He's white' "   (110).   Huck's tall tales are used for the survival of both Huck and Jim, and Jim knows this.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Huck's stories are usually believed, but even when doubted, he manages to change his fib just enough to make it believable.   An example of this is when he is caught as a stow-away on a raft and his original story is not believed by the crew:   "Now, looky-here, you're scared, and so you talk wild.   Honest, now, do you live in a scowl, or is it a lie?" (106).   Huck then changes his story just enough to make it believable, displaying his unique ability to adjust his

Abortion :: essays research papers

Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy, and induced abortion is when a woman makes the decision to have her pregnancy ended in a surgical or medical way. The social conflicts arising from abortion have been around since the procedure was invented, and have risen since 1973 when it became legal after the Roe versus Wade decision. Communities are constantly battling over the issues of Pro-Choice and Pro-Life and how far into a pregnancy is too long to have the procedure performed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several reasons that a woman may choose to abort a pregnancy. She may not feel she is ready to become a parent, or cannot support a baby at her current level of income or immature age. She may not want to be shunned upon by becoming a single parent or letting anyone know that she is pregnant and sexually active. An older woman might be dealing with the issues of already having enough children or she or the fetus could have a health problem. Another common occurrence of a woman wanting an abortion could be if she falls victim of rape or incest. The necessity of abortion within these circumstances draws great conflict from different points of view, especially those pertaining to religion. Many people have different ideas concerning which conditions are valid reasons to abort a pregnancy, while others feel the procedure is wrong no matter what.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  All women, and even men, can be affected by this social conflict. According to Planned Parenthood, Nearly half of all women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old. About five million women in the U.S. become pregnant every year. Half of those pregnancies are unintended, and 1.2 million end in abortion. Promiscuous women Nicholson  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Page 2 using abortion almost as a form of birth control are the ones that bring about the most conflict of interest. Women living in inner-city areas with a high crime rate are more susceptible to become victims of rape, and therefore seek relief through abortion should a pregnancy occur. Abortion is a common social problem worldwide. Approximately 210 million women around the world become pregnant each year. Out of all of these pregnancies, 80 million are unplanned, and 46 million will end in abortion. Internationally, the lifetime average is about one abortion per woman (After Three Decades). â€Å"In the United States, following the Roe v.

Grade World History Essay

Before King Leopold the II of Belgium colonized the Congo, it was known for its independence. It was the ideal place to be for the Europeans. It was geographically diverse, it had mineral enriched soils, deposits of gold, diamonds copper and manganese, and it had a large animal population, lots of plants. King Leopold saw potential in the Congo and made it his. He had an American man, Henry Stanley; secure treaties with all the local chiefs. With those he had complete power of the land. Imperialism on the Belgian Congo had a negative affect in many ways, including geographically, politically and psychologically. One of the major impacts is psychological. Psychological impacts are ones that mess with people’s emotions. King Leopold was a man who did not care about other peoples emotions or their state of being; he cared about himself and how much money he was going to make with the Congo. To quote a Congolese states on the amount of psychological torture he put some of the Congolese people in: â€Å"I ran away with two old people, but they were caught and killed, and the soldiers made me carry the baskets holding their cut-off hands. They killed my little sister, threw her in a house and set it on fire.† (8) The person that is talking sounds like a child. If a child was going through this, which many did, witnessing something this horrifying can be very emotionally scarring. Another impact would be economical. An economic impact is one that affects the business part of things, such as labor systems. â€Å"Tell them [the rubber agents] that we cannot and therefore will not find rubber; we are willing to spend our strength at any work possible, but the rubber is finished. If we must either be massacred or bring rubber, well, let them kill us; then we suppose they will be satisfied.†(20) This quote is from a village headman to Reverend Harris, a British missionary. This is from a workers point of view. It shows economic impact because it has to do with the rubber industry, which was very important in the Congo. A third impact on the Congo is political. Political impact has to do with government or people in government. One quote that gives an example of political impact is one by Reverend Whitehead, â€Å"Their chiefs are being weakened in their prestige and physique through imprisonment which is often cruel, and thus weakened in their authority over their own people they are put into chains for the shortage of manioc bread.† This means that Leopold and his people are forcing the native Congolese to back down in their government so Leopold has more power. Britain was also very involved in the Congo Free State. They were interested in the trading system it had. This effects Britain because it brought in new products to be sold, and potentially could make them money. It is important to study issues like this today so nobody makes the same mistake twice. In conclusion, imperialism in the Congo had an overall negative affect on it. Imperialism affected, not only psychologically, but also politically and economically. King Leopold II never had good intentions for the Congolese people, he just had his own self in mind.

Benefits of Using Laser Communication Technology Essay

Laser communication, often referred to as free-space optics (FSO) or free-space laser (FSL) communication, is similar to fiber optic cable in terms of carrier wavelength and bandwidth capability, but data are transmitted directly through the atmosphere via laser beams over paths from a few meters to 4 km or longer. FSL uses lasers in the near-infrared spectrum, typically at wavelengths of 850 or 1550 nm. Given these wavelengths, atmospheric attenuation must be considered, and an adequate margin of optical power (dB) must exist to support high system availability (the percentage of time that an FSL link is in operation, typically 99.9%). A visual range of 100 m can attenuate a laser beam at a rate of nearly 130 dB km−1. For short links (< 1200 m), fog and low clouds are the primary concerns. For longer links, scintillation, heavy rain, and snow frequently become issues. To address these issues, long-term climate data are analyzed to determine the frequency of occurrence of low visibilities and low-cloud ceilings. To estimate availability at a site of interest, adjustments to airport climate data are made to accommodate differences in altitude, geography, and the effects of the urban heat island. In sum, communication via FSL is a feasible alternative to fiber optic cable when atmospheric conditions are considered and properly analyzed. Polarization shift keying (PolSK) is a new modulation technique, it uses the state of polarization of an electromagnetic wave carrier as the information bearing parameter. This paper describes a modulation/demodulation method based on PolSK, and a high-speed laser communication system, and verifies its feasibility through theoretical analysis and computer simulation. Studies have shown that the based on the parameters of laser polarization modulation and demodulation techniques have unique advantages, such as in anti-atmospheric interference, higher data rate and lower bit error rate, greatly improving the reliability of communication. In addition to polymorphism modulation can be achieved by this modulation method, which has a data capacity. In the future, the PolSK modulation and differential demodulation method has a broad space for development and application prospects in the space laser communications. Research Background The technology of laser communication was concerned by great nation in the world, because of its advantage of good security, building network conveniently, large communication capacity, smallness and portable, low power consumption and the other advantages. With the achievement of micro-arc order dynamic tracking technology, in order to develop its potentials and advantages further, high-rate and long distance became the new directions of the development of the laser communication. The technology of laser communication combined some more mature technologies of high speed optical fiber communication technology, such as front optical amplification, wavelength division multiplexing, diversity reception and the all-optical network technology, which also brought new problems into the air light coupled into optical fiber. Because of the effects of the deviation of the alignment, vibration and atmosphere, it was difficult to achieve high efficiency of air light coupled into optical fiber for tiny diameter of core of the fiber. Thus, big diameter of core of the fiber should be chosen. As the limit of the devices, the detective area of the detector of the high speed optoelectronic detector was difficult to achieve above 100ÃŽ ¼m. Therefore, it’s necessary to optimize the diameter of fiber core and the detective area. At the same time, in order to lighten and lessen the optical platform and void some practical problems such as the high frequency interference and the moment of the wire-wound, it’s necessary to estimate and solve the loss of optical docking to optimize the high efficiency and speed received system of the atmospheric laser communication. In the paper, the high-efficiency and high-speed receiver technology of atmospheric laser communication was analyzed, which was based on ideal and atmospheric condition. For which, the received system of the atmospheric laser communication and its main parameters were discussed and the effects of the atmospheric on the laser communication with high efficiency and velocity were analyzed. Besides, the factors were also discussed, which affected the space light coupling into the fiber and fiber docking coupling and the corresponding simulation results were given. The method was proposed, which was used to solve the problems of the atmospheric laser communication, and the results of the indoor fiber docking coupling were analyzed so that it was feasible and efficient. The experiment of the maximum coupling efficiency about the atmosphere was carried out and the effects of the atmospheric on the experimental results were discussed. Modern lasers represent a massive improvement over lasers of the past, and the technology is advancing just as quickly now as it has been for the past decade. Optical fiber has demonstrated the ability to move hundreds of terabits of information per second. In addition, lasers are able to see through dense foliage, and can allow for space communication from distances measured in millions of miles. The capabilities of modern lasers almost are like science-fiction stories, and the technology involved is still improving Statement of the Problem This paper aims to identify the benefits of laser communication technology. The objective of these communication projects is to service personal communication users almost everywhere on Earth. The inter-satellite links in those projects use microwave radiation as the carrier. Free-space optical communication between satellites networked together can make possible high-speed communication between different places on Earth. Some advantages of an optical communication system over a microwave communication system in free space are: (1) smaller size and weight, (2) less transmitter power, (3) larger bandwidth, and (4) higher immunity to interference. The pointing from one satellite to another is a complicated problem due to the large distance between the satellite, the narrow beam divergence angle, and vibration of the pointing system. Such vibration of the transmitted beam in the receiver plane decreases the average received signal, which increases the bit error rate. We review: (1) the present status of satellite networks, (2) developing efforts of optical satellite communication around the world, (3) performance results of vibration effects on different kinds of optical communication satellite networks, and (4) seven approaches to overcome the problems caused by transmitter pointing vibration Methodology This paper aims to investigate the design and the benefits of using laser communication technology. Operation from a low earth orbit (LEO) platform (e.g., the International Space Station) would allow transmission of single photons and pairs of entangled photons to ground stations and hence permit quantum communication applications such as quantum cryptography on a global scale. Integration of a source generating entangled photon pairs and single-photon detection into existing optical terminal designs is feasible. Even more, major subunits of the classical terminals such as those for pointing, acquisition, and tracking as well as those providing the required electronic, thermal, and structural backbone can be adapted so as to meet the quantum communication terminal needs. Results and Discussion Common uses for lasers in sensing include determining precise location information that radar and traditional sighting systems for kinetic weapons like rifles and missiles cannot provide. â€Å"When using lasers with a weapon system they’re a complement to kinetic systems,† explains Michael Rinn, vice president of the Boeing Co. Directed Energy Systems segment in Albuquerque, N.M. Lasers â€Å"offer an advantage of cost-per-shot, precision ranging, and precision pointing,† Rinn continues. â€Å"From three, four, or five kilometers away a laser can focus on a moving target precisely. Radar and gun systems are nowhere near the kinds of ranges we’re demonstrating.† Of course, lasers aren’t a replacement for any system, but they serve to compliment systems by providing additional information. Light detection and ranging (LIDAR) is one of the primary ways lasers can sense objects and movement. LIDAR can create images by bouncing lasers off a targe t. Narrow-beam lasers enable LIDAR to detect images where other sensors could not, such as finding objects in heavy foliage or finding exact distances, heights, chemical compounds, and atmospheric composition. LIDAR not only provides this information, but also can render still images in three dimensions. Given sufficient processing power, lasers also can render moving images that look like videos. Scientists have used LIDAR to guide unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), including an AH-6 unmanned Little Bird light helicopter gunship, through areas with obstacles. LIDAR provides the precision necessary for autonomous piloting, a hot commodity at a time when UAVs require at least one operator. The AH-6 is a military version of the MD 500 light helicopter. As with any advancing technology — especially one that involves as much computation as laser technology does — the size of laser systems has shrunk to sizes that were unimaginable when they were first introduced. â€Å"We’re seeing leaps and bounds in the technology,† says Boeing’s Rinn. â€Å"Sizes have gone down from racks to credit-card size; you’re seeing a lot of transformation in the industry.† Early-model laser systems were big, awkward, and used too much power to make them practical for vehicles. Today’s lasers, however, can fit in small boxes and can be parts of UAV payloads, fixed-site perimeter-security systems, helicopters, and ground vehicles. Laser limitations Laser sensing does have a weakness, when compared to other kinds of sensors. â€Å"Heavy rain, really bad weather conditions, and sandstorms, cause problems for lasers,† explains Boeing’s Rinn. Adverse weather conditions prevent laser light from reaching its target. Even heat waves can distort the laser beam and lead to inaccurate or lost data. Fortunately, there is a way around atmospheric issues with lasers. The answer to this problem is an atmospheric-compensation sensor that uses a low-power beam before correcting itself. The now-discontinued Airborne Laser (ABL) program, for example, sent out a low-power laser before firing its powerful chemical laser. The low-power laser measured atmospheric distortion between the aircraft and its target, and used that information to calibrate the laser weapon to put the most energy possible on target. Atmospheric compensation enables the use of lasers even in harsh environments that would render uncorrected laser sensors useless. Atmospheric compensation does not allow lasers to function in particularly bad conditions, however. Atmospheric distortion happens when air currents or pollution bends light, and is the phenomenon that makes the stars at night appear to twinkle . Lasers for communications Fiber-optic cable has seen huge improvements in the past decade. With potential data rates that reach data rates of terabits per second, lasers can move vast quantities of data more securely than other forms of communications. Lasers are impervious to electromagnetic interference (EMI), do not emit stray signals like RF energy does, and fiber lasers are substantially lighter than copper cable. Fiber-optic cable â€Å"Is lighter, faster, smaller has no EMI and doesn’t cause sparks,† explains John Lee, vice president of marketing at optical fiber specialist Timbercon Inc. in Lake Oswego, Ore. â€Å"War fighters today have a huge appetite for data, if we don’t have the type of bandwidth fiber provides we won’t be giving our war fighters everything we can.† Lasers also have been used in communications without optical fiber. â€Å"Laser communication is a very specific application — satellite-to-satellite, terrestrial-to-satellite, terrestrial-to -airplane — are very high bandwidth applications that lasers can do.† Boeing’s Rinn says. Lasers can be used for communication without any cables to communicate from huge distances, particularly in space. This practice, called free-space optical communications, uses laser beams that travel through the air, or through outer space, instead through optical fiber, and is generating substantial industry excitement for its potential in broadband data communications. The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., in fact, has created its own free-space optical communications research group. More information on the NASA group is online at Free-space optical communications send lasers operating at wavelengths not visible to the human eye to receivers for high-bandwidth line-of-sight communications. The benefit of free-space optical communication over radio signals is clear. Free-space optical communication does not experience interference from radio waves and is nearly impossible for an enemy to intercept or disrupt. Free-space optical communication is particularly applicable to inter-satellite communications because it is relatively interference-free, offers better connections than RF signals, and travels for longer ranges. Lasers provide high-bandwidth communications links between satellites, deep-space probes, and orbiting telescopes using lasers, lenses, and mirrors, these connections allow for fast communication with receivers and transmitters. Some space-based free-space optical communications links operate reliably millions of miles apart. Inter-satellite communications links can send and receive data that are exponentially larger than RF signals can provide, while using less power. NASA’s own project, the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, seeks to prove the long-term viability of free-space optical communication and increase current inter-satellite data rates by as much as a hundred times greater than current RF communication allows. The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration will be holding preliminary design review in 2013, with ground testing starting in 2014. The project will then fly as a commercial satellite payload in 2016. Future laser technology Laser technology has yet to mature, and many enhancements are left to be made. Everything lasers can do currently is still improving at a rapid rate and new techniques to improve lasers are still in the works. One such new technique is beam combining, which blends several laser streams into one high-power beam. â€Å"There are a lot of people chasing combining laser beams,† says Boeing’s Rinn. â€Å"There’s a lot of research and technology growth going on there.† Researchers are taking three approaches to combine laser beams: spectral beam combining, coherent beam combining and polarization beam combining. Each approach has its own uses, benefits, and downsides. The goal of beam combining is to increase laser power and brightness to enable long-distance communications and laser weapons. Beam combining techniques Polarization beam combining blends two linearly polarized laser beams — one vertically polarized and the other horizontally polarized. These beams move to a thin-film polarizer so that one is reflected and the other transmitted, forcing both beams to propagate in the same direction. This creates an unpolarized beam with almost the same optical power as the two input beams combined, and with the same beam quality. Brightness similarly increases. Polarized beam combining does not scale power, however, because the unpolarized output cannot go through the same process. â€Å"It is expected that beam-combined laser systems will in the near future reach output power levels of tens to hundreds of kilowatts,† Paschotta says. â€Å"Possible applications of such systems are in the military sector in the context of anti-missile and other directed energy laser weapons. There are also possibilities for long-distance free-space optical communication and laser-based manufacturing.â⠂¬  Conclusion In the free-space laser communication there is sometimes a strong need for reduction of the diffraction spot size in the far field. In this paper, instead of the usage of the larger size aperture lens in the free-space laser communication system, we introduce diffractive superresolution technology to design and fabricate a cheap pure-phase plate for realizing the smaller spot size than the usual Airy spot size, which can decrease the weight and size of the emitting lens. We have calculated 2, 3, 4, 5 circulation zones for optimizing the highest energy compression (Strehl ratio) with the constraint of the First zero ratio value G=0.8. Numerical results show that the 2- or 3-circular zone pure-phase plate can yield the highest Strehl ratio (S≈0.59) with the constraint of G=0.8, but the 4, 5 circular zone binary phase (0,Ï€) plates are calculated to yield the result ofS≈0.57 with G=0.8. We have fabricated 2- and 3-circular zone binary phase plate with binary optics technology. Finally, we have established an experimental system for simulation of the free-space laser communication to verify the advantage of the superresolution phase plate. Detailed experiments are presented. Factories use sensors to guarantee product quality. The advent of cell phones and constant communications with satellites has raised demands for better communications. The transoceanic fiber cables that sit at the bottom of the ocean, coupled with data demands that almost double yearly thanks to the explosion of streaming video has also led to more and more research being performed on optimizing optical communications and optics in general. Acknowledgement Foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my Teacher Madam Marlita delos Santos for the continuous support of my study, for his patience, motivation, enthusiasm, and immense knowledge. His guidance helped me in all the time.I could not have imagined having a better advisor and mentor for my study. Besides my Teacher, I would like to thank the rest of my teachers in Lope de Vega National High School for their encouragement, insightful comments, and hard questions. My sincere thanks also goes to my parent for their support and undying love to me so I can finish the secondary learning and I may able to achieve my dreams and ambitions. I thank my fellow Classmates, school mates, and friends for the stimulating discussions, for the sleepless nights we were working together before deadlines, and for all the fun we have had in the last four years. Last but not the least; I would like to thank God for his Guidance and Love for me and the World. The Writer Bibliography 1. Journal of Optical Networking, Vol. 4, Issue 9, pp. 549-560 (2005) 2. http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/JON.4.00 3. http://www.opticsinfobase.org/jocn/abstract.cfm?URI=jon-4-9-5490549 4. http://lasers.jpl.nasa.gov. 5. M. Pfennigbauer, M. Aspelmeyer, W. Leeb, G. Baister, T. Dreischer, T. Jennewein, G. Neckamm, J. Perdigues, H. Weinfurter, and A. Zeilinger, â€Å"Satellite-based quantum communication terminal employing state-of-the-art technology,† J. Opt. Netw. 4, 549-560 (2005)

1960’s course work the Beatles

Source A can tell us many things about the impact of the Beatles in the 1960's; they were considered new fresh and an extremely â€Å"cool† band. They were a nation wide love, everyone seemed to be watching then as their first priority, with shops and stalls all closed when the Beatles were on television. Even in rush hour, when many people were normally trying to make their way home or get to their destinations, the streets were deserted, everyone knew where and what time the Beatles were playing. It was as though the nation was put on to pause when the Beatles were about to perform. Joanna Lumley herself remembers being in a hurry to get home in order to not miss the Beatles playing on TV. The fans watched eagerly as though the Beatles were a drug many people were addicted to. The Beatles seemed to have caught every ones hearts and eyes; they had a new approach to music which seemed to be able to attract almost everyone. Many people saw the Beatles as icons; they were ‘cool, hip, smart, lippy, charming and funny.' Definite icon qualities attractive to the young and the general public felt they could relate to them, often being called by their first names. The Beatles new approach to music , however , was not only loved by the public but was also highly influential in the entertainment and music industry providing inspiration to many bands and changing the face of music forever. For some people the 60's was seen to be the best times of the life's due to the new entertainment and what the Beatles brought in the way of fresh new music -‘it was very heaven to be alive'. Question 2 The effects of pop music in the 1960's are shown in source A, B and C, however all in slightly different ways. Source C is a description of a Beatles concert by Paul Macartney in 1984, he talks of there being a lot of screaming- therefore implying more screaming than in 1984, when people must have been more held back and more reserved than the 60's when at concerts seeing the live bands fans went crazy for seeing their star. This point was supported by source B, a description of a concert at which the stones were playing. However the audience is described a ‘maniacal, screaming mob'. They both talk of an extremely load and energetic crowd. However Paul Macartney believed many people exaggerated the crowds so they seemed like a manic mob when all they really wanted was to see their idols and the possibility of getting an autograph. It seems Macartney really knows what he is talking about and comes across as being nice and genuine to his fans talking of him chatting to his fans instead of running away from them in the manner of Jonny Ray. The way the Beatles were with their fans, being so friendly and willing to talk to them, may have been one of the reasons why the Beatles became so big. Source A really supports this fact, and tells us a lot of how big and popular they really were describing it as though they were everyone's purpose to get home when they were performing on television. Source A does support source C on this point however I don't think it supports it in any other way. Source B on the other hand doesn't really support source C as they are extremely contradictory about what is said about the effects of pop music on fans being harmful or just very enthusiastic. Macartney knew that the fan crowds were completely harmless and controllable. Where as some stars such as the stones saw them as being dangerous, when all they really wanted was to be as close as possible to their pop star. The sources were all written some time after the 1960's period, leaving time for exaggeration, source B is written closer to the 1960's than sources A and C, and to me seems to be less likely to be exaggerated and more truthful about the facts and information that is given to us in the source. Although the sources do support each other on certain aspects, they don't really give us a broad view of the effects of pop music in the 1960's telling us very little apart from how big some bands were and how the fans reacting to them. Question 3 Sources D and E are not particularly useful in helping you to understand why many young people believed that the 1960's gave them opportunities they had never had before. I think that the source were not particularly useful as they tell us only one aspect of young peoples lives at the time. However source D, and advert fro a popular music show ‘Ready, Steady, GO' in the TV times in 1965 does tell us some useful points. The presenter, Cathy McGowan, was at the time an extremely popular model and an idol for many girls in Britain. They would copy her hair styles and dress sense. So fro many people it was the one show to see if u had an idol as they were likely to be shown on this show. It was the only show at the time which showed the public their music stars performing without them having to go to a concert. People were fanatical about seeing the show, it was compulsory viewing and the one and only time in the week the public got to hear and see popular music. Although very popular the show tended to represent older tastes in music and did not cater fro teenagers. The source is good in showing that music and popular culture had a great impact upon how people viewed television and how celebrities became real stars, and were able to become idolised by the young. Source E, a description of radio in the 1960's, was written in the 1990's and there fore like some of the other source has the possibility of being exaggerated. However the source does tell us some useful point whether exaggerated or not. Radio before the 1960's did not cater to the teenage audience and the source implies that many teenagers had nothing much to listen to that was provided on the radio for them, before the invention of ‘Radio Luxembourg'saying that many teenagers were stuck with their parents. The new channel provided precisely what the young wanted, and because of that, would have been extremely popular providing a channel that played popular new music which no other radio station had done before. It was a great opportunity in the eyes of the young and the channel which was specifically directed towards them played nothing but pop music and was very commercial, the older generation were not so fond of it. But it helped music to become a much more dominant talking point for the young. Even thought reception was dismal and faded out every minute or so it was the only way to hear pop music on the radio at the time and many people now remember it fondly. The two sources both support the fact that music and celebrities were more broadcast and that for them was a huge opportunity, however neither of them tells us anything of other aspects of opportunity in teenagers' lives and are therefore not very useful in helping us to understand why many young people believed they had more opportunities. Question 4 The 1960's was a period of great changes, some for the better and others consider by some people for the worst. Some people did not like the changes that occurred and came to see the 1960'd as a period of bad influences on British society. Source F is part of an article from the Daily Mail, a conservative newspaper, reflecting right-wing political views. This shows how Mrs Whitehouse had traditional views and values and it is portrayed in the article that she was not pleased by the changes in the 1960's. The source talks about Mrs White house launching ‘a national campaign' to help writers who she believed deserved to have their work shown on television rather than the television shows she obviously disapproved of such as ‘Coronation Street' which started on ITV in the 1960's and showed everyday life. She obviously believed many programmes unsuitable to viewers and thought that they should be replaced with more Christian viewed programmes, replacing the scenes of sex, drugs and violence with more traditional valued programmes. Mrs Whitehouse would have also been a different generation, a teenager in the 1920's with less power than that of the teens of the 1960's.the 1920's were different for social Values, with a far more traditional type of society were teenagers had less freedom of expression and more responsibilities. In source G we are told of a singer, Janis Joplin who was extremely popular and at a time where music played an important part in social life popular singers were idolised. Many bands at the time were taking drugs, drinking, and staying out late in popular clubs and at the time there was a huge drug culture. Many other bands and musicians such as the top Mod band, The Who, wrote and performed what appeared to be socially dangerous music. They were also part of the ‘Psychedelia movement', encouraging experimentation with drugs. It was these people , Janis Joplin and The Who , which the young idolised and had great influence over, to people like Mrs Whitehouse they were bed role models and set the scene of drugs to seem ‘cool' and acceptable. Although Janis Joplin was a worse case scenario, she died of a drug over dose this at least showed teenagers the problems of drugs. Teenagers appeared to be following in their idols footsteps and it somewhat seemed as tough they were being encouraged to be rebellious and have freedom of expression rather than have responsibility and obligation. Many saw the introduction of the contraceptive pill and the legalisation of abortions as an increase in sexual immorality and were seen with disaprovement. The combined effect of the pill and abortion however did allow women to plan their lives with more ease and effectiveness. They could then limit the number of children and decide when they wanted them. This provided many women with more control over their lives. However Mrs Mary Whitehouse would have and I am sure did believe that they would encourage immorality and sex before marriage which were both against the Christian beliefs. Some also believed that it could lead to a break down of social values. Some people began to believe that these changes were not a good thing for society, and that the changes were undermining the family and as a result creating a weaker society, it would have been people such as Mrs Whitehouse who would have seen things in this way, people who believed in more traditional views and values. Whether this is correct I do not know, however even though something's such as drugs were more than likely a bad influence on society, without many of the changes the world would have become a very different place and women would possibly lead very different lives. Things such as the pill and abortion were definitely in my opinion great movement in science and a huge advantage fro women, however I can see why people with Christian views were opposed to it and how they later become to se the 60's as a period of bad influences with a higher rate of teenage pregnancies it is possible to blame it on the changes and a possible increase in sexual immorality. I think that many people who thought it was a period of bad influence were possibly mostly the older generation – Mrs Whitehouse's generation who felt afraid of the dramatic change in society and the behaviour of the young in the 1960 in comparison to their day. They would have also been the right age to have children of teenage to twenties who would have been experiencing all the changes the society now allowed them. Such as drugs and even dramatic changed in fashion with the introduction of the mini skirt, a huge thing at that time to be wearing a skirt 8 inches above the knee and it was so new and different. For many people change is scary and this was a period of huge change some good some bad however it is always easy to look back and see only the bad and not what was good from the 60's also. Question 5 The quote ‘Popular culture in the 1960's did more harm than good' I believe to be untrue. The 1960's did have some bad points which were possibly bad at that in that period and have not continued through to this day whereas most of the good things that were brought about in the 1960's such a new fresh exciting music ‘rock ‘n' roll' and new bands such as the Beatles, the new fashions and social ways of life have been continued and adapted to the way of life which we lead nowadays. The 1960's was highly dominated by teenagers, they had more money from a new affluence and were able to buy more music records and clothing and were respected by the entertainment industry (source H) for what they did for music and television. Source A tells us of ‘Beatle Mania' the Beatles were one of the most popular bands and were highly influential upon teenagers and the music industry. Source A is useful in telling us the extent of the effect of the Beatles upon the general public and how popular they really were. However the source is possibly exaggerated as the writer Joanna Lumley looks back on her past. I believe the public chose the Beatles to be their number one band because of their sheer personality on and off stage, but was equally as much to do with their musical style and material, and with the British youth with far more control over what was popular and what wasn't, they decided the Beatles were the best, taking the rest of the country with them. The Beatles pioneered the British cultural invasion of the states and the world and allowed many other bands and creative people to follow in their footsteps and show the world what they could do. The fact the Beatles music is still known and liked today shows they were an extraordinary band, and the way they saw their fans and audiences differently too many other bands would have help in their success. In source B a concert is described and The Stones were playing, the writer of the source ‘doubts if the stones ever played so close to their audience again.' and describes The Stones being surrounded by ‘a heaving maniacal mob'. This was not how Paul Macartney described his audiences, yes they were usually hysterical but never harmful. He describes them as screaming a lot but not appearing to be scary or in any way threatening. I believe that the Beatles and the many other bands of the sixties made the way for the way our music is now, so many bands are influenced from bands from the sixties and many bands today which try to invent their own individual style like the Beatles had. The Beatles seemed to sum up the sixties with the music they wrote, their clothes, hair, accents, and their off hand attitudes they were a recipe fro success. However their impact upon teenagers was unbelievable, they became not just performers, they were heroes. I think this type of idolising someone was harmful however, what with the drug culture in the 1960's many bands including the Beatles were taking drugs. Source G, a extract form a biography of Janis Joplin, a rebellious teenager with a powerful blues voice became highly successful and lived a life of ‘sex, dugs, and rock ‘n' roll' always taking things to excess she died of a drug over dose in 1970. It was people like these who were obviously highly covered in the media through their popularity and the drug habits and the way that all of them were doing it made it seem socially acceptable. These people were the young's idols they looked up to them and copied what they did, the example they set was not the right one and that it was probably one of the reasons some people came to see the sixties popular culture as doing harm, and I probably agree with that. However I do think that the popularity of drugs died out as the years went past and although people still take them today by no means are they considered at all socially acceptable. Television and radio were also greatly changed due to the new market of teenagers wanting to hear pop music. New radio stations were set up, such as the start of ‘Radio Luxembourg (source E) after producers realised that teenagers were the way of the future. And the teens didn't even mind if the reception was lousy and faded out every minute or so it was the only radio station that gave them the chance to hear the music they wanted to listen to, and there was nothing like that before. Then in 1964 ‘Radio Caroline' began broadcasting, this was pirate radio but was extremely popular with teenagers who could hear non stop pop music for the first time. However was extremely unpopular with the BBC and the government who tried to have them banned. The new shows introduced on to TV such as, ‘Ready, Steady, Go' (source D) and ‘Top of the Pops' showing the pop music stars performing in front of their very eyes without having to go to a concert. ‘Ready Steady Go' was compulsory viewing and had a wonderfully catchy cry,' the weekend starts here!', giving the feeling of excitement and freedom. The presenter at the time was a popular model and with fashion being very influential upon the young it was yet another reason to watch the show. To most people the music industry was just as case of the young having fun but some people saw the young losing their sense of responsibility and obligation. Others saw other programmes as being morally un-suitable such as the new programmes showing life as it really was and more scenes of sex, alcohol, and drugs. People such as Mrs Mary Whitehouse believed this (source F). She believed that the traditional family values were being lost through the wrong and influential shows on television and that they should be replaced with more Christian shows which had a sense of purpose. However the 60's didn't sacrifice things such as education as there were nearly twice as many people in full time education in 1969 than in 1961. Showing that the young were just having a good social life and were being better educated as a generation. I think overall the 60's did more good than harm, the period brought in many new and exciting things and gave women more control over their life with the introduction of the pill and legalisation of abortion. Fashion was new and exciting and always changing with the invention of the mini skirt which was controversial to say the least. I do think that young people were encouraged to act irresponsibly and it somewhat seemed almost expected of them. However I don't think it has done any real harm to society in the long run. However I think without all the changes that took place society would have been a worse place of less freedom and more constriction, I don't think the changes that took place have done any real harm and that the changes would have probably taken place in some other period if they had not happen it the 60's.

American Comfort Food & Culture

Comfort food, in common parlance, refers not just to the sustenance obtained from edibles, but also to the sense of well-being obtained from eating. In this case, it may be psychological or emotional satisfaction. As defined by YourDictionary. com, comfort food is â€Å"any food eaten not only for its pleasing taste but also for a sense of contentment, nostalgia, etc. that it provides. † The sad reality is, the pleasing taste in most cases does not equate with healthy food. Comfort food, while it provides feelings of soothing warmth and gratification, may have ill effects on the body, and the persons concerned may or may not even realize it.Yet one wonders why people, though aware that certain foodstuffs (like the nicest tasting fries) are unhealthy, still partake of it. Upon closer analysis, one sees that food and diet are inextricably linked to, if not embedded in, evolving society and culture. Take the case of America, where one can witness comfort food in two distinct and interesting dimensions: fastfood that is usually devoid of nutritional quality; and traditional gastronomy handed down by one generation to another, as exemplified by authentic South American cuisine, painstakingly prepared by the matriarch of the household as younger family members look on and assist.Fastfood has become a highly profitable industry and global phenomenon, while home cuisine preparation is becoming a vanishing art. As families become immersed in the vicious cycle or struggle to survive, attain work success or recognition, traditional meal preparations are being replaced by cheap instant meals. â€Å"Saturated fats and meats are displacing grains and fresh vegetables. Mealtimes are shrinking. McDonalds is everywhere. † (Walsh 36). Regular fastfood fare like burgers and fries continually entice young and old alike, in America and other parts of the world.â€Å"The flavors of childhood foods seem to leave an indelible mark, and adults often return to them, witho ut always knowing why. These comfort foods `become a source of pleasure and reassurance, a fact the fast food chains work hard to promote† (Schlosser 123). Huge marketing budgets have been allocated to convince consumers to head for fastfood restaurants with kids and other family members in tow. What people easily take for granted is that as they opt for fastfood meals, â€Å"they consume more calories, less fiber, and more fat† (Schlosser 241).Fats may be categorized as good or bad, and among the most undesirable kind is trans fat found in fastfood staples like french fries. Trans fats contained in hydrogenated cooking oil pose a big risk to heart health, as studies have revealed. â€Å"It serves to justify current efforts to get trans fats out of the American diet† (Boyles, parag. 5). Obesity, fatty liver and heart problems are but some of the dangers of regular fastfood consumption in big servings.Fortunately, helping curb the health decline among America†™s population are medically backed reports and a growing health consciousness that have spawned concerted efforts by consumer groups to ban â€Å"the use of trans freats in restaurant food in major cities like New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago† (Boyles, parag. 5). This had also generated â€Å"pledges from a growing number of fast-food restaurant chains to make their products trans-fat free† (Boyles, parag. 5). Showing an earnest gesture of support in such initiative or clamor to give consumers healthier food options are fastfood companies like Wendy’s and KFC, to name some.Home-produced food may be the norm in certain societies, and â€Å"it shouldn’t be surprising that the societies that have been most successful at retaining food cultures are the ones that have also resisted the pull of Westernization† (Walsh 39). This is not to say, though, that traditional fare like Southern American cuisine is not laden with calories, sugar and fat. South ern American food with multicultural influences includes deep-fried foods and rich gravy made with pan drippings and leftover coffee (Brant parag. 3).If not taken in moderation, they may pose some undesirable health effects, Economics likewise lays a big role in people’s food options. â€Å"Most Southerners were subsistence farmers who relied upon their on harvests to feed their families† (Brant, parag. 3). Delectable dishes, notably â€Å"big country breakfasts of eggs, biscuits and gravy, sausage and grits, and supper plates of chicken-fried steak, corn bread and collard greens provided farmers with the fuel to work from sun up to sun down in the scorching heat and humidity of the south† (Boyles, parag. 5).While certain recipes and ingredients of south American cuisine stand out, the myriad, longed-for flavors reflect â€Å"a combination of culinary heritages from around the world† (Brant, parag. 1). In many parts of America and major cities around the world, contributing to the decline of traditional mealtimes are the trappings and offshoots of the modern technology era. There is media, with its powerful influence; and migration from slow-paced rural communities to cities marked by fast-paced lifestyles. â€Å"Not only do these changes add stress for families, but nutritional quality declines as well† (Walsh 38).Cornell University Professor of Nutritional Science Jeffrey Sobal, was quoted by TIME as saying that †parents complain that they make [traditional] dishes, but the kids won’t eat them. They want the things that they see on television† (Walsh 38) and consenting adults acquiesce. Indeed, various interweaving factors shape today’s American food culture and while â€Å"we might – indeed must – clean up the worst of the fastfood excesses, trying to preserve the diets that keep us both culturally and physically healthier, no one pretends we’re ever going to turn back the cl ock entirely† (Walsh 39). It is, after all, the age of convenience products.Further boosting the popularity of fastfood restaurants is the business strategy of focusing not just on product innovations but also in providing a complete customer experience. Hence, McDonalds has its Playland to appeal to tots. Other fastfood restaurants strategically focus on a theme, slogan or attitude to further lure customers, wittingly or unwittingly. All told, fastfood has both an upside and downside, While most present-day comfort foods meld flavor and texture for utterly enticing eating options, consumers will do well to take a moment to determine if these foods are worth the momentary pleasures they provide.As for restaurants who have made a giant step towards offering consumers the healthier route through food alternatives that limit dangerous ingredients, it is high time they sustain their initiatives that will put a country’s burgeoning population down the healthier path. Househ olds that find it difficult to reshape their dietary paths are usually hindered by budgetary limitations. It can be gleaned that inexpensive, time-saving fastfood has fueled the rapid growth of fastfood outlets on a global scale, Individuals with high standards of living, on the other hand, are better able to experiment and widen their food choices.Indeed, given today’s societal trends and the fastfood phenomenon, only time will tell if healthier and tastier alternatives to trans-fat-laden `comfort food’ will see the day. In the meantime, America is seen grappling with diet-related illnesses even as health empowering news updates are gradually holding sway Works Cited Boyles, Salynn. â€Å"Researchers Say Findings Justify Move to Reduce Trans Fat in U. S. Diet. † Emedicinehealth. com. 26 March 2007. 13 August 2008 . Brant, Kelly. â€Å"Southern Comfort. † Allrecipes. com. 13 August 2008 n. â€Å"Comfort food definition. † YourDictionary. com. 13 Au gust 2008 . Schlosser, Eric. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: HarperCollins, 2001. Walsh, Bryan. â€Å"How the World Eats. † TIME June 2-July 2, 2007: 36.