How to Make a Cloud in a Bottle

How to Make a Cloud in a Bottle In the real world, clouds form when warm, moist air is cooled and condenses into tiny water droplets, which collectively make up clouds. You can mimic this process (on a much smaller scale, of course!) by using everyday items found in your home or school. What Youll Need: A clear bottle, mason jar, or another see-through container with a lidA dark-colored piece of paperHot waterIceMatches Warning:  Due to the use of hot water, glass, and matches, young children are cautioned not to do this experiment without adult supervision. Getting Started First, rinse your glass to make sure it is clean. (Do not use soap and do not dry the inside.)Add hot water to the jar until it covers the bottom by 1 deep. Then swirl the water around so that it warms up the sides of the jar. (If you dont do this, condensation may immediately occur.) Youve just added one of the key ingredients for cloud formation: water.Take the lid, turn it upside-down (so that it acts as a small dish), and place several ice cubes in it. Place the lid on top of the jar. (After doing this, you may see some condensation, but notice theres no cloud yet.) The ice adds another ingredient needed for clouds to form: the cooling of warm, moist air. Carefully light a match and blow it out. Drop the smoking match into the jar and quickly replace the lid of ice. The smoke adds the final ingredient for cloud formation: condensation nuclei for the cooled water droplets to condense onto.Now look for wisps of cloud swirling inside! To see them better, hold up your dark colored pa per behind the jar. Congratulations, youve just made a cloud! After youve and named it, lift the lid and let it flow out so that you can touch it! Tips and Alternatives For younger children: If you prefer not to use matches, you can substitute air freshener spray in step # 4. Lift the lid of ice, spritz a small amount into the jar, then quickly replace the lid.Advanced: Use a bicycle pump to change the pressure and see even more clouds.  Going further: Try using other sizes of dust particles. Design an experiment to determine the best size of dust particles to use. You could also test different water temperatures. Now that youve learned some basic principles of how clouds form, its time to up your knowledge. Study these cloud photos to learn the ten basic types of clouds and what weather they forecast. Or explore what the many storm clouds look like and mean.         Updated by Tiffany Means

How to Fix a Dried out Sharpie

How to Fix a Dried out Sharpie A Sharpie is a great permanent marker, but its prone to drying out if you use it a lot or dont seal the cap perfectly. You cant wet the pen with water to get the ink flowing (a tip that works for water-based markers) because Sharpies rely on organic solvents to dissolve the ink and make it flow. So, before you throw out dead, dried-out Sharpies or other permanent markers, try this tip: Sharpie Rescue Materials 91% Rubbing AlcoholDried Out Sharpie Pen Permanent markers contain organic solvents, which are notoriously bad about evaporating away before you get a chance to use all of the ink. To rescue a dried pen, you need to replace the solvent. The easiest option is to use rubbing alcohol. If you can find 91% or 99% rubbing alcohol (either ethanol or isopropyl alcohol), those will be your best bet for fixing your marker. If you have access to other chemicals, you could also use another high-proof alcohol, xylene, or possibly acetone. You probably wont have great success with rubbing alcohol that contains a lot of water (75% or lower alcohol). 2 Easy Ways To Save a Sharpie There are two quick and easy ways to fix a dried Sharpie. The first is for emergency use, when you dont need a lot of ink or for the pen to last forever. Simply pour a bit of alcohol into a small container or the pen cap and soak the tip of the Sharpie in the liquid. Leave the pen in the alcohol for at least 30 seconds. This should dissolve enough ink to get it flowing again. Wipe any excess liquid off the nib of the pen before using it or else the ink could be runny or paler than usual. A better method, which makes the Sharpie good as new, is to: Grasp the pen in your hands and either pull it open or use pliers to separate the two parts of the pen. Youll have a long portion that contains the pen and pad that holds the ink and the back portion that basically keeps the Sharpie from drying out when its capped or spilling ink on your hands when you write.Hold the writing part of the pen down, as if you were going to write with it. Youre going to use gravity to feed the new solvent into the Sharpie.Drip 91% alcohol (or one of the other solvents) onto the ink pad (same piece, but opposite side of the writing part of the pen). Continue adding liquid until the pad seems saturated.Put the two pieces of the Sharpie back together again and cap the Sharpie. If you like, you can shake the pen, but it doesnt really make a difference. Allow a couple of minutes for the solvent to completely saturate the pen. The solvent needs a bit of time to work its way into the nib of the pen, but you dont need to wet the writing part to get the ink flowi ng. Uncap the Sharpie and use it. It will be good as new! Just remember to recap the pen tightly before storing it for future use or youll be back to square one again.

Nike and Mac for cosmetics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nike and Mac for cosmetics - Case Study Example Their products have been used by major sporting personalities and have achieved the traits they are so much advertised to have. This company has gained the loyalty of its customers over the years such that buying a sporting shoe, or any other sporting equipment from another company is quite difficult. Nike enjoys this loyalty through increased sales and reduced marketing efforts since their brand is already known and trusted. The brand image that this sporting company has created for itself is a result of hard work and implementation of appropriate strategies to gain the confidence of customers. This company also used pathos to sell their sporting products. This emotional appeal is seen in their use of heroic images to create an emotional attachment with consumers. The use of a successful sports figure creates a feeling of victory in customers, and they end up buying Nike’s products. Some of these advertisements are designed in a manner showing how a hero in Nike wear subdues an enemy who seems rather unbeatable. Such an advertisement is a great advertisement tool in that it captures the inner feelings of a person. It has been a successful strategy over the years, an example being the Air Jordan. Nike products with this name were associated with Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketballers that ever played in the NBA. With such an association of greatness, consumers are bound to buy these products. The logos part of marketing the Nike products is the fact that they give what they market. A case in point is the comfort in their running shoes and the cushion associated with them. Their shoes can be credited with the best comfort in running shoes as said in their advertisements. The same applies for the flex grooves of the shoe soles. They work just as they are prescribed to. They give the best running experience an athlete would wish for. People have praised Nike for the honesty

Pagiarism and Paraphrasing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pagiarism and Paraphrasing - Essay Example Additionally, the student starts the sentence as the original sentence without the use of alternative words and relevant connecting words to make the idea original. In their submission, the student could have paraphrased the sentence as follows: given the fact that studies in the biomedical field demand strict obedience to the rules and regulations and the fact that several peers review studies under the field, it is still not enough to give full credit to a scholarly work without due diligence (Crossen, 1994). This sentence is original and much better and thus meets the acceptable standards of plagiarism because although it expresses the same ideas, it uses completely different wording. A second sentence in the passage that has some element of plagiarism in it is the last phrase that goes, ‘and â€Å"buffing† the results by showing them in the best light’. Evidently, the student has again lifted the whole phrase from the original text but has only adjusted the wo rding at a minimal level that still constitutes plagiarism. In a correctly paraphrased text, the student could have stated that ‘the biomedical scholars ought to present their results as they are and not alter them to suit the acceptable scenarios.O’Conner (2003) argued that the art of extensive writing and reading ought to be the hobby of any writer who wishes to excel in the field. Indeed, most writers tend to put information across some of which may not be palatable to some users due to their complexity or the unacceptability of the information relayed.... o the rules and regulations, and the fact that several peers review studies under the field, it is still not enough to give full credit to a scholarly work without due diligence (Crossen, 1994). This sentence is original and much better and thus meets the acceptable standards of plagiarism because although it expresses the same ideas, it uses completely different wording. A second sentence in the passage that has some element of plagiarism in it is the last phrase that goes, ‘and â€Å"buffing† the results by showing them in the best light’. Evidently, the student has again lifted the whole phrase from the original text but has only adjusted the wording at a minimal level that still constitutes plagiarism. In a correctly paraphrased text, the student could have stated that ‘the biomedical scholars ought to present their results as they are and not alter them to suit the acceptable scenarios (Crossen, 1994). Again, this is now more appropriate and can qualify as an acceptable paraphrase. References Top of Form Bottom of Form Crossen, C. (1994). Tainted: The manipulation of fact in America. New York: Touchstone, pp. 166-167. Assignment 2: Paraphrasing O’Conner (2003) argued that the art of extensive writing and reading ought to be the hobby of any writer who wishes to excel in the field. Indeed, most writers tend to put information across some of which may not be palatable to some users due to their complexity or the unacceptability of the information relayed. This notwithstanding, the writer should always ensure that their pieces of work are simple but precise as to convey their ideas in not only accurate manner but also appealing manner especially to their preferred readers. References O’Conner, P. (2003). Woe is I: The grammarphobe’s guide to better English

What Influence the Victorian Architecture Annotated Bibliography

What Influence the Victorian Architecture - Annotated Bibliography Example According to the research findings, Dixon and Mutheisus claim that the changes in technology and political system were reflected in the architecture of that time and the authors mark how it is possible to recognize the signs of the à ©poque in Victorian architecture. As a sub-claim, the authors categorize buildings according to their types and purposes (buildings for the living, for entertainment, for business and manufacture, building for religious purposes). It enables readers to understand how details and peculiarities of construction served specific purposes in Victorian architecture. However, each à ©poque has its peculiar hallmarks. Victorian era was not an exception. But the changes implemented during this period influenced modern and postmodern architecture. The book â€Å"Victorian Architecture: Diversity and Invention† is also valid as it gives an excellent outline of the examples of British Victorian architecture with numerous valuable illustrations. The book is w ritten in according to all academic requirements and is abundant with credible references. The authors of the book describe thoroughly details, peculiarities, functional aspects of Victorian buildings. The book develops the research with the possibility to follow how the tendencies of Victorian architecture were modified later and implemented in new styles and directions. In his book Curl offered a new perspective on Victorian architecture by breaking the myth of this type of architecture being depressive and monstrous. The author states his sub-claim that Victorian architecture despite being originated in conservative cultural à ©poque was able to combine utilitarian functions with aesthetic. The author explains how different purposes of architecture were implemented in life by Victorian architects and how this gothic accent appeared and how spectators concentrate on one side of architecture. The author found a number of examples of colorful and eclectic buildings not typical for general representation of this style in classic literature.

The Vietnam And Somalia Syndrome History Essay

The Vietnam And Somalia Syndrome History Essay Defining humanitarian intervention has become fraught with ambiguities since it has most recently been a veneer in interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan ex post facto. As Reiff asserts Wars waged by developed countries all aspire on a certain level to humanitarian intervention  [1]  The use of humanitarianism justification as veil for national interests has clouded the terminology and sustained perceptions that humanitarianism is a vehicle of Imperialism.  [2]  In order to frame the analysis, Holzgreffe qualifies humanitarian intervention as The threat or use of force across state borders by a state (or group of states) aimed at preventing or ending widespread and grave violations of the fundamental human rights of individuals other than its own citizens.  [3]  Although humanitarian intervention is rarely purely altruistic, the desire to address violations of human rights beyond national interests should be the driving force.  [4]   This analysis aims to explore the extent to which Vietnam and Somalia, two foreign policy interventions widely perceived as failures, have become synthesized into humanitarian intervention policy-making. As Robert Jervis argues, No intervention is discreet and separate; each instance changes the political landscape in which the actors operate.  [5]  Therefore the analysis will explore how these historical analogies interacted and informed policy-making consciousness. By evaluating the extent to which policy makers viewed humanitarian crises through the historical lens, it will examine how every decision is partly a response to past outcome.  [6]  The analysis will retrace political implications of Vietnam in the Carter and Reagan era, leading to examine if George H.W Bushs assertion that the Gulf War successfully kicked the Vietnam syndrome held truth. Furthermore, it will argue that failures in Somalia can be linked to Vietnam syndrome thus shaping foreign policy in Rwanda. It will argue that historical legacy of Vietnam and Somalia had three key repercussions for US humanitarian interventions: it questioned the global US role, it altered strategy by insisting on clear objectives and end goals and heightened the need for garnering public consensus. However, that historical factors cannot be viewed in isolation, a confluence of system level factors in the post-cold war period and individual factors also moulded episodes of humanitarian engagement. Owing to the limited scope of the essay, the analysis will focus upon key case studies up until the Clinton era, although this is by no means an exhaustive list of humanitarian interventions. The trope Vietnam has functioned as a metaphor for humiliation, exposing the limits of American power and capability on the international scene. Vietnam syndrome extended from a term to describe post traumatic stress experienced by veterans to encompass the political impact of the conflict on home soil, engendering a belief that the United States should avoid military intervention abroad  [7]  . Amid the rising causalities, the loss of public consensus raised questions about the US role in conflicts with limited national interest.  [8]   However, the way in which lessons from Vietnam were synthesized into foreign policy varied and often coalesced into different strategies. In his Notre Dame Speech Carter recognised the moral void left by Vietnam calling it: the best example of intellectual and moral poverty.  [9]  Across the left, Vietnam syndrome generally manifested itself in an aversion to military engagement fear in which the US would become bogged down in a similar quagmire. As a result, the Democratic majority in Congress enacted the 1973 War Powers Resolution, restricting the president from sending U.S. troops into combat for more than ninety days without congressional consent.  [10]  By reasserting congressional authority over foreign policy making, it aimed to avoid centralization of decisions in the hands of a presidency to prevent another Vietnam scenario.  [11]   Conversely, the failure of Vietnam was perceived largely across the right as self-inflicted owing to the absence of strong leadership and substantial force thus contributing to the post-war decline. Reagans revisionist interpretation of Vietnam attributed self-doubt to the failure in Vietnam: There is a lesson for all of us in Vietnam. If we are forced to fight, we must have the means and determination to prevail.  [12]  Thus he aimed to restore the US role to its pre-war status quo and dispel the image of US decline on the world stage. Congressional refusal to authorise military intervention in Central America despite Reagans attempt to link humanitarian and national security interests, showed that Vietnam syndrome had trumped the Reagan Doctrine. The proxy war bolstering anti-communist allies and the reluctance to commit boots on the ground demonstrated that Vietnam had left a profound imprint on US strategy. In view of a potential Vietnam re-run in Central America, the Weinberger doctrine codified collective lessons from the Vietnam. It consisted of six tests to be used before the United States intervened including that vital interests must be at stake and congressional and public support must be obtained.  [13]  The clearest enunciation of military policy since Vietnam reflected how Vietnam syndrome had become integrated in US strategy, later informing the Powell doctrine.  [14]   Reagans successor George H. W Bush, was acutely aware of the constraints Vietnam syndrome placed on foreign policy as referenced in his inauguration speech The final lesson of Vietnam is that no great nation can afford to be to be surrendered by memory.  [15]  Bush asserted that Vietnam was a case in point of how not to use military force, voicing particular criticism of Johnsons gradual escalation of firepower in Vietnam.  [16]   Bushs chance to exorcise Vietnam Syndrome came when Saddam Husseins military repression of Kurdish and Shiite uprisings prompted a mass exodus of refugees into Turkey and Iran. This was compounded by the closure of Turkeys borders, forcing thousands of Kurds to be trapped in the hostile mountain pass. Following international pressure, the US retracted its initial policy of non-intervention, founded on the fear it would make the U.S responsible for the government that emerged in Iraq.  [17]  Resolution 688 authorized military force to guarantee humanitarian organisations access to civilians in Iraq and was launched by declaring a no-fly zone and relief operation for the Kurds.  [18]   The intervention synthesized the lessons from Vietnam in two key ways. Firstly, the need to garner public support was met by Bush emphasising moral grounds, which were ambiguously delineated in Vietnam. Bush equated Saddam to Hitler revisited creating a good vs. evil frame through which public opinion could perceive the conflict.  [19]  He contended that I think the humanitarian concern; the refugee concern is so overwhelming that there will be a lot of understanding about this.  [20]  The moral impetus of the US role as an upholder of humanitarian values, coupled with the United Nations Security Councils resolution appended legitimacy to intervention serving to reinforce public support. Secondly, Vietnam syndrome had clear repercussions in Bushs strategy. The conditions for the use of force, stipulated in the Weinberg doctrine were becoming institutionalized with the Powell doctrine.  [21]  Ã‚  From an individual level of analysis Colin Powells beliefs sets were shaped by experiences as a Vietnam veteran , I was appalled[]fighting the war in Vietnam without ever pressing the political leaders to lay out clear objectives for them.  [22]  The Powell doctrine called for overwhelming force, once diplomatic means are exhausted, and a clearly defined exit strategy. The doctrines tenets are reflected in Operation Provide Comfort given the USs reluctance to persuade Turkey to meet its international humanitarian obligations and open its borders, grounded in the fear of being sucked into a civil war.  [23]  Bushs advisers warned that broadening a U.S. mission to finding a solution to Kurdish identity could become a protracted business, ceding to mission creep anal ogous with Vietnam. After the success of the Gulf war, Bush proclaimed: By God, weve kicked the Vietnam Syndrome once and for all demonstrating the degree to which Vietnam had shaped foreign policy. Operation Provide Comfort had no doubt raised the nations confidence in its foreign policy and military leadership.  [24]  However Bushs eulogy of the syndrome was premature: the conduct of humanitarian intervention, emphasising air-power and avoiding mission creep complied with the Vietnam syndromes central canons of using maximum force with minimal casualties which effectively institutionalized the syndrome rather than kicking it.  [25]  Equally, the military success is more likely to have triumphed the Powell doctrine rather than exorcising Vietnam Syndrome and concerns with intervention abroad.  [26]  Informed by the lessons of Vietnam, the Powell Doctrine reinforced heavy reliance on fire-power, technology and a concrete exit strategy which blinded US policy makers to the complexity of the p olitical terrain in Somalia.  [27]   Clinton inherited the Somalia intervention from the Bushs administrations involvement in UNISOM I which monitored the ceasefire in Mogadishu and escorted deliveries of humanitarian supplies. Making a clear distinction between his democratic engagement policy, Clinton stressed that intervention in Somalia was purely humanitarian: The U.S. military mission is not now nor was it ever one of nation building.  [28]  However, the initial success was curtailed by the black-hawk down incident culminating in images of a dead US soldier dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, rekindling the latent casualty aversion left by the Vietnam vestige. This was exacerbated by the belief that Somalia was a low-risk humanitarian intervention and by the CNN effect of real-time news reports eliciting a strong emotional response amongst public opinion.  [29]  Amid rapidly deteriorating public and congressional support for the mission, Clinton announced the end of U.S. involvement in Somalia. The Somalia syndrome is inherently linked to Vietnam Syndrome as alluded to in diplomat Richard Holbrookes coining of Vietmalia syndrome  [30]  . The Powell Doctrine, stemming from the lessons of Vietnam, locked the US into a realist mindset that overwhelming force would reap success in combat operations, shifting the focus away from non-state actors.  [31]  Equally, limited objectives tethered by the avoidance of mission creep prevented the mission expanding into a tougher approach to peace-keeping. These factors were incoherent with the deeply rooted political factors of the humanitarian crisis. Bushs assertion that Our mission was humanitarian [] we do not plan to dictate political outcomes  [32]  became untenable given that political reconstruction became intrinsic to humanitarian interests; this is evidenced when the purely humanitarian objective spiralled into pursuing a Somalia warlord. In their man-milieu hypothesis, Sprout and Sprout argue the context in which decision makers operate is formed by a variety of factors including history, culture and political institutions.  [33]  Clintons lack of military experience attracting criticisms of incompetence, his personal anti-Vietnam stance  [34]  and the republican majority in congress all interacted to shape the Somalia strategy.  [35]  The reluctance to commit troops to Somalia highlighted not only how the spectre of Vietnam permeated the policy remit but also that the historical analogy coalesced with individual and domestic factors. This supports the initial argument that Vietnam syndrome was present amongst a confluence of other factors influencing foreign policy. In the first framework of US peace-keeping role in the post- Cold War period, PDD 25 formally enshrined The Somalia Syndrome in US policy. It outlined specific criteria for US peacekeeping efforts and stipulated the US unwillingness to become involved in sub-national conflicts.  [36]  This precluded refusal to respond to the Rwandan genocide and supported the view that Somalia was a pivotal factor in influencing US policy making process.  [37]   The Somalia syndrome manifested itself in two key ways in US policy regarding Rwanda. Firstly, the public and political sphere viewed the unfolding violence misguidedly through the Somalia lens. As Klinghoffer sustains: The Somalia image of a failed state with random violence masked the actual premeditation and directing role of the Hutu extremists in the interim government.  [38]  This demonstrates that the historical proximity of the Rwandan genocide to Somalia became an analogical referent through which the events were seen in the frame work of a common African schema. That is to say, characteristics of the Rwandan genocide such as a failed-state and mass violence etc. were seen as synonymous with Somalia. Des Forges argues the hopeless imagery created by Somalia, legitimized the policy inaction.  [39]  In this line of thought, congressional and public opinion perceived a repeat of the Somalia imbroglio as unacceptable to future peacekeeping operations. Secondly, Washingto n became wary of peacekeeping missions undertaken by other countries fearing a costly U.S entanglement and crossing the Moghadishu line from peacekeeping to combat operations.  [40]  This underscored a retreat from assertive multilateralism to a limited US role in peacekeeping g operations. Non-intervention in Rwanda demonstrates that the Somalia syndrome had profound effects firstly in terms of defining the US role. As the sole superpower in the post-war era with leverage over United Nations, the unwillingness to demonstrate moral leadership in Rwanda restricted the parameters of US exceptionalism. Furthermore, policy makers responded to public casualty aversion in Somalia which consequently limited strategy options in Rwanda where national interests were not articulated.  [41]   Vietnam and Somalia have become increasingly institutionalized; ranging from the War powers act to PDD 25.  [42]  As outlined in the introduction, this has set a paradigm of redefining the US role in humanitarian interventions. By narrowing criteria for intervention, the Somalia Syndrome undermined the USs special role in New world Order envisioned by Bush.  [43]   Furthermore, the strategies which have evolved from lessons of Vietnam and Somalia have not be homogenous; Reagans proxy wars, the Powell doctrine and non-intervention in Rwanda demonstrate how the historical milieu has interacted with system and individual level factors thus generating key differences between Vietnam and Somalia syndromes. Following Vietnam, the US wanted to avoid the Soviet Union capitalising on US entanglement in a Third World conflict. Conversely, as the worlds sole superpower in the post Cold-war era, in the aftermath of Somalia Washington downplayed the threat posed by failing states with no national interests. This is supported by the man milieu theory which shows that Individual factors such Clintons lack of experience in foreign policy and Powells Vietnam experience have interacted with the lessons of Vietnam to formulate humanitarian intervention policy. Finally, public support became intrinsic to granting the moral legitimacy lacking from Vietnam. The polarization of public and congressional opinion constrained future presidential policy options and exemplified the need to link national interests with humanitarian crises. A significant drop in American tolerance for battlefield causalities no longer justifiable in the post Cold-War era by the struggle against communism, forced Clinton to retreat from an earlier multilateral humanitarian agenda.  [44]   Historical analogies continue to inform foreign policy. Parallels between Vietnam and Afghanistan in terms of protracted insurgency, public hostility and scepticism of a moral justification raise questions about the legacy of Afghanistan Syndrome on future humanitarian crises.

The Maturation of Siddhartha :: Hesse Siddhartha Essays

The Maturation of Siddhartha Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse is the story of a young Indian noble who ventures off in the world to find an understanding of the meaning of life. His journey begins as a young Brahmin who yearned to unwind the complexities of his existence. He ends as an old sage who has found peace within himself and his surroundings. Throughout the book, Hesse allows the reader to trace Siddhartha's maturation process both through his experiences, and people with whom he comes in contact. During his journey, he makes a number of choices, "turns", that put him on a path of his maturation which is marked by self discovery and independence. Siddhartha's maturation is developed by three key events: his meeting with Buddha, his attempted suicide, and the arrival/departure of his son, as they all contribute to his self discovery and individuality. Siddhartha's meeting with Gautama, the Buddha, is the first key experience that contributes to his maturation process. After several years of living the ascetic life of a Samana, Siddhartha decides to seek out Gautama, "The Illustrious One," as a possible source of assistance in his journey to find his inner self. After their meeting, however, Siddhartha becomes more convinced that the Buddha's methods satisfy his logical and tangible needs, but will not bring him any closer to realizing his spiritual and metaphysical needs. The theme of maturity presents itself in Siddhartha's conclusion that if he is to achieve an immaterial balance, it must be on his own. He understands that the Buddha had a remarkable experience, but it is a personal one. Siddhartha sees that his development process relies on his forging his own experiences, and his attainment of self realization can only be made by himself, regardless of what knowledge Gautama may impart to him. The second experience that puts Siddhartha on a path to maturity is his attempted suicide. Preceding this incident, Siddhartha made a complete turnaround and decided to explore his worldly needs and lives the life of a lover, merchant, and gambler. As a student of lust under Kamala and money under Kamaswami, the protagonist becomes self centered, greedy, and no longer one who can "think, fast, and write." His time in the village is