Discuss gender roles and male and female relationship as it relates to Essay

Discuss gender roles and male and female relationship as it relates to the concept of authority in 20th American society - Essay Example The 20th century American society was very much influenced by the patriarchal western culture; but towards the end of the century rapid changes occurred in the American society. The role of women and the importance of family life had to be redefined as there was greater number of divorces: divorce was common in half of the homes and many families included single parents, step-parents, step siblings, adopted children and even mixed parents. Family as an institution was a great failure and very often the concept of man as the ‘bread giver’ of the family was shattered as women had to earn themselves to support the family and children. Many writers have pictured this conflict in the American society and Anzia Yezierska’s novel ‘Bread givers’ is a genuine attempt in this regard. The writer narrates the story of her protagonist, Sara Smolinsky, who fights against the dominant male culture and beliefs of her father and finally finds her own place in the high ly competitive New America. The novel clearly shows how her father Reb Smolinsky leads an easy going life and how he imposes his domination over his wife and daughters. The novel is set in the background of a massive immigration to America by people from all over the world for better living standards, believing that America is the most suitable nation to establish themselves financially and culturally, and to realize their inner urge for independence and self fulfillment. Sara, the protagonist of the novel, is the youngest daughter of an orthodox Jewish rabbi who cherishes a rigid conception of Jewish womanhood. Her family had immigrated to America from a village in Poland and according to her father’s Jewish tradition, the only role a Jewish woman had in her life was to take care of the family, and to make life easier for her husband or father. Thus, women were not given the individual freedom to decide a life of their own. This is evident when we find

Evolution of Medical Practice Essay Example for Free

Evolution of Medical Practice Essay 1) Great Cases in Bioethics, compiled edited by Paul A. Lombardo (2005) [available at the law school copy center] 2) Limits: The Role of Law in Bioethical Decisionmaking, by Roger B. Dworkin (Indiana, 1996) Strangers at the Bedside: A History of How Law and Bioethics Transformed the Practice of Medicine, by David J. Rothman (Harper-Collins, 1991). [These are available for background material.on reserve at the Law Library the Center for Bioethics] The field of Bioethics has developed over the past thirty years as a product of several shifts in American cultural consciousness. The pervasive use of rights-based rhetoric borrowed from the civil rights movement contributed to the evolution in the role of physicians as they relate to patients. An ongoing conversation about the impact of law in shaping medical practice also influenced the current complexion of Bioethics as an area of study. A number of legal cases stand as signposts for critical moments in the history of Bioethics. They mark the changing public perception of the intersection of science, medicine, personal values and law. This seminar explores those cases. The first two weeks of the seminar will include a course orientation and exploration of two cases by the instructor. Each week thereafter will feature a presentation on one or more seminal cases, prepared by one or more students. The second hour of the seminar will be a discussion period that focuses on the cultural impact, legal significance and ethical issues raised by the cases. In addition to a class case presentation and involvement in seminar discussions, each law student will be required to complete a research paper building on material presented during the case presentation. Students should be prepared to choose a topic and presentation date at the first seminar meeting. Guidelines for Class Presentations and papers Each student is required to choose a case and make a class presentation that explores the historical, legal, and ethical context of the case. The rest of the students will prepare for the class by reading the case opinion(s). In the first hour, students should: Present the case in its historical setting, budgeting time to entertain questions during or at the end of the hour. The presentation should highlight critical facts of the case, with particular attention to both facts and arguments that have engendered ethical debate. Describe the responses of commentators (ethicists and other) to the case when it was decided; Note the prevailing norms of that period with reference to the ethical and legal issues in the case—this will require a search of the literature of the period; Be prepared to answer the question: Why is this a paradigm case (or set of cases) in the history of bioethics, in other words, why does this case have enduring significance in ethical and legal debate? Students should plan their seminar presentation by meeting with the Professor well in advance of the scheduled presentation date. Resources: A variety of resources may be used, including journal articles from the legal and medical literature, other cases that preceded and followed it, and contemporary media coverage that will explain the social/cultural reaction to the case. Audio visual aids, including video/audio tapes, slides or overheads may be used to elucidate elements of the case. Depending on the time at which the case occurred and the amount of commentary (of various kinds) it may have generated, each student may use different types of resource material, and may choose a different disciplinary perspective from which to present the case. Research for the presentation should range from popular professional books and articles that elucidate the case and its impact to information found on the Internet. Students will be expected, as part of the class session, to provide other seminar participants with copies of a detailed outline of their presentation. A bibliograpy (1-2 pages) of sources must accompany the materials. The second hour will involve A discussion with assistance from other students and the Professor, to place the case in the current ethical and legal context. What are the contemporary ethical issues with which the case is now associated? What current cases need to be examined in reference to the â€Å"Great Case?† Where does the debate stand today? What is at stake ethically in the debate and what is your position on the issues? Seminar Paper Each student will be required to write a research paper of significant size and substance on a topic that expands on or relates to the case presented in class. The paper will provide an in-depth exploration of issues raised during the class discussion or in conference with the Professor, and will incorporate reference material discovered during research. The paper should be no less than 25 pages, and should demonstrate familiarity with the scholarly literature in the relevant areas.

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Curating has a traditional meaning and context of collection, preservation and presentation. The word curate is derived from the Latin verb curare, to care or to cure. A curator is tasked to organize, filter, preserve, store and occasionally present art and artifacts in a gallery, museum or library. Historically, curators were not seen as creators of content, but simply as keepers of important objects. In the remix culture of creative commons, fair use and copyleft, the concept of a creator has expanded to include those who reasonably transform and present existing content as something educational, interesting, new or satirical (Cariou v. Prince, Universal City Studios v. Sony Corp., Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music). Curating is the greatest example of remixing content. While designing the presentation of objects by making strategic choices considering audience and understanding goals, a curator gathers pieces that already exist in order to provide an interesting or new perspective on a subject. A curator is creating a sensory learning experience to aid in understanding and conversation. A curator is not simply a collector and preservationist, but rather a contributor to the story and plays an important role in learning and understanding. Albert Einstein recognized the traditional concept of the collection and cultivation of established theories in science by practicing recombination of knowledge to enlighten new ideas. In a letter to colleague Jacques S. Hadamard in 1945, Einstein wrote: The desire to arrive finally at logically connected concepts is the emotional basis of this rather vague play†¦ taken from a psychological viewpoint, this combinatory play seems to be the essential feature in productive thought ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬â€ before there is... ...logy supports the notion that understanding involves creating links in the mind and that making sense of something depends on these links. Isolated pieces of information do not have links to existing mental frameworks and so are not easily retained. The identification and creation of links to existing frameworks depends on the active participation of the learner and on the familiarity of the context of the material to be learned. (James) Rearranging the objects through significance and meaning and creating tags, that can be arranged themselves to tell a story, which begins to emerge almost naturally from the new interaction. These core concepts emerge fluidly and motivations come out of assessing one's body of learning objects in a way for the student to find their interests and understand their entire learning experience through their intrinsic motivation (Pink).

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R.Panda et, al (2013) Examined multimodal approach to Music Emotion Recognition (MER) problem. Collect information from different sources of audio, MIDDI and lyrics. This research was introducing a methodology for automatic creation of multimodal music emotion dataset categorization to AllMusic database, that based on emotion tags used in the MIREX mood classification task. MIDDI files and lyrics matching to a subset of achieved audio samples were collected. The dataset was classified into the same 5 emotion clusters identified in MIREX. Music Emotion Recognition (MER) research was received increased attention in recent years, the field still faces many difficulties and problems exacting on emotion detection in audio music signals. Many experiments were conducted to judge the importance of various features, sources and the effect of their combination in emotion classification. Holder Shaw and Gendall (2008) Conducted research for understanding and predicting of human behavior. Attitude is unspecified to play important role in human behavior theory that what people think and what they do. May be the most fundamental statement underlying the attitude concept was the notion that attitude in some way guide, influence, direct shape or predict actual behavior Labaw’s (1980) was offered in alternative approach to predicting the behavior in which behavioral characteristic of people’s lives from the basis of questionnaire design. Recent analyses originate that Labaw’s approach to predicting behavior was corresponding in terms of predictive ability and was greater from a survey research perspective. Labaw’s research was presented a sufficient alternative to attitudinal- based approach to predicting behavior. Byeong-Jan Han et al. (2010) E... ...ed for the automated explanation of large musical collection. Such an inquiry potential would be helpful for song collection and a range of application. Vallabha Hampiholi (2012) conducted research that past decade in the field of audio satisfied analysis for takeout variety of information was the â€Å"perceived mood† or â€Å"emotions† connected to music or audio clip. This information was really useful in applications like generating or approving the play list based on the mood of the listener. This information was really helpful in better categorization of music database. In this paper author have presented a method to classify that music not just a metadata of audio clip as well comprise the â€Å"mood† feature to help get better music organization. Example audio version of the song, the person is relaxing or chill out mood strength desire to listen to this track.

Baderman Island Expansion

Several methods of expanding a company exist. The Baderman Island resort is looking into different options to expand their operations. This paper will explore the subject of the three main options; acquiring another organization in the same industry, going public through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), and merging with another organization. Additionally, it will provide analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of each option. Finally, it will provide a recommendation regarding which would be the best option for Baderman Island Resort to use to expand its operations. Acquisition Baderman Island Resort may expand its operations by acquiring Atlantis Resorts to increase growth and market share. Baderman Island would have to purchase Atlantis Resorts stock or assets. This expansion strategy has strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The strengths of an acquisition include the potential to acquire more revenue to lead to yet more growth. Other strengths include financial leverage, lower cost of operations, and increased market share. The weaknesses of acquiring Atlantis resorts include the high cost of acquisition, intangible costs, legal expenses, and possible devaluation of the organization. Opportunities created by the acquisition include the additional resources provided by the Atlantis. Expanded productivity also results from a successful acquisition. Threats also exist in an acquisition strategy. Management of the two companies often struggle over who will run the organizations and its departments. An acquisition also creates higher employee turnover because of employees unhappy with the new organization. This in turn creates hiring costs. IPO Offering To expand their resort operation, Baderman Island may explore various financial opportunities to achieve their strategic goal. The first option available is to issue an IPO. An IPO is a distribution of public stock to the open market for the first time (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, Jr, 2005). Baderman Island would sell new shares to the public to generate the appropriate capital needed to meet their operational/financial goals. An IPO offering could finance the expansion plans for Baderman Island, but they must review both strengths and weaknesses that exist before making a clear decision. By selling shares in the organization, they can use the newly generated funds for research and development for the organization, to pay off an existing debt, or to bring public awareness to the organization, all of which are strengths gained from the IPO offering. By issuing an IPO and obtaining outside investors, it will force the organization to become financially transparent to their investors. Additional disclosures will need to be provided, and the organization will be forced to follow rules and regulations established by The Security and Exchange Act of 1934 and commit to periodic financial reporting (Keown, 2005). They must make this information available to investors, employees, and competitors. This additional work and required open disclosure of confidential information might be viewed as a weakness or intrusion to organizational privacy. Baderman Island management must look at the opportunities for each of the options for growth. Pursuing an IPO will provide the influx of money needed for expansion, a higher industry profile, and a greater opportunity for stock investors. The pursuit of an IPO has various results that could threaten Baderman Island’s organizational and financial goals. By issuing public stock, Baderman Island will have to comply with stringent reporting to the SEC that may reveal important company information to the competitors. Last, the addition of stockholders will restrict certain control of major managerial decisions. Merger A merger is yet another avenue Baderman Island has at its disposal to expand its business. Mergers create a number of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A SWOT analysis of using a merger to expand operations follows. A strength from performing a merger is the ability to acquire a company’s unused debt. â€Å"Some firms simply do not exhaust their debt capacity. If a firm with unused debt capacity is acquired, the new management can then increase debt financing, and reap the tax benefits associated with the increased leverage† (Keown, 2005, pp. 23-4). Another strength is enabling Baderman Island to remove an ineffective management strategy or team. Baderman Island has the option to decide who stays with the merged company, and who is out the door. Often times, a weak management leading team is the problem the organization has not evaluated for its mediocre success. â€Å"The merger of two firms can result in an increase in market or monopoly power. Although this can result in increased wealth, it may also be illegal. The Clayton Act, as amended by the Celler-Kefauver Amendment of 1950, makes any merger illegal that results in a monopoly or substantially reduces competition. The Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission monitor all mergers to ensure that they do not result in a reduction of competition† (Keown, 2005, pp. 23-4). Weaknesses of a merger for Baderman Island are the many distractions that rise to the surface. Employees may show concern with the future of his or her employment, rather than concentrating on the job-at-hand, thus causing lower production and quality control. Baderman Island is vulnerable to losing customers during the merger. Consumers may question whether or not the previous company will conduct business in the same way in which he or she has become accustomed. Some opportunities for Baderman Island would be to reach customers where it may not have previously. New markets, cash, revenue, and capital are available to Baderman Island to complete its expansion. Finally, threats in an acquisition mainly take the form of other competition. Multiple resorts exist and are always on the lookout for new competition and what they are doing. Baderman Island must stay vigilant with maintaining a sound management team, to steer clear of a larger resort organization trying to merge with it. Recommendation The suggested option for Baderman Island Resort to take at this point is to merge with a larger chain of resorts. According to the several blogs available on the resort’s site, there is room to upgrade in virtually every aspect of the resort including service, amenities, and reservations. Upgrading these systems seems to be a necessity. Merging with a large resort would not only bring financial stability, but also the management skills present in such large chains would alleviate many of the issues found in the resort. Conclusion This paper explored the three main options for the Baderman Island Resort to expand; acquiring another organization in the same industry, going public through an Initial Public Offering (IPO), and merging with another organization. Additionally, it provided analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of each option. Finally, it provided a recommendation regarding which would be the best option for Baderman Island Resort to use to expand its operations.

Media Reaction Paper

Media Reaction Paper Even with the hundreds of cable stations there are today, it is not easy to find a TV show that truly promotes tolerance and diversity the way Sesame Street does. This paper will illustrate why Sesame Street is so unique when it comes to topics of culture. Specifically, the paper will explain how it attempts to address diversity represented in the American landscape. It will also address to what extent the media relies on stereotypes when depicting a certain group. Lastly, an assessment will be made on whether or not the author believes the television show fosters a better understanding of diversity and multiculturalism.Sesame Street BackgroundMost American that were brought up during or after the 1970's are not just familiar with Sesame Street, but probably grew up on it when they were in preschool. Sesame was originally created to help inner-city children tools to help with their education via the most popular media method - TV.Mr. Johnson (Sesame Street)It is today one of the most influential children's' educational programs, imbedding themes of cultural diversity, sharing, and building self-esteem through puppets, actors, humor, song and dance, and real life situations they can understand. One of the five goals of the show is listed in the PBS website as "encouraging children to appreciate cultural diversity by modeling people who differ in appearance, action, or point of view playing together, working together, making friends, and resolving conflicts." (PBS, 2003-2007)Addressing DiversityLooking at the appearance of the neighborhood of "Sesame Street," it is set in a brownstone architecture looking like New York City, with different types of muppets and people living there, which is very similar to the melting pot of cultures in the real life NYC. They showed all walks of life living there: African-Americans, disabled people, Native Americans, young people, senior...

Breathtaking Facts about Fisher Effect

Breathtaking Facts about Fisher Effect The Fisher Effect is a macroeconomic concept developed by the early American economist Irving Fisher (1867-1947) that predicts that the real interest rate is equal to the nominal interest rate minus the rate of inflation, and that in order to hold the real interest rate constant, the nominal interest rate must be adjusted by an amount equal to the rate of inflation. What Is the Fisher Effect? The Fisher Effect is a macroeconomic concept developed by the early American economist Irving Fisher (1867-1947) that predicts that the real interest rate is equal to the nominal interest rate minus the rate of inflation, and that in order to hold the real interest rate constant, the nominal interest rate must be adjusted by an amount equal to the rate of inflation. BLACK ECONOMY The importance of this prediction is that it suggests that over a long term period, changes in monetary control measures, such as adjustments in interest rates or the money supply, have no real effect on real interest rates or economic output. In order to understand the Fisher Effect (which should not be confused with the similarly-named International Fisher Effect, which deals with currency values and was also developed by Dr. Fisher), we need to understand two basic economic ideas: the difference between real and nominal interest rates, and the quantity theory of money. The nominal interest rate is the stated interest borne by any sort of investment instrument – a savings account, bond, interest on a loan, and so on. For example, if you were to purchase a 30-day certificate of deposit at 5% interest for $1,000, the nominal interest at the end of those 30 days would be $50. Because of price inflation, however, the new balance of $1,050 is worth less than that relative to the $1,000 it was worth 30 days ago. If the inflation rate is 2%, then the real value of the balance is $1,030 – 5% minus the 2% inflation rate equals 3%, which is the real interest rate. The Quantity Theory of Money The quantity theory of money relates prices to the supply of money in the economy; as the supply of money increases, so do prices. The theory is expressed by a simple, well-known equation M x V = P x Y, where M represents the money supply, V represents â€Å"velocity† or the number of times in a specified period the money is exchanged for goods or services, P represents an overall price level in an economy, and Y represents economic output, i.e. the real GDP. The equation can also be written in a form in which growth rates are substitutes for whole values for the variables; it functions in much the same way in either form. In the quantity theory, so long as the â€Å"velocity† of money and the economic output do not change, prices have to change according to the money supply. Over long periods, the velocity of money does, in fact, remain fairly constant. Economic output does change, but other parts of economic theory demonstrate that changes in economic output are attributable to technology and factors of production, not changes in the money supply. In other words, increases in economic output automatically increase the velocity of money by a corresponding amount, canceling these two factors out of the equation, or making them constant in relation to the M and the P. Enter the Fisher Effect Now we return to real and nominal interest rates. The constant (or if you prefer, equivalent) nature of the velocity of money and economic output over long periods of time is an indication that real interest rates do not change. Think of it this way: at any given point in time, a dollar purchases a dollar’s worth of goods or services. In a short term, of course, we notice the lag in the value of our dollar due to price inflation, but over a long period, the relative value remains approximately the same; prices go up, but so do wages and earnings on investments. That long-term consistency is the Fisher Effect. As inflation progresses, nominal interest rates are adjusted upward to compensate and keep real interest rates more or less constant. It’s â€Å"more or less† constant because the effect is not a smooth curve. When interest rates are set, the anticipated rate of inflation is taken into account; in reality, the rate of inflation usually differs slightly in magnitude and rate of change, meaning that from one interest-setting period to the next, the nominal interest rate either lags or leads to a small degree with respect to the inflation rate. The effect, however, averages out over a long period. The Fisher Effect in the context of the quantity theory of money also explains why efforts to stimulate an economy through adding money to the financial system – the so-called â€Å"quantitative easing† – usually has little to no effect. In theory, increasing the money supply increases the velocity of money; there is more money to spend, therefore, more exchanges of money occur. Thus, in the quantity theory equation, the left side of the equation, M x V, increases. If prices, P, on the right side of the equation do not immediately increase, or do not increase by a necessary amount, then in order for the equation to remain equal economic output, Y, must increase. HOW TO SAVE MONEY IN COLLEGE? The problem with this thinking is that first of all, economic output has the slowest rate of change of the four variables; prices will always change more quickly, and that keeps the equation equal. Second, nominal interest rates affect the velocity of money; when inflation rises, nominal interest rates are raised according to the Fisher Effect, and when interest rates increase, the velocity of money decreases. Interest on loans, for example, is raised because lenders are very aware of their real interest rate, and act to prevent it from decreasing. When loan interest is higher, fewer loans are made. For investors, higher interest rates encourage maintaining investments and accessing new ones, rather than liquidating them and spending the money on something else; the net change in the value of V is then zero, or close to it. The Fisher Effect is essentially an explanation for the relatively constant, cyclical nature of the economy over a long period of time. It is a fairly basic economic concept and can be seen in action if one looks at the economy from a historical perspective. It does not appear in the short term, which is perhaps why government economic managers seem to forget about it; if they would keep it in mind, however, they would realize that much of their effort towards â€Å"stimulating the economy† or â€Å"managing the exchange value of the currency† has no real impact and that their time might be better spent on other activities.

Free Essays on The Road Less Traveled

Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"The Road Less Traveled† amazingly first written was not intended to convey certain aspects of what it is now interpreted as. Life is a road with different paths. Taking one path over another forever changes the course of ones life for the good or bad. Though Frost’s poem as he told was about him getting separated from his friend in the woods. It can’t be denied that this poem clearly shows his beliefs, that it is the road that someone chooses that makes them who they are today or who they will become. With the first line opening â€Å"And Sorry† already you get a sense of regret. â€Å"...I could not travel both† what opportunities will be missed? That is why it is difficult to make a decision. You can’t travel down every path you want. It isn’t possible to do everything. â€Å",long I stood And looked down one as far as I could† Never the less you still have to make a decision in where you want to go. He looks down the path to where it bent in the undergrowth, trying to see an outcome. This isn’t possible though, as any choice you make, the complete outcome is never known. â€Å"Then took the other as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim,† The other path he looked at, looked really the same as the other but he thought one having the better claim. If they both look just as fair, something must make it have the better claim. â€Å"Because it was grassy and wanted wear;† The next two lines may begin to confuse. â€Å"Though as for that, the passing there Had worn them really about the same,† One path looks like it needs wear to him thought it may not to other people. He was interested in taking that path not of the majority. Something he hasn’t done before makes him want to experience it. The traveler then if choosing ‘the path less traveled† only shows his personality. Not following the crowd but doing what he wants, what he has never ... Free Essays on The Road Less Traveled Free Essays on The Road Less Traveled Robert Frost’s poem â€Å"The Road Less Traveled† amazingly first written was not intended to convey certain aspects of what it is now interpreted as. Life is a road with different paths. Taking one path over another forever changes the course of ones life for the good or bad. Though Frost’s poem as he told was about him getting separated from his friend in the woods. It can’t be denied that this poem clearly shows his beliefs, that it is the road that someone chooses that makes them who they are today or who they will become. With the first line opening â€Å"And Sorry† already you get a sense of regret. â€Å"...I could not travel both† what opportunities will be missed? That is why it is difficult to make a decision. You can’t travel down every path you want. It isn’t possible to do everything. â€Å",long I stood And looked down one as far as I could† Never the less you still have to make a decision in where you want to go. He looks down the path to where it bent in the undergrowth, trying to see an outcome. This isn’t possible though, as any choice you make, the complete outcome is never known. â€Å"Then took the other as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim,† The other path he looked at, looked really the same as the other but he thought one having the better claim. If they both look just as fair, something must make it have the better claim. â€Å"Because it was grassy and wanted wear;† The next two lines may begin to confuse. â€Å"Though as for that, the passing there Had worn them really about the same,† One path looks like it needs wear to him thought it may not to other people. He was interested in taking that path not of the majority. Something he hasn’t done before makes him want to experience it. The traveler then if choosing ‘the path less traveled† only shows his personality. Not following the crowd but doing what he wants, what he has never ...

Testing on Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Testing on Animals - Essay Example The pure research has only the elements of genetics, behavioral and developmental biology. On the other hand, applied research majorly involves biomedical and drug testing (Conn et al, 2008). Over the years, the non-human animals of different species have been used by researchers in laboratories to establish the root causes of various human health complications and diseases. The testing has also been instrumental in scientific education, especially when illustrating some biological processes such as respiration. As more and new human diseases continue to emerge, pharmaceutical firms have continued to manufacture new drugs that are appropriate for the treatment of such diseases. The new drugs, therefore, must pass a test before they are declared safe for human health; the animal testing. Animal testing, therefore, has been very helpful in determining the effectiveness and safety of any medicine that is intended for treating of human diseases. Some large research institutes and pharmaceutical firms purposefully breed the non-human animals for the sake of the animal testing whiles others prefer capturing the animals from the wild. The commonly used animals during testing in clude rats, mice, rabbit, fish, monkeys, cats, dogs and birds. Animal testing has, for many years, led to the discovery of many medical treatment of various diseases; both in human and in other animals. Those who are for the testing say that animal testing is such a big remedy for health complications, and thus, should not face many stringent laws from the government. However, there are those who are against the popular animal testing. These oppose claim that the animals, though living in the wild, have rights too. These two categories of advocators have put the scientific world on a heated debate that does not seem to come to an end soon. In the 20th Century, the science of animal testing led to the many amazing discovery of medical treatments and advances that aided the treatment

To investigate various ways of financing educational boot camps for Research Paper

To investigate various ways of financing educational boot camps for less privileged but gifted students in the Czech Republic - Research Paper Example It was also imperative to collect information on these learning platforms, so as to provide insight on what they would constitute, since they do not exist within the Czech education system. Information on the Czech education system was obtained from government sources like reports by the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. There were also sources such as organizations’ and foundations’ reports like those by the European Commission and the Czech Institute for Information on Education. These secondary data sources were deemed credible owing to the impartial nature of their statistical findings on education, and especially gifted education in the country. The sources were also considered the best, as they provided a comprehensive overview of the background information that formed a basis for the research. The decision to use interview was aimed at collecting personal opinions from potential education boot camp financiers as research data. Interviews were also considered most suitable, since in depth understanding of and insight into the subject of gifted education funding in the Czech Republic was paramount to the study. Through directly interviewing potential sponsors of the proposed education programs, it was possible to directly define the study’s context. Additionally, use of interviews as primary data collection tools made it possible to discover the thoughts and feelings of the respondents on gifted education in the Czech Republic, while identifying their specific reasons for various opinions (Ã…  krabà ¡nkovà ¡, 2011). It was also imperative to gain human perspective of extant data and trends of gifted education in the country. There were several advantages of using interviews in the research. Key among the benefits noted was the usefulness of the interviews in obtain ing information in details, particularly in regard to personal opinions, outlooks on gifted education, and overall opinions.

Communications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Communications - Assignment Example 228). Friend shifts are alterations, or changes that occur when one decides to change their friends. Usually, this occurs when one of the friends, changes their perception about the friendship (Ivy, 2011, p. 216). Self-disclosure is the act of telling your friend about yourself, your hidden secrets that define your personality (Ivy, 2011, p. 199). Friendship intimacy is the close relation that two friends share in a friendship (Ivy, 2011, p.220). Jocular sparring refers to unique way that men between themselves and it usually go wrong when used with women (Ivy, 2011, p. 230). Male-male friendships and female-female friendships differ in the content of their conversation. Female friends talk more often and their conversations main topics center on intimate topics, sex differences, personal and family matters. Men friends always talk less than their female counterparts where their conversations center on sports. The principal dissimilarity between the two types of friendships is based on the sex-stereotypical assumptions, which tend to favor men and not women. Female-female friendships are always intimate unlike male-male friendships. This implies that female friends disclose their intimate selves. This creates more liking and a cohesive bond between them (Ivy, 2011, p. 220). Male friends rarely disclose their intimate self and friendships are not that intimate and therefore do not develop strong bonds (Ivy, 2011, p. 220-221). Female-female friendships are characterized by voluntary relations between the friends. Another major characteristic is the emphasis on conversational and emotional expressiveness. These friendships are also characterized by talks of family and personal matters (Ivy, 2011, p.

Ten Critical Steps for Risk Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ten Critical Steps for Risk Managers - Essay Example The ten critical steps that could be taken by the risk managers to prevent losses due to political risk in the country are explained as follows. Firstly, the risk manager should undertake a study of the Mexican markets and the situations of crisis that has been prevailing. The risk manager should undertake an analysis of the political risk in the market and monitor the volatility of the market in order to understand the implications of political risk. Secondly, the demands of the markets and the political interference should be studied in order to prepare a plan for controlling the losses. Thirdly, the manager should engage with local public entities in order to understand the market sentiments in Mexico. Fourthly, the risk manager should hold meetings with the labor unions in order to understand the demands and expectations of the workforce. Fifth, the risk manager should be flexible enough to draw back up plans in case the primary plans fail to mitigate the risks. Sixth, the risk m anager should take support from the management in order to engage with the political representatives and leaders in order to strike a deal to maintain smooth operation of the business in conditions of turbulence. Seventh, the risk manager should propose the management to enter into strategic alliance with local business houses. This step would be crucial in order to restrict the losses due to local and political interferences. Eighth, the risk manager should undertake strategies for political risk insurance of the business in order to cover the exposure as a result of political uncertainty. Ninth, the risk manager should consider the returns in the study of risk. A higher and calculated risk could lead to attainment of higher returns for the risk manager. Thus the risk manager should undertake an analysis of the risk-return trade off. Lastly, the risk manager should be innovative and prompt to react to the political risk exposures and then take necessary steps as there is no single tool for restricting the losses with the continuous change in the markets in a volatile situation. Recommendation: steps to begin an import / export relationship In order to begin an import/ export relationship with Mexico, the following courses of action have been recommended. The recommended course of action not only mitigates the risk but also help to resume international trade, imports and exports with the country. The engagement in to talks and relationships with the government of Mexico may be suggested in order to force a deal of mutual interest between the Mexican government and the trader. However, the relationship ties may weaken with the passage of time and the risk manager would need to be flexible in order to restrict the losses due to political risk. The risk manager may enter into talks with the labor unions in order to negotiate terms for maintaining smooth operations of the business. However, political risk insurance may be recommended that would enable the risk man ager to build confidence of the management due to which relationship of export and import could be started with the country (MIGA, 2011). The risk manager could take necessary actions of engaging into contracts with the local bodies, export credit agencies

Cinematography of the film Casablanca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cinematography of the film Casablanca - Essay Example Edeson helped director Michael Curtiz in visualizing by focusing on the shadows and maximizing the use of proper lighting and angles. Wide-angle shots are placed in the beginning scenes giving importance to the place of Casablanca and how a German plane flies behind the sign for Rick's Cafe. The wide shot of the planes just over the cafe shows how important this place will be in the next parts of the story. An establishing shot will soon be noticed as camera angles focuses inside Rick’s cafe as if the audience were walking inside for the first time, giving wide angle shots of the patrons inside the club. Some medium shots are placed on individual characters such as the colored man piano player, until an extreme close up shot of a slip of paper is shown with an â€Å"OK† sign by Rick. Here it is established that Rick is an important man, in a medium shot, he is shown slowly puffing a cigarette. The shots through out the scenes create such continuity and gives credibility to the empty life of Rick. The intensity of the setting in a neutral country of Morocco is established with the mix of characters from the Allied forces and the Germans. It also creates an impression on how â€Å"all is fair in love and war† as what the story line would develop. There is also a use of proper lighting maximized with the proper dà ©cor to create at 1940’s kind of American cafà © with live band and gambling, but still the production team maintained certain props to make sure that the audience would remember that it is still in Morocco like the Islamic architecture that remains obvious in the interior. There is heightened use of lighting to create shadows especially to give focus on melancholic state like after curfew encounters at Rick’s cafe with Renault as he searches for money or documents. It creates a touch of mystery establishing that the main character Rick is an amoral man who after a painful heartbreak has remained to be neutral and cynical. He is portrayed as a bitter and sad man, as focused on the medium and close up shots of a face that seems to be sad and old despite earthly success. He moves slow and somehow gloomy with the background of shadows and smoke that surrounds his cafe. As for Iisa the leading lady, angles are focused on her sad and somehow glowing face with eyes that appears to be always in tears. The musical score also creates an impression. Most part of the film revolves around the song â€Å"As Time Goes By† as it somehow relives a memorable time in Paris by both Rick and Iisa. Songs from the 1930’s to the 1940’s are also el oquently highlighted and combined with national anthems from France and Germany, The audience are reminded that this is not just another love story, it maintains the political issues of World War II. Bogart plays a superb role of a romantic leading man, the sad and indifferent bad boy ruined by a past love. At first he seems to be the typical strong man, full of machismo and ego without caring for anyone in the world but himself. But a sense of humanity is shown by how he treats his employees such as Sam, the piano player. As Bergman enters the scene, we notice that indeed this could be the woman that has created all this illusion. When Sam had an encounter with Iisa, he pretends to have never met her before. It is obvious then that this woman would be someone important. Bergman portrays the role of Iisa with so much justice. The focus on her soft face makes a

Ten Critical Steps for Risk Managers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Ten Critical Steps for Risk Managers - Essay Example The ten critical steps that could be taken by the risk managers to prevent losses due to political risk in the country are explained as follows. Firstly, the risk manager should undertake a study of the Mexican markets and the situations of crisis that has been prevailing. The risk manager should undertake an analysis of the political risk in the market and monitor the volatility of the market in order to understand the implications of political risk. Secondly, the demands of the markets and the political interference should be studied in order to prepare a plan for controlling the losses. Thirdly, the manager should engage with local public entities in order to understand the market sentiments in Mexico. Fourthly, the risk manager should hold meetings with the labor unions in order to understand the demands and expectations of the workforce. Fifth, the risk manager should be flexible enough to draw back up plans in case the primary plans fail to mitigate the risks. Sixth, the risk m anager should take support from the management in order to engage with the political representatives and leaders in order to strike a deal to maintain smooth operation of the business in conditions of turbulence. Seventh, the risk manager should propose the management to enter into strategic alliance with local business houses. This step would be crucial in order to restrict the losses due to local and political interferences. Eighth, the risk manager should undertake strategies for political risk insurance of the business in order to cover the exposure as a result of political uncertainty. Ninth, the risk manager should consider the returns in the study of risk. A higher and calculated risk could lead to attainment of higher returns for the risk manager. Thus the risk manager should undertake an analysis of the risk-return trade off. Lastly, the risk manager should be innovative and prompt to react to the political risk exposures and then take necessary steps as there is no single tool for restricting the losses with the continuous change in the markets in a volatile situation. Recommendation: steps to begin an import / export relationship In order to begin an import/ export relationship with Mexico, the following courses of action have been recommended. The recommended course of action not only mitigates the risk but also help to resume international trade, imports and exports with the country. The engagement in to talks and relationships with the government of Mexico may be suggested in order to force a deal of mutual interest between the Mexican government and the trader. However, the relationship ties may weaken with the passage of time and the risk manager would need to be flexible in order to restrict the losses due to political risk. The risk manager may enter into talks with the labor unions in order to negotiate terms for maintaining smooth operations of the business. However, political risk insurance may be recommended that would enable the risk man ager to build confidence of the management due to which relationship of export and import could be started with the country (MIGA, 2011). The risk manager could take necessary actions of engaging into contracts with the local bodies, export credit agencies

Internal Memorandum of law for negeligent supervision(the Tuttles) and Assignment

Internal Memorandum of law for negeligent supervision(the Tuttles) and negeligence( the Jone's) - Assignment Example Owen and Dolly Jones, who own and operate the campground, dont have any security on the premises because they are a "mom and pop" operation, and many of the campers come back year after year. They posted a sign out front that says, "Everyones family at the O & D Family Campground!" Tamaras family has been looking for a summer spot to which they can return year after year, so they gave the O & D Family Campground a try this year. The first morning after arriving, the two 10 year-old girls hit the pool at about 9:30, even though a sign posted at the pool entrance states that the pool is not supposed to open for another half hour, at 10:00 am. Tamara dove into the pool, and said, "Ow! Its shallow here, but it is warm! Come on in!" Shayla yelled, "What?" and dove in right next to Tamara, but she hit bottom and broke her arm. Tamara saved Shayla from drowning by pulling her to the side of the pool, and then helping her out to the pool deck. The girls yelled for Tamaras parents, who came out and immediately called an ambulance. Owen and Dolly returned from breakfast in town, and rushed into the pool area before the ambulance even arrived. Tamaras mom wondered why the pool was not marked as shallow on that end, but Dolly says they put up the signs every morning when they get ready to officially open the pool, plus the pool is sand bottom and relatively soft anyway. First: The Americans with Disabilities Act and other jurisprudence protects Shayla. Even though she is dyslexic, that does not mean that she is any more responsible or that the campground is any less responsible. Second: A business has some defense against negligence if what occurred happened outside normal business hours. However, this defense is not ironclad: If a company has an employee do an errand and the employee gets into a crash while carrying a company-issued cell phone or pager or is a non-designated driver, the company can be liable even outside of normal operating hours (FindLaw,

Dieting Makes People Become Fat Essay Example for Free

Dieting Makes People Become Fat Essay According to National Institute of health (NIH) over 30 % of the U. S adults population is obese a person who has an excessive amount of fat tissue- and numerous risks factors are associated such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and high cholesterol. Reversing this trend on obesity is a national concern and the institute suggests several solutions to curb this issue such as encouraging people to follow a diet. On contrary to NIHs suggestion the subject on hand claims Dieting makes people fat ; the reason why the claim needs to be examined closely. I strongly believe the claim is questionable and I will demonstrate why choosing the suitable diet decreases fat in human body. Before going any further, lets define dieting. Dieting it this context is choosing a specific food that helps to lose weight and to burn fat. If the dieting is the choice of food that has less fat or brings less calories than what one needs, how will that make people fat? Some diets have scientifically substantiated facts of making people lose weight. The Weight Watchers diet for example is proved to be very successful in an article written by ECoseed. The research conducted both in the U. S and in the U. K. ( ECoseed, 2011) investigated the weight loss progress of 740 obese study participants who were practicing a variety of dieting techniques including Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Rosemary Conley, a group-based dietetics program, one to one counseling with a GP and one to one counseling at a pharmacy. After 12 weeks of following the diets or medical advice, all groups had seen results of weight loss, but it varied from a loss of 4. 4kg for the Weight Watchers dieters to 1. 4kg for those adhering to GP advice. This research clearly demonstrates that diet help people to burn fat instead of building it. Another example of dieting that has proven to be very effective in losing weight is the vegetarian diet. A scientific review published in April 2006 Nutrition Reviews shows that a vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. The review even stressed that Vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters and compiled data from 87 previous studies where the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting, and occurs at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week. In the same way , Sabate J and Wien M state that epidemiologic studies indicate that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) and a lower prevalence of obesity in adults and children. The review suggests that plant based diet is a sensible method to prevent obesity in children ( Sabate J, Wein M 2010). Once again, this is a vivid example of how dieting brings successful results in burning fats. Some people may say the problem of dieting is the compliance to the directives and restrictions are often too hard for people to follow and ultimately some of them may fall back into their old eating habits which make them gain weight again. That can be true in some cases. Of course more than thousands of diets exist, their guidelines vary considerably as well as the eating habits of people; therefore each one of them doesnt work for everybody. Studies show that once a diet offers flexibility to people to follow but focuses on burning the amount of calories more the amount taken in the same period of time, it works successfully by enhancing the compliance of followers. For instance during the study, EcoSeed, compared the effectiveness of four weight diet programs including Weight Watcher program and 2 types of counseling. Weight Watcher program was found to be the most effective due to its flexibility and because it allows people to eat what they want in a day as long as they do not exceed their daily point allowance ( EcoSeed, 2011). Also a diet when it is customized to ones physical and physiological states as well as his expectations is likely to succeed. A diet that works with a woman who is willing to lose weight to become skinny is not the same as the one that a man who is willing to lose fat and build muscles should follow. Therefore diets really work when it is really tailored to each followers reality. Several dieting program proved their success through scientific evaluation and that contradicts the statement Dieting makes people fat. Though, dieting is not an easy behavior to follow and one can regain weight once he is no longer compliant to the recommendations. However, there is still a way to succeed in burning fat that is a careful choice of the specific diet that matches the habits and ensures a compliance in a long run.

China and India

China and India Case study: China and India Question 1: Discuss the innovation implication for the leading developed nations concerning China and Indias rapidly escalating capabilities. It is not unreasonable to consider China and India as crouching tiger and hidden dragon (Engardio 2005) because both countries possess remarkable capabilities that others do not have. The term capabilities are broadly based, encompassing the entire value chain and representing technological and production expertise at specific points along the value chain. (Stalk et al. 1992, cited by Smith 2008, p.1). In other words, capabilities embrace both competences and resources. Foreign companies believe the two countries as ideal destinations to invest, first of all thank to abundant and cheap workforce. Two nations together account for one-third of the worlds population and the average hourly compensation is just a tiny fraction of that found in other commercial partners. In 2005, the labour cost is $1.1/hour in China and $0.9/hour in India (ANON 2009), occupy merely one thirtieth compared with Germany ($34.1), the UK ($26) or the US ($23.8). In addition to human resources strengths, Chinas abundant factor has been low-wage workers, many of whom become factory hands. Indias abundant factor has been the relatively well-educated, English-speaking labor that provides a low-cost gateway to global services (Cox and Alm 2008). This is not to mention technical and managerial skills which are becoming even more fundamental than cheap assembly labor in both nations. China is dominant in mass manufacturing with multibillion-dollar electronics and heavy industrial plants while India stays outstanding in software, design, services and precision industry (Engardio 2005). These capabilities undoubtedly lure foreign investors and also have influence on leading developed countries including giants like the US, Japan and Germany. As Engardio (2005) states these established powers will have to make room for China and India because they will be 21st-century heavyweights in almost every fields such as consumer markets, investors, producers and users of energy and commodities. For example, in the estimated share of global raw materials consumption in 2005, China uses 47% of cement, 37% of cotton, and 30% of coal while the whole world consumes the rest (ibid). The two countries are also racing ahead of the US in numbers of young professionals. According to Engardio (2005), Chinese and Indian engineers are supposed to combine skills: mastery of the latest software tools, a knack for complex mathematical algorithms and fluency in new multimedia technologies, which surpass those in the US. Little wonder the booming growth in young brains in China and India attra ct increasing number of investors to operate business there. Moreover, the rising consumer class contributes to innovation drive as well. Consumers of car and cellphone market in both countries have surged nearly 10 times since 2000 and made up the substantial part in the world market (ibid). Furthermore, young people of two nations are sensitive to fashionable devices and view products as status symbols, as a result, according to Philips Semiconductors Executive (cited by Engardio) these nations will play a greater part in defining global trends. In the future, there might be a change in positions of followers and leaders between these countries and the leading developed nations. Question 2: Evaluate the evolving balance of economic power shift from the West to the East Some economists believe that there is unquestionably a shift of economic power from the West to the East while others argue that Eastern countries are not strong enough to reverse the situation. In the one hand, advocates have a great number of persuasive reasons to support their ideas. Little wonder that the Eastern nations, especially two most populous countries in the world China and India, offer certain competitive advantages and chances to be attractive destinations for investors. Their appeals comprise not only cheap labor which becomes less crucial but also technical and managerial competences (Engardio 2005). In addition, the number of scientists, engineers and young researchers of these nations continues increasing sharply, on the contrary to the consider drop of the US and other Western countries. These factors no doubt contribute to the shift of economic power. In respect to other economic indicators, say buying power and production output, China ranks as the worlds second-largest economy and India is fourth, according to new World Bank data which uses new measurements of countries buying power in U.S. dollars. Also, the banks report of 2008 showed that developing countries now produce 41 percent of the worlds output, up from 36 percent in 2000 and 5 of the 12 largest economies are emerging countries (Wroughton 2008). These figures show the increasing greater role of nations from the developing world especially China and India in the world economy. With successive achievement, the prospective of China and India is definitely bright in the coming years. There is much optimistic estimation of the two economies. In 2012, China might pass the US to be the biggest buyer of luxury brands in the world (Khanna 2007). Also, Wroughton (2008) quoted Eric Swanson, program manager for the World Banks development data group that the domestic market in China is really much larger than people might have thought when they were looking at the exchange rate data said. Or as Engardio (2005) believes, the two nations will reshape the global economy with the percentage of world gross domestic product occupying approximate 50% while the EU makes up 15% and the US 26%. On the other hand, opponents argue that the two countries are facing plenty of obstacles that throw them far off course (ibid). Huge population contributes to their strength of workforce but as a double-edged sword if social, political and environmental challenges are not managed, may lead to increasing unemployment rate. Furthermore, to fulfil the widespread predictions that they will become superpowers, annual growth of at least 8% must be maintained regularly. It is obviously not easy for both to overcome such huge challenges as financial crisis, coups, political backlash, environmental problem, health, plain bad management and war which have derailed many other miracle economies in Southeast Asia and Latin America (ibid). The cooperation between China and India seems to lay the ground for sustainable economic growth and the power of two may reinforce their economic position in Asia as well as in the world market (Cox and Alm 2008). As Khanna (2007) states, there are three reasons for their symbiotic. First, in the past before 1962, they enjoyed close economy, culture, and religion. Second, neighbors trade more than non-neighbors do. Third, despite the same target China and India have different paths to go, thus, cooperation will reduce the competitiveness between them and boost the complementarities. In fact, there are some companies succeeded in making use of both countries capabilities. For instance, the countries state-owned oil companies Sinopec and ONGC have teamed up to hunt for oil together and both of them are powerful in two countries (ibid). Question 3: What are the potential market opportunities for China and India? Also discuss the future competitive threats of China and India for industries in developed countries. As the most populous countries in the world, China and India have major domestic markets that produce for them. They also suggests to other participants in the world economy that they are not only producers of goods but also vast potential markets. said Eric Swanson, program manager for the World Banks development data group (Wroughton 2008). Actually both countries have a great deal of potential market opportunities. One of them is the ability to attract foreign investment which enables the two nations to reduce unemployment rate as well as improve the living standard. Moreover, the approach with developed companies offers China and India valuable chances to learn their modern managerial style and technological advance. Basing on experience of the developed countries, they may learn their lessons and apply to the actual situations. Additionally, some multinational companies like Motorola, Microsoft and GE (Engardio 2005 and Khanna 2007) realize that they must succeed in both China and India at many levels simultaneously to gain competitive advantages. If they fail to view them as symbiotic they may lose their competitive edge not just in these countries but globally. This acknowledgement of international cooperations certainly enhances the key role of the two as key players in the global market. There would be more and more multinational organizations having little choice but being engaged to make use of both nations capabilities. Consequently, the potential market opportunities of China and India brought by the world giants would increase in comin g years. The recently rapid development and increased openness over the past quarter century of both countries, as an indispensable result, poses the competitive threats for industries in developed countries. China and India recognize that the cheap labor edge wont last forever especially in skilled areas and that technical and managerial skills are far more fundamental (Engardio 2005). They will specialize in generating products and services with high-quality but at ridiculously low prices. Companies in the developed world, therefore, would encounter the fierce competition of these kinds of product and service not only in domestic markets but global market as well. In addition, the China and Indias supply of engineers, scientists and researchers has grown considerably in contrast with a drop in the US and Westerner, which may lead to the shift of power balance in many technologies from West to East (ibid). This factor also sweetens the charm of these markets while erodes some industries appeal in developed markets.

Don’t Shoot the Sheriff: An overview of Rastafarians and the Legal System :: essays papers

Don’t Shoot the Sheriff: An overview of Rastafarians and the Legal System Rastafarianism is a way of life†¦ for many it is the only way of life. Growing up under a certain religion instills varying values and understandings into one’s moral fiber. These values are what shape a human’s character. In some countries, the government is trying to tell these peaceful people to disregard their upbringing and to conform to alien ways. Every religious sect has its own traditions and historical rituals that they abide to. In religions, almost everything has significance to it. And anyone concerned about the future of his/her religion, will continue to ensure that these traditions are followed, to preserve their own way of life. Now, most countries have religious freedom clauses in their constitutions that state that anyone living on their soil has the right to practice the religion of their choice. Now this might seem a minuscule fact for someone of a common religion, but to someone of a minority religion, this is all the protection they have from the legal system. This paper is only a taste of the justices and injustices that Rastafarians have faced in legal systems across the globe. Some instances a loophole for the "misfortunate", others an outcry from the oppressed. Every country’s legal system has problems. Some problems are masked with legal terms. Theses are the hardest to overcome. The "land of the free" is what the United States is sometimes referred to as, but for some, this statement seems phonier than an Ed McMahon sweepstakes. In the U.S. case, Belgrave vs. Coughlin, an inmate of the Sing-Sing Correctional Institution in New York, claims his religious rights were revoked. Nekyon Belgrave, a Rastafarian, says the Department of Correctional Services ("DOCS" hereinafter) denied his request to wear his religious head covering known as a crown. A crown is a loose-knit, circular hat that covers the wearer’s dreadlocks (Anderson, 1). Belgrave’s appeal reached the Second Circuit where acting Justice Anthony A. Scaprino Jr. sent the matter back to DOCS saying they overlooked their own regulations denying Belgrave’s request. The matter had already been solved in the precedent of Benjamin vs. Coughlin, 905 F2d 571, where the Second Circuit had agreed with a lower court ruling that denying a Rastafarian’s request to wear a crown did not break the First Amendment, ruling that is was an interest of security (Anderson, 2). This precedent and an August 8, 1990 memorandum stating that regulations allowed the wearing of certain head-coverings, was enough to send the matter back into the hands of the DOCS.

Functions of festivals in Early Modern Europe :: European Europe History

Functions of festivals in Early Modern Europe 'What were the functions of popular festivals, etc. in Early Modern Europe? And why did the authorities, civil and ecclesiastical seek to control or suppress them?' In Early Modern Europe festivals were the setting for heroes and their stories, to be celebrated by the populace. They posed a change from their everyday life. In those days people lived in remembrance of one festival and in expectance of the next. Different kinds of festivals were celebrated in different ways. There were festivals that marked an individual occasion and weren't part of the festival calendar, like family festivals such as weddings and christenings. Some took place at the same time every year and were for everyone, like community festivals like the different saints' days. Pilgrimages took place all year round. Annuals festivals like Christmas and Midsummer always took place on the same day every year. In those days the average village in Western Europe celebrated at least 17 festivals annually, not counting family occasions and saints' days. Some festivals, such as Carnival, lasted several days or sometimes even several weeks. In the Netherlands Carnival started every year at the 11th of November (St. Martin) and culminated in a big festival of 'Dranck, pleijsier ende vrouwen' (Drink, fun and women) at the end of the Carnival period, preceding the period of Lent. Festivals were meant to take the minds of the people off their everyday life , off the hard times and their work. Everyday life in Early Modern Europe was filled with rituals, both religious and secular. Songs and stories played an important role in their lives, although they sometimes adjusted the details of the legends and stories to fit the way they thought a certain festival should take place. Popular culture was mixed with ecclesiastical culture in many ways. The story of St. John the Baptist is a good example of this. The ancient ritual of bathing and lighting fires during Midsummer's Eve was a remnant of a ritual from the pre-Christian period. Fire and water, symbols of purification, could be seen as the tools of St. John the Baptist, and therefore a combination of the two elements of popular and ecclesiastical culture was obvious. It looks as if the Medieval Church took over the festival and made it theirs. The same thing happened to the Midwinter Festival, which became linked with the birth of Christ, on 25 December.

Social Evils of India

India, the cradle of civilization, is now beset with a number of social evils. They are so numerous that one shudders to think of them. There have been social reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Ray, Maharishi Daya Nand and Swarni Shradhanand. They fought against social evils but these evils were so deep-rooted that try as they did some of them persist to this day. We may first take the position of women. Women do not enjoy a social position equal to that of men. The constitution does allow them equal status with men but it is all on paper.In practice they do not enjoy this equality. They are still treated as inferior to men. In villages which practically constitute seventy percent of the population, women are treated as second class citizens. Although they have been granted the right of voting, yet in practice they are still under the thumb of their men. They are mostly illiterate. In cities, however, they enjoy better status. We have teachers, professors doctors, lawyers, ministers and h igh officials and it is expected that with their education they would rise still high.Of course, it is a small fraction of women but with the spread of education it is expected that their condition would improve and they would work shoulder to shoulder with men. Another great evil is the dowry system. A man with a number of daughters is a cursed creature. Whatever he has is given away in marriages and he becomes a pauper. The dowry system has done a great harm to the social growth of Indian life. A man with a number of daughters has to sell his property or borrow money at a high rate of interest so that he might give a dowry to his daughter.In case he fails to do so his daughter has to hear taunts and harassment to such an extent that the poor girl is forced to end her life. Everyday we hear of the burning of young brides because of this harassment from their in laws or husbands. The sooner this social evil is removed, the better it will be for all concerned. Another great evil whic h is the bane of Indian life is child marriage. Marriage is a sacred institution and the persons going in for matrimony should be of marriageable age and not that either the girl is married to an old men or she is married at an age when she does not understand what arriage is. We hear of this social evil prevalent in Rajasthan where girls are married off at an age when they do not understand what marriage is. Some of them become widows before they know that they had been married off. A total war against these and a few other evils like drinking and smoking is of utmost necessity. There is legislation against these evils but they can be effectively checked only if the people decide to check them.

Pfizer Company: A Presentation of Strategic Context

Pfizer is the number two largest biomedical and pharmaceutical research and development company in the world, boasting in excess of fifty Billion dollars per year in gross revenues. While the recession has hit many companies, the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sector has remained not only relatively insulated, but in addition to that the forecasting models for growth predict a profitable future. Pfizer has had its share of growing pains, a cause for reduction in gross revenues comes primarily from a growth strategy to acquire another large biopharmaceutical company, yet net retained earnings have continued to increase at a rate of six percent annual average each year over the last three years. After Pfizer’s acquisitions of Wyeth they saw a substantial increase in operating profit margins due to increased efficiencies between the two companies. Pfizer has recently acquired a biopharmaceutical company named Wyeth. By purchasing Wyeth which specializes in vaccines, Pfizer has broadened their customer base by expanding their product line. This business practice aligns with Pfizer’s current pro-growth Strategy. It is clear, in most part; Pfizer’s business Strategy aligns with the wild wild west model of Industry Ecosystems. Pfizer if a relatively fast growing company, in an industry that thrives on making fast and furious technological discoveries, and they have a very high rate of customer retention due to patent protection. Pfizer has many competing technologies in the market place for such diseases as cardiac health, mental health, and infectious disease treatments. Their drug Lipitor is by far the highest grossing drug the company currently has on the market. Cardiac disease is the most common and fatal disease that Americans face. Lipitor functions by lowering low density lipids (or fats) in the blood stream thus promoting cardiac and circulatory efficiency and health. Pfizer’s patent on Lipitor is set to expire in November of this year which would potentially result in reducing their total revenues for that drug significantly because other companies could then introduce a generic substitute. The net effect of Lipitor’s patent expiration on Pfizer’s bottom line could be a reduction as large as ten percent of total gross revenues. Pfizer would be expected to retain approximately twenty percent of users which equals four percent of Pfizer’s total Gross Revenues. Some customers ill continue to use Lipitor, for example: those patients whose insurance does cover name brand medicines or patience of physicians that reject writing prescriptions for generic substitutes. This problem is a perfect example of one of Porters Key strategy principals that Pfizer follows, analyzing and protecting a threat of substitute products. How Pfizer addresses the problem is how they exercise his strategy. The current estimated retail cost of Lipitor is around one hundred and seventy dollars per month depending on the prescribed dosage. After November of this year it is very possible that we could see a generic substitute on the Wal-Mart four dollar list. Part of Pfizer’s Business strategy has been to launch legal battles for patent protections and extensions longer than the November 2011 date, which would result in a prolonged period of increased earnings and profits. To continue with an analysis of strategy, Pfizer uses both a combination of the resource based view in conjunction with the industry investment prospective. An example of this would be Pfizer’s acquisition of Wyeth which catered to a much broader and diverse section of the drug market. The resource prospective would say that Pfizer already has massive research and development capabilities, drug production and manufacturing systems, and well established distribution channels for its already long list of products, making Wyeth a fit for the company’s growth and expansion strategies. What is different from the resource based view and supports the industry investment strategy is that Wyeth is a leading researcher, developer, and provider of vaccines, which is a very lucrative industry in and of its self. The numbers of users for vaccines are much larger than for a specialized product such as Lipitor, yet vaccines still have patent protections that help drug companies keep prices high. These two companies merged together have much greater and sustainable competitive advantages than either one by itself. One of the resources that will help to fend off threats to their product lines is their pooling of resources for their in house legal team. As new products emerge from the research and development scientists, their joint capacity to protect their drug assets and keep products in the hands of the end users will inevitably eep other drug companies from capitalizing on the opportunities to produce generics. Some of the more rare and inimitable products are the ability to produce huge financial gains for Pfizer if they pass through all the stages of FDA screening protocol. Some areas Pfizer is currently investing research and development dollars are, DNA specific drugs, new small molecule compounds, Stem Cell therapies, Amino Acid therapies. DNA specific drugs have huge potential for Pfizer because many side effects can be prevented, allergies can be detected, and a shorter time line for approval to the FDA can result from better drugs. New small molecule compounds are useful because they tend to have fewer side effects which equal fewer liabilities and risk for the producer, and can be easier to develop and manufacture. Stem cell research also opens up a great deal of opportunity for drugs that work well on the cellular and molecular level, but can even be toxic or fatal in the human body. The method of drug delivery is many times the largest hurdle in getting an effective drug to the reaction site to produce the desired effect. Finally, and quite possibly most interestingly there are over three hundred and twenty know amino acids. Our human bodies produce or utilize only twenty four of them. Many of the reaction mechanisms on the molecular level can be imitated or recreated by unnatural amino acids meaning that we may see a huge increase in effective drugs with decreased side effects by utilizing these products. In conclusion Pfizer has acquired a great addition to its company with Wyeth as part of its pro-growth business strategy. It is clear that they have used a combination of both resourced based and industry based strategy. By tapping into a broad mass market via a new product by a new company Pfizer will have a clear competitive advantage over companies like Merk and Novartis. Pfizer is definitely leveraging their human resource assets to prevent substitute products from entering the markets. I believe that by exercising these strategies Pfizer can prevent slipping into the creative destruction life stage of a company.

Abortion - yes or no Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Abortion - yes or no - Research Paper Example Religions, especially the Christian religion always opposes abortion citing moral reasons whereas sociologists, human right activists and feminists always demand for the legal acceptance of abortion. Critics of abortion argue that the abortion is equivalent to killing of an innocent human being whereas supporters of abortion argue that the life of a woman is more important than the life of a fetus. In short, abortion controversies will continue as long as human kind exists in this world. In my opinion, abortion should be allowed to perform and this paper argues in favour of abortion after analysing various viewpoints about abortion. â€Å"The key to the ontological position for opposing abortion is the status of the embryo during pregnancy† (Faundes & Barzelatto, p.76). The first thing we should decide before analysing the advocacies of abortion is whether a fetus is a human or not. If fetus is a human, then it should enjoy all the human rights which other humans enjoy. On the other hand if fetus is not a human, then human life should get preference over all other lives. It is illogical to think fetus as a human since it is only an underdeveloped entity. Until a fetus becomes fully developed and taking birth in this world, it is not wise to give all human rights to fetus. In other words, fetus is just like any other body organs before it taking birth in this world. it should be noted that we normally repair or remove our organs if it causes some kind of problems or discomfort to us. Under such circumstances, fetus should also be considered as another body organ which should be destroyed if it causes any physical or mental trouble to a woman. The terms "pro-life" and "pro-choice" generally boil down to the question of whether the individual wants to see abortion banned, but theres more to the debate than that. The pro-choice movement argues that in cases where human personhood cannot be proven,

Research report explainin a recent innovation in your area of intrest Paper

Report explainin a recent innovation in your area of intrest or expertise - Research Paper Example Google provided the platform of using android in cell phone (Jackson 6). The top ten android phone available in India are LG-G3 , Sony Xperia Z3 , HTC One M8 , Motorola Moto X , HTC One E8 , Sony Xperia Z3 (compact) , Samsung galaxy S5 , LG Nexus 5 , Oppo Find 7a , Xiaomi Mi3. Android mobile phones are the most powerful and the only big competitor of apple I phone. Android have become so powerful that it provides the customers to customize the operating system as per their requirement. The android phones are tested and checked by the digital test laboratory before it is introduced in the market. Android has undergone a lot of improvement and several updates were done to improve the operating system. It has also included new additional, features for its customers. HTC has joined hands with Google to launch the first nexus smart phones in collaboration with Google. Google have considered or announced Nexus and smart phones as their flagship product. Android possess the ability to run the operating system which leads to the changes in the default launcher. Android has facilitated the user for quick downloading, installing, removing and updating the applications from his/ her own devices (Murphy 35). Android has become a part of our life, since it operates on battery. Android is designed in such a way so that the consumption of power will be minimal. When working on the android is stopped, the operation cannot be performed but the application is open. Android has the quality of managing, storing and maintaining the memory automatically even when the memory of the device is less. It will automatically delete or remove the applications that are used rarely and it helps the user to maintain all the data automatically, sometimes the valuable application may get deleted. Open Handset Alliance is the main development and beneficial for the developers of android. Open Handset alliance allows or facilities the developer to spread

International Business Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

International Business Finance - Essay Example If you have an existing business that creates a tangible product, exporting is the most common method. Start-up costs and risks are limited, and profits maybe realized early on. For some this may be the beginning a new venture, the other choices are options that may reduce some of the start-up risks. There are two basic ways to export: directly or indirectly. Direct Exporting In direct exporting, your company finds a foreign buyer and then makes all arrangements for shipping your products overseas. This method requires a lot of footwork and infrastructure, and entails more risk, but the potential profit rewards are often higher. If you choose to export directly, you have several options: Sales Representatives or Agents are essentially, the employees that are hired as foreign-based representatives or "agents" who work on a commission basis to locate buyers for your product, the same that is done domestically. Distributors will strike a deal with a foreign distributor, who purchases me rchandise from the organisation and resells it with a mark-up. The distributor maintains inventory and provides after-sales service to the buyer. Indirect Exporting An organisation uses an export intermediary to perform most of the details of the export arrangement. Many small businesses choose this option, at least at the outset. There are several types of export intermediaries: Commissioned agents are brokers who link your product or service with specific foreign buyers, allowing the primary company to fulfil the order, handle packing, shipping, and export documentation. Export Management Companies (EMCs) and Export Trading Companies (ETCs) are companies that operate in the country where the goods export. EMCs generally represent your product to promote it to other prospective overseas purchasers, while ETCs usually work according to demand, finding a need and sourcing your product for foreign buyers. Both types of companies usually take care of all aspects of the export transacti on (including conducting market research, promoting your product overseas, accessing proper distribution channels, and locating foreign distributors), making them a viable option for smaller companies that lack the time and expertise to break into international markets on their own. EMCs and ETCs usually operate on a commission basis, although some work on a retainer basis and some take title to the goods they sell, making a profit on the mark-up. Importing and exporting, on any scale, from a tiny home office or from the World Trade Centre. It is not required to have a license from the United States government in order to do international trade, but the country with which company does business may require a license. There are several issues needed in an international business plan (Rajan, 1998). Discuss the different types of risk that impact on an organisation trading on an international basis. Political risk arises from the possibility that a host government will take actions harm ful to foreign investors or that political turmoil will endanger investments. Political risk are particularly acute in developing countries, where unstable or ideologically motivated governments may attempt to block return of profits by foreign investors or even seize their assets from the host country. An example is Venezuela. President Chavez at the time at a desire to broaden the country's socialist revolution in Venezuela and issued a

Explain how insights from two theoretical perspectives can be used to Essay

Explain how insights from two theoretical perspectives can be used to explore the significance of ‘gaps’, ‘silences’ and ‘absences’ in The Turn of the Screw - Essay Example Eventually, her visions also lead to the tragic end of the novella. The strange images which appear before the governess, along with her generally distracted nature, lend themselves to two different literary interpretations, Marxist and Feminist. Her own attraction to the wealth of the family which has hired her, with the potential of advancing her own financial situation, is an obsession which seems to have led to many of her visions. Her companion in taking care of the children, the illiterate Mrs. Grose, tells the governess that the person the governess â€Å"sees† around the grounds must be the former valet Peter Quint, since he was known to wear the clothes of the head of the house. But since the governess had never known him, no one else can now see him, and he had died, the most plausible explanation is that the governess’ vision is that of the head of the house. Before leaving for his country estate, she had met him in London on Halsey Street. She is described in the introduction as being impressed by him as â€Å"a gentleman, a bachelor in the prime of life...He struck her, inevitably, as gallant and splendid. She conceived him as rich, but as fearfully extravagant--saw him all in a glow of high fashion, of good looks, of expensive habits, of charming ways with women.† This quote from the Introduction is a pattern repeated throughout the story, as the governess fills in the gaps of the facts she doesn’t have with her own, mostly pleasant fantasies, at least of this gentleman who hired her. Her impressions of this man fit well into the Marxist theory of literary analysis, in which economic and social conditions are thought to override all concerns. Her obsession with the great advancement given to her by her new position becomes quite clear in Chapter III, in which her new feeling of possession would quickly be

Organic Farming Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Organic Farming - Essay Example The majority of the studies have concluded that organic farming and the food produced this way, providing it is properly monitored, is beneficial to the environment and to the consumer. However, the industry is not experiencing the growth that was forecast in the early days of development. If organic farming is so important, why is it still considered a fad and not become a way of life Is organic farming as important and efficient as its proponents suggest Little research has been directed at this dilemma. The scope of this report is to investigate the nature, structure, business, and legal aspect of Organic Farming, and to ascertain the validity of the claims made as to its importance as a preferable and sustainable source in the food and product chain. The objective is to ascertain why organic farming has not become an important issue to the consumer, and action can be taken to address this situation. To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. In an effort to provide a logical ... To provide an answer to the hypothesis our research focuses on the following areas: - The ethics of Organic Farming, to ascertain whether the claims made are valid or not. The industry itself, in an effort to gauge the its marketing effectiveness, how it manages the risk element, and the domestic and international size of the industry. The applicable laws, standards, and labelling requirement imposed upon the industry. How the Organic industry can achieve a more effective program for educating the consumer in relation to the benefits and value of its products. To give a balanced view to our study, we also look at the international aspect of the industry, in terms of its size and market share. Our intention is that this study will complement and add value to the existing research on the subject matter. Overview In an effort to provide a logical progression for the paper, a brief history of the industry and its methods are outlined in chapter two. In the third chapter we concentrate upon the business aspect of the industry and its impact, both national and globally, before we move the to discuss the ethics of organic production in chapter four. The current laws, standards, and labelling upon the producers are reviewed in chapter five before we analyze the methods by which the industry currently educates the industry the consumer, and this leads us to the conclusion of our study in chapter, where appropriate recommendations will be outlined. Chapter 2 Background To provide for an better understanding of the substantial amount of research and debate that surrounds Organic Farming and the content of these papers, it is necessary to understand the origins of the industry, and the methods used and systems of

Community Teaching Essay Example for Free

Community Teaching Essay Health promotion is very important in todays society. There are many things people can do in order to maintain good health, yet most are uninformed about this. Obesity is one of the leading health concerns in America and must be dealt with immediately. It is because of this that a student has decided to teach a fifth grade class with twenty three students about what obesity is, what problems it causes, and how it can be avoided. The teacher uses visual aids, games, trivia, and much more in order to get the students more interested in what they are going to learn. The teacher informs the students about how important it is to make healthy eating choices by using the food pyramid as a guideline. Students are also informed that exercise is key to living a healthy lifestyle. The teacher begins the class by playing a quick game. The teacher then asks the students to each take out a piece of paper and write down as many fruits and vegetables as they can. The students are told that the person who has thought of the most fruits and vegetables will win a prize. When finished with the game, the teacher will then introduce the topic of obesity to the children and the importance of preventing it by eating healthy foods. Students are told that obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is more than just about looks. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure (J.Crawford,2014). The teacher then tells the students that in the past ten years, obesity in children in the U.S has gone from 7-18 percent (CDC,2012). The main portion of this lesson revolves around the food pyramid. The food pyramid consists of 6 essential healthy food groups: Grains/rice, fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat/fish/poultry, fats/oils/sweets. The food pyramid acts as a guideline by showing students the necessary servings of each food group in order to stay healthy. It is essential for students to understand the food pyramid because it is a roadmap to healthy living. The students were not only taught about healthy eating, but also other ways to ensure that they maintain their health. One thing they were taught is the importance of being active daily. Students can do things such as playing sports, running, or bike riding in order to stay healthy and have fun doing it. It was said that rather than avoiding all types of junk food, it is better to simply eat it in moderation. The end of the lesson consisted  of trivia questions that the children answer in order to win a prize. By teaching the students this information, the teacher can ensure that they will live a better life. The epidemiological rationale for this topic is very serious. Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and quadrupled in adolescents in the past 30 years (CDC,2014). The percentage of children age 6-11 years in the U.S. who were obese increase from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Rate of obese adolescents ages 12-19 years increase from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period (CDC,2014). Obese adolescents are more likely to have pre-diabetes. Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for coronary heart disease, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, social and psychological problems such as poor self esteem. Reducing childhood obesity is a public health priority that has substantial health and economic benefits(Maurer, Frances, C. Smith, 2013.) The teacher claims that the overall teaching experience was quite enjoyable. It is extremely beneficial to be able to teach young children about topics that they are not well informed about. By teaching children about such serious health hazards at a young age, it is more likely that they will strive to take the necessary measures in order to avoid these hazards. The teaching experience allowed the teacher to see how much children knew about health promotion as well as what they wanted to know. The teacher learned how to make different topics easily understandable for children and as well as making the entire learning process fun and enjoyable. This experience helped the teacher realize that even by teaching a small group of children from one school, it is possible to make a difference in the health and wellbeing of Americas children. The community responded rather positively to the teaching. The students were excited to learn about new health promotion tips through a series of games and activities. The children were shocked to see how serious obesity really is as well as how many children it has affected throughout the country. Before this lesson, the children believed that eating healthy meant cutting out all types of sweets and sugary drinks completely. The children were elated to hear that they can be healthier while still enjoying some of their favorite desserts. Kids  react positively to games and rewards because it makes learning more fun. By getting the kids attention, the teacher ensures that they are listening and paying close attention to everything that the teacher has to say. After learning about obesity and the many negative affects that come from it, the children promised to change their eating habits as well as be more active in order to make sure that they stay fit throughout their lives. The children agreed to eat more fruits and vegetables and to play outside much more. The children have promised to limit the amount of time they watch television and play on the computer and replace it with riding their bikes or going to the park. This teaching process has taught the teacher about not only her strengths, but her weakness as well. The teacher is easily able to relay information in simple terms so that the children can understand as well do things such as creating games and trivia in order to make the lesson more exciting. Some weaknesss or improvements that the teacher can make includes being able to connect with the students on a closer level in order to truly help them understand the topic as well as finding new and creative ways to reward the kids when they answer questions correctly. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to take a short survey regarding how well the teacher taught the lesson as well as how much the kids enjoyed it. Though the teacher received high scores from each child, she knows that there is still room for improvement and is determined to make these changes for the next teaching session that may occur.