Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Comparison of Networking Feature of Linux and Microsoft Essay Example for Free

Comparison of Networking Feature of Linux and Microsoft Essay 1.0 Comparing Networking Features of Linux Microsoft. Microsoft * Next Generation TCP/IP Stack: this networking feature of windows is available for â€Å"Windows Server 2008† and â€Å"Windows Vista†. It is a â€Å"complete redesign of TCP/IP functionality for both Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) and Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) that meets the connectivity and performance needs of todays varied networking environments and technologies.† Joe Davies (2008) * Server Message Block 2.0 (SMB): this networking feature of windows is also available for both â€Å"Windows Server 2008† and â€Å"Windows Vista†. It can also be termed as the â€Å"Common Internet File System (CIFS)†. It is used on widows-based computers as a default file sharing protocol. SMB supports: * â€Å"Sending multiple SMB commands within the same packet. This reduces the number of packets sent between an SMB client and server. * Much larger buffer sizes compared to SMB 1.0. * Increases the restrictive constants within the protocol design to allow for scalability. Examples include an increase in the number of concurrent open file handles on the server and the number of file shares that a server can have. * Supports durable handles that can withstand short interruptions in network availability. * Supports symbolic links.† Joe Davies (2008) * Windows Firewall: the windows firewall for the versions â€Å"Windows Server (2008)† and â€Å"Windows Vista† has support for filtering of incoming and outgoing traffic. It also has integrated settings for firewall filtering and Internet Protocol Security (IPSEC). * Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) 6.0: this â€Å"specifies a standard interface between kernel-mode network drivers and the operating system. NDIS also specifies a standard interface between layered network drivers, abstracting lower-level drivers that manage hardware from upper-level drivers, such as network transports.† Joe Davies (2008). Linux * Samba: this networking feature of â€Å"Linux† is a file and printer sharing service. It is based on the SMB protocol developed by â€Å"Windows†. Samba allows â€Å"Linux† to act as a SMB client or server. * The inetd Super Server: this is a special network daemon run on â€Å"Linux† applications in order to overcome certain inefficiencies of network daemons. It â€Å"creates sockets on behalf of a number of services and listens on all of them simultaneously. When an incoming connection is received on any of these sockets, the super server accepts the connection and spawns the server specified for this port, passing the socket across to the child to manage. The server then returns to listening.† Dawson T. (2000). * The tcpd Access Control Facility: this is a tool that is used to manage â€Å"host specific† access. â€Å"For TCP services you want to monitor or protect, it is invoked instead of the server program. Tcpd checks if the remote host is allowed to use that service, and only if this succeeds will it execute the real server program.† Dawson T. (2000). 1.1 Interoperability Features of Ubuntu with Microsoft Workstations. Interoperability is the function which allows a system to work with other systems that may be of different brand or have a different operating system. For organisations like â€Å"Rainham Indigo Bank† who wish to setup a networking environment to share files and printer, this is important as they wish to integrate a Linux based operating system to their current work environment which has a Windows based operating system. â€Å"Ubuntu†, the choice of Linux – based operating system, has an interoperability feature known as â€Å"Samba† that supplies the users with file and printer sharing for the Window workstations. Samba.org states that â€Å"Samba is an Open Source/Free Software suite that provides seamless file and print services to SMB/CIFS clients. Samba is freely available, unlike other SMB/CIFS implementations, and allows for interoperability between Linux/Unix servers and Window s-based clients.† The bank can use this package to share printers and files between the Ubuntu server and Widows workstations. Another feature that â€Å"Ubuntu† offers is the ease of authentication. Authentication plays an important part as it helps computers on a network to recognise each another and allows for information to be shared. â€Å"Ubuntu Server† comes with â€Å"Open Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)†. This ensures that a shared directory service can be built if it is needed. Supported versions of Ubuntu Server come with â€Å"Likewise-Open†. This is used to integrate with the system using Microsoft Active Directory. Machines on Active Directory can be identified, share credentials and access resources with â€Å"Ubuntu† machines through the use of this software. Resources for Windows clients can easily be provided by â€Å"Ubuntu† servers without an additional security burden. 1.2 Installing Ubuntu and configuring network services for Windows and Linux for file sharing and printing. â€Å"Ubuntu† Installation. After â€Å"Ubuntu† was installed, â€Å"Samba† was downloaded and configured. It was installed through the terminal command using this command: â€Å"sudo apt-get install samba samba-command†. Configuring network settings. Ubuntu accessed via Microsoft. Sharing folders on the network. File manager opened to allow for folder sharing. Sharing folder on Windows from Ubuntu. Shared folder in Microsoft. 1.3 Linux Distribution Costs. Performance The cost associated with the performance is related to the hardware of the â€Å"Ubuntu† server as the server’s performance will be as good as the hardware installed on it. The performance of the server depends on the type of memory installed and how much of it, the brand of the processor as well as its type i.e. single – core, dual – core etc, the processor speed will also play a part in this as well as the motherboard installed and the PCI connectors and serial buses installed.. â€Å"Ubuntu† server process threads often make use of physical resources. High performance can be achieved from relatively low hardware requirements on this server. Therefore, the cost of performance associated with the â€Å"Ubuntu† server is expected to be low. Security Once the â€Å"Ubuntu† server is hardened, it has a low risk of attacks from viruses, remote procedure calls and buffer overflows. Standard installation of â€Å"Ubuntu† has a ready – to – use hardened operating system. Therefore, no additional cost will be needed to implement additional security protection such as anti-virus, firewalls, anti-spyware etc. This is because most security mechanisms are pre-installed or can be installed freely thereby allowing this cost to be low. Support Support for the â€Å"Ubuntu† software can only be obtained from the â€Å"Ubuntu† community, developers and enthusiasts as there are no formal support arrangements available from the vendor. Significant cost will be incurred in order to train staff to use of the server and experienced consultants may be required for support for cases of server downtime or repair. Maintenance Maintenance of the server may incur significant costs as well. This is because only skilled and trained personnel can conduct routine maintenance and maintain the maximum uptime of the server that is required. The maintenance cost of hardware can vary depending on the hardware. From a software perspective, the costs will include maintenance from skilled personnel to upkeep and patch the software as needed.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Dysbiosis and the Risk of Developing Mental Disorders

Dysbiosis and the Risk of Developing Mental Disorders Topic: Dysbiosis increases the risk of developing mental disorders       Dysbiosis is recognized as a microbial imbalance on or inside the body like a damaged microbiota. It is the most generally known in gastrointestinal tract but also can take place everywhere with a defined mucous membrane such as skin flora and gut flora. The potential causes of dysbiosis are mainly induced from contaminated food or water and improper antibiotics dosage. For instance, taking antibiotics kills the sensitive bacteria but the resistant germs can also be left to grow and breed. There is significant information to show the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is connected with the pathogenesis of extra intestinal disorders. The roles of gut microbiome in establishing brain development and neurological function, and the mechanisms that the gut microbiotic of dysbiosis contributing to two example of mental health disorders, depression and Irritable bowel syndrome are outlined. Figure 1. The bidirectional communication system between CNS and the gastrointestinal tract (Gut-Brain-Axis). The brain is able to influence the intestinal microbiota while the microbiota is capable to affect the brain development and functions, resulting in mental disorders. The gut microbiota correlates with central nervous system which is vital for the brain development and functions. The bidirectional communication system between CNS and the gastrointestinal tract is called Gut-Brain Axis since the CNS is capable of constantly altering the gut permeability, microbiota configuration and secretion via the initiation of the hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis [7]. Moreover, Gut-brain-Axis is responsible to coordinate gut actions in order to associate the emotional centres of the brain with external intestinal functions like immune initiation, intestinal permeability and entero-endocrine signalling. Furthermore, the gut microbiota is involved in maintaining an equilibrium of homeostasis and providing protection against outer pathogens by activating the integration of defensive mucus lining of the gut epithelial cells. When the microbial gut is lake of balance, dysbiosis would be occurred and inflammation is prompted by intestinal permeability change and damaged gut barrier with the access of external antigens such as toxins, microorganisms and gluten to the interior. Additionally, a number of pathogens of diseases are expressed to interrupt the epithelial tight junctions to increase the intestinal permeability and lead to leaky gut so as to launch autoimmunological responses and induce neurological disorders like the depressive-like behaviours by altering gut microbiota composition. Firstly, an example of the mental health disorder is Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) which is known as depression by minimum two weeks of low mood followed with declining of self-esteem. Depression-like alternations is examined in germ-free mice and indicated that the increased density of pro-inflammatory cytokines which is expressed in MDD  46 is resulted from the linkage with gut microbiome. Moreover, concentrations of serum antibodies countered to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from gram-negative enterobacteria are greater in patients with MDD than in control individuals  51. Thus, it would induce stress-related disorders by increasing gut permeability and bacterial translocation  22,  52.  Also, the altered microbiota configuration is suggested to promote depressive states and dysbiosis. Figure 2. The comparison of a healthy gut and a leaky gut. Under homeostasis, the intestinal epithelial linked with the tight function to inhibit gut microorganisms, food particles etc. to go across the barrier. There is normal intestinal permeability and intact intestinal barrier. When a leaky gut is occurred, the barrier is damaged and increase the intestinal permeability, allowing the undesired passage for the pathogen, gluten, casein etc, which can induce an inflammation and results in mental disorders. The major neuroendocrine mechanism in human is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the activation of this axis stimulate various psychological stressors [130]. Additionally, the cells transfer the signaling molecules into gut lumen in the lamina propria which is under the regulation of the CNS, resulting in alternations in gastrointestinal motility and secretion and also the intestinal permeability in order to change the GIT system in which the bacteria existed in [2]. The mechanism of MDD linked with microbiota is evaluated by comparing the healthy gut and the gut with disease. From figure 2, the intestinal epithelium which is the largest mucosal surface in human body. It is used to provide an inhibition between the host and the environment and it is crucial in establishing the equilibrium of the organism with healthy condition. Under a healthy state, the intestinal epithelial associated with the tight function which prevent the undigested food particles from passing through and the absorptive cells fit close together with the mucus layer which can significantly act as a barrier to bacteria and antigens from outside. The reign of symbiotic microbiota, an intestinal barrier integrity is maintained and used to control pathobiont overgrowth inside the intestinal area and the function of a healthy gut establish the symbiotic relationship between CNS and gut microbiota. However, in the condition of pathological stress or disease, the epithelial barrier is damaged and the gaps between the cells are wider which leads to the increase of the intestinal permeability. Intestinal dysbiosis can negatively affect gut physiology causing improper brain-gut axis signalling and leading effects for CNS functions and disease conditions. Furthermore, stress linked with CNS can also influence gut function and contribute distress of the microbiota. An alternation in the balance of symbionts and pathobionts leads to pathobiont overgrowth and results in dysbiosis, allowing the channel for the translocation of pathological bacteria across the mucosal lining to sites where gives rise to the activation of an immune response recognized by increasing production of peripheral pro-inflammatory mediators and eventually the CNS, inflammation is initiated. When the inflammatory activity is launched, macrophages leads to pathogenesis through unsuitable responses to enteric microbial activation, incapable elimination of microbes from host organisms, defective pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory responses and also deficit of barriers role. This contributes to the greater translocation of pathogenic bacterial constituent from the intestinal mucosa to the systemic circuits where they can stimulate innate immunity and generate pro-inflammatory cytokines, causing the systemic inflammation with an abnormal gut. Therefore, a leaky gut or impaired intestinal permeability is associated the GI dysfunction and the impaired CNS function to induce psychiatric disorders such as depression. The mechanism shows that depression affect the composition and stability of gut microbiota and also the bidirectional communication between microbiota and the CNS arouse stress reactions. Figure 3. Pathways involved in communication between the gut microbiota and the brain including cortisol, cytokines, vagus and enteric nervous system. The brain requires theses pathways to alter the composition of gut microbiota with the state of stress-related disorders. The HPA axis control cortisol secretion and cortisol influence immune cells involving cytokine secretion. Cortisol changes gut permeability and barrier function and hence alter the gut microbiota composition. Moreover, the gut microbiota and probiotics can change the concentrations of circulating cytokines and this affects brain functions. The vagus nerve and regulation of tryptophan contribute to the influence of the gut microbiota to the brain. Also, SCFAs are neuroactive bacteria metabolites that regulate brain and behaviour. Secondly, another example of mental disorder is Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is a stress-related disorder linked with Gut-Brain- Axis in order to alter gut microbiota characterization (Carroll et al., 2011) and increase intestinal permeability (Dunlop et al., 2006). Moreover, depression or anxiety anticipate IBS symptoms in the high frequency of patients and psychological characterization incline earlier healthy people to cause IBS after gastroenteritis.[27][28] (Singh et al., 2012). These stress responses in the body associate with the HPA axis and the sympathetic nervous system to perform abnormally in IBS patients. It has a similar mechanism to the MDD and also adapt the HPA axis which modulate cortisol secretion and the cortisol influence immune cells involving cytokine secretion. Cortisol can alter gut permeability and permit bacteria or bacterial antigens to go through the epithelial barrier and this leads to mucosal immune response stimulated which can change the microbiome composition 131]. It is also indicated that a subtle impact on bacterial flora giving rise to greater adhesion and bacterial translocation owing to higher barrier permeability. Significantly, chronic stress damages the intestinal barrier, causing it leaky and raising the circulating level of immune modulator which is the element of bacterial cell wall called lipopolysaccharide (LPS) [134]. LPS transposition can switch on the inherited immune system and advancement of inflammatory actions to generate an autoimmune reaction such as the stress-related disorders. Additionally, the mechanism involves several molecules in the brain-gut-microbiota axis to induce physiological functions. The tryptophan metabolism is affected to brain function regulation which is induced by the gut microbiota (reviewed by OMahony ). Additionally, tryptophan is a crucial amino acid which is used to go through the blood brain barrier and involve in serotonin synthesis when the tryptophan is consumed from the gut. Furthermore, in the condition of pathogenic microbial infections in the gut, this pathway is triggered and the tryptophan from the body stock is depleted. Hence, this causes the deficiency of serotonin supply and result in IBS. Besides, the Short Chain Fatty Acids are known as butyrate, acetate, and propionate which act as signalling molecules and possess immunomodulatory characteristics. They cooperate with nerve cells by activating the sympathetic and autonomic nervous system through G-protein-coupled receptors.195 Furthermore, they can go across the Blood brain barrier to modulate brain development and behaviour19 6,  197,  198 in order to establish the IBS development.199 Besides, the serotonin, 5-HT, is a signalling molecule in the brain-gut-microbiota axis to regulate the intestinal permeability and use to stimulate sensory nerve to signal the CNS. Hence, this pathway involving different signalling molecules correlated with microbiota and initiated the leaky gut is significantly increase the risk of developing neurological disorder by dysbiosis. In conclusion, dysbiosis increases the risk of developing mental disorders such as the Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Both disorders linked with microbiota and require the similar pathways. Dysbiosis with an impaired microbiota correlated with the CNS significantly. The Gut-brain-Axis is responsible to coordinate gut actions and deliver the stress response to the brain by the HPA axis in order to increase the intestinal permeability and damage the intestinal barrier. Followed by several signalling molecules such as tryptophan, 5-HT and SCFAs, the resulted leaky gut and alternation in microbiota composition would contribute to the depressive like behaviours and other neurological disorders. For the future perspective, the mental illness induced by the dysbiosis with altered microbiota can be monitored with appropriate probiotic supplementation and change of metabolomics condition in order to influence the essential changes with both gastrointestina l and neurological significance. References: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Dr_Ajit_Thakur/publication/260425062_Gut-microbiota_and_mental_health_Current_and_future_perspectives/links/00b7d53134a2bcb221000000.pdf http://www.nature.com/mp/journal/v21/n6/full/mp201650a.html https://jphysiolanthropol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40101-015-0061-7 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166223613000088 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16512235.2017.1281916 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nmo.12378/full http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889159115001105 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S095816691400175X https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4879184/ https://www.jscimedcentral.com/Pharmacology/pharmacology-2-1016.php http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/855131 https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/psychobiotics-a-promise-for-neurodevelopmental-therapy-2329-8901-1000146.php?aid=72039view=mobile http://www.yeastinfection.org/anxiety-depression-candida-connection/ http://www.healthygutbugs.com/probiotics-next-big-anti-anxiety-remedy/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315779/

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Group Paper :: essays papers

Group Paper Anorexia is characterized by a significant weight loss resulting from excessive dieting. The strong desire to be thin and a fear of becoming obese motivate so many women and an increasing number of men, to begin dieting. Anorexics consider themselves to be fat, no matter what their actual weight is. Often anorexics do not recognize they are underweight and may still â€Å"feel fat† at 80 lbs. Anorexics who are close to death will reveille the parts of their body where they feel they need to loose weight. In their attempts to become even thinner, anorexics will avoid consuming food and taking in calories at all costs. An estimated 10 to 20% of anorexics will eventually die from complications related to the disorder (http://www.mirror-mirror.org/eatdis.htm). In my personal experience, a person with anorexia may feel like their life is out of control. In this case since the person feels like they have no control over anything, they turn to anorexia for stability in their lives. They feel that they can control their eating habits and weight, and what goes into their body and what doesn’t. This feeling of control gives the person a sense of relief that he or she is in charge of at least some aspect of their life. They feel a sense of power when they step on the scale every morning and see a decrease in weight. When it does go down, they have â€Å"succeeded† and when it does not, they have failed in trying to accomplish their goal of thinness. When anorexics loose weight, they feel that they have all of the power and control over themselves. Anorexics are usually people who strive for perfection; they will set very high standards for themselves, and they feel that they always have to prove their competence to everybody else around them. Anorexics will usually put their needs on the back burner while putting others’ needs ahead of theirs, even if it may cause their own life to suffer. Sometimes anorexia is an escape for the individual from their problems. By forcing themselves to focus so strongly on dieting and loosing more and more weight, they can block out all of their other personal problems. Anorexics usually have very low self-esteem, and sometimes they feel that they do not deserve to eat.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

Ghost Story of the Mirror in the Castle :: Ghost Stories Urban Legends

This story was told to a friend of mine by his father. My friend was 10 years old when he first heard the story and is 20 years old now. He grew up in northern Oklahoma and his family moved to Maryland when he was eight. His father, his younger brother and he were on a road trip and my friend and his brother asked their father to tell them a story to help them pass the time. My friend does not recall what his father said about where he heard the story from, but it goes more or less as follows: Once upon a time (chuckles), there were two brothers. These two brothers loved to play outdoors and one day, as it was getting on into evening, they wandered into a graveyard and met another little boy who wanted to play with them. So, they played with the boy for a while and eventually the little boy asked if the brothers would like to [see] the castle. The brothers agreed to go along and off they went following behind the little boy. The boy took them to a castle in the middle of the graveyard and took them inside to a room with big mirror on one wall. (In a really weak and timid voice:) â€Å"Follow me,† said the boy. â€Å"Let me show you where I live.† (Begins speaking more intensely:) At that, he stepped through the mirror and into the castle on the other side and disappeared around a corner. The two brothers shared a concerned look, but in the end stepped into the mirror and came out the other side. Whereas the castle they had been brought to at first seemed aban doned for centuries, this castle felt and looked as though it were currently inhabited. (Speaking with a sense of awe or wonderment:) They wandered out of the bedroom and after a time found them selves in a dinning room with a table set for many people and food laid out like a feast. At that table sat a number of ornately dressed adults. Some in very fine robes or very flashy dresses, all enjoying the feast and each others' company. (Changes to a concerned or anxious tone:) The brothers tried to ask the person nearest them what the occasion of the feast was , but the person utterly ignored [them]. In fact, when one of the brothers tried to tug at the adult’s sleeve he found that his hand went straight through it.

Polykleitos’ Bearer and Laocoon and His Sons Essay -- Essays Papers

Polykleitos’ Bearer and Laocoon and His Sons Polykleitos’ is a Roman statue. It is made out of marble and it is 6 feet 6 inches tall. The statue is of a male who looks to be athletic someone who works out. The statue is standing in a contrapuntal position; it has its left leg slightly bent witch causes his foot not to be flat on the platform under him. That position helps the statue stay balance. It is not rigid. The statue has no facial expression. It is serious. It eyes are deep and expressionless. The statue’s head is facing to the left. His right arm is bent half way and his hands are balled up into a fist his hips are leaning towards the left side to help give him balance. His left arm is straight down by his side. It appears that the Spear Bearer is going to get ready to start walking at any moment. Looking at the statue is like looking at a black and white photograph it has no color. Both Laocoon and His Sons and Polykleitos are Roman sculptures and both are made of the same material. The sculpture is 8 feet tall. Laocoon's and His Sons have more color. This sculpture has a golden color to it. Both of these sculptures are depicting the human body. Both sculptures are depicting the male body as muscular and athletic looking. Both of these were done in the high classical period witch lasted from 400 – 450 B.C.E. With both of these sculptures the surface appears to be smooth excluding the muscles that have curves. The contrast in the Laocoon's and his Sons is light. You do see the shadows of Laocoon's and his sons and those who are trying to kill them. With Polykleitos you see Shadow of his facial features and the shadow of his legs on the platform he has under. Polykleitos has dullness to it and Laocoon has a more lively color. Where as the posture of Polykleitos seams somewhat strange as if he was caught in mid motion Laocoon's position is more a ction like. He is flexing moving around to get a way from his enemies. Both of these sculptures are copies. Menkaure and His Wife and Kosho’s Kuya Preaching This statue is of both male and female. The statue is made out of marble. The statue is 54 Â ½ tall. They are both standing on a platform. The king’s left leg is extended forward. His arms are straight on either side of him. His fists are clenched and it appears as if he is holding and objects in them. He appe... ... The statue was thought be Venus or a Goddess used as symbol for fertility. The statue is a female it has very exaggerated features. Every part of the sculptures body is disproportionate and big. You cannot really see any facial features on this woman. Her connects right into her chest area. She has no neck. Her stomach is incredibly huge and her belly button looks as if it had been stretch. Her legs are fat and pudgy. This is a very unnatural sculpture. The only part that resembles the human body is the chest area. She has no arms. Unlike Head of a King from Ife this sculpture does not in anyway shape or form resemble any part of the human body. The head of a king has human like characteristics, which means more distinct features that are identifiable right away to the human eye. The color and size of Head of a king are more lively and proportionate. The Head of a king is younger and the material used is smothering as well. Each of this sculptures and paintings have there own unique style. This is what makes them so interesting to observe. Their diverse backgrounds say a lot about the cultures and artists who created these unique irreplaceable creations of art.

Friday, August 2, 2019

Blood Brothers

The past few weeks I have been reading the play Blood Brothers written by Willy Russell. It is the story of twin brothers who are separated at birth. Wealthy Mrs Lyons, who is not able to have her own children, blackmails her maid, Mrs Johnstone into giving her one of her new born twins. Mrs Lyons says all Miss Johnston’s other children well benefit, as the Johnston’s have little money. The women agree that it should be their secret and no one else will ever know the truth. The play explores many themes, some being, superstition, friendship and social class.This essay will discuss the changes in the relationship between Edward and Mickey, while also looking at the conveyed themes. The first time Edward and Mickey meet is when they are seven. â€Å"My best friend always had sweets to share. † Mickey is describing Eddie as his â€Å"best friend. † When the brothers first met Edward shared sweets with Mickey, this small gesture started their friendship. If Ed ward had not shared his sweets the brothers might have never became friends. When they find out that they were born on the same day Mickey asks Eddie to become his ‘blood brother'.The boys both made a small cut on their hand, then linked the cuts together, making the blood from the boys join. Both mothers find out about their friendship and are fast in telling their sons to break it up. Edward tells Mickey, ‘My mum says I haven’t got to play with you’ Mickey replies ‘Well, my mum says I haven’t to play with you’. Both mothers are trying to get the twins to stop communicating. By this time the brothers are good friends and blood brothers. Against their mothers wishes the brothers continue to have a friendship until Mrs Lyons even decides to persuade her husband to move the family away.Soon after, the Johnston’s are moved to a house in the country – unknown to them it’s the same area in which the Lyons moved to. The br others meet again in a field at the age of 14, not knowing who the other is. After the move the Johnston’s life has improved, Mickey still has a crush on Linda but doesn’t know how to ask her out. This is another part of fate, they live close by and were both excluded from school at the same time. The twins go to the cinema together, then they finally realise who the other is and meet up with Linda.Mrs Lyons spots Mrs Johnston and tries to kill her. The boys friendship is still strong but the time gap has left a toll. Edward’s vocabulary is not as posh/strong. Also the contrast in backgrounds shows. Mickey smokes, while Edward doesn’t. Edward lives in a ’posh’ area Mickey lives in the estate. Also Edward attends a private school while Mickey goes to the county school. The next time Edward and Mickey meet is when they are 18. ‘If I was Mickey I would have asked you years ago. ’ Edward is jealous of the feelings Linda has for Mick ey.He knows Mickey feels the same for Linda and puts his ‘best friends’ feelings over his own and persuades him to ask her out. While Edward is away at University Linda falls pregnant and Mickey looses his job. This pushes Edwards life further away from Mickey’s. Edward socialises and is in further education. Mickey is on the dole with a pregnant wife, he’s a lot more pressured than Edward. When Edward returns Mickey doesn’t have any money, ‘The Christmas Party’s gonna be on me. ’ Mickey had promised to take Edward out for a treat.Edward said he would pay, but if anything, this put more pressure on Mickey and it pushed him into participating in a ‘hold up’ with his brother, Sammy. The job goes all wrong, Sammy shoots someone and they both end up in jail. While in jail Mickey is put into a depression and ends up on antidepressant drugs. ‘I get depressed an’ I need to take these cos they make me better. â €™ Edward helps Mickey and Linda get a house and gets Mickey a job. This puts a strain on Mickey and Linda, Mickey feels he is a failure as his wife had to get help off a friend. ‘I’m not stupid, Linda. You sorted it out.You an’ Councillor Eddie Lyons. ’ He thinks Linda and Edward are having an affair. Mickey gets a gun and goes to confront Edward. ‘I’ve been thinkin’ again, Eddie. You an’ Linda were friends when she first got pregnant, weren’t y’? Does my child belong to you as well as everythin’ else? ’ The police enter, and try to convince Mickey to drop the gun. Mrs Johnstone enters, and pleads with Mickey to not shoot. She blurts out that they are brothers, and that she couldn’t afford to keep them both. Mickey’s jealousy is shown, ‘Why didn’t you give me away!I could have been †¦ I could have been him! At this point Mickey’s gun goes off accidentally, th e police open fire. Both brothers are dead. In conclusion the relationship between Edward and Mickey has its up’s and downs. At first they are close friends and are then separated, at fourteen they meet up again and are coincidentally separated once more. By the age of eighteen Mickey realises the differences and is betrayed by Edward. In the end realisation hits the brothers as they are told the truth, a childish pact was for real. The overall message is that although everyone has secrets, if they really matter they will be found out. Blood Brothers Blood Brothers is a musical by Willy Russell which was written and first performed in 1981. The musical is about twin brothers, separated at birth, with one kept in a low-class family and the other adopted into a wealthy family. The characters of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons, the mothers, are total opposites. Mrs Johnston is a struggling, single mother of seven, with another two on the way, whereas Mrs Lyons is a privileged, yet childless, married woman. One of the main themes of the musical is superstition for example; the song ‘shoes upon the table’ is all about superstition.Another big theme of the musical is fate. Eddie and Mickey meet almost as if they are meant to, and instantly take a liking to one another. When they lose contact, they meet again, proving they are supposed to be a pair. Also the narrator plays the role of the devil and he sings the song lyrics ‘you know the devil’s got your number’ and that is implying that no matter what, fate i s going to happen wherever the characters are living or whatever they are doing. The last theme to the musical is social class, the whole way through the musical we are being reminded about how different these characters are to each other.Willy Russell shows this by their clothes, accent or speech. The opening scene started with a funeral we saw some men dressed in black suits putting two bodies into coffins (Mickey and Eddie) however the gauze curtain was still not raised. This seemed like the past and present of the story, as this first scene was the inevitable end. I think that was effective because it immediately gets your attention and you become eager to know what’s going on. Mickey and Eddie lay side by side both dead. The narrator then tells us the story of what happened. This is cross-cutting as it shows a different time period then returns to the current one.When we are first introduced to Mrs Johnston, she is a single mother ever since her husband left her for a yo unger woman. She is not dressed in the best of clothes as she does not have much money and her job is cleaning Mrs. Lyons house. Mrs. Johnston is a low–class Liverpudlian, who is extremely hard working. Mrs Johnston is shown as a woman in her thirties but a very worn out woman because of the stress of work and her children. Mrs Johnston stutters at times because of her being under pressure, like when Mrs Lyons is persuading her to give away one of the twins.And by Mrs. Johnston stuttering it shows she is unsure and pressured into something she doesn’t want to do. Willy Russell presents Mrs Johnston to the audience as a decent woman, who gives lots of love to her children, but she can’t give them more than that because she hasn’t got a well-paid job and she is working as Mrs Lyons’ house maid, which takes a lot of her time, which could be spent with her children instead. That is why Mickey and his siblings are left to learn about life themselves on the streets. That makes the audience sympathise with the poor people.She shows that to the audience after she learns she is going to have twins by saying: â€Å"With one more baby we could have managed. But not with two. The Welfare have already been on to me. They say I’m incapable of controllin’ the kids I’ve already got. They say I should put some of them into care† so because she loves her children and wants to keep them she makes the sacrifice of giving Eddie to Mrs. Lyons with hope that he will have a better life then what she could give him. Even though she regrets giving Eddie to Mrs. Lyons her superstitions stops her from telling anyone about what she has done out of the fear of killing her own children.Mrs Lyons contrasts really strongly against Mrs Johnston. At first, Mrs Lyons is shown as a bright person in her thirties, unlike the stressed Mrs Johnston who is the same age. Mrs Lyons is an upper middle-class woman. She is dressed very smartly as she has the money to have nice clothes. Mrs. Lyons is a very patronising woman, who is forceful and pressurising. Mrs Lyons uses negative views about extra children so that Mrs Johnston will have to give away one of the twins to her. She doesn’t do this in an aggressive way, but in a dangerously sweet way. So that Mrs.Johnston doesn’t feel like she can cope any more. Willy Russell also shows Mrs. Lyons to be self-centred as Mrs Lyons is willing to take a child away from its mother, so that she can save herself. Mrs Lyons is a very sly and devious woman, as she uses superstition against Mrs Johnston, so that she can keep one of the twins. Her facial expressions are very stern and persuading and her body language comes across very confident as she knows that’s she is manipulating Mrs. Johnston. The Narrator is also a very important part to the musical; he acts as a shadow of the other characters. Firstly he was like the host.He constantly kept appearing and kep t the performance flowing. It seemed as if he had the remote to slow things down and also to speed things up when he wanted. He wore a smart black suit which gave him a high profile. His voice was used quite well because he adjusted it to make it loud and directive as a narrator should have but it also had a bit of power in it. During the performance he popped up here and there just to clarify things for the audience. The Narrator is there as a reminder of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons’ agreement. The other characters don’t acknowledge him which shows he is of a ghostly nature.The Narrator raises suspicion and builds up tension between the characters. The Narrator also has no emotions and he comes across as a very cold person which makes the audience feel as if he is like a devil type figure. Although he is a devil like figure, he is a neutral character because he doesn’t choose sides and we don’t know anything about him, other than he knows the fate of each character. The Narrator is trying to tell Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons that their pact won’t work, because the truth will be known. He uses repetition and rhyme, so that his lines are more catchy and memorable.The character of Mickey was portrayed really well as the person playing this role was showing great child like movements such as pulling his jumper over his knees and also by the way he was speaking. The way Mickey was speaking came across very child like as he was doing a lot of rhyming and simple sentences. Mickey also plays childhood games, like mounted Police and Indians, and runs around with a toy gun. When Mickey was playing his cowboy like games he pretended to have a horse between his legs and he galloped around the stage like a child would do.As Mickey got older he showed he was acting more mature and he understood that life wasn’t going to be easy for him and he needed to work for things unlike Eddie who had everything sorted out for him. When Mickey has got out of prison he is really unsteady and has to take pills to calm himself even though he doesn’t need the pills, he just thinks he does. But when Mickey takes the pills, Willy Russell uses stage directions to give the characters emotion with their physical movement, so when Mickey takes the pills the lights come up on Mickey.We see him go to take his pill, we see him struggle not to take it’’ Russell does this to get the audience to feel sad and sympathetic for Mickey. So in this scene the lighting is really dim, which reflects on Mickey’s thought processes which are slow and aged. You can see from this scene that prison has aged Mickey beyond doubt. Mickey used movement and his voice to really portray Mickey’s vulnerability. Mickey’s movements were slow and it seemed like every step he took was agony. His speech was slow, and his voice was extremely quiet.He walked hunched over, as if trying to protect himself from an unknown fear. Edd ie is the complete opposite to Mickey as he was raised in a wealthy family and he shows this in his body language because he stands up straight, speaks politely and is never rude. When Eddie first meets Mickey, Mickey speaks in common English and uses slang around Eddie and he finds it amazing because he has never heard any one talk like that. Eddie seems to have grown up very fast because at the age of seven, he is already very polite and well spoken. His parents have influenced him because he is like a miniature adult.Throughout the whole of the musical Mrs. Johnston sings about Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn Monroe is a very clever icon to use throughout the musical. This is because using her as a reference sets us in the correct time period. She is also a good symbol, because she has links to many of the themes in the play including death, addiction and beauty. All the scenes were set in the same location; and the set design remained the same for the whole performance, even when the ba ckdrop changed however, the insides of houses, occasionally descended from the ceiling to show the insides of each home.One the right side of the stage was a wall which had graffiti on it and that represented the lower class type of area that Mickey and Mrs. Johnston would live in. Class difference is displayed very clearly in Blood Brothers, in particular the difference in wealth between the two families. Eddie's parents ensure that he has a comfortable upbringing and is able to study at university and receive a qualification, resulting in a highly paid job. This is completely different to Mickey.He comes from a poor family which meant that he was stuck in a dead end job in a factory. â€Å"I bleeding hated it, standing there all day never doing anything apart from putting cardboard boxes together. † This reflects Mickey's frustration and highlights the lack of opportunities open to him, which adds to the dramatic effect of the musical because it prepares us for trouble in t he future. A good example of dramatic irony in the musical is when Eddie and Mickey decide that as they are such good friends they will become blood brothers. Hey, we were born on the same day. That means we can be blood brothers. † The audience knows that they were actually brothers so that creates dramatic irony. I really enjoyed the musical Blood Brothers and it helped me understand the class difference which is displayed very clearly in the difference in wealth between the two families. I also liked the way the actors never came out of role when bringing in props e. g. chairs, tables and carpets. I also loved how the lighting would make a very serious point feel more real and intense. Blood Brothers The past few weeks I have been reading the play Blood Brothers written by Willy Russell. It is the story of twin brothers who are separated at birth. Wealthy Mrs Lyons, who is not able to have her own children, blackmails her maid, Mrs Johnstone into giving her one of her new born twins. Mrs Lyons says all Miss Johnston’s other children well benefit, as the Johnston’s have little money. The women agree that it should be their secret and no one else will ever know the truth. The play explores many themes, some being, superstition, friendship and social class.This essay will discuss the changes in the relationship between Edward and Mickey, while also looking at the conveyed themes. The first time Edward and Mickey meet is when they are seven. â€Å"My best friend always had sweets to share. † Mickey is describing Eddie as his â€Å"best friend. † When the brothers first met Edward shared sweets with Mickey, this small gesture started their friendship. If Ed ward had not shared his sweets the brothers might have never became friends. When they find out that they were born on the same day Mickey asks Eddie to become his ‘blood brother'.The boys both made a small cut on their hand, then linked the cuts together, making the blood from the boys join. Both mothers find out about their friendship and are fast in telling their sons to break it up. Edward tells Mickey, ‘My mum says I haven’t got to play with you’ Mickey replies ‘Well, my mum says I haven’t to play with you’. Both mothers are trying to get the twins to stop communicating. By this time the brothers are good friends and blood brothers. Against their mothers wishes the brothers continue to have a friendship until Mrs Lyons even decides to persuade her husband to move the family away.Soon after, the Johnston’s are moved to a house in the country – unknown to them it’s the same area in which the Lyons moved to. The br others meet again in a field at the age of 14, not knowing who the other is. After the move the Johnston’s life has improved, Mickey still has a crush on Linda but doesn’t know how to ask her out. This is another part of fate, they live close by and were both excluded from school at the same time. The twins go to the cinema together, then they finally realise who the other is and meet up with Linda.Mrs Lyons spots Mrs Johnston and tries to kill her. The boys friendship is still strong but the time gap has left a toll. Edward’s vocabulary is not as posh/strong. Also the contrast in backgrounds shows. Mickey smokes, while Edward doesn’t. Edward lives in a ’posh’ area Mickey lives in the estate. Also Edward attends a private school while Mickey goes to the county school. The next time Edward and Mickey meet is when they are 18. ‘If I was Mickey I would have asked you years ago. ’ Edward is jealous of the feelings Linda has for Mick ey.He knows Mickey feels the same for Linda and puts his ‘best friends’ feelings over his own and persuades him to ask her out. While Edward is away at University Linda falls pregnant and Mickey looses his job. This pushes Edwards life further away from Mickey’s. Edward socialises and is in further education. Mickey is on the dole with a pregnant wife, he’s a lot more pressured than Edward. When Edward returns Mickey doesn’t have any money, ‘The Christmas Party’s gonna be on me. ’ Mickey had promised to take Edward out for a treat.Edward said he would pay, but if anything, this put more pressure on Mickey and it pushed him into participating in a ‘hold up’ with his brother, Sammy. The job goes all wrong, Sammy shoots someone and they both end up in jail. While in jail Mickey is put into a depression and ends up on antidepressant drugs. ‘I get depressed an’ I need to take these cos they make me better. â €™ Edward helps Mickey and Linda get a house and gets Mickey a job. This puts a strain on Mickey and Linda, Mickey feels he is a failure as his wife had to get help off a friend. ‘I’m not stupid, Linda. You sorted it out.You an’ Councillor Eddie Lyons. ’ He thinks Linda and Edward are having an affair. Mickey gets a gun and goes to confront Edward. ‘I’ve been thinkin’ again, Eddie. You an’ Linda were friends when she first got pregnant, weren’t y’? Does my child belong to you as well as everythin’ else? ’ The police enter, and try to convince Mickey to drop the gun. Mrs Johnstone enters, and pleads with Mickey to not shoot. She blurts out that they are brothers, and that she couldn’t afford to keep them both. Mickey’s jealousy is shown, ‘Why didn’t you give me away!I could have been †¦ I could have been him! At this point Mickey’s gun goes off accidentally, th e police open fire. Both brothers are dead. In conclusion the relationship between Edward and Mickey has its up’s and downs. At first they are close friends and are then separated, at fourteen they meet up again and are coincidentally separated once more. By the age of eighteen Mickey realises the differences and is betrayed by Edward. In the end realisation hits the brothers as they are told the truth, a childish pact was for real. The overall message is that although everyone has secrets, if they really matter they will be found out. Blood Brothers Blood Brothers is a musical by Willy Russell which was written and first performed in 1981. The musical is about twin brothers, separated at birth, with one kept in a low-class family and the other adopted into a wealthy family. The characters of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons, the mothers, are total opposites. Mrs Johnston is a struggling, single mother of seven, with another two on the way, whereas Mrs Lyons is a privileged, yet childless, married woman. One of the main themes of the musical is superstition for example; the song ‘shoes upon the table’ is all about superstition.Another big theme of the musical is fate. Eddie and Mickey meet almost as if they are meant to, and instantly take a liking to one another. When they lose contact, they meet again, proving they are supposed to be a pair. Also the narrator plays the role of the devil and he sings the song lyrics ‘you know the devil’s got your number’ and that is implying that no matter what, fate i s going to happen wherever the characters are living or whatever they are doing. The last theme to the musical is social class, the whole way through the musical we are being reminded about how different these characters are to each other.Willy Russell shows this by their clothes, accent or speech. The opening scene started with a funeral we saw some men dressed in black suits putting two bodies into coffins (Mickey and Eddie) however the gauze curtain was still not raised. This seemed like the past and present of the story, as this first scene was the inevitable end. I think that was effective because it immediately gets your attention and you become eager to know what’s going on. Mickey and Eddie lay side by side both dead. The narrator then tells us the story of what happened. This is cross-cutting as it shows a different time period then returns to the current one.When we are first introduced to Mrs Johnston, she is a single mother ever since her husband left her for a yo unger woman. She is not dressed in the best of clothes as she does not have much money and her job is cleaning Mrs. Lyons house. Mrs. Johnston is a low–class Liverpudlian, who is extremely hard working. Mrs Johnston is shown as a woman in her thirties but a very worn out woman because of the stress of work and her children. Mrs Johnston stutters at times because of her being under pressure, like when Mrs Lyons is persuading her to give away one of the twins.And by Mrs. Johnston stuttering it shows she is unsure and pressured into something she doesn’t want to do. Willy Russell presents Mrs Johnston to the audience as a decent woman, who gives lots of love to her children, but she can’t give them more than that because she hasn’t got a well-paid job and she is working as Mrs Lyons’ house maid, which takes a lot of her time, which could be spent with her children instead. That is why Mickey and his siblings are left to learn about life themselves on the streets. That makes the audience sympathise with the poor people.She shows that to the audience after she learns she is going to have twins by saying: â€Å"With one more baby we could have managed. But not with two. The Welfare have already been on to me. They say I’m incapable of controllin’ the kids I’ve already got. They say I should put some of them into care† so because she loves her children and wants to keep them she makes the sacrifice of giving Eddie to Mrs. Lyons with hope that he will have a better life then what she could give him. Even though she regrets giving Eddie to Mrs. Lyons her superstitions stops her from telling anyone about what she has done out of the fear of killing her own children.Mrs Lyons contrasts really strongly against Mrs Johnston. At first, Mrs Lyons is shown as a bright person in her thirties, unlike the stressed Mrs Johnston who is the same age. Mrs Lyons is an upper middle-class woman. She is dressed very smartly as she has the money to have nice clothes. Mrs. Lyons is a very patronising woman, who is forceful and pressurising. Mrs Lyons uses negative views about extra children so that Mrs Johnston will have to give away one of the twins to her. She doesn’t do this in an aggressive way, but in a dangerously sweet way. So that Mrs.Johnston doesn’t feel like she can cope any more. Willy Russell also shows Mrs. Lyons to be self-centred as Mrs Lyons is willing to take a child away from its mother, so that she can save herself. Mrs Lyons is a very sly and devious woman, as she uses superstition against Mrs Johnston, so that she can keep one of the twins. Her facial expressions are very stern and persuading and her body language comes across very confident as she knows that’s she is manipulating Mrs. Johnston. The Narrator is also a very important part to the musical; he acts as a shadow of the other characters. Firstly he was like the host.He constantly kept appearing and kep t the performance flowing. It seemed as if he had the remote to slow things down and also to speed things up when he wanted. He wore a smart black suit which gave him a high profile. His voice was used quite well because he adjusted it to make it loud and directive as a narrator should have but it also had a bit of power in it. During the performance he popped up here and there just to clarify things for the audience. The Narrator is there as a reminder of Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons’ agreement. The other characters don’t acknowledge him which shows he is of a ghostly nature.The Narrator raises suspicion and builds up tension between the characters. The Narrator also has no emotions and he comes across as a very cold person which makes the audience feel as if he is like a devil type figure. Although he is a devil like figure, he is a neutral character because he doesn’t choose sides and we don’t know anything about him, other than he knows the fate of each character. The Narrator is trying to tell Mrs Johnston and Mrs Lyons that their pact won’t work, because the truth will be known. He uses repetition and rhyme, so that his lines are more catchy and memorable.The character of Mickey was portrayed really well as the person playing this role was showing great child like movements such as pulling his jumper over his knees and also by the way he was speaking. The way Mickey was speaking came across very child like as he was doing a lot of rhyming and simple sentences. Mickey also plays childhood games, like mounted Police and Indians, and runs around with a toy gun. When Mickey was playing his cowboy like games he pretended to have a horse between his legs and he galloped around the stage like a child would do.As Mickey got older he showed he was acting more mature and he understood that life wasn’t going to be easy for him and he needed to work for things unlike Eddie who had everything sorted out for him. When Mickey has got out of prison he is really unsteady and has to take pills to calm himself even though he doesn’t need the pills, he just thinks he does. But when Mickey takes the pills, Willy Russell uses stage directions to give the characters emotion with their physical movement, so when Mickey takes the pills the lights come up on Mickey.We see him go to take his pill, we see him struggle not to take it’’ Russell does this to get the audience to feel sad and sympathetic for Mickey. So in this scene the lighting is really dim, which reflects on Mickey’s thought processes which are slow and aged. You can see from this scene that prison has aged Mickey beyond doubt. Mickey used movement and his voice to really portray Mickey’s vulnerability. Mickey’s movements were slow and it seemed like every step he took was agony. His speech was slow, and his voice was extremely quiet.He walked hunched over, as if trying to protect himself from an unknown fear. Edd ie is the complete opposite to Mickey as he was raised in a wealthy family and he shows this in his body language because he stands up straight, speaks politely and is never rude. When Eddie first meets Mickey, Mickey speaks in common English and uses slang around Eddie and he finds it amazing because he has never heard any one talk like that. Eddie seems to have grown up very fast because at the age of seven, he is already very polite and well spoken. His parents have influenced him because he is like a miniature adult.Throughout the whole of the musical Mrs. Johnston sings about Marilyn Monroe, Marilyn Monroe is a very clever icon to use throughout the musical. This is because using her as a reference sets us in the correct time period. She is also a good symbol, because she has links to many of the themes in the play including death, addiction and beauty. All the scenes were set in the same location; and the set design remained the same for the whole performance, even when the ba ckdrop changed however, the insides of houses, occasionally descended from the ceiling to show the insides of each home.One the right side of the stage was a wall which had graffiti on it and that represented the lower class type of area that Mickey and Mrs. Johnston would live in. Class difference is displayed very clearly in Blood Brothers, in particular the difference in wealth between the two families. Eddie's parents ensure that he has a comfortable upbringing and is able to study at university and receive a qualification, resulting in a highly paid job. This is completely different to Mickey.He comes from a poor family which meant that he was stuck in a dead end job in a factory. â€Å"I bleeding hated it, standing there all day never doing anything apart from putting cardboard boxes together. † This reflects Mickey's frustration and highlights the lack of opportunities open to him, which adds to the dramatic effect of the musical because it prepares us for trouble in t he future. A good example of dramatic irony in the musical is when Eddie and Mickey decide that as they are such good friends they will become blood brothers. Hey, we were born on the same day. That means we can be blood brothers. † The audience knows that they were actually brothers so that creates dramatic irony. I really enjoyed the musical Blood Brothers and it helped me understand the class difference which is displayed very clearly in the difference in wealth between the two families. I also liked the way the actors never came out of role when bringing in props e. g. chairs, tables and carpets. I also loved how the lighting would make a very serious point feel more real and intense.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Ethical Lens Essay

Ethical Lens Inventory Results for DESIREE Your preferred lens is: Rights and Responsibility Lens You use your reasoning skills (rationality) to determine your duties as well as the universal rules that each person should follow (autonomy). Your Core Values: Autonomy and Rationality You prioritize the value of autonomy over equality. Your primary concern is protecting individual rights. You believe this is the best way to assure that everyone in the community is treated fairly. You prioritize the value of rationality over sensibility. You believe universal rules exist that apply equally to everyone and that the best results are achieved through consistent application of the universal rules. Your Classical Values: Temperance You value individual balance and restraint in the desire for pleasure as you seek to satisfy your duties. You also know who you are, so you can act with integrity in the exercise of all the virtues. Your Key Phrase: â€Å"I am responsible.† Because you value autonomy and rationality, you tend to assume that your own definitions of what a responsible person should do apply to everyone. Your Definition of ethical behavior: Fulfilling duties You define an ethical person as one who fulfills their duties and does the right thing as an autonomous, fully-responsible adult. For you, this is the fullest expression of fairness and justice. Your Tools for analyzing problems: Reason Using your critical thinking skills is your preferred method for learning and problem-solving. You tend to think through a problem carefully and research options to find the one that will allow you to fulfill your duties. You focus on gathering and analyzing all the available data so you can make a fully informed decision. Your Gift: Self-knowledge Because you are concerned with figuring out your duties, when you are at your best you know yourself – you know both what you are doing and why. Because of this, when you say that you will do something or care for someone, you follow through. You are also able to live in the present, to determine what you need to do at any given moment to fulfill your responsibilities. Your Blind spot: Belief that motive justifies method Because you are so clear about your reasons for acting, you tend to believe that the motive justifies the method. You may unintentionally cause people upset and pain because you are so focused on your good motive. You tend to believe that ethics is a set of universal rules that everyone must follow, just as you do. You follow the rules – everyone should. Your Risk: Being autocratic (bossy) Without self-knowledge, you run the risk of becoming autocratic. You require everyone to do things your way in order to measure up ethically. You tend not to consider other interpretations of the facts or listen to other approaches once you have made up your mind. Your Temptation: Excuses If you are not paying attention, you can be tempted to excuse yourself from following the rules. You insist that you really are being true to your core values, even when you are not. You’ll convince yourself that the rules were meant for other people or that the action you want to take really does meet your responsibilities – even though your â€Å"Responsible Self† tells you otherwise. Your Vice: Becoming judgmental and legalistic Without self-knowledge, you can become overly rigid in your expectations, leading to legalism as you obsess over minute details. You will also become judgmental and when others do not fulfill (what you believe are) their duties, you will be quick to label them as unethical. Your Crisis: Becoming exhausted Unless you develop the practice of mindfulness and reflection, at some point you will become exhausted. No one can meet all of the obligations that your â€Å"Responsible Self† has on your to-do list. If you have few friends, it could be because you are so judgmental that you drive everyone away. Your Seeing Clearly: Listen to your heart To see more clearly, check to see whether your intuition, your heart, agrees with your head. To find balance, explore the gifts of the other lenses – flexibility and a concern for the whole community. As you consider what your duty is, remember that others may see the situation differently or need different supports to fulfill their duties. Also remember to think about the impact of a decision on the whole community. Sometimes an individual actually benefits by restraining autonomy for the good of the community. As you learn to consider the perspectives of others in your decision making process, you will live out the best of your ideals with compassion and care for others.