Income Inequality and Its Affects on Healthcare Essay

Mastrianna (2010) speaks of income inequality as variations in earnings among individuals and households. He states that some income disparity is desirable for creating an incentive for individuals to invest in education and training and to take risks in employment and investment for greater rewards. Concerns are being voiced as to the income inequality in the United States due to the degree of inequality which is shown in the Lorenz Curve and Gini Index. (Pg. 189) Some of the causes of income inequality that have the greatest impact Mastrianna says are first, education. Education or lack thereof has a great effect on income inequality. In 2007, the median incomes of a high school dropout were $22,256, compared to $31.408 for a high school graduate and $51,324 for an individual with a bachelor’s degree. Over a work life an individual with a bachelors degree can earn at least one million dollars more than a high school drop out (based on 2007 dollars). Employment opportunities have also shifted toward medical, business, and other services that disproportionately employ college graduates. Rapid employment in restaurants and retailing explain the low wages of high school graduates. (Pgs. 189, 190) Second is technology, Mastrianna says that the use of computers in the workplace has increased and the estimate is that over 55 % of the labor force now uses computers on the job. These workers earn an average of 10-20 % more in wages than those who do not. Highly educated employees are also more likely to adjust to computers complexities than less educated employees. Consequently, income inequality is increased as the economy is becoming more technologically efficient. According to the AeA, the average technology worker earns $79,500 compared to $42,400 for all private sectors which will widen the income gap as more bright people head toward the information economy. (Pg 190) Thirdly Mastrianna mentions unions stating that the decline in the number of workers belonging to labor unions also contributes to income inequality. This decline in the organized workers is largely due to the loss in manufacturing jobs which leads to fewer jobs at a higher pay forcing many to work in lower paying service jobs which in turn adds to income disparity. (Pgs 190,191) Fourth, Mastrianna notes abilities. There are individuals that are gifted with talents such as the â€Å"smarts† to become doctors and lawyers, or have the physical abilities such as Tiger Woods to become a star athlete, or have artistic talents such as Angelina Jolie. These talents enable certain individuals to contribute substantially to total output but these high incomes have become a highly controversial issue during a time of income inequality. Especially when it comes to CEO’s collecting high salaries, bonuses, and stock options even when their companies fail while laying off thousands of workers. (191) Fifth Mastrianna points out wealth. Income from wealth is more unevenly distributed than income from labor he states. Wealth can be generated by its current owners as well as by previous generations through inheritance. The Bureau of the Census estimates that 84% of the nation’s wealth is held by 20% of households. The collapse of the housing bubble left many households with negative household equity or in bankruptcy. Updated figures may show that this phenomenon has served to further increase the uneven distribution of wealth. (Pgs 191, 192) Finally Mastrianna states that discrimination plays a part in income inequality among the races and sexes. The U.S. Census Bureau indicated in 2007 that the median income of all white, non-Hispanic households was $54,920, while for blacks it was $33,916, and for Hispanic households it was $38,679. Asian and Pacific Islanders had the highest household medians with $66,103. The U.S. Census Bureau also indicates that females who worked year-round made $35,102 annually, compared to men who made $43,113. More often than not labor market discrimination is based on channeling groups of people into occupations for which they are considered suitable. Women and minorities are channeled into occupations that are reserved for them. Such crowding increases the supply of labor in these fields, driving wages down. At the same time, wages are higher in the restricted fields because labor is reduced. (Pgs 192 – 194) The condition of poverty is one extreme of income inequality and the remainder of this paper will compare another extreme; the healthcare and the mortality rates of people due to their income inequality. According to doctor’s Alex Y. Chena and Jose J. Escare numerous studies have found that high-income Americans use more medical care than their low-income counterparts, irrespective of medical â€Å"need.† The methods employed in these studies, however, make it difficult to evaluate differences in the degree of income-related inequality in utilization across population subgroups. In this study, the doctors derived a summary index to quantify income-related inequality in need-adjusted medical care expenditures and reported values of the index for adults and children in the United States. They used the summary index of income-related inequality in expenditures developed by Wagstaff et al. The source of data for the study was the Household Component of the 1996-1998 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, which contained person-level data on medical care expenditures, demographic characteristics, household income, and a wide array of health status measures. They used multivariate regression analysis to predict need-adjusted annual medical care expenditures per person by income level and used the predictions to calculate the indices of inequality. Separate indices were calculated for all working-age adults, seniors, and children ages 5 to 17. For all age groups, predicted expenditures per person, adjusted for medical need, generally increased as income rose. The index of inequality for all adults was +0.087 (95% confidence interval, +0.035, +0.139); for working-age adults, +0.099 (+0.046, +0.152); for seniors, +0.147 (+0.059, +0.235); and for children, +0.067 (+0.006, +0.128). Through their study they found that there exists income-related inequality in medical care expenditures in the United States, and it favors the wealthy. The inequality was highest among seniors despite Medicare, intermediate among working-age adults, and lowest among children. Sarah Glenn author of another article â€Å"Income Inequality Linked to Hospital Readmission† states that income inequality is linked to a greater risk of hospital readmission but not to mortality. The finding that she speaks of came from a large study of older patients in the U.S. and was published in the British Medical Journal. Investigators said that over a three year research period that about 40,000 extra hospital admissions resulted from income inequality. Although the experts are not positive why there was no consistent association between income inequality and mortality, they suggested that, over one month, â€Å"readmission is more sensitive to social conditions than is mortality, and that an effect on mortality might have been observed had they extended the period of observation to one year.† The article also states that scientists have known that income inequality is linked to a diversity of negative health consequences such as: reduced life expectancy, higher infant mortality and poorer self-reported health. Previous research also in BMJ, demonstrated that there is also an association between low standards of child well-being and income inequality. In an article written by doctor’s Diane McLaughlin and Shannon Stokes they speak about whether or not minority racial concentration matters when it comes to income inequality and mortality. The study that they did examined the relationship in all counties in the United States to see if relationships found for states and metropolitan areas extended to smaller geographical areas and if the influence of minority racial concentration did affect the inequality-mortality link. The results of their study proved that the relationship between income inequality and minority concentration show that mortality is robust for counties in the United States. Minority concentration interacts with income inequality, resulting in higher mortality in counties with low inequality and a high percentage of Blacks than in counties with high inequality and a high percentage of Blacks. The research that has been done on income inequality on mortality offers 2 main pathways in which income inequality operates. First, Daly et al. 7 and Lynch et al. 5 posit that political units with highly unequal income distributions are less likely to have affordable housing, education, environmental protection, economic development, and other resources required for the health of their populations. This underinvestment has negative consequences for the health of poor and middle-class individuals. Second, as Daly et al. note â€Å"inequitable income distribution may directly affect people’s perceptions of their social environment which may in turn have an impact on their health.† 7(p319) This postulated psychosocial pathway linking health and mortality stems from conditions in highly equitable communities that result in lower social cohesion, inequities in social and political influence, and less willingness to participate in community activities. Further, Wilkinson argues that the impacts of inequality result less from the experience of inferior material conditions than from social meanings that individuals give to their circumstances and from the effects of stress on both the endocrine and immune systems. While the exact pathways through which income inequality influences mortality are still being defined, there is strong agreement that the determinants of health and mortality include factors beyond the level of the individual. In conclusion, it seems that Mastrianna is correct in his theory; a lack of education, not having special abilities or not being wealthy as well as being discriminated against does factor in on a person’s income inequality. Not only do these factors affect income inequality but they also affect a person’s healthcare and in the case of high concentrations of blacks also affect the person’s psychological and social views which can contribute to their mortality. I was somewhat surprised as well to find in the study by Daly et al. that social relationships influence the health outcomes of adults as well as those social relationships should be taken as seriously as other risk factors that affect mortality. Myself having to deal with treatment for breast cancer can see how social relationships are very important as I am somewhat isolated and it makes me feel good to have social relationships through my online friends as well as with my healthcare professionals and social worker to better be able to cope in my situation as my family has not been there for me like I had hoped that they would be. Without that support from others I could become very depressed which could in turn affect my healthcare outcome. BIBLIOGRAPHY Qualifying Income-Related Inequality in Healthcare Delivery in the United States Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams and Wilkins Retrieved on February 17, 2003 from http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/4640689? Glynn, Sarah. (February 15, 2003) Income Inequality Linked to Hospital Readmission Medical News Today Retrieved on February 17, 2013 from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/256412.php Mastrianna, Frank V. (2010) Basic Economics. Mason. OH: South-Western, Cengage Learning. Pp. 189 – 200 McLaughlin, Diane K. PhD and Stokes, Shannon C. PhD (January 2002) Income Inequality and Mortality in US Counties: Does Minority Racial Concentration Matter? Retrieved on February 17, 2013 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1447397/

Big Brother Little Sister

Euthanasia is a type of assisted suicide (where one person helps another person to take their own life). There are a number of reasons why people choose Euthanasia; if they have a very serious debilitating illness, which stops them having a reasonable quality of life, if they are terminally ill with something which will cause a very slow and painful death, they may wish to end their lives peacefully, and in the manner of their own choosing. Recently the parents of a young man helped him to end his own life because he had been paralyzed from the neck down and he felt he could not face life anymore.Euthanasia is NOT the same as suicide, for it to be euthanasia the person who dies must have had a very poor quality of life, or be unable to live with dignity. Euthanasia is about ending the suffering of an individual who WILL NEVER GET BETTER. (Someone who is depressed for example may have a very poor quality of life and want to commit suicide, but depression is generally only a temporary, treatable condition). EUTHANASIA IS ILLEGAL in most countries, AS IS ANY FORM OF ASSISTED SUICIDE.In the Netherlands, where their attitude towards life and death is far more enlightened; they have ‘euthanasia clinics' where you can end your life with peace and dignity. The legality of euthanasia in the Netherlands is causing many individuals to travel their in order to take their own lives, in a calm and peaceful manner. Since their own countries deny them any right to do so. Since many people may suffer accidents which leave them in a coma, or paralyzed, perhaps unable to communicate, many people are now choosing to make ‘living wills'.These are similar to the legal documents used to divide up your property after you die, but a ‘living will' states what you want to be done if you are ever terminally ill, permanently suffering, but unable to communicate your wishes (or if doctors are unable to act on what you say because they think you may not be in your right min d). Euthanasia can be in many forms, by painless lethal injection, tablets, or just ‘pulling the plug' on a life support machine. Only ‘voluntary euthanasia' is euthanasia. There is arguably no such thing as ‘involuntary' euthanasia. Involuntary' euthanasia would almost always be regarded as murder (or at least manslaughter), even in countries where euthanasia is legal. Always consult somebody who knows the laws of your country well whenever the law is concerned. Don't make any sort of decision based on what a stranger on the internet has said. Don't trust wikipedia, unless you have the time to check all the sources and citations yourself. User generated content should never be taken as a matter-of-fact, especially on such a serious topic as this one. P/S: The thing about ‘euthanasia' being the name of the drug they use to put animals to sleep is nonsense.Similarly, there is no drug called ‘euthanasia' which is used to euthanize people, this is further nonsense. Also; killing an animal which is terminally ill or in great suffering may be considered ‘euthanasia' but killing an animal just to make room at the pound is DEFINITELY NOT EUTHANASIA. This is just a very cruel system which many animal rescue centers have little choice but to implement. Thanks. Hope this info is useful to you. This website (BBC) has some very good legal information and moral discussions on the topic. Good reading if you still want to know more.

External factors affecting the fast food industry Essay

There are a number of external factors that have a deep impact on the sales and revenue earnings of the fast food chains. The changing demographics, shift in consumer taste and preference, eating habits, increase in cost of supplies and labor, economic condition of the geographical area in which the outlets are located – all these are some of the factors that affect the profitability of the business. Pricing strategy Families and individuals in the higher income group are most frequent visitors to the fast food restaurant. The disposable income plays an important role in determining consumerism in this sector. The prices on the menu card is not so important when it comes to catering to high disposable income group. But that restricts the customer base and may not be an ideal situation for the company. Today’s lifestyle has incorporated the fast food industry into its daily schedule. The Wendy’s or the McDonald’s have menu cards that suit the pocket of the low-income segment group too. Recently McDonald’s had introduced the Dollar Menu where all items cost $1 only. It was a runaway hit with the teenagers and youngsters. The variance in price has enabled McDonald’s to attract customers from all segments. In response to this pricing strategy Wendy’s and Burger King also introduced low priced meals to suit the pocket of all segments. Back Yard Burgers on the other hand have higher priced burgers at $3. 59. The premium priced menu card has not found acceptance with all consumer segments but the management does not want to compromise on the price of the products. It believes that in terms of quality of the food items the prices are reasonable. Back Yard Burgers wanted to distinguish itself from the cutthroat competition in the industry with premium quality products. The management strategy holds good in terms of quality and service but is it good enough for the survival of the company? A look at the sales figures for the past 3 years gives an indication of the sales and revenue trend. Consumer taste and preference The ever changing taste buds and increasing changes in lifestyle of the consumer has kept the fast food industry on their toes. Rising mobility, increasing number of women joining the workforce and hectic schedules leave very little time for a home cooked meal. The need for faster options in food and service was felt that led to the tremendous growth in the fast food industry. Quick serve burgers, pizzas and sandwiches accompanied by French fries and coke became the ideal meal for the average Americans. A diet rich in fat and sugar attracted the consumers in plenty. This resulted in obesity and a disease prone society. Diabetes, heart problems were some of the impacts that the cheesy diet had on the consumers. Lawsuits were filed against some major players in this field like McDonalds for the growing obesity among children and adolescents. This awakened the consumers of fast food and they realized the necessity for healthy alternatives. Health conscious consumers are more alert of what they eat and how it can affect them. The industry witnessed a radical change in consumer taste and preference. This brought about a sharp decline in revenues for the fast food industry. The fast food chain operators brought about a change in their strategy by adding salads, fruits, and soups to the menu cards. Low calorie burgers and sandwiches are offered in addition to the regular menu items. This offers the customers with choice to healthier meal options. Back Yard Burgers has also adapted to the changing consumer preference by adding nutritious salads and milkshakes to their menu card. Introduction of grilled charbroiled burgers that claim lesser fat and lower calories have attracted the consumer interest and taste. Healthier and tastier alternatives in food items prepared with fresh ingredients are the strategic point of Back Yard Burger’s customer service. This has not only earned it a good reputation among the loyal consumers who return for more of the great quality food and taste but has also strengthened its market position. But the fast food industry cannot ensure consumer loyalty since the interest of consumers is flickering. They always want to try something new and better variety of options in food that they consume. To serve the changing tastes of the consumer and maintain their interest the restaurant needs to constantly make changes to its menu card by adapting to their taste buds. Back Yard Burgers should keep this mind while formulating their operating strategy. With more fast food companies offering a wide range of products and services, Back Yard Burgers should also draft changes to its existing operating structure. One way of achieving this objective would be to combine the essential features of both fast food and full service restaurants. A menu card that features in a regular full service restaurant integrated with fast food service will work wonders for the company – boosting sales and revenue with an increasing consumer base. Event catering and home delivery service could also open newer avenues for the company.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Corporate Social Responsibility - Essay Example When determining strategies, it is important to integrate social issues as an element of a business’s social responsibility to further instill social realignment of businesses. A firm must implement those social business practices that have economic benefits. The business must carry out its operation in a socially responsible manner which reflects its commitment to corporate social responsibility. Do for the society which is legally required and also benefits the business. Firstly, the business must be able to make enough profits so that future costs can be covered and social responsibility met (Fred R, 2005. Corporate social responsibility can be defined as a form of corporate self-regulation incorporated into a business model. The concept first came into use after the advent of many multinational firms after 1960s. The self-regulated conduct of businesses must abide by the law, ethical standards and international customs. The goal of CSR is to basically endorse the firms to take responsibility for their actions and must not negatively impact the environment, consumers, employees, stakeholders and communities. The must make sure not to harm the public in any way and promote their interest by encouraging community development. It instills the concept of ‘triple bottom line’ that is; people, planet, and profit by including public interest in the decision-making of firms. The businesses have to bring some much-needed changes into their mission statements to comply with the social responsibility. Many businesses have started to introduce the concept of social accounting which emphasizes the need for corporate accountability, that is; developing appropriate measures and reporting techniques to those who the firm is accountable to. There are some standards and frameworks which the business can use as a guideline for their auditing and reporting like AccountAbility’s AA1000 standard. CSR requires firms to produce ethically strong annual fin ancial report and sustainability report so that their social, economic and environmental performance can be measured (Visser, 2008). A business might have to forgo short-term financial benefits when adopting CSR strategy, but there are many long-term advantages that help a business in future, other than financial ones. By adopting CSR, the recruitment and retention can improve. The recruits are more likely to enroll in a firm which follows CSR. The morale of the employees is also lifted when they are asked to participate in social activities like payroll giving, fundraising programmes and community volunteering. A company’s decade old reputation and goodwill can be easily damaged by socially irresponsible actions like corruption scandals or environmental accidents. Negative reactions from media, government, courts and regulators can affect the public image of a firm. CSR also helps build consumer loyalty by practicing distinctive ethical values. Successful businesses such as The Body Shop and American Apparel have a strong reputation for integrity and best practice and therefore maintain a strong brand loyalty. The Body Shop strictly opposes product testing on animals and support community trade with developing countries. Companies easily get a license to operate in many countries when they follow Corporate Social Responsibility. There is also a great argument of insincerity and hypocrisy attached to CSR. Some people

Is Marijuana a Dangerous Drug Outline Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Marijuana a Dangerous Drug - Outline Example To mitigate the effect of our subjectivity on the research we shall need to either develop or adopt pre-established criteria to evaluate the source articles to be used in explaining the molecular activity of marijuana, and its effect on the brain and on human behavior (Granello, 2001). The pre-defined criteria will enable us to focus on the approach to tackle the topic, for instance, shall we utilize sources from a myriad of scientific disciplines (such as internal medicine, pharmacology, psychology, and psychiatry) or shall we restrict ourselves to specific disciplines. Also, the defined criteria should enable us to critically evaluate and make objective comparisons of the different research studies that are available (Granello, 2001). For example, when we are talking about the medicinal uses of marijuana there is the physical as well as the psychological factors at play.  Purpose:  The non-scholarly article (which we shall refer to as NS in this discussion), is written to raise awareness about the increasingly negative effects of drinking too much beer in combination with other factors within the room where the victim is drinking. The purpose of the scholarly paper is to increase knowledge in the given area of effects of alcohol on perception using the cognitive neuroscience approach.  Intended audience:  The NS is targeting beer-drinking working-class adults while the scholarly article is targeting academics and scholars such as those in the fields of neuroscience and neuropsychology.  Structure:  NS is written in an informal, journalistic structure where the focus is on the appealing ‘beer goggle’ hypothesis. The scholarly article is divided into sections such present research, hypothesis, results, a discussion which enable the reader to logically follow the main argument of the paper.

UK Taxation System Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

UK Taxation System - Research Paper Example There are certain types of income that do not attract tax. They are benefits, income from tax-exempt accounts and special pensions. Residents of the UK are eligible for tax-free allowance called personal allowance, which is an amount of taxable income which the resident is allowed to earn each year. This allowance is free of tax. For the year 2008-2009, the tax-free amount is fixed at '5,435. If the individual is over the age of sixty-five, this amount is likely to increase. A registered blind person can claim tax-free blind person's allowance. Income tax is applicable on taxable income after the tax-free allowances. Certain deductible reliefs and allowance will reduce the tax bill of an individual. Some of the deductible allowances are married couple allowance, maintenance payment relief, and tax relief on pension, donations to charity based on gift aid or payroll giving. There are some other amounts which can be reduced from the tax bill. They are an allowance that decreases tax in retirement, tax advantages of personal pension and offers to charity (Income Tax, n.d). The revenue-raising methods of the UK government have come to debate with the abolition of 10 percent tax. The 10 percent tax was abolished to simplify the tax system. This is likely to affect the poor household which enjoyed limitations in paying tax. The reduction of the tax rate from 22 to 20 percent and the abolition of 10 percent tax are set to affect people whose annual income is less than '18,500. This initiative has raised argument because five million people who fall under the low earning group is targeted to raise more tax revenues. Simplification of tax is appreciable but the abolition of 10 percent requires identification of people who fall under the category and necessary benefits should be provided to help them. While families without children would be the worst effect, low-income families with children are expected to be in a better position. The tax reform will affect the already high cost of living of poor people (Abolition of 10 p tax, 2008).

HUM310_LQ3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HUM310_LQ3 - Essay Example At the beginning of the sixteenth century, music saw a number of significant changes with rising of polyphonic music and music printing in France, Germany, and England among others. Renaissance artists and philosophers were religious like those of the middle ages and their aim was to reconcile theological practice with the spirit of philosophy called Humanism. With the protestant reformation by Martin Luther through his inquiries against the teachings of the Catholic Church which resulted to the founding of the Lutheran denomination, this had a tremendous impact on Renaissance music posing a religious rebellion. This was a reform process which gave rise to new churches and new types of sacred music, the turmoil in the church scene made a path for secular music to rival its sacred counterpart through word painting, polyphonic imitation and music printing ((Derrick, 1983). Renaissance is reflected musically through improved expression and more personal compositional styles which make it sound sweeter than medieval music. The sound of words does not make them unholy or holy and as such sounds can not describe a song as secular or holy. Whether music is sacred or secular has no basis in Scripture and this in a way has led to use of the same motives and this profane the word of God. For instance Luthers music was just as scandalous, consider for instance his lyric "A Mighty Fortress", this was set in a beer-drinking tune. Many gospel writers have hijacked popular music some of which are too romantic. This has changed the church way of singing, kind of songs and not to any better. With todays technology you can program any beat or rhythm because its just numbers and it would be ridiculous to say that for some numbers would be holy than others. Human body is made in a way the feeling of rhythm while from inside the heart beats in rhythm and outside the uni verse pulsates and moves in rhythm. Actually to not

Business Communications Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business Communications - Essay Example In the same manner the power point presentations devised by the managers to transmit a potential business message to the target business audience also gains effectiveness in that the same contributes in development of business or in meeting objectives relating to profit and business growth. Thus the information transmitted whether through media or through power point presentations must indeed be sensible enough in meeting the information needs of the target audiences to help achieve the end objectives. Thus Jerry Weissman is definitely right in putting the statement ‘media sensibility applied to business community’. Thus a power point presentation created by a business community needs to follow or satisfy certain salient points in order to become sensible in its approach. Here the power point presentation is to be considered as a potential medium like the broadcasting programs aired on television or radio through which the right and effective message needs to be conveyed to the target audience. Firstly the presentation must be prepared to render points in a clarified fashion to help the audience get a clear understanding of the message that is needed to be conveyed. Secondly apart from having clear points of view the presentation must also have clear benefits or positive attributes such that it contributes in the development of the present business situation. Thirdly it must be kept in mid by the presenter that the information need to possess a clear flow or structure to help the target audience grab the sequence of the information flow. Overlapping or leap in the flow of the information renders confusion to the information processing function and thereby distorts the meaning of the message conveyed. Similarly in the fourth case the power point presentation must not contain information that is irrelevant or excess in nature. Rather information rendered must be effectively evaluated as such that contributes in meeting the information objectives of t he end recipient. Finally the information rendered through the power point medium must not be over exhaustive. Rather the length of the message must be cut short to reduce the element of boredom relating to the end recipients. These things kept in mind would contribute in enhancing the efficacy of the power point presentations in acting as a potential medium for transmission of business messages to the target business audiences. Therefore an efficient presenter needs to effectively evaluate the information needs of the audiences and thereby streamline essential information to satisfy end needs and objectives (Weissman 1-10). The presenter while designing an effective power point presentation must endeavor to relate the concept and understandings of the different slides so as to convey a central meaning to the audiences. Each of the different slides presented tends to put in front of the recipients an entire new story or understanding. The recipient failing to relate the story or con cepts presented in each of the different slides happens to gain significant confusion about the total presentation. This failure of the recipients in availing a central meaning distorts the level of understanding of the recipients and thereby causes the rise of perceptual differences among the participants. Participants or recipients in the power point p

The Last Five Years Have Seen a Major Push for the Use of 3Tesla in Essay

The Last Five Years Have Seen a Major Push for the Use of 3Tesla in Clinical Settings - Essay Example Benefits of 3T over old system have been discussed in detail further in the essay. 3T has provision for excellent imaging results of human body structures such as brain, abdominal organs, all the bony parts and abnormal masses (cancer). In addition, some complicated procedures such as diffuse tensor imaging (DTI) and MRI spectroscopy can also be administered easily with 3T (Haines & Quaddy, 2010, pp1-3). There is a scope of using many RF coils array for faster image processing in 3T. Basic physics of MRI and nuclear spin Here is a glance at the basic physics of MRI and correlation with nuclear spin. Magnetic field is a force generated by the electric currents or magnets. This force attracts other metallic and magnetic objects towards the field. Nucleus of the atom has magnetic properties. All the nuclei provide chemical information together throughout the magnetic field. Atomic chief constituents are proton, electron and neutron. They start revolving in an angular momentum. This is c alled as nuclear spin. This spin is suggestive of the direction of movements in magnetic field (James, 1998, pp1-31; Machann, Schlemmer&Schick, 2008, pp63-70). When two atoms come together in pair, they do not demonstrate a spin. However, in some nuclei, there are uneven number of protons and neutrons. These types of nuclei will have intrinsic angular momentum. In other incidences, when the unpaired nuclei spins are put in the magnetic field the magnetic field of the nucleus and surrounding field react with each other. These reactions are explained with Larmour frequency equations (James, 1998, pp1-31; Machann et.al., 2008, pp63-70). These nuclei momentums align either parallel or anti parallel with the surrounding magnetic field based on the law of quantum physics. Hence, this creates energy difference among the spins that in turn allows transition in between the states. Nucleus consumes energy and goes into excitement phase and further resting or relaxation phase. This relaxation period is important for calculation, as it indicates that any system requires equal time to go into relaxing phase after equal time of exciting phase throughout the magnetization. Total sum of the energy from every step transition is equated along with signal spatial frequency domain and spin density. This signal from spatial frequency is expressed into density in real place for the formation of MRI image (James, 1998, pp1-31; Machann et.al., 2008, pp63-70). Following picture shows the sample of 3T scanner machine with large bore. Picture curtsey- (Haines & Quaddy, 2010, pp1-3) Advantages of going to higher field Higher field means better imaging in shorter time. Transformation of scanning machines from1.5T to 3T also has many positive aspects: 1) SNR (Signal to noise ratio) The major advantage of using 3T technology is to have increased SNR, i.e. signal to noise ratio. â€Å"The FDA limits SAR by anatomical site based on the potential effects of heating† (Stafford, pp 1-5). SNR is almost double in 3T imaging. Raised SNR would certainly improve the image quality far better than before. In addition to this, higher SNR reduces the image acquiring time that helps in many ways such as reduced image producing time helps decrease the incidences of artefacts, especially motion. Many times posture of the patient for imaging makes him/her uncomfortable. Hence, reduced image acquisition time is quite helpful. 2) Spectral

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power Essay Example for Free

Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power Essay The release and development of the enormous energy potential locked in the atomic nucleus signified a key revolution in scientific research in the 20th century. With great potential and optimism of developing a pollution free unlimited supply of energy, nuclear technology was ushered into the 21st century where it has become embroiled in unending debates. Nuclear power is a clean source of energy, the raw material is sustainable and the magnitude of power output is extremely large and efficient. Opponents have been quick to recount the costs of initial investment, the risks and safety loopholes and the more fearsome proliferation of nuclear weapons as the major detriments to exploitation of nuclear energy. This paper offers a succinct and informed analysis on the cons and pros of nuclear power exploitation and the potentialities that exist in the future exploitation of nuclear power. With genuine interest and adherence to rigorous and stringent constraints, safety in design and construction and global informed decision making, the setbacks to nuclear exploitation can be effectively ameliorated. In classical thermodynamics, energy is the capacity or ability to do work. Practically, energy is the major driving force of development in post modern civilizations. Energy is the main ingredient to economic, social and political prosperity. Gradual increases in demands of energy for production purposes has put a strain on non renewable sources of energy such as fossil fuels; the most predominant sources of energy(Richardson, 1996). Decreases in oil, natural gas and coal reserves have prompted a paradigm shift to other forms of energy such as wind energy, solar energy and nuclear power to help replenish energy shortages as well as create a reserve for growing industrial energy demand(Nersesian, 2007). Increasing global energy demands and environmental pollution coupled with the prospect of declining and eventual depletion of non renewable energy resources is the sustainable incentive towards to exploitation of a clean, more efficient and sustainable energy solution to meet the global demand. Even though solar energy and wind energy present a cleaner more sustainable energy option, the magnitude of global energy demand can only be offset by nuclear power production(Conant, 1979). In simple terms it takes a certain amount of energy to make another form of energy. Combustion of oil produces a certain amount of energy that is much higher than when coal undergoes combustion. Nuclear energy consumes the least amount of fuel energy to release a huge out put of electricity(Nersesian, 2007). This makes nuclear power the most cost effective form of power production and it does not contribute to environmental pollution so long as the nuclear waste is disposed off according to compliance standards, the risk of radiative exposure is reduces through installation of security measures(Dell et al, 2004). In this era of climate change and global warming, nuclear power; a green energy source is a godsend necessary to limit and considerably reduce the release of green house gases and other toxic elements into the atmosphere and the ozone layer. In 1977, the Kyoto Protocol negotiated by the Framework Convention on Climate Change(FCCC) agreed in principle to institute steps aimed at the reduction of green house gases. The center piece of such a resolution undoubtedly rested on the transformation from non renewable sources of energy to renewable sources of energy. Only fission, wind solar, decarbonized fossil fuels, wind and biomass have the capacity to provide a steady supply of carbon free energy. To a large extent only fission energy is commercially feasible and cost effective, the other have significant economic and technical handicaps. Nuclear energy remains the only viable option that can be fully exploited to reduce green house gas emissions to near minimum emissions while maintaining a reliable and consistent supply of carbon free electric energy supply to meet the world energy demand(B. van der Zwaan et al, 1999). Apart from the initial capital investments involved in construction, monitoring, insurance and decommission, nuclear power production is relatively inexpensive. Uranium; the raw material in nuclear reactors is less expensive than any form of fossil fuel. Because subsequent production costs are reduced, nuclear power is a less expensive source of electricity. The magnitude of energy produced makes it more reliable and consistent energy source. Other sources of renewable energy supply are so limited as to be of very little economic benefit. For this reason countries are extending the lifespan of older nuclear reactors while constructing new ones. This has led to a progressive reduction in the costs incurred in nuclear energy production. There are more specific reasons that attest to this trend. Countries have succeeded in developing and adopting a more superior choice of nuclear technology, efficiency in construction and operation management, low costs of decommissioning in the United States and Western Europe have ensured that green technologies like nuclear power become the future global energy solution(Griffin, 2003). Despite being one of the most efficient energy production technology, nuclear power production is plagued by a myriad of issues. Some of these issues are ,specific in nature but a majority are basically non specific and are manly driven by lack of adequate technical and scientific know how or even fear . Specific issues revolve around licensing regulations and safety. Safety concerns are ideally resolvable and include fatigue of the piping system in much older plants, fire protection system, issues that concern the degradation of the reactor pressure vessel as a result of neutron irradiation. Those opposed to the building of more nuclear power plants advocate for an uprating of the power output of those plants that are currently in operation(Angelo, 2004). Global terrorism is putting more strain on the regulation of nuclear production for fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons in unstable states and the acquisition of nuclear production knowledge by extremists , fundamentalists and terrorists or suicidal fanaticism(B. van der Zwaan et al, 1999). However, such fears are obviated by the defense in depth philosophy employed in the design and construction of nuclear power production facilities. Nuclear plants are primarily designed to protect the public from radiation exposure. For terrorists to attack such plants then it would mean that their primary aim is not to cause mass civilian deaths but sabotage the power production. Moreover, these facilities have a vehicle barrier systems designed to deter against truck bombs. Advanced security systems cordon off restricted areas from any form of intrusion or unauthorized entry. Nuclear facilities are immune and more resistant to aerial attacks than any other civilian security or energy installation. After the September 11 attacks, the United States government installed additional protection measures and carried out studies to determine the extent of damage to a nuclear plant should it be struck by a large aircraft as in the World Trade Center attacks. Results affirmed that no considerable damage was envisioned because such an explosion would not be able to penetrate and affect the nuclear fuel or even penetrate into the nuclear facility to cause any radiation release(Angelo, 2004; US National Energy Council, 2003). Nuclear accidents and safety issues have remained to be the most pressing, highly visible issues because accidents generally release nuclear radiations that affect the general public. Nuclear facilities are required to completely prevent radioactive release into the environment. Fear of potential exposure to radiations is still being propelled by two notable nuclear reactor accidents. In 1979, the Mile Island accident in the United States caused severe destruction to the facility although no external human or environmental health was recorded. This was only possible because the reactor had installed a safety containment vessel. In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine accident caused disastrous human and environmental effects. Lack of a safety containment vessel, glaring human errors and poor reactor design was to blame for the extent of the destruction. 31 employees and emergency response personnel lost their lives from acute radiation sickness. The environmental consequences were spread throughout the Soviet Union. Effects were also felt in parts of Europe and even across vast regions of the Northern Hemisphere (Angelo, 2004). The facts behind the detrimental effects caused by the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accidents pointed to gross design and operational defects(Evans, 1984). Such defects are not applicable to modern nuclear reactors that undergo rigorous and stringent compliance tests but the Chernobyl accident still drives popular misconceptions that emanate from nuclear neurosis or radiation phobia as some psychologists prefer to refer to the misconception syndrome. However, issues about nuclear safety should not be stashed aside and the status quo in safety left to reign. Safety in nuclear energy production should be a continuous improvement exercise because radiologic accidents inflict profound psychosocial impacts along and across the societal strata. Emergency response and evacuation mechanisms are a prerequisite to any operating reactor plant. The trends of evacuation and health care assistance in the aftermath of a reactor accident is a determinant of the level of psychosocial impacts that will manifest in the society long after the accident. Disorderly evacuation, panic driven movements by the surrounding community and general public panic stimulate unwarranted societal anxiety. It is these impacts that tend to propagate indecision on the level of safety a nuclear plant can attain(Foreman, 1970). Economically, nuclear energy production costs are comparatively lower when compared with other sources of energy. However, initial investment capital is enormous(Kursunoglu et al, 2000). The costs incurred in construction, monitoring, insurance and decommission are extremely high hence creating opposition to investments in nuclear power(Domenici, 2007). Because the efficiency of nuclear energy is not under any doubts, a broad based strategy program is essential to ameliorate the concerns about initial cost of investments, risks involved in energy production, waste disposal problems and the fear of proliferation of nuclear weapons. Conclusion Recent developments in the nuclear technology and the continuing threat of nuclear warfare has stimulated fresh intellectual debates on the benefits of nuclear technology to the existence of mankind. Even when used for civilian production of energy, nuclear technology conjures up a real threat to world peace the oldest wish for humanity since the onset of human civilization. Nuclear power is the most potent force for human annihilation and it gets even more scary when such a tool is placed is accessible for suicidal fanaticism. When used unwisely, it may prove to be a deadly weapon that is capable of trashing human civilizations and making real the undying fear of nuclear apocalypse. Regional nuclear warfare and nuclear nuclear terrorism can only be forestalled or completely eliminated when humanity works together for a common purpose that is beneficial to each and every head on the surface of this earth. Human beings have an innate responsibility to do all in their power as human beings to use nuclear technology to advance the cause of modern civilization in power generation, medicine, agriculture, research, industrial applications and space exploration. Nuclear power should be harnessed properly with the genuine cause of building a sustainable planetary civilization that spans beyond the ends of the earth into the uncharted territories of the solar system. Rigorous and stringent constraints, safety in design and construction and a global informed decision making is a prerequisite to nuclear power exploitation. References Angelo, A. Joseph. (2004). Nuclear Technology. p. 439-443 B. van der Zwaan. , Hill, C. R. , Mechelyncj, A. L. , Ripka, G. (Eds). (1999). Nuclear Energy: Promise or Peril? Conant, Melvin. (1979). Access to Energy: 2000 and After. p. 85 Dell, Ronald. , Anthony, David. , Rand, James. (2004). Clean Energy. RSC Clean Technology Monographs. p. 68-76 Domenici, P. V. (2007). A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy. p. 4 Evans, Nigel, Hope, Chris. (1984). Nuclear Power: Futures, Costs and Benefits. p. 8, 151 Foreman, Harry. (1970). Nuclear Power and the Public. p. 209 Griffin, James, M. (2003). Global Climate Change: The Science, Economics and Politics. p. 237 Kursunoglu, Behram, Stephan L. Mintz, Arnold Perlmutter. (2000). The Challenges to Nuclear Power in the Twenty-first Century. p. 94 Nersesian, L. Roy. (2007). Energy in the 21st Century: A Comprehensive Guide to Conventional and Alternative Sources. p. 15-26 Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power. http://www. greenenergyhelpfiles. com/articles/20. htm Richardson, Mervyn. (1996). Risk Reduction: Chemicals and Energy Into the 21st Century. p. 234-246 United States National Council of Energy. (2003). Energy and Transportation: Challenges for the Chemical Sciences in the 21st Century. p. 49. National Research Council (U. S. ). Organizing Committee for the Workshop on Energy and Transportation, National Research Council (U. S. ), National Research Council

Hydrogenating ability of Wilkinsons catalyst

Hydrogenating ability of Wilkinsons catalyst Wilkinsons catalyst was prepared from rhodium (III) chloride and refluxed in ethanol with triphenylphosphine, with a measured yield of 72.7%. The efficacy and regioselectivity of Wilkinsons catalyst was then assessed by reaction with carvone in an atmosphere of hydrogen gas at 1 atm, and the product was analysed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy. Introduction Tris-(Triphenylphophine)chloro rhodium(I) was discovered and first profiled by Wilkinson et al in 1965, and noted for its ability to selectively hydrogenate terminal alkenes to alkanes[1]. It was only with the further publishing in 1968 that Wilkinsons catalyst was thoroughly characterised.[2] It was the first homogenous catalyst with the ability to perform this function at a rate similar to that of heterogenous catalysts, without having to resort to high pressures or temperatures in the process. Wilkinsons catalyst is unusual in its ability to easily form a dihydride, despite it being a diphosphine, since these compounds are often either short-lived or difficult to detect.[3] In the above diagram, Wilkinsons catalyst (1) undergoes ligand substitution with a solvent molecule to create the active form of Wilkinsons catalyst (2)[4]. Hydrogen is then attached via oxidative addition (3)4, oxidising Rhodium from +1 to +3 oxidation state and resulting in a change of colour from red to yellow[5]. The prepared catalyst is then injected into the mixture, at which point it complexes with the rhodium centre via the pi bond (4)[6]. The solvent then leaves the complex (5). H migrates to the alkene first due to proximity, with H migrating second[7]. A solvent molecule takes the place of the leaving alkane, converting the catalyst back to its active form (7). The pi bond formed between the alkene and the Rhodium is characterised by back-donation from a d-orbital overlap with the ?* anti-bonding orbital. This back donation, coupled with donation from the ? bond on the alkene results in the ? bond being much weaker and more susceptible to being broken than uncoordinated ethene. 13C-NMR has shown that bonds formed between the a rhodium centre and other alkene complexes bond show significant s-character, typified by downfield shift, or in other words, lack of electron density surrounding them compared to typical alkene spectrum[9]. This lack of electron density makes the carbon atoms very attractive targets for the hydride ligands attached to the Rhodium to migrate to. It is this ability to remove electron density from the alkene ? orbital, while simultaneously back-donating density to the ?* that makes Wilkinsons catalyst so effective. Wilkinsons catalyst cannot hydrogenate areas of conjugation, so theoretically only bond (3) should be hydrogenated in the presence of hydrogen and Wilkinsons catalyst[10]. This experiment will assess the selectivity of the hydrogenating abilities of Wilkinsons catalyst, and its regioselectivity and chemoselectivity in regards to a molecule with several areas capable of hydrogenation. The products in this experiment will be analysed using 1H-NMR data. Experimental Preparation of catalyst Triphenylphosphine (0.52g, 1.98mmol) was dissolved in ethanol (20ml). RhCl3.3H2O (0.08g, 0.3mmol) was dissolved in ethanol (4ml). Both solutions were degassed with nitrogen. The rhodium solution was then added to the PPh3 solution and this was refluxed in a nitrogen atmosphere for 90 minutes. After cooling, the remaining solution and precipitate were removed and filtered via sinter funnel filtration. The yield for the Wilkinson catalyst was determined (0.180g, 0.218mmol, 72.7%). Hydrogenation of carvone Under a pressure of one atmosphere of hydrogen, a flask was injected with the previously prepared catalyst. Carvone (0.5g, 3.33mmol), in a solution of toluene (2ml) was then added to this flask. Consumption of hydrogen, measured using syringes, was recorded at 46cm3, (2.05mmol) representing a 61.6% yield of the hydrogenated carvone product. Results Colour changes Rhodium (III) chloride powder is a black powder. As reflux progressed and the Wilkinsons catalyst was produced, the solution went slowly from black to a brown-red suspension. This is illustrated in figure 4. Hudson et al have also reported an unknown brown precipitate, which appeared to exhibit similar catalytic properties[11]. Wilkinson et al also reported orange precipitate with identical chemical properties[12]. Yields and Errors A total of 0.180g of Wilkinsons catalyst was produced in the experiment, a 72.7% yield, which compares favourably with other studies indicating yields of between 60[13]-88[14]%. 46cm3 of hydrogen gas was absorbed in the process of the experiment, representing a total absorbance of 2.05mmol of hydrogen gas. In passing gas through the solution, it turned yellow, which is consistent with other experimental observations[15] [16]. Considerable agitation of the solution was required so as to allow adequate complexation of the hydrogen gas. Assuming the entirety of this gas hydrogenated the terminal olefin group in carvone; this represents a 61.6% yield of hydrogenation. However, it is entirely likely that a higher yield would have been obtained had the experiment continued for a longer period of time. The yield of hydrogen gas may also be misleading since it is difficult to completely hermetically seal all the apparatus, and it is also difficult to estimate the extent to which gas may have escaped from the reaction vessel. Products obtained from hydrogenation Carvone has several sites available for hydrogenation/reduction. However, RhCl(PPh3)3 will only selectively hydrogenate terminal alkenes, as described by Wilkinson et al. This hypothesis is supported by 1H-NMR data[17] of carvone and the product of hydrogenation. There is no change at peaks 6.69ppm, indicating that this protons environment was not affected by the hydrogenation. The slight downfield shift of the protons of signal between 2.2-2.7ppm to an area between 1.9-2.5ppm indicates that there is less electron density surrounding these protons. These signals were assigned to groups near to the hydrogenated bond, and so this is fairly conclusive evidence that the terminal bond was hydrogenated. The minor signal at 4.72 and 4.75ppm indicate a slight contamination of the sample with carvone. Conclusion The yield obtained by the method followed to synthesize Wilkinsons catalyst afforded values similar to that given in literature. The experiment clearly demonstrated by 1H-NMR data that Wilkinsons catalyst efficiently hydrogenates terminal alkene bonds selectively. A more quantitative study could be performed, wherein systems containing non-conjugated alkene systems were tested for hydrogenation. This would allow more stringent analysis and more precise definition of the hydrogenation abilities of Wilkinsons catalyst. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my demonstrators Mr Adam Bunt and Mr Li-Chen Han for their valuable advice and discussion during the experiment. References J.A.Osborn, G.Wilkinson, J.F.Young, Chem. Comm., 1965, 17 S. Montelatici, A. van der Ent, J. A. Osborn, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc A, 1968, 1054-1058 Illya D. Dridnev, T. Imamoto, Chem. Commun., 2009, 7447-7464 T. N. Sorrell, Organic Chemistry, University Science Books (2006), pp.503 S. Montelatici, A. van der Ent, J. A. Osborn, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc A, 1968, 1054-1058 P.S. Kalsi, Stereochemistry Conformation and Mechanism 6th Edition, New Age International (2005), pp.449 M. Carvalho, L. F. Wieserman, D. M. Hercules, App. Spec., Vol. 6, Iss. 3, pp. 290-296 P. Atkins, T. Overton, J Rourke, M. Weller, F. Armstrong, Shriver and Atkins Inorganic Chemistry 8th Edition, Oxford University Press, 2006, pp.536 W. von Phillipsborn, Pure Appl. Chem., Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 513-528 J. A. Osborn, F. H. Jardine, J. F. Young, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc. A, 1966, 1711-1732 B. Hudson, P. C. Taylor, D. E. Webster, P. B. Wells, Discuss. Faraday Soc., 1968, 46, 37-47 S. Montelatici, A. van der Ent, J. A. Osborn, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc A, 1968, 1054-1058 B. Hudson, P. C. Taylor, D. E. Webster, P. B. Wells, Discuss. Faraday Soc., 1968, 46, 37-47 S. Montelatici, A. van der Ent, J. A. Osborn, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc A, 1968, 1054-1058 S. Montelatici, A. van der Ent, J. A. Osborn, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc A, 1968, 1054-1058 J. A. Osborn, F. H. Jardine, J. F. Young, G. Wilkinson, J. Chem. Soc. A, 1966, 1711-1732 1H-NMR spectrum data taken from http://dlm.chm.bris.ac.uk/dlm2009-10/file.php/28/resources/Wilkinson_NMR.pdf

Effect of Love Stories on Real Life

Effect of Love Stories on Real Life Okikioluwa Akinbiyi Akindele How do love stories (in the media) affect our understanding of romance in real life? Romance is something that exists all around us. It can be said that many of us grew up with hearing epic love stories such as Cinderella, Snow White and the likes. Romantic movies have played a significant role in the entertainment industry. According to a recent survey carried out by the U.S. Bureau of Labour Statistics, romance is the third highest grossing genre coming behind adventure and action which are 1st and 2nd respectively (USBLS, 2013). However these romantic movies and love stories have played a part in the distortion of the understanding and expectation of love in real life. According to Jake and Melissa Kircher, â€Å"because of media and technology, the ways in which people fall in love, connect within relationship and experience sexuality are different than any other generation before this one.† (Kircher, 2011). They go ahead to point out that the root of any romance is love. This over-emphasis on love in this generation is encouraged by the media that tells s tories, sings songs and writes books about how true love conquers all, is ultimately fulfilling, brings a never-ending wealth of happiness and is rarely marred by significant conflict. As beautiful a picture that is, it does not happen that way in real life. However, the tantalising and intriguing images which are seen by these people give them a certain picture on how romance should be. These people get disappointed when they realise that sometimes romance gets boring. The appeal of fantastic love stories is undeniable. (Galloway, 2011). According to Bachen and Illouz, the contemporary portrayals of romantic love are a â€Å"visual affair†, reiterating the fact that where the written word may fall short, images impressed upon us can elicit strong emotional arousal. They go ahead to explain that mediated images and representations-such as those used on television, in films and adverts- â€Å"evoke strong mechanisms of identification, are intensely realistic and are the privileged discourse of sexual and romantic desire â€Å"giving them an air of credibility.† (Bachen Illouz, 1996). Galican points out that the source of much appeal is the absolution of any real personal responsibility in a romantic relationship. (Galician, 2009). If a relationship fails miserably, then obviously â€Å"this one† was not â€Å"the one† and individuals must continue to wait patiently for their damsel in distress or knight in shining armour as is in the case of stories like Rapunzel, Snow White and so on. As people get attached to these images of romance from the media, they begin to yearn for a romance that is filled with happiness and personal fulfilment. When it does not happen this way, these people believe that love is gone and this has led to the end of beautiful relationships that would have created ultimate happiness for both parties (Kircher, 2011). I will investigate, using relevant literature, and find out to what extent epic love stories affect our understanding of love in real life. I will then outline my proposed methodology which will be used and I will give the potential implications. Literature Review Movies as mass communication Many epic love stories are produced to the public in the form of movies. When one thinks of movies, the cinema immediately springs to mind. Over the years the cinema has been a neutral destination where couples go on dates, single people look for romance, friends go to relax, or to just have good family fun. According to Matzkin (1999) cited in Galloway (2011) movie audiences have become more â€Å"fragmented† and â€Å"homogenous† since the cinema’s inception and are â€Å"largely composed of young movie goers between the ages of 12 and 29† (Galloway, 2011). In the USA and Canada alone, multitudes numbering approximately 1,343,000,000, visit the cinemas each year. (Motion Picture Association of America, 2013). However more and more people are beginning to reduce their movie going because they would rather rent movies ands stay at home for free rather than pay at the cinema. Also staying at home saves time and energy as mobility is reduced. The advancement of technology has made the movie watching experience a lot better and more engaging. With the creation of 3D TV screens and surround sound system, movie viewers are able to have and enjoy the cinema experience in the comfort of their homes. Accordig to Anne Jackel ‘†¦powerful players in the film industry argued that a larger number of screens would provide greater diversity and more choice. (Albertazzi Cobley, 2010). She goes on to point that digital distribution offers a wider choice and has the capability to promote cultural diversity. The use of the internet is another way people are able to access these movies. With the ability to stream videos online, infrequent theater goers are able to watch newly released movies in the comfort of their own homes. With the furtherance of digital technology, viewers are susceptible to watch these movies and allow themselves be fed with different love myths. Love Myths â€Å"A basic function of the media is the creation of representation or simulations- reproduced versions of reality† (Foss, Foss, Trapp, 2002). There are certain themes or rather myths that are usually present in romantic stories which has an effect on the audience. Cassady Green (2013) points out that the audience often leaves the movie theatre yearning for a love similar to the one on the silver screen. She goes ahead to explain the problems involved as women and adolescents begin to expect similar qualities in their own love life, many of which are improbable or even unobtainable in reality. One prevalent myth in love stories is the notion of the soul mate. Two parties being â€Å"destined† or â€Å"made† for one another. These stories or movies leads to both soulmates finding each other. In the movie â€Å"Down To Earth (Weitz Weitz, 2001), Lance played by Chris Rockrides is riding on his bike when he spots Sontee(Regina King). They both share a moment of attraction. Unfortunately he is hit and killed by a truck, prematurely. To fix the mistake he is offered the body of an old grouchy unloving billionaire. When he sees Sontee at the billionaire’s house, he believes that Sontee is his soulmate and hence agres to take the body of Charles Wellington III, just to be with her. In the short while before he is killed, Lance and Sontee fall in love while Lance is still in the body of the old man. Even after he is killed and he comes back as another person, Joe Guy, who is not supposed to remember anybody from Lance’s past, he is still able to make some sort of connection with Sontee and the movie ends with both of them going out for coffee. This reiterates the myth of soulmates: no matter what happens both parties are destined to end up together. Cassady Green (2013) observes that â€Å"soulmates is a notion that can be particularly detrimental to real life relationships. This is because viewers are led to believe that they can have a one of a kind relationship which is special and unlike no one else’s. The likelihood of this happening is very slim and this goes a long way in explaining the impact these stories have on the viewer. Also there are instances where one person has incredibly strong feelings for someone, a â€Å"love epiphany† so to say. These movies give viewers the impression that it is not strange for someone to suddenly getstrong feelings of love for nother person. This has the power to lead to the dissatisfaction of one’s ownlove life due to the high expectations that viewers have for th eir relationships which are demonstrated in popular films. Another love myth is the notion of ‘love at first sight’. According to Gallician (2004) cited by Galloway (2011), â€Å"In the â€Å"reel† world, there is, in fact, â€Å"such a thing as love at first sight†. A fleeting gaze exchanged in a minute’s time registers as a moment of revelation, foreshadowing the fulfillment of an otherworldly bond between two strangers whose fates are inextricably intertwined. Often visual portrayals of these two myths emphasize the loneliness and lack that plagues one’s life prior to finding his or her â€Å"one and only.† (Galloway, 2011). This myth already conditions the mind of the viewer to believe that if in real life, a scenario where they come in contact with other people for the first- if that moment does not contain characteristics of a â€Å"love at first sight† moment, then the relationship is not meant to be. Another myth that we are shown in romantic stories is the idea that ‘all you need is love’. (Galician, 2009) This is when people begin to behave out of reason just because of love. According to Galloway (2011), â€Å"characters in television shows and movies give up or alter their own systems of belief in exchange for affection†. Characters in these stories believe that ‘problems will work themselves out in the name of love’ (Galloway, 2011). An example is The Little Mermaid (Clements Musker, 1989) where the protagonist,Ariel chooses to trade her voice for human parts just because she fell in love with Prince Eric. At the end of the movie, she gets her voice and still stays a human. This gives viewers the idea that because of love, you are able to have your cake and eat it. In the story of Snow White, where she had eaten the fruit and had gone into a deep sleep. It was an act of love, a kiss from a prince that broke the spell and woke her up and the â€Å"lived happily ever after†. The 2013 film â€Å"Frozen† is another example of how love is the ultimate. After plunging the kingdom into a never ending winter, Elsa finally realises that love is the way to end the problem. (Buck Lee, 2013). Another myth that is portrayed in the romantic stories is the idea that â€Å"the love of a good woman can change a man from a â€Å"beast† in to a â€Å"prince† (Galician, 2009). An example is the movie Beauty and The Beast (Trousdale Wise, 1991). Through the ‘power of love’ and the â€Å"goodness of her heart† Belle was able to change the scary, abusive,monstrous Beast into a handsome loving prince. According to Mary-Lou Galician, (2009), â€Å"Belle’s attempts to reform her captor would be most unwise in real life. We cannot change others- especially not abusive â€Å"heroes† who have a good heart inside if only the woman can be â€Å"good enough† to bring it out. This fallacy underlies much domestic violence.† Social Cognitive Theory This is a theory that suggests that individuals commit to memory behaviours they have observed to be later used as models on which to base their own behaviour. (Green, 2013). These behaviours are more likely to be modeled when they have been modeled by accompllished people whom the world agrees with and if the outcome of the behaviour appeals to the audience. When we talk about romantic stories in this case, the theory suggests that the audience may actively observe the behaviour within relationships depicted by the media in order to gain understanding in how they themselves could behave in their own relationships. (Green, 2013). This theory works for fashion trends also. If a celebrity decides to make a fashion choice, chances are that trend will take off and everyone will begin to dress as such. An example is David Beckham. Over theyears, he has managed to set trends for young men, especially in the UK when it comes to hairstyles. According to SS, (SS, 2009)â€Å"Beckhams differen t hairdos are talked about just as much as his soccer skills, and a new season often means a great new style.† Proposed Methodology I plan to organise a focus group comprising of people from different courses at my university. In this focus group, the main theme will be my topic: How love stories affect our understanding of love and romance in real life. We would also be discussing other questions like â€Å"what do you think is the reason why people believe the notions embedded within these stories and also what they feel about the importance of language within stories. I plan to do this because I would like to find oout According to Galloway(2011) content analyses of romantic media are useful. I would implement this methodology because one may find that the nature of modern movies has evolved to represent realistic relationships or regressed, depicting only mythic love storie (Galloway, 2011). Also I am planning to conduct an interview with members of a book club and get their views on romance from romantic books they have all read. In addition to organising the focus group, I plan to make use of questionnaires to carry out a survey. My aim of the questionnaires is to find out which gender is easily persuaded or more prone to believe the romantic myths given to us by media producers. I intend to utilise the questionnaire used by Lauren Galloway (2011) in her article. ‘Does Movie viewing cultivate unrealistic expectations about love and marriage’ as a guideline in building my own survey questionnaires. I would use the results and findings I have gathered to develop a series of recommendations concerning love stories and their ability to deceive us into believing something that we are not supposed to. So these are the three methodologies I intend to use to tacke this research: focus group and interviews, content analysis and discourse analysis. The Association of Qualitative Research (AQR, 2013) defines the Focus group/interviews as a â€Å"term often applied to a group discussion carried out for market research purposes. Participants unknown to each other are brought together, in a particular neutral location, for the specific purpose of discussing an issue, or responding to ideas or materials of interest to the client of the research.† In this case, focus groups are important because they are useful in finding out an audience’s opinion on the representation of romance in movies. Content analysis is another interesting way because it shows how often something is represented. Satu Elo and Helvi Kyngas (2007) define content analysis as a method of analysing documents. Content analysis allows the researcher to test theoretical issues to enhance understanding of the dat a. (Elo Kyngas, 2007) In this case, it is important to know how often romance is represented in the movies and stories. Finally, discourse analysis/semiotics can be defined as explicit, systematic account of structures, strategies or processes of text or talk in terms of theoretical notions developed in any branch of the field. (Dijk, 2013) exists to find out what the representation means. Videography Buck, C., Lee, J. (Directors). (2013). Frozen [Motion Picture]. Clements, R., Musker, J. (Directors). (1989). The Little mermaid [Motion Picture]. Trousdale, G., Wise, K. (Directors). (1991). Beauty and The Beast [Motion Picture]. Weitz, C., Weitz, P. (Directors). (2001). Down To Earth [Motion Picture] Bibliography Albertazzi, D., Cobley, P. (2010). The Media: An Introduction. Essex: Pearson Education Limited. America, M. P. (2013). Theatrical Market Statistics. USA. AQR. (2013). Focus group. Retrieved April 2014, from Association of qualitative research: http://www.aqr.org.uk/glossary/?term=focusgroup Bachen, C. M., Illouz, E. (1996). Imagining romance: Young peoples cultural models of romance and love. Critical Studies in Mass Communication, pp. 279-308. Dijk, T. A. (2013, November 1). What do we mean by Discourse Analysis. Retrieved April 2014, from Discourse in Society: http://www.discourses.org/journals/das/whatisdiscourseanalysis/index.html Elo, S., Kyngas, H. (2007). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advance Nursing, 107-115. Foss, S. K., Foss, K. A., Trapp, R. (2002). Contemporary: perspective on rhetoric. Waveland Press Inc. Galician, M.-L. (2009). Sex, Love and Romance in the Mass Meida: Analysis and Criticism of Unrealistic Portrayals and Their influence. New York: Routledge. Galloway, L. F. (2011, August). Does Movie Viewing Cultivate Unrealistic Expectation About Love and Marriage. Nevada, U.S.A. Green, C. (2013). The Effects of Romantic Comedies on Women and Female Adolescents. The National Conference On Undergraduate Research (pp. 400-403). Georgetown: Georgetown College. Kircher, J. K. (2011, April 12). Does Media Distort Love. Retrieved April 2014, from Relevant: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/relationship/features/25275-distorting-love SS. (2009, June 24). David Beckham: Hairstyles of a Celebrity Trendsetter. Retrieved April 2014, from Thehairstyler.com: http://www.thehairstyler.com/features/articles/celebrity/david-beckham-celebrity-trendsetters USBLS. (2013, January 1). Motion Picture Industry Statistics. Retrieved April 2014, from Statistic Brain: http://www.statisticbrain.com/motion-picture-industry-statistics/

The Voice Of Generation X :: essays research papers

'We have been labeled apathetic, lazy, and selfish just to name a few,'; says Josie Mazzaferro in her essay entitled, 'Turned Off by Politics.'; We have been judged in every aspect of society, especially in the political arena. Is there any way for us to clear up these misconceptions given to us by other generations? It seems that the voice of Generation X is silent when it comes to political issues these days. When we talk about politics we often wonder what relevance it has on our lives. Many of us feel that politicians are no longer trustworthy. 'I am not saying that every politician is corrupt,'; states Mazzaferro, it's just hard to believe what he or she says is true when our generation has witnessed such harsh realities involving political figures. For example: the Monica Lewinsky ordeal that involved President Clinton. How are we supposed to trust a President who lies and commits forms of adultery to run our country effectively? Still many X'ers are too consumed in themselves to even worry about who is elected to our heads of state. They either think that their votes will not make a difference, or that the majority of people will vote for the same candidates that have been elected again and again by their name recognition alone. We as Generation X need to elect people that can associate themselves with the issues that affect the people today, and the new issues that will arise tomorrow in order to change the politics in this country. These types of situations make it hard for X'ers to take a stand and voice their opinions. What we need is a new political dialogue that will enable our generation to control more political power in this country. This new political dialogue can only begin if we start to become more interested in what goes on outside of our daily lifestyles, because it's not about us anymore, it's about them, the future generations to come. We as X'ers need to stop being so absorbed in ourselves and focus on issues that will change the future for the better. 'Instead of killing any chance for political debate by framing our values as mere matters of personal taste,'; states John Leo in his essay entitled 'The Unmaking of Civic Culture';. The only way that our generation is ever going to gain any political power in this

The Dark Side of A Streetcar Named Desire :: Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In A Streetcar Named Desire, written by Tennessee Williams, the characters presented represent Williams' own view of society.   In Streetcar, Williams has created a medium to observe and reflect upon the darkest aspects of society and the result of these societal downfalls. Williams has portrayed numerous societal downfalls, such as the idea that he (or she) who tries to hide his true self and lie to the world ends up, above all, hurting himself. This statement, which lies just below the surface in Streetcar, reflects the difficulties Williams had in finding his own place in life. Williams created that this play as a sort of "slap" toward a society which rejected Williams and his way of telling the world, "If you keep behaving like this, the whole place will go stark-raving mad!" This is distinctly seen in both the suicide of Blanche's young husband and her own decent into madness. Another collapse highlighted by Williams is the idea of the "macho-male," which extends to homophobia. Stanley is obviously Williams' characterization of this type of personality, and it is his brutality and chauvinism that lead Blanche to sink completely into the depths of insanity. By raping Blanche, Stanley is not only exerting his physical power over this disruptive woman in his life, but is attempting to show the world (and himself) that he is not a homosexual. In the character of Stella, the reader's primary reaction is to support and identify with her, but in reality she represents the type of person who has given up on the ideals she once knew and has, in a sense, joined forces with the enemy. She deserted Blanche at Belle Reve and has now settled for mediocrity. By the end of the play, our sympathies lie with Blanche because she was searching the world for security and ended up alone and mad. Williams is reminding the reader that, in this world, everyone is striving for a security and it was this natural desire that brought upon Blanche's descent into madness.

Georg Ohm

Georg Simon Ohm was born on March 16th, 1789. He died on July 6th, 1854. He was a German physicist. As a high school teacher, Ohm began his research with the recently invented electrochemical cell [ (Unknown. ) ] Using his own equipment, Ohm determined that there is a connection between the electrical forces (voltage) applied across a conductor and the resultant electric current. This known as Ohm’s law, which is named after him. Ohm was born in Erlangen, Bavaria. His parents were Johann Wolfgang Ohm and Maria Elizabeth Beck. They were Protestants. Although his parents were not really educated, Ohm's father educated himself enough to have Ohm home schooled. His mother died when he was ten. From early childhood, Georg and his brother Martin, a well-known mathematician, were both taught by their father in math, physic, and chemistry. Georg Simon attended Erlangen Gymnasium from age eleven to fifteen (Unknown. ) His father, concerned that his son was wasting the educational opportunity, sent Ohm to Switzerland. Then in September 1806, he started as a math teacher (Britannica. Karl Christian van Langsdorf left the University of Erlangen in early 1809 to go to the University of Heidelberg. Ohm wanted to go with him to Heidelberg to restart his math studies. Langsdorf told Ohm to continue with his studies of mathematics on his own. Rather reluctantly Ohm took his advice but he left his teaching post in Gottstadt bei Nydau in March 1809 to become a private tutor in Neuchatel. For two years he carried out his duties as a tutor while he followed Langsdorf's advice and continued his private study of mathematics. Then in April 1811 he returned to the University of Erlangen. His studies had stood him in good position for his receiving a doctorate from Erlangen on 25 October 1811 and immediately joined the staff as a mathematics lecturer. After three semesters Ohm gave up his university post because of unpromising prospects while he couldn't make both ends meet with the lecturing post. The Bavarian government offered him a post as a teacher of mathematics and physics at a poor quality school in Bamberg and he took up the post there in January 1813. Feeling unhappy with his job, Georg devoted to writing an elementary book on Geometry as a way to prove his true ability. The school was then closed down in February 1816. The Bavarian government sent him to an overcrowded school in Bamberg to help out with the mathematics teaching. After that, he sent the manuscript to King Wilhelm III of Prussia upon its completion. The King was satisfied with Georg's work and he offered Ohm a position at a Jesuit Gymnasium of Cologne on 11 September 1817. Thanks to the school's reputation for science education, Ohm found himself required to teach physics as well as mathematics. Luckily, the physics lab was well-equipped, so Ohm devoted himself to experimenting on physics. Being the son of a locksmith, Georg had some practical experience with mechanical equipment. He published Die galvanishe Kette, mathematisch bearbeitet in 1827, which in English is The Galvanic Circuit Investigated Mathematically. Cologne's Jesuit College did not laud his work and Ohm resigned his professorial position there and instead applied to and was employed by the Polytechnic school of Nuremberg. He came to the polytechnic school of Nuremberg in 1833, and in 1852 became professor of experimental physics in the university of Munich, where he later died. He is buried in the Alter Sudfriedhof in Munich.

Look at the beginning of act two Essay

And doesn’t eat herself since she has presumably eaten with the children. In those times, (1692) wives were expected to stay at home, clean the house, cook the food, take care of the children, and obey their husbands. They were also expected to be good Christians, be calm, quiet etc. To express these qualities above, Elizabeth should probably dress in quite plain, conservative clothes, and † walk straight, eyes slightly lowered, arms at the sides, and talk quietly. † He then compliments her about the rabbit, â€Å"It’s well seasoned†, and she receives it, ‘blushing with pleasure’. She then adds, that she â€Å"took great care. † Again, both are trying hard to be friendly to each other, to try to avoid argument. It is however; ironic that Proctor complimented her on the seasoning on the rabbit, since he seasoned it himself. After that, he talks about the farm and says with a grin â€Å"I mean to please you Elizabeth. † And she answers, â€Å"I know it John. † However, before she answers, she pauses, and â€Å"finds it hard to say. † This means that she might not think he honestly wants to please her, or make their marriage work. Since this is quite a dramatic moment, I think the lighting should focus on her at this point, and if present the orchestra should be silent to emphasize her hesitation. The author then repeats Elizabeth’s lack of love and coldness when John proctor gets up and kisses her, and then returns disappointed. This is so that if the audience misses the pause, thus showing her disbelief and distrust in him, they will see her total lack in passion and love when John is rejected from Elizabeth,. He then asks her for some cider, as gently as he can, since he feels she is hurt, and doesn’t want to make her feel any worse. He then says, â€Å"Its winter in here yet,† which might be a hint for her to warm her heart and become more loving. Yet since her badly wants to be nice, he asks her on type of date, to walk across the farm. They both get up, and he walks to the door, and he seems quite happy. She however, isn’t. He seems to notice this, and asks her if she is sad again. As they say these last lines, I think that ‘the sense of their separation’ should be emphasised be lighting. Ie, the lights, which have been directed at both of them together so far, should split, a light on each character. This would subtly hint to the audience that although they are desperately striving to make their marriage work, it can’t yet because there is a distance between them, and they’re not on the same wavelength. The audience can also see this when John seems deep in his thoughts about spring, flowers, and Massachusetts, while Elizabeth seems to worry about something. She answers to his question, â€Å"Are you sad again† and immediately justifies her answer when she says that she thought he had gone to Salem since he was back so late. This could show the audience that she thought he had gone to see Abigail, because they know Abigail lives in Salem from what they saw in act one. He knows that she thought of him going to see Abigail, so he says he has no business in Salem. This shows the audience, that although he is eager to let go of the past, (which is also shown in act one â€Å"I will cut my hand off before I ever reach for you (Abigail) again. â€Å") Elizabeth has not yet forgiven him, which he accuses her of later. â€Å"You forgive nothing’ and forget nothin’! † She then admits to having let Mary go to Salem and this makes him quite angry. However, when she carries on he starts shouting at her ‘holding back a full condemnation of her’ and says that she should control her servants better. Perhaps he also thinks that she should have controlled Abigail, so he wouldn’t have had an affair with her. Basically, in this part of Act Two, the author shows that the strain in their relationship was caused by his affair with Abigail, which has resulted with her distrust. Miller also shows that Proctor quickly raises his temper, which could also strain a relationship. Proctor only seems to have raised his temper when Abigail and his affair with her are mentioned. This could be because he feels guilty. Knowing what parts of the act give hints to their difficult relationship helps tremendously when the play is performed, since the director knows what parts of the act he must emphasise. He can do that by using different lighting, sound effects, dramatic music from an orchestra, acting, and pauses. By Karina Wortelboer Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Miller section.

12 Angry Men Structural Elements

How does Rose use structural elements to strengthen his examination of the judicial system? Rose uses the structural elements of the play to further his position, critiquing the flaws of the judicial system. 12 Angry Men takes place in ‘real time', which allows for the play's characters to further develop and creates a sense of realism. The characters of the play are representative of the play's message, that decisions such as the one the jurors must make are important, and cannot be viewed with apathy and walked away from. The apathy and prejudice that most of the jurors possessed when they initially made their decisions is something that Rose intended to criticise, as this same apathy and prejudice was clearly in 1950's society, and may divert the judicial processes. In the beginning, the 8th juror is the only one who feels sympathy for the boy being persecuted, believing that if he is to be sentenced to death in an electric chair then his case at least needs to be treated with empathy and caution, rather than carelessly putting the case behind in the quickest fashion and moving on, from apathy or prejudice. Over the course of the play the jurors realise that this is something they cannot walk away from, that they cannot escape from, and something that they must dedicate themselves to, they realise that the life of a young, poor boy, who lived in the slums and suffered from an abusive and harsh childhood is more important than what lies beyond the courtroom doors, and the fact that not only does the play take place in ‘real time', but also largely takes place in one setting, better yet, one room, only conveys this feeling of the realisation that apathy is not the solution. They are trapped, isolated from the freedom of their lives, and the apathy or prejudiced that may have been a part of their lives, and confronted with the care they must have for the life of someone else. The washroom exists as an escape for them, a place for their true thoughts, where even the apathy and hatred within them may return, but in the end it is connected the private room in which they vote, in the end they cannot simply decide whether a boy lives or dies based on that same apathy or hatred, it should be a lengthy and important process that should take into consideration the facts and the gravity of their decision, and not be influenced or diverted by the views of the people making that decision. Rose believes that the judicial system is flawed, yet by creating characters such as the 8th juror, the protagonist and also the first dissenter, he also believes that the judicial system is one that would be able to function with a treatment of empathy, severity and importance. By having the characters all change their decision, through empathy and the realisation of the importance of their vote, he suggests that this is the solution, rather than the personal lives, views or beliefs influencing and making the decision in a judicial process, in particular, one as severe and brutal as the one in the play.

Chaucer’s Depiction of the Corrupt Church in the Canterbury Tales

The Canterbury Tales is a famously satirical piece written by Geoffrey Chaucer at the end of the 14th century. Though there are many theories of what Chaucer was criticizing, he mainly was questioning the motives of the church. Chaucer used important figures in the church as characters in the story who go on a journey to Canterbury although the characters do not match the typical ideals of those who would be attributed with the church. Historically, according to the feudal system, the king was to give twenty-five percent of his wealth to the church, which proves the church had plenty of money to use in ways that would not agree with the typical morals of the church. Chaucer is making social commentary by highlighting on the religious hypocrisy and the church as it relates to money. Chaucer begins with his criticism in â€Å"The Prologue† by immediately characterizing those who are affiliated with the church in order of their social status, showing that there are many aspects of the church that fall short morally. For example, the Knight, though he is a nobleman and not a religiously affiliated character, is the most virtuous; he comes at the top of the hierarchy in terms of social status. Chaucer has nothing but good things to say about the Knight, especially when he says â€Å"he had proved his worth in his Lord’s wars†¦in Christendom and in heathen-lands and he had always been honored for his valor. † (ll 47-50) The Knight was always respected for what he had done, even when he was doing things for his religion which cannot be said for many of the other characters that Chaucer was describing. Though he is not part of the churchman group, Chaucer highlights on the Knight’s religious affiliation, saying of him that he is â€Å"a valiant warrior for his lord. † (ll 47) French speaking, with a dainty smile and polite demeanor with a hidden agenda, the Prioress offers an insight to the twisted world of the church that Chaucer wants the reader to see. The Prioress was characterized as a plump woman because â€Å"she never let a morsel fall from her lips† (ll 128), though this is ironic because as a nun she was supposed to take a vow of poverty. Chaucer then goes on to explain that the Prioress â€Å"had a few small dogs that she fed- with roast meat or milk and fine bread† (ll 146-147), further showing that the nun didn’t take her religious duties as seriously as she should have. The Monk comes next in Chaucer’s hierarchy, with the description being â€Å"he didn’t give a plucked hen for that text that said hunters are not holy men†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"why should he study and drive himself mad. † (ll 177-178) Chaucer mocks the Monk’s lifestyle by criticizing what he chose to do instead of taking his holy vow of silence. He was a hunter and wore expensive clothes: â€Å"I saw that his sleeves were edged at the cuff with gray fur†¦and to fasten his hood under his chin he had a very intricate pin made of gold† (ll 193) though as a man of the church he should not have had the funds to support his lavish lifestyle, which is why Chaucer criticized the church, because he thought that it was corrupt. Chaucer goes on to say, â€Å"He was a fine fat lord in splendid shape,†(ll 200) of the Monk, hinting to the reader that he was well fed as well, though like the Prioress, he should not have been due to a vow of poverty. The Pardoner’s purpose in the church was to pardon the sins of the church goers, though Chaucer made his character corrupt too, by charging people to pardon their sins, something that should be unheard of, though unfortunately, it happened quite commonly. This just relates back to Chaucer’s thoughts of the church being corrupt by wrongly using the money that it had. The Pardoner’s description says, â€Å"he’d make more money in one day alone than the Parson would in two months come and gone,† (ll 703-704). This line also makes mention of the Parson, another religious character, though he was not criticized as much as other characters due to his description of being the only devout churchman. Chaucer uses less harsh descriptions of him and even explains that he does work for the church in non-corrupt ways, much un-like the other religious characters he describes. He says of the Parson, â€Å"[he] was poor, but rich in holy thought and work. He was also a learned man, a clerk; The Christian gospel he would truly preach, devoutly his parishioners to teach,† (ll 479-482) from this line the reader gains a more clear understanding for how the church was supposed to be viewed. Those who were affiliated with the church were supposed to be devout and faithful to their God, though many did not fulfill the stereotypes that they were expected to. All in all, the problem with the church is that those who are supposed to be the most holy are not at all. The obsession with money and the wrongful spending of it by all of those who are affiliated is what made the church receive so much criticism. The implied solution to the corruptness of the church is simple: to remove the money. The one character who received little criticism was the only one who helped the church be seen in a positive light, and that was the Parson. By removing the excessive money from the church, the corrupt clergy members would go back to their vows of silence and poverty and the church would be restored to its original holiness.

International Business Strategy Literature review

International Business Strategy - Literature review Example Yet many managers view it to be more theoretical than practical. Most of the time, when this theory in use it is often misused to provide a single answers which is overly precise (Lindstadt, 2010). The work on the European passenger rail deregulation is evidence to prove that game theory provides appropriate guidance to managers as they handle unprecedented and difficult situations. The key to achieve the best results is to use this theory to generate a range of results based on decisions made by reasonable players. Then use them analyze the merits and demerits of each decision. It is clear from the reading, that the authors’ model changes game theory from a tool that gives a single answer to a discipline that gives knowledgeable support to managerial decisions (Lindstadt, 2010). We observe that factors in the economic environment propel game theory to a prominent place in strategy. The global economic crisis and the uncertain recovery, have called for shifts in industrial capacity, market price and demand. These uncertainties paralyze corporate decision-making and worse they compel managers to make less informed decisions. Game theory contributes to a clear decision

Perfection Era Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Perfection Era - Research Paper Example Given such statement, women was regarded to be the light of every home. Each woman sees to it that their time is primarily devoted to their families and that culture made them the greatest possesion of every home. Thus, relative to this, it also shows that women is knowledgeable, skillfull and dedicated enough to do whatever task is attended to her which therefore confides that such notion can never be set aside and women can strike to deliver great changes. Consequently there was a paradigm shift on this as women started to make their own marks in the industry. One of which is in the world of literary arts. Not only that women excelled as novelists of their time but also women took efforts in teaching and nurturing in the academe of literary arts. This urgency stirred the liberate side of women as they can expressly divulge themselves through the novels, journals and articles that they write. Thus, it also restrained them due to the demands of their responsibilites for their familit ies alongside with the duties that their careers expects from them. They have to balance both responsibilities unto their hands which gave them extra challenge as they face their lives. Likewise, as women slowly unfolds diversities and starting to make a difference, abolitionists also quirked their thirst for accomplishing better. During the second great awakening, abolitionists did end the slavery days of the slaves. Social, political and religous concerns were brought up in a more provocative manner. They took a stand to voice out and fight for what they believe is in the realms of being humane and rightful. Pervertively, such actions also triggered social problems that somewhat worsen the situation due to the abrupt provocative fight of abolitionists. One evident example of the role of the second great awakening in the accompishments made by women and abolitionists is this, â€Å"1834 had been the year of the Lane debates and the Lane rebels much discussed in the abolitionist pr ess. Mob violence against abolitionist speakers and literature was everywhere. In August 1835, Angelina GrimkA © addressed the Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women at the Hall, while a mob stoned the windows. That night, mob arsonists burned the brand new Hall to the ground. I started out by saying that I would discuss the role of Seneca County in these movements, and here we are dwelling upon the southerners, Sarah and Angelina GrimkA © and the burning of Pennsylvania Hall in Philadelphia in 1838†( Second Great Awakening n.d.). This shows that the awakening aggrevated the rallying emotions of the people. What seemed to be the exuding genuises of the abolitionists somehow thwart the opinion of the resisters. We can now therefore conclude that women and abolitionists are seemingly quiet at first but when time gave them the chance to be heard everything turned upsidedown. Thus, its a good way of promoting equality and equilibrium in the society. One cannot truly say tha t a specific gender or group is superior than the other. We are made equally therefore we should all be treated with equal chances. With what happened in the second awakening it opened the avenue for more democratic state of the people. From the slightest thing up to the most