The Light Bulb: One of the Most Useful Inventions in the World

People need light to be able to see. In the morning, there is sunlight. But in the night, people use electric light made from light bulbs. Without light bulbs, people would not be able to see and would have to rely on their other senses to do tasks. Without light bulbs, our lives would be very different. The light bulb is a very useful invention that people all over the world use every day. The creation of the light bulb can be traced back to the 19th century. In 1800, Humphrey Davy made the arc lamp (â€Å"Lighting†). But the arc lamp was very dangerous because light was made by sparks, increasing the chance of fire (Burnie 52). In 1860, Joseph Swan made an incandescent light bulb. But the light bulb had many disadvantages. The light bulb burned out in an hour and it cost a lot of money (Burnie 52). Also, the filament was made of pure carbon, so when the carbon burnt, it filed the bulb with soot (â€Å"Lighting†). Then in 1879, Thomas Edison made a better incandescent (a term for heat-driven light emissions) light bulb. Time News reported, â€Å"Thomas Edison is the creator of the first commercially viable light bulb. † His incandescent light bulb was efficient, affordable, and safe (Fletcher). It took Edison years to make an incandescent light bulb. First he used a platinum filament and used a vacuum pump to reduce the oxygen level in the bulb, so it would be harder for a fire to start (Mintz 83). Later, he coated the filament with magnesium. He tested the bulb. Its electrical resistance was only 3 ohms, meaning that it doesn’t glow brightly. But it did glow for 13 hours and 38 minutes, proving it’s possible to keep a filament lit for long periods of time. Then he decided to use carbon because it was cheap and had a high melting point (Mintz 86). He used a fat piece of carbon, but its electrical resistance was only 2 ohms (Mintz 88). Then he made the piece thinner and longer, so the electrical resistance increased to 113 ohms (Mintz 89). Mintz said, â€Å"For example, if the same amount of water was put in a straw and a big water pipe, the pressure of the water in the straw would be a lot more† (90). Electrical resistance works the same way. Because he made the filament smaller, its electrical resistance increased, but it burned out in a few seconds. Finally, he made a filament that gave the best results. He used a piece of carbon, boiled in sugar and alcohol, and then baked in an over. Its electrical resistance was 107 ohms and it lasted 170 hours. Thomas Edison wrote in his diary, â€Å"My light is perfected† (Mintz 90). Thomas Edison created an incandescent light bulb, but now there are many others. One of them is a standard light bulb. It is an incandescent light bulb with 20 inches of filament made by tungsten (a metal discovered in 1912) surrounded by gases. It makes yellow-white light, but its efficiency is only 8%, meaning that only 8% of the electricity input is used to make light. The other 92% is used as heat or is passed to the other end of the filament. A daylight bulb is an incandescent light bulb, but is made to give the color and feel of daylight. It is made of many colors (Burnie 53). A fluorescent bulb works by passing current through a tube, producing ultraviolet radiation. The radiation hits the phosphorous coating, making light through chemical process. The bulb lasts about 10,000 hours. There is also a compact fluorescent bulb. They work like normal fluorescent bulbs, but are smaller and screw into sockets like incandescent light bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs also last about 10,000 hours (Kremer). Another type of bulb is low-pressure sodium lamp. It contains a little sodium, so it takes a few minutes to light up. The light it makes is almost pure yellow. A high-pressure sodium lamp contains sodium and aluminum. It makes pink-blue light. It is very efficient (Burnie 53). Another type of light is LED (light emitting diode). Compared to all the other types of light bulbs, LEDs are very unique and different. They have no filament, have a long life span, produce no heat, are very efficient, and one bulb is less than an inch long and about a centimeter wide. Unfortunately, they are very expensive. For under-the-cabinet lighting in a kitchen, one strip of it costs about $100 (Kremer). Overall, there are many different light bulbs now, and more will be invented in the future. There are many different light bulbs for different uses. Each light bulb can be used in at least one way or another. For example, daylight bulbs are used inside of buildings (Burnie 53). So are incandescent bulbs, fluorescent, compact fluorescent, and LED (Kremer). Low-pressure and high-pressure sodium lamps are used outside. More specifically, low-pressure sodium lamps are used in less populated areas, such as driveways. High-pressure sodium lamps are used in more populated ideas, such as streets. Incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent, and LED bulbs are used in appliances and household objects, such as microwaves, flashlights, and cars (Burnie 53). All these bulbs help us see. Bulbs used inside buildings help us find objects in the night. Street lights make it safer to go bike riding, walk, or drive a car outside when it is dark. Bulbs used in household objects and appliances help us in many ways. For example, the bulb inside a refrigerator enables us to see food. The light in a flashlight helps us see in places where there is no light. All in all, light bulbs have many uses. The invention of the light bulb is very useful and everyone uses it. Without the light bulb, our lives would be very different. We would either have to use candles and risk the chance of fire, or not use candles and not be able to see at all in the night. I think that light bulbs help us every day, day and night, and are less dangerous than fire and candles.

Chinese Civil Service Examination

The Imperial Examination System in Ancient China Abstract: Imperial examination in ancient China was developing based on the nine-rank system. From Sui and Tang dynasties to Guangxu year, Qing dynasty, it took more than 1300 years to evolve. The Imperial Examination is officially called Keju Examination in China, which was an important part of education system of feudal society in ancient China. In the mean time, it was a kind of officer-selecting system as well. It played a significant role in cultivating, selecting, and making use of talents.Modern examination system also takes example by the imperial examinations in ancient China. So we should attach importance to researching and studying it due to its enlightenment to the innovation of education system. Have you ever wondered why there is an examination this kind of stuff which makes students â€Å"suffer† a lot and how it comes about? What is its origin? And how did it develop? Actually, China has a long history in examin ation system. So, I will talk about the imperial examination system in China which has a far-reaching impact to other Asian countries. The establishment of the nine-rank system A certain system cannot be created without foundation and time, it must have an origin, and before the establishment of the system, there must have been a predecessor originating gradually† ——Ch’ ien Mu? Imperial examination did not arise suddenly. Before the imperial examination was created, the nine-rank system was considered to be the precursor of it. According to Ci Hai dictionary, the explanation of the word â€Å"nine-rank system†: At the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Cao Cao was in power, he advocated â€Å"Wei Cai Shi Ju†, which means everyone has an opportunity to be an official as long as he is outstanding enough.In the year 220, Cao Pi adopted Ministry of Personnel, Chen Qun’s suggestion that every prefecture could elect a reputable man to be the â €Å"Zhongzheng† (a kind of official), and the government classified them as nine ranks according to their capability. Cao Pi maintained Cao Cao’s principle that pedigree will not be the prerequisite. According to baike. baidu. com, at the beginning when nine-rank system was established, the criterion for estimating candidates was focused on extraction, morality, and ability. However, with the development of nine-rank system, extraction became the prerequisite, event the sole touchstone.When it came to Western Jin Dynasty, there had been a situation that first-class positions only admitted aristocrats and inferior-class positions only admitted people who didn’t have eminent background. Until the Northern Dynasty, national minority was in charge of the government. So the nine-rank system couldn’t efficiently work as before and became formalistic. Finally, it was abolished because of the lapse of aristocrats by Sui Dynasty. The establishment of Keju System ( The Imperial Examination System) Sui Dynasty: In 589, Sui Wendi (the emperor) set up two subjects of Xiu Cai and Ming Jing.In 606, Sui Yangdi (the next emperor) started to add another subject of Jin Shi. Therefore, it became the mark of the establishment of Keju System. Tang Dynasty: Tang Dynasty carried forward the system from Sui Dynasty practicing Keju System which used the subject of Jin Shi as the dominative way to select dedicates to upper level. Those who hoped to be the officials of the bureaucracy should compete in the Jin Shi exams, which tested their knowledge about the Five Confucian Classics. They are: Title (English)| Title (Chinese)| Brief Description| Classic of Poetry| A collection of 305 poems divided into 160 folk songs, 105 festal songs sung at court ceremonies, and 40 hymns and eulogies sung at sacrifices to gods and ancestral spirits of the royal house. | Book of Documents| | A collection of documents and speeches alleged to have been written by rulers and of ficials of the early Zhou period and before. It is possibly the oldest Chinese narrative, and may date from the 6th century BC. It includes examples of early Chinese prose. | Book of Rites| | Describes ancient rites, social forms and court ceremonies.The version studied today is a re-worked version compiled by scholars in the third century BC rather than the original text, which is said to have been edited by Confucius himself. | Classic of Changes| | Also known as  I Ching  or  Book of Changes. The book contains a  divination  system comparable to Western  geomancy  or the West African system. In  Western  cultures and modern East Asia, it is still widely used for this purpose. | Spring and Autumn Annals| | Also known as  Lin Jing  ( ), a historical record of the state of Lu, Confucius's native state, 722–481 BC, compiled by himself, with mplied condemnation of usurpations, murder, incest, etc. | Graph from Wikipedia.? By the end of Tang Dynasty, the old aristocracy had been supplanted by the scholar-gentry. Song Dynasty: during the Song Dynasty, there were several reformations and the Keju System became more and more mature and consummate. It had reached its summit. The government expanded admission quota and established Provincial Examination, Metropolitan Examination, and Final Imperial Examination. Those exams would be hold triennially. Song Dynasty changed the situation that merchant were discriminated in Sui and Tang Dynasties.Thanks to this policy, many people who were born miserably could have a fair access to higher level of bureaucracy. Ming and Qing Dynasty: The Imperial Examination System reached its final form under Ming Dynasty, and was adopted almost intact by the succeeding Qing dynasty. Metropolitan Examination was holding every three years in Jing Cheng (Beijing), and officials were rotated every three years in order to prevent them from building up a power base. The admission criterion was divided into three levels. The top level included three quotas: Zhuang Yuan, Bang Yan, and Tan Hua.The other levels would enroll several examinees. The subject matter of the examinations was about the Four Books and Five Confucian Classics. The form for an examination paper became the stylized â€Å"eight-legged essay† (Ba Gu Wen), which had eight main headings, used 700 characters or less, and dealt with topics according to a certain set manner. According to www. Newworldencyclopedia. org. ? By 1370, the examinations lasted between 24 and 72 hours, and were conducted in spare, isolated examination rooms; sometimes, however, it was held in cubicles.The small rooms featured two boards which could be placed together to form a bed, or placed on different levels to serve as a desk and chair. In order to obtain objectivity in evaluation, candidates were identified by number rather than name, and examination answers were recopied by a third person before being evaluated to prevent the candidate's han dwriting from being recognized. The examinations were often criticized because the ability to do well on the examination did not necessarily reflect the ability to govern well, and because they gave precedence to style over content and originality of thought.The exam system was abolished in 1905. The rulers realized that in order for the country to survive in the 20th century, they had to abandon the Confucian-classics-based education system, and adopt a Western-type, science-and-technology-based system. How many types of degrees could people get? What were the sorts of those degrees? The sort of degrees can reflect the completeness of Chinese Imperial Examination System. Types of Degree Level 1: District Level First you had to pass the district level exam. There was no degree at this level.The people who passed the district level exam would have the title of Tong Sheng( ). Then you have the qualification to take the prefectural level exam. Level 2a: Prefectural Level People who pas s the prefectural level exam achieved Sheng Yuan( ) degree. The exam was held two times every three years at the capital of the local prefecture. The most outstanding Sheng Yuan could directly be given the Gong Sheng( ) degree. Level 2b With time going on, the government became corrupt and allowed people to buy a Jian Sheng( ) degree.Wealthy people who were too lazy to study or who failed the prefectural level exam bought these degrees to improve their social status. These Jian Sheng had the same qualification to take next level examination. Level 3: Provincial Level People who passed the provincial level exam were awarded the Ju Ren( ) degree. The exam was held at the provincial capital every three years. Very few of the population had this degree. These people where considered upper gentry. Level 4: Metropolitan Level People who passed the metropolitan level exam were awarded the Gong Sheng( )degree.Soon after passing the metropolitan test, the candidate would take the Palace Exam ination and be conferred the Jin Shi( ) degree. The exam was given at Beijing once every three years. What kind of influence does it have? Is it beneficial or detrimental for the social development? The Imperial Examination System was more like a double-edged sword, since it brings the uniformity to the country but reluctance to innovate and change. The advantageous and disadvantageous influence Positive impact * Keju System facilitates traditional Confucian culture popularized and made the society generate a lively, critical, academic environment. From Song dynasty, no matter how humbly the examinees were, they had the equal opportunity to enter a high position in government as other aristocrats had. So this system not only expanded the scope of selecting talents, but also played an important part in maintaining the stability of society. During Ming and Qing dynasty, about half of Jin Shi was born in poor families. * The strict system provided impartial chances to commoners so that government had a good reputation at that time. * As the country who invented examination system, China has been known by other countries in the world.The Keju System is regarded as a cornerstone of other exam patterns. It has a far-reaching impact to East Asia and Western world. From 8th to 10th century, Japan had imitated the Keju System, and so as Korea and Vietnam. In 1855, the civil official examination system was officially established in Britain. â€Å"It is widely acknowledged by Western scholars today that China's imperial examination system exerted direct influence on the modern civil service examination system in the West,† said Li Shiyu, a guest-visitor to the exhibition and researcher with the Institute of History under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.?Negative impact  · Keju system didn’t radically solve the problem that public officials appointed people by favouritism. With strengthen of centralization of authority, Keju System was gradually con trolled by monarch or high-level officials. And the number of enrollees was not enough at all so that people who had relationships with officials could easily slip through and pass the examination. * Keju system cannot help enhance administrative efficiency in its original sense. Because of the complicated bureaucracy set, people who passed the examinations could not adapt the complicacy and put knowledge into practice. It caused people to have a rigescent thought. Most people took the Keju examination just in order to change their family financial condition instead to change the decayed political condition. What they learned could not match the reality well and help a lot so that executive system verged to conservative and closed. With time going on, China gradually lost many chances to innovate. * Many multitudes gave up their jobs, many young males lay their farm land wasted so that they could have plenty of time to prepare for the examinations.To some extent, the crop yield took a hit because of a large number of strong adults wanted to be an official instead of a farmer. Purpose of Imperial Examination System In ancient China, most people lived at the bottom of the society, the only way they could change their destiny was to take Imperial Exams. Since the process of studying for the examination was time-consuming, most male adults had to do farming work during the daytime, but those wealthy land-owning gentries could have plenty of spare time to study. So they became the main candidates for high-ranking government officials.The examination system distributed its prizes according to provincial and prefectural quotas, which meant that imperial officials were recruited from the whole country, in numbers roughly proportional to each province's population. Elite individuals all over China, even in the disadvantaged peripheral regions, had a chance at succeeding in the examinations and achieving the rewards of holding office. In earlier period, it was a fair me thod for commoners to change their social status, however, under some late dynasties the imperial bureaucracy became corrupt, examinations were abolished and official posts were either sold or given as rewards.At these times, the public morale diminished, and some type of reform was often introduced to restore traditional Confucian values in the government. The uniformity of the content of the examinations helped maintain the basic cultural values. Even only few people could pass the exam and finally get title, the preparation for and the hope of eventual success on a subsequent examination sustained the interest of those who took them. Those who failed to pass—most of the andidates at any single examination did not lose wealth or local social standing; as dedicated believers in Confucian orthodoxy, they served, without the benefit of state appointments, as teachers, patrons of the arts, and managers of local projects, such as irrigation works, schools, or charitable foundati ons. With the Imperial examination, the society was in a dense academic atmosphere. After Qing Dynasty collapsed, what is the examination system like? What is its difference or similarity between Western countries and China?The Examination System After 1912 After 1912, soon the Chinese revolutionary league was established. It was led by Sun Zhongshan( considered as the Father of Republic of China). Sun had been studied abroad in Japan and had a very progressive thought. He adopted a lot of excellent western ideas and devoted himself to reform and innovation. Not only in political and economic aspects, but also in education. He zealously sparkplugs western-style education system. A lot of public schools were built. Ordinary people could afford their children to get education.It was a good start in New China. Today, Chinese Communists studying capitalist civil service systems have been making a similar point. Deng Xiaoping has said, in reference to economic reforms, â€Å"It doesn't matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice. † The current Chinese civil service reform (CSR) is an adjunct to the economic reforms begun in 1978. Regional and city governments, as well as a few national ministries, began experimenting with Western civil service techniques (particularly the use of examinations for selection).With the improvement of the education system, the quality of common people is also promoted. With United Nations' help (United Nations Development Program, 1987, 1989), the Chinese have been bringing foreign personnel experts to China and sending Chinese administrators abroad to study Western personnel technology. Although they are studying foreign systems, in the end, they insist that they will adopt a system with distinct â€Å"Chinese characteristics. † If I have more time, I would like explore the western countries’ comments onChinese civil examination and advises; the problems that current Chinese education system has and methods to solve it; the education system in capitalist countries and make a comparison. Work cited: ? Chi’en Mu. Zhong Guo Zheng Zhi Li Dai De Shi. Sheng Huo ·Du Shu ·Xin Zhi San Lian Bookstore Press. 2005. ISBN: 9787108015280 ? http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Four_Books_and_Five_Classics ? http://www. newworldencyclopedia. org/entry/Imperial_Examinations_(Keju) ? Ancient Imperial Exams with Modern Relevance, China. org. cn. Retrieved on August 24, 2007. ? Monique Nagel-Angermann. 2012, Exam time.Calliope, 22, 24-27. ProQuest Research Library. 27 Oct. 2012. ? Miyazaki, Ichisada. China's Examination Hell: The Civil Service Examinations of Imperial China. [1976] reprint 1981. 18 Nov. 2012 ? http://www. kwanfamily. info. Web. 21 Nov, 2012. Site creation date July 6, 2002. ? Nagel-Angermann, Monique. â€Å"Exam Time. † Calliope 2012: 24-7. ProQuest Research Library. 22 Nov. 2012. ? Aufrecht, Steven E. , and Li Siu Bun. â€Å"Reform with Chinese Characteristics: T he Context of Chinese Civil Service Reform. † Public administration review 55. 2 (1995): 175-. ABI/INFORM Complete; ProQuest Research Library. 27 Nov. 2012 .

Holden in “Catcher in the rye ” by J.R Salinger Essay

Holden is a complex person with many conflicting characteristics. He has many ambitions and desires for his life but he is faced with the basic conflict in the story, corruption. This corruption is what drives him and at the same time restricts him Holden’s being surrounded by corruption disgusts him. There are a few main instances in which Holden encounters corruption directly. One type is Stradlater, the ‘secret slob’or Ernie, who ‘performs for the people’. Two that affect Holden very much is his brother D.B. ‘selling out’ to the movies and Pheobe eventually having to grow up. This corruption is very evident in Holden’s life and situation. Corruption is what Holden wants to avoid but can not because he wants to grow up and act like an adult. Drinking, ordering the prostitute, and using money are all things that grownups do but Holden yet still wants to remain innocent. Theses are few of the obvious ironies of Holden’s pers onality. Holden’s utter hate for the fact that we have to grow up and how he ties adulthood with corruption just shows how he has a large problem determining illusion from reality. He doesn’t understand that to grow does not mean to become corrupt but to become wiser through experience. These experiences are what frighten Holden because this boy of sixteen has already been involved in many of the pleasures and problems that come from these experiences. Holden’s ‘catcher in the rye’ analogy shows how he wants to save the children from this corruption but he never will. Holden wants to be the great savior of a helpless cause and does not realize he has fallen into the evil hands of corruption. Holden idolizes Allie is little brother who died. The reason for this idolization is that Allie will never become corrupt. He will always be in Holden’s mind a little boy not affected by the dirty hands of society. Pheobe, on the other hand, will have to enter the world sooner or later and then she too will become corrupt. D.B., though, has already submitted to that corruption by ‘selling out’ to the movies. Holden realizes that D.B. has given his story to the movie business and does not like it because he wanted his brother to continue wr iting the little stories he loved so much. Pheobe, diametrically, has not yet been absorbed by society but is on her way and Holden nor anyone else can stop her. Holden finds corruption in almost everything he sees but does not yet even realize that he too is part of that corrupt world the minute he stopped being a child and wanting to be an adult. By doing many of the things he does he displays a desire to grow up, to act mature, to ultimately blend in with society but he is restricted by his ideals of innocence. The way he orders his drinks, dances with the two ladies in the hotel, and sends his money frivolously shows how Holden has accepted the reality of being an adult but can not come to terms with the fact that all children will also enter Holden’s corrupt society. Holden’s basic description of a corrupt person is a phoney. This characterization is often harsh and unjust to many of the people he attributes this characteristic to. But there are people that Holden does like other than Pheobe and Allie. James Castle, Jane Gallager, the two nuns he spoke to in the coffee shop, and the little child on the curb of the road are a few. James Castle is someone that Holden could possible identify with. He dies because of a refusal to take something back; something that was true. In respect to Jane Gallager Holden could possible be in love with her but does not ask her in fear of her saying ‘no’ but if she says ‘yes’ he would not be able to come through a attribute of adulthood Holden has yet to acquire. Holden has yet to acquire many different aspects of adulthood. This is what keeps his personality in a state of ambiguity. No one knows whether Holden wants to become an adult or stay a child. In my opinion, he wants to continue his life as an adult but a child at heart and mind. By doing this he destroys many incorrupt things that he has yet to experience. Holden’s whole life revolves around the battle of corruption and innocence. This battle, through Holden’s eyes, is one of adulthood verses childhood. this battle is an impossible one an until Holden realizes this he will never leave his land of illusion and adjust to the world.

International Accounting Standards Board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Accounting Standards Board - Essay Example The IASC Foundation is managed by 22 Trustees. The Trustees include highly experienced public and private sector professionals who belong to various parts of the world (IASB, n.d.). The IASC was established in 1973. The goal of IASB is "to provide the world's integrating capital markets with a common language for financial reporting" (IASB, 2008). Main objectives of the IASB, as defined by IASC Foundation constitution, include the following (IAS Plus, 2009): As shown above, IASB is appointed by IASC Foundation (which is appointed by and reports to the Monitoring Board). ISAC Foundation also appoints other advisory bodies that advise IASB on various activities. These include Standards Advisory Council, Working Groups for Major Agenda Projects, and International Financial Reporting Interpretations Committee. IASB develops IFRS using a standard 'due process'. IASC can review the process of standards development during any/ all step(s). The main steps of the process are described below (IASC Foundation, 2006. pp. 8-13): 1. Setting the agenda: The agenda is set with a view to address needs of most of the users of financial statements; mainly the investors. Some factors which are considered include the relevance and reliability of information that can be provided to users, availability or pre-existing guidance on the topic and possible convergence, resource constraints and the expected quality of potential standard. 2. 2. Project planning: At this stage, it is decided whether to do the project alone or as a joint project with other standard setting bodies. The project team is identified, assembled and finalized during this stage of the due process. 3. Development and publication of a discussion paper: Although not mandatory, but IASB usually publish a discussion paper to seek public comments and suggestions on the topic, agenda, and the targets. The comments are analyzed to determine if any improvement can be made. A discussion paper is developed after preliminary research on the topic and similar standards. 4. Development and publication of an exposure draft: Exposure draft development and publication is a mandatory step in the process. The exposure draft is developed after extensive research and details the proposal, agenda, and recommendations for the standard. Once developed, it is published to obtain comments. The comments are then analyzed to make required modification in the standard,

Problem Analysis Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Problem Analysis Report - Essay Example The minute a human being enters and becomes part of an organization, private or public, the interactions that take place within the different individuals is of an imperative stature. The variation that takes place over here is in the kind of interaction that takes place between such individuals. In most of the circumstances the communication or the interaction that takes place is more likely to be based upon the human weakness of bending towards the emotional construct of the human nature that upon the notion of objectivity or fairness. A sycophant is a person who is only concerned and in some cases obsessed with self-interest and utterly survives on the constant flattering of the influential people i.e. people who are either in power or have the possession of wealth. Such a person’s actions are conducted at the expense of his or her self-respect, dignity, and self-esteem – a manner also referred to as obsequiousness. Now the question or the problem that underlies over here is the fundamental query that, what are the stakeholders that are affected by the sycophantic culture? And if this is the case then, to what extent is this culture prevalent in our organizations†¦ For the record, it might not be very astonishing, the fact, if one was to make a statement that the element of sycophancy is present in every single organization of our era – irrespective of any degree of modernity displayed by the organizations. But the question that further arises over here is that how or why did the sycophancy attitude develop in the first place? Is the desire to associate yourself with the icons of power and wealth so strong that it practically fades out the principles of justice and impartiality? â€Å"Sycophantic behavior begins early in the educational system. Criticism is usually unwanted by institutions. The perks, benefits and privileges of power are too important to tolerate criticism, especially anything

Child Exploitation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Child Exploitation - Research Paper Example This will require due process of law, to determine. The man is only a suspect, at the moment, until judgment is passed in a court of law. It is tempting to believe in his guilt, since it is his computer that contains pornographic pictures of Jennifer and other children. This is, however, circumstantial evidence, until he confesses, or there is convincing, admissible testimony against him, or there is overwhelming, admissible evidence. The pornography is incriminating evidence, but we do not know, for a fact, that these are photos or videos which he took and possibly distributed, or whether perhaps his housekeeper or gardener or best buddy used his computer to do so. Perhaps he is being framed by police. Maybe Jennifer has falsified identification that indicates she is not a minor. Maybe Jennifer’s mother vouched for her daughter’s older age and there was no reasonable clue to suggest otherwise. Maybe he checked her driving license and her Facebook account, as well as her personal website, and they all indicated clearly that she was 19 years old. Maybe this man suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder and is unaware of a personality behaving in a criminal manner. Maybe he is profoundly mentally retarded and is not capable of understanding the illegality and consequences of what he did, if indeed he did it. Many things are possible and open to speculation, at the moment. It is easy to assume guilt in a case that triggers emotional shock, horror, and disgust, but this is the type of situation in which the community must wait for a court of law to make an official finding. The underlying assumption, contained in this first question, bears some reflection. Are Jennifer and her mother willing participants? Jennifer is 16. This means that in 31 states, she is old enough to give consent for sexual activity. In 19 states, Jennifer is not a willing participant, because she is

Self Percieved Body Image of Adolescent Girls Essay

Self Percieved Body Image of Adolescent Girls - Essay Example The study will also attempt to identify the ideal perceived body image of each respondent and ascertain how far this is from the individuals’ actual body size and their perception of their own body size. This study was chosen due to the increase of young girls at various youth groups discussing the way they look and feel about themselves, what they eat and do not eat. Also, I personally cannot remember a time in my adult life when I have felt totally happy and secure with my own body image or that of my family and friends, consequently I wanted to determine if this was true of other women and preliminary questioning of my friends suggested that the majority of women also feel this pressure to conform to a stereotypical, and very narrow, ideal of acceptable body shape. The study arouse out of my curiosity of when this phenomena begins in a woman’s life, and by questioning adolescent girls I wanted to discover if their self perception is in any way different to my own. The fact that this is a very emotive issue, and for ethical reasons it was decided that the youngest girls questioned for this particular piece of research would be 14 years of age. At the starting point of the s tudy I felt I did not have enough knowledge of when the issue arises to question younger girls, and did not want to make them prematurely aware of body image issues without any structured support system other than counselors available. From a practice-based perspective this would give further background information to then offer the right support and self esteem workshops to all adolescent girls who make use of the settings in which I work, before embarking on this crusade personal reassurance was needed and that the issue existed. This was done with guidance from the respondents themselves as to what practical measures could be put into place. The methodologies I utilised were those of applied research and action research, where ‘the agenda for the investigation

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Structural Mechanical Faiulre - Case Study Example During construction, certain difficulties came up resulting to a delicate, but flawed change of design. The change intensified the weight on the connection between the walkway tie roads and the support beams carrying the load of the second floor walkway and the fourth floor walkway. This design was not adequate enough to support the weight of the structure, as well as the weight of the spectators (Engineer). The investigations conducted also revealed that the change or alteration of the design by the contractors without consulting the engineers contributed to the structural failure. The failure was brittle in nature since it occurred as a result of one grain boundaries being stronger than the other. Additionally, the collapse of the structure also occurred with no prior deformation on the walkway. However, it is worth noting that the collapse could have been prevented. This could have happened if the contractors could have consulted the engineers of the structure before making changes on the design of structure (Engineer). Therefore, in order to prevent future structural failures of the same, Hyatt Regency walkway structural failure is used as a case study while training engineers and contractors on significance of engineering

The english housel development Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The english housel development - Article Example the beauty and design have to be concordant to each other in such a way that the scheme may explore the needful appearance of the concept in theory1. The relation between Hitchcock and Pugin is that Hitchcock is a critic of building design and he finds Pugin to follow such dimension in his work. The narratives of Pugin are very sensitive in terms of explaining the true sense of functionalism. Such narratives have proven as effective context of understanding design process of functionalism beauty in structures, it is significant to note that the Hitchcock address beholds instruments and the changing circumstances which have conveyed the eligibility of process designing. The criticism that has been put forward by Pugin in his address of functionalism as a process of design critic does not just enhance the limitations and shortcomings but it rather takes a constructive approach to discuss this area of design and aesthetics. On the other hand, Shaw has been critically acclaimed by Muthesius with the usage of sculpture examples in the address. This is fairly different from the approach of Hitchcock who takes a case study approach to solve such aspects2. Thus, it can be said that my personal viewpoint considers the assessment and critical claim of Hitchcock to Pugin’s desi gn is appropriate and worth it as mentioned, â€Å" It is proper to remark that the cluster of pinnacles at A are not carried up for mere ornament, pinnacle at the point of

Negligence Definition Essay Example for Free

Negligence Definition Essay A failure to behave with the level of care that someone of ordinary prudence would have exercised under the same circumstances. The behavior usually consists of actions, but can also consist of omissions when there is some duty to act (e.g., a duty to help victims of ones previous conduct). OVERVIEW Primary factors to consider in ascertaining whether the persons conduct lacks reasonable care are the foreseeable likelihood that the persons conduct will result in harm, the foreseeable severity of harm that may ensue, and the burden of precautions to eliminate or reduce the risk of harm. See Restatement (Third) of Torts: Liability for Physical Harm  § 3 (P.F.D. No. 1, 2005). Negligent conduct may consist of either an act, or an omission to act when there is a duty to do so. See Restatement (Second) of Torts  § 282 (1965). Five elements are required to establish a prima facie case of negligence: the existence of a legal duty to exercise reasonable care; a failure to exercise reasonable care; cause in fact of physical harm by the negligent conduct; physical harm in the form of actual damages; and proximate cause, a showing that the harm is within the scope of liability. Negligence is an actionable tort. This means that if one persons carelessness causes another personal injury, the injured party may sue to recover damages (money) for his or her injuries. The idea that a person can sue for negligence is a relatively new phenomenon, only about a century old. The reason for negligences late recognition is because common law traditionally recognized only intentional torts; that is, it held parties responsible for injuries that were the result of intentional acts. It was irrelevant that the actor did not intend to injure anyone, much less the injured party, but it only needed to be shown that the actor intended the action that caused the injury. In these cases, evidence of who caused what injury was affirmative, direct, and fairly objective. The concept of permitting someone to recover damages for injuries caused by someones lack of action or failure to do something was a revolutionary concept. Since its recognition as an action in tort, negligence has become a major source of very large jury awards. It is the root of all product liability cases. When  people complain about our legal system and the outrageous verdicts being awarded nowadays, they are speaking about negligence. Originally, negligence was recognized by the courts as part of the common law. Over time, as causes of action became more numerous and as damages became larger, various efforts were undertaken to limit the appeal of negligence lawsuits. The doctrine of contributory negligence eventually evolved, in some states, into a system of comparative fault that permitted recovery on a completely relative scale. Thus, in an accident one could be 90 percent at fault for ones own personal injury and still sue to recover the 10 percent of the damages suffered that were caused by the other party.

Cri Du Chat Syndrome And Causes Biology Essay

Cri Du Chat Syndrome And Causes Biology Essay Most cases of Cri-du-chat syndrome are not the result of an inherited problem. Cri-du-chat syndrome result from a deletion in the DNA molecule that makes up a chromosome. In most cases, this chromosome break will occur in the developing egg or sperm. When this gamete is fertilized, the child will develop cri-du-chat syndrome. The parents, however, do not have the break themselves in any of their other cells. In fact, the break is usually such a rare and random event that it is very unlikely to happen again if the parent has another child. Thus affected people typically have no history of the disorder in their family. Nevertheless, it is possible for a child to inherit a broken chromosome from a parent who also had the disorder. About 10 percent of individuals with Cri-du-chat syndrome will inherit the chromosome abnormality from an unaffected parent. In these cases, the parent carries a chromosomal rearrangement called a balanced translocation, in which no genetic material is gained or lost. Balanced translocations usually do not cause any health problems; however, they can become unbalanced as they are passed to the next generation. Children who inherit an unbalanced translocation can have a chromosomal rearrangement with extra or missing genetic material. Individuals with cri-du-chat syndrome who inherit an unbalanced translocation are missing genetic material from the short arm of chromosome 5, which results in the intellectual disability and health problems characteristic of this disorder. It is estimated that most  cri-du-chat syndrome  cases are the result of de novo deletions (about 80%), some derive from a familial rearrangement (12%), and only a few show other rare cytogenetic aberrations, such as mosaicism (3%), rings (2.4%), and de novo translocations (3%). Gene(s) responsible or implicated in the disorder Cri-du-chat syndrome is quite a rare disorder. It was first identified by the geneticist Jerome Lejeune in 1963 who also discovered the genetic abnormality that causes Down syndrome. Cri-du-chat syndrome is the result of a genetic deletion on chromosome 5. It is believed that this disorder is the result of a faulty mechanism during the development of the egg or sperm. Curiously, in 80 percent of the cases, the chromosome carrying the deletion comes from the fathers sperm rather than the mothers egg. When deletions occur during the formation of an egg or sperm, it is caused by unequal recombination during meiosis. Recombination normally occurs between pairs of chromosomes during meiosis while they are lined up at the metaphase plate. If the pairs of chromosomes dont line up correctly, or if the chromosome breaks arent repaired properly, the structure of the chromosome can be altered. When unequal recombination occurs at this location on chromosome 5, it causes cri-du-chat syndrome. Generally, (80-85%) are due to sporadic de novo deletion of 5p (15.3 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬  Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 15.2). Approximately 10-15% of cases are the result of the unequal segregation of the parental translocation in which the 5p monosomy is often accompanied by a trisomic portion of the genome. The phenotypes in these individuals may be more severe than in those with isolated monosomy of 5p because of this additional trisomic portion of the genome. In most cases they involve terminal deletions with 30-60% loss of 5p material. Fewer than 10% of patients have other rare cytogenetic aberrations (eg, interstitial deletions, mosaicisms, rings and de novo translocations).   A minority of cases result from one parent carrying a rearrangement of chromosome 5 called a translocation and passing this on to the baby. The occurrence of mosaicism is also a very rare finding, with frequency estimated at about 3% of patients. Chromosomal mosaicism involves a cell line with a 5p deletion and a cell line with a no rmal karyotype or a 5p deletion with  rearranged cell lines Genotype-phenotype studies in  cri-du-chat syndrome  led to the identification of two separate chromosomal regions, hemizygosity that is associated with specific phenotypes. A deletion of 5p15.3 results in the manifestation of a catlike cry, whereas a deletion of 5p15.2 results in the presentation of the other major clinical features of the syndrome. Moreover, a region for speech delay in 5p15.3 has been identified. Population genetics Cri-du-chat is one of the most common syndromes caused by a chromosomal deletion. It affects between 1 in 20,000 and 1 in 50,000 babies The name of this syndrome is French for cry of the cat, referring to the distinctive cry of children with this disorder. The cry is caused by abnormal larynx development, one of the many symptoms associated with this disorder. It usually becomes less noticeable as the baby gets older, making it difficult for doctors to diagnose cri-du-chat after age two. Cri-du-chat is caused by a deletion (the length of which may vary) on the short arm of chromosome 5. Multiple genes are missing as a result of this deletion, and each may contribute to the symptoms of the disorder. One of the deleted genes known to be involved is TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase). This gene is important during cell division because it helps to keep the tips of chromosomes (telomeres) intact. This disorder does not seem to be influenced by race or age of the mother. However, a significant female predominance is observed in affected newborns, with a male-to-female ratio of 0.72:1. Clinical features Babies with cri-du-chat usually are small at birth, and may have respiratory problems. Often, the larynx doesnt develop correctly, which causes the signature cat-like cry. The characteristic cry is perceptually and acoustically similar to the mewing of kittens. This unusual cry is due to both structural abnormalities of the larynx laryngeal hypoplasia and to CNS dysfunction. The appearance of the laryngeal may be normal or may exhibit a range of anatomical abnormalities such as floppy epiglottis, small larynx, and asymmetric vocal cords. However, the cause of this characteristic cry cannot entirely be ascribed to the larynx. It seems that a problem in the brain development most likely at the cranial base play a role in the development of the signature cry of the syndrome. This cat like cry is not a permanent feature, indeed, it usually disappears over time. Furthermore, distinctive external features are generally present too. Patients may have microcephaly, an unusually round face, widely set eyes, a small chin, folds of skin over the eyes, and a small bridge of the nose. There are also several problems that occur inside the body too. A small number of children are born with heart defects, muscular or skeletal problems, hearing or sight problems, and/or poor muscle tone. As they grow, people with cri-du-chat usually have difficulty walking and talking correctly. They may have behavior problems (such as hyperactivity or aggression), and severe mental retardation. If no major organ defects or other critical medical conditions exist, life expectancy is normal. Indeed, with contemporary interventions, the chance of survival to adulthood is possible. Currently, the mortality rate of cri-du-chat syndrome is 6-8% in the overall population. Pneumonia, congenital heart defects, and respiratory distress syndrome are the most common causes of deat h. Pathogenesis (if known) There is no known risk factors that can contribute to the development of this disorder. Doctors most often identify cri-du-chat by the infants cat-like cry. Other signs are microcephaly, poor muscle tone, and mental retardation. However, it is possible to test for cri-du-chat (and other chromosomal abnormalitites) while the baby is still in the womb. There are two ways of doing so. Doctors can either test a tiny sample of tissue from outside the sac where the baby develops (chorionic villus sampling (CVS)), or test a sample of the amniotic fluid (amniocentesis). Optional: Other important section(s) for your disorder Although there is no real treatment for cri-du-chat syndrome, children with the disorder can go through therapy to improve their language skills, motor skills, and to help them develop as normally as possible.

Piracy in the International Film Sector

Piracy in the International Film Sector â€Å"these days, folks across the world chat a lot more about the excellent exploding market connected with what sort of web piracy improves within the last the recent past, some preceding experiments related to the particular honesty, behavior in addition to digital camera piracy. the research within this report will become by means of exploring the particular movements connected with motion picture market so that you can determine if your motion picture possesses commenced to be able to battle within the the recent past as the fee in addition to ease of piracy specifically the net piracy that will improved amongst people who have many different a long time. the net piracy will certainly divided in what exactly elements are actually helpful to anticipate along with effect the actual accomplishment of videos on this sporadic market, examines motion picture piracy, precisely how this takes place, plus the effects within the motion picture enterprise and lastly examines what exactly aspects of anti-piracy may be employed so that you can beat the actual propagate of piracy along with what exactly the industry may anticipate to accomplish†. â€Å"Within Nov associated with 1903, The truly amazing Coach Robbery grew to be the 1st story movie introduced pertaining to viewers in lots of theaters throughout Nj-new jersey (IMDB, 2008). Since then, the particular movie marketplace has grown in explodes along with range among the most often used pleasurable goods in the us, tugging more substantial viewers as compared to design parks along with main sports put together (MPAA, 2007; Vogel, 1998). Within 2007, the particular world-wide field workplace gross sales achieved $26. 7 billion dollars, a all-time substantial with the marketplace (MPAA, 2007). This kind of expansion in field workplace gross sales has occurred despite the current transfer in this market toward home movie with the advantage along with expansion associated with DISC technologies. At present, home video lessons take into account over 50% associated with studio profits while field workplace profits take into account with regards to 20% associated with studi o profits (MPAA, 2007; Vogel, 1998). Since marketplace received their best world-wide field workplace season previously in 2007 and this solely makes up with regards to 20% associated with profit, it really is obvious how the leisure organization will be thriving†. â€Å"Inside film market there are three methods consciousness may be lifted for that launch of the particular film: advertising by the distributing company, testimonials by critics, and also community word-of-mouth consequences. Together, several consumers help to make his or her binary decision to watch or maybe certainly not watch the actual film while using good quality and also curiosity regarding ads thought of, the actual discourse regarding well known or maybe nearby critics, along with the thoughts of the relatives and buddies with already thought of the actual given film. This cyclical relationship in between success and also consciousness implies that film manufacturers want to have the ideal promotion autos. Advertising and marketing is the just distributor-controlled aspect of the actual advertising clout†. â€Å"Tough unpredictability inside the movie industry of which witout a doubt is available, it seems like there are number of aspects that can produce points more difficult, still before 5 several years this MPAA has commenced to earnestly turn its care about the situation regarding movie piracy. This piracy regarding copyrighted supplies, which includes modified this songs industry since creation regarding Napster, has commenced to look at the obvious toll within the movie industry. At the moment, this MPAA puts most of its initiatives in the direction of anti-piracy action and understanding, showing a particular devotion as to the they will comprehend because major increasing danger towards the movie industry (MPAA, 2005). This 2005 report on piracy with the MPAA simply by LEK Visiting had been a report performed above 1 . 5 years which in turn surveyed 20, six hundred people in 25 places and experimented with approximate earnings losses depending on legitimate movie sale diminis hes because the consequence of fake versions being available. Given that this MPAA accounts the household package company income in with regards to $10 billion dollars and dangerous package company income in $17 billion dollars, this kind of maintain regarding $6. 1 billion dollars is often a massive recommended affect this industry’s achievements†. â€Å"Despite the fact that study on video piracy has become tied to most of the paperwork talked about preceding, a great deal of study has become performed in relation to copyright laws infringement inside songs marketplace. There are various classes to get realized from the battling songs marketplace as caused by piracy: particularly in which safeguard is crucial as well as answering and adjusting piracy in various methods is essential pertaining to intellectual property organizations when they intend on growing. The actual songs marketplace provides modified because of pirating, for instance, the widely used iTunes program permits people to be able to download personal melodies for $. 99. The actual flexibility given with the iTunes technique and also other identical songs accessing products and services get helped steer clear of the multiply associated with piracy. Nonetheless, your songs marketplace provides observed as well as documented the truly great deficits to be able to piracy, specially caused by net piracy as well as P2P hosting space. Despite the fact that a new correlation is available in between piracy pertaining to movies as well as songs, it is important to be aware your differences†. â€Å"In summary, this specific paper is not refuting which piracy is really a considerable dilemma inside the movie sector; this investigator realizes how significant this matter will be. That said, this rising price regarding tickets inside the package workplace shows deficiencies in fiscal work with film distributor’s behalves inside attempting to reduce the number of purchaser cutbacks to piracy. In addition, this impression regarding a myriad of piracy may not be because substantive because proposed by the MPAA, no less than, certainly not regarding this pace in which piracy will be launched. This kind of supports extremely true with regard to cam leaks, the location where the low quality on the video simply may seem to awareness this little movie purchaser . â€Å"Considering cam leaks have been available for 184 on the 185 films inside the Oscar Video Piracy along with Income Dataset, this film sector might want to give attention to battling anti-piracy inside fiscal phrases rather than just attempting to quit this, seeing as that they seem unable to stop piracy worldwide. On the other hand, this MPAA’s concerns with regards to screener leaks may be additional founded operational common sense, along with just before releasing screeners with regards to films film marketers may decide to take into account how not too long ago their own movie opened inside theaters. Needless to say, film marketers are usually loathe to pass by Oscar or Academy Give possibilities, yet the benefit of this esteem along with following involvement in this movie need to be weighed from the considerable chance for profit burning to piracy†. â€Å"References:- Vogel, H.L. (1998). Entertainment industry economics: A guide for financial analysis.New York: Cambridge University Press. Walls, W.D. (2005). Modeling movie success when ‘nobody knows anything’:Conditional stable-distribution analysis of film returns. Journal of Cultural Economics, 29(3), 177-190. Walls, W.D. (2008a). Cross-country analysis of movie piracy. Applied Economics, 40(4-6), 625-632. Walls, W.D. (2008b). Screen wars, star wars, and sequels: Nonparametric reanalysis of movie profitability. Working Paper. Retrieved January 15, 2009, from http://ideas.repec.org/e/pwa195.html#affiliation. Walls, W.D, Harvey, P.J. (2003). Laboratory markets in counterfeit goods: Hong Kong versus Las Vegas. Applied Economics Letters, 10, 883-887. Walls, W.D., Harvey, P.J. (2008). Digital pirates in practice: Analysis of markettransactions in Hong Kong’s pirate software arcades. International Journal of Management, 23(3), 207-216. Waterman, D., Ji, S.W., Rochet, L.R. (2007). Enforcement and control of piracy,copying, and sharing in the movie industry. Review of Industrial Organization,30(4), 255-289†.

The Bolsheviks and the Tragedy of the October Revolution Essay

The Bolsheviks and the Tragedy of the October Revolution The majority of the people are with us. The majority of the working and oppressed people all over the world are with us. Ours is the cause of justice. Our victory is assured."1 "October was a classic coup d'à ©tat, the capture of governmental power by a small minority, carried out-without mass engagement."2 The October Revolution was perhaps the most momentous event of the twentieth century. It led to the creation of the Soviet Union, the first avowedly Communist nation in history, which was to become a global superpower, an inspiration to many, an object of the hatred of many more. Possibly more important was the role the memory of the October Revolution played in the mythology of the Soviet Union throughout its entire existence. Along with the doctrine of Marxism-Leninism and the Communist Party edifice, the legacy of October was one of the pillars upon which the Soviet Union supported itself and justified its form and existence.   " Whatever legitimacy the Soviet regime could once claim, in its own eyes and in that of the outside world," claims Martin Malia, "depended - on the socialist reality of October."3 In the Soviet Union, the October Revolution was officially viewed as the ultimate endorsement of the Communist Party and Marxism-Leninism by the people of Russia.   The toiling masses, achieving class-consciousness in the turmoil of the revolutionary cauldron, placed their vanguard at their head and entrusted it with control of the new Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.   They then defended it against the attacks of the counterrevolutionaries, and would continue to do so until the worldwide socialist revolution, the establishment of global communism, and th... ...dy, 507. 25.   Sukhanov, Russian Revolution, 550. 26.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 64. 27.   Ibid., 63. 28.   Robert Daniels, ed.   A Documentary History of Communism (New York: Random House, 1984), I, 102. 29.   Lenin qtd. in Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 65. 30. Ibid., 63. 31.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 506. 32.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 147. 33.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 464. 34.   Richard Stites, Revolutionary Dreams: Utopian Vision and Experimental Life in the Russian Revolution, (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), 43. 35.   Sukhanov, Russian Revolution, 553 - 555. 36.   Figes, People's Tragedy, 519. 37.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 110. 38.   Ibid., 113. 39.   See Figes, People's Tragedy, 590 - 594. 40.   Daniels, Conscience of the Revolution, 119. 41.   Ibid., 121. 42.   Malia, Soviet Tragedy, 103 - 104.

“Citizens of a kind” :: Essays Papers

â€Å"Citizens of a kind† The following clippings from regional Irish newspapers begin in 1923, soon after the founding of the state, and continue to the present day in chronological order. The premise informing the selection is that Travellers are caught in a dynamic of colonialism – misunderstood by the majority they live amongst, and disadvantaged by their difference. Their situation is comparable, in many instances, to that of gypsies throughout Europe and the indigenous minorities of many ex-colonies. It is no coincidence that attitudes toward Travellers, as evidenced by some of the following clippings, hardened in the decades following the founding of the Irish State in the 1920s. The early years of the republic were difficult economically, and a nationalist ideology of a homogenous, mono-cultural, unquestioningly Catholic united state was perpetuated as a consolation for the loss of privileges enjoyed as part of the Empire. The transfer from colonial to post-colonial status problematised the pla ce of this minority population, and internal tensions surfaced in the absence of a colonial presence to demonise. I have concentrated on papers covering the general West of Ireland / Connacht area (Galway, Mayo and Roscommon), and in particular, articles dealing with Galway, since this is my hometown, and a traditional Traveller stronghold. Most clippings are from the longstanding Connacht Tribune. In a report on a Galway Urban Council meeting entitled â€Å"Nomads in Galway: Citizens fear an epidemic† (Connacht Tribiune 10 Mar. 1923: 5), the old colonial fear of being contaminated by the Other (in fact, a fear of secretly being or becoming the Other) is detectable: Mr J.P. O’Brien wrote on behalf of a number of citizens stating that unless the council took steps to have the gypsies who are camping†¦removed, there was a danger of epidemic breaking out. He pointed out that it was illegal for these people to camp within the urban area. They could camp a quarter of a mile outside the urban area, and then only for a couple of days. The strategy of distancing is implicit in the use of the words ‘gypsy’ and ‘nomad’, which connote that these people are somehow foreign, and most explosively, in the use of ‘gypsy’, that they are actually British. (Within the British Isles, gypsies are from Wales and England only.) The word gypsy is a dispossessing of their Irishness, and it is easier to be cruel to what is constructed as being outside the self in a new state where the ideology of nationalism is uppermost.

Amazon: Online Shopping and Amazon.com Essay

Write a 1-page, single-space, 10-point font case analysis on the Amazon Case making sure to address the following questions: 1. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), how would you rate Jeff Bezos as an entrepreneur? How would you rate him as an IT manager? 2. Trace the evolution of the Amazon.com business from the company’s launch in 1995 to the dot-com collapse in 2000. How did the company’s strategy change over time? How did capabilities evolve? What value did the company deliver to all stakeholders? 3. Do you agree with the decision to pursue the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal? Why did the company do the deal? Should Amazon.com do more deals like this? What impact does the Toys â€Å"R† Us deal have on Amazon.com’s business model in early 2000? 4. As a member of the Amazon.com board of directors in early 2001, what challenges did the company face and what actions would you take? Amazon.com is a global leader in online-retail. The company was founded by Jeff Bezos in Seattle in 1995, during the period of tech boom era of the 1990’s. Since founding as an online bookseller, Amazon.com drastically grown to expand its product offerings, fulfillment, and customer service. This growth required huge investments in technology and processes to support the complex business. Today, Amazon .com sells, or auctions, books, music, videos, toys, videogames, consumer electronics, software, and home products. On a scale of â€Å"1† (Very Poor) to â€Å"5† (Excellent), I would rate Jeff Bezos 5 out of 5 as an entrepreneur. â€Å"Our vision is to be the world’s most consumer-centric company, where customers can come to find anything they want to buy online.†-Jeff Bezos. In 1994, Bezos was already a successful investment banker with estimated six figure salary. Bezos definitely had huge potential to rise in the company ranking but Jeff had a vision driven by a secret desire for the business of electronic retailing. And just four years after Bezos created Amazon.com, the virtual bookstore became the model for how e-commerce businesses should be run. Now there are thousands of online retailer following his steps. Amazon begun on its strong root by starting up the business in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. Other thing Bezos drove Amazon as a very successful entrepreneur is that his decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller and finally a huge online retailer. I would rate Bezos 5 out of 5 as an IT manager as well. The company experienced extraordinary growth during and after the tech boom with customers increasing from 14 million in 1999 to over 20 million in 2000 . But with rising fulfillment costs, the company had not produced profits during these years. The challenge Bezos and Amazon faced was turning the company profitable before cash ran out and operations would have to cease or go bankrupt. In fact, were it not for the $318 million raised through stock options in 1999 and another $680 million borrowed in early 2000, the company surely would have run out of cash. Strengths: Amazon.com strengths begin in its roots. Starting up in Seattle during the dot com bubble meant Amazon.com was entering a new industry from its earliest beginnings. And being located in Seattle meant the company had e-commerce’s top talent and leading experts nearby. The company’s next strength came from its decision to become a business that offered multiple product lines meeting various consumer needs. The talent and industry that Amazon.com was surrounded by made it easy for the company to switch from a bookseller to retailer by utilizing virtual resources versus traditional physical requirements such as store fronts and floor space. The company also created a barrier to entry by being the first large online bookseller. Since its incorporation in 1994, Amazon’s business model had expanded from offering a simple internet marketplace for books to providing web services to online retailers, storage solutions and a dramatically expanded product line. Nevertheless, despite massive sales the company failed to produce a profit for shareholders and Amazon was on the brink of bankruptcy at the beginning of 2001. If I were a shareholder who received the company’s 2000 annual report, I would have strongly agreed with CEO Jeff Bezos that the company must achieve profitability by year-end 2001. I would recommend that the company accomplish this by cutting costs related to fulfillment and inventory and by increasing revenue by capitalizing on the previous year’s investments in infrastructure. While many expenditures in 2000 were related to Amazon’s efforts to implement its strategy for growth, operating costs had also increased. Amazon’s fulfillment costs were 11 11% of sales in 1997 and 1998, increased to 14 14% in 1999. Because e-Commerce was still new and just beginning to establish customer trust, it’s critical that these costs be reduced without negatively impacting quality, speed of delivery or customer service. Because of Amazon’s large scale and repeatable processes, I would recommend a continuous improvement strategy such as lean Six Sigma. Another area of operational cash drain is inventory. After adding multiple new product lines and distribution centers in 2000, inventory management became a challenge for Amazon. In 1999, inventory turnover was 20% that of competitor Barnes and Noble and contributed to negative cash flow in 2000. Amazon would be well advised to use IT technology such as an advanced ERP to better estimate the inventory needed to meet demand without overstocking. In addition to cutting costs, Amazon must increase revenue From its birth in 1994 to the dot com collapse in 2000, Amazon.com implemented a number of changes to its business strategy in attempt to stay on top of the e-commerce industry. Amazon.com started in 1994 as a simple online book retailer. Under this initial strategy, Amazon was receiving all of its revenue from its book sales (sales revenue model), and was  popular because it was the first online retailer to do so. Amazon created value for customers early on by providing a space for customers to purchase a large variety of books in one place, thereby reducing the customers product search drastically from the traditional method of going to brick & mortar book stores. In the early stages, Amazon benefitted from the first mover advantage, and had a dominating market share. This attracted huge investment capital in the late 1990s, and Amazon used this capital to broaden its offerings in order to stay on top of emerging competitors. In 1996, Amazon focused on making the shopping experience on Amazon.com better for its customers. It revved up its browsing and search capabilities, and personalized the whole experience by offering customized layouts and recommendations based on what you had been looking at and purchasing. At this point, Amazon aimed to provide additional value to its customers by providing a personalized shopping experience. By 1998, Amazon started expanding into international markets and new products categories, turning into an online superstore and providing convenience and further reduced search costs to its customers. During 1999, Amazon began exploring complementary business models, such as auctions and marketplaces. Under these models, Amazon did not assume control of the inventory, and as such acted as an agent (generating additional revenues under the brokerage revenue model). In late 2000, Amazon saw additional opportunities to†¦ 1994 : Bezos, a N.Y. investment banker with no book publishing or retail experience, identifies book retailing as an industry segment that could exploit the power of emerging Internet technologies. Chooses Seattle as a location to be close to one of the largest book distributors. Writes the business plan and chooses the company name while driving cross country with his wife. 1995 : Between July 1994, when the company was incorporated, and July 1995 when the Amazon.com online bookstore was officially launched, Bezos and a few employees built the software that powered the website. By September 1995, the company was selling over $20,000 per week out of the founder’s garage. 1996 : Amazon.com focused on enhancing its product and service offerings and capabilities with increasingly sophisticated browsing and focused search capabilities, personalized store layout and recommendations, shopping carts, 1 Click shopping (which was later patented), wish lists, and greeting cards. Efforts to redefine and enhance the online shopping experience continued and, in 1999, Amazon.com was one of the first online retailers to enable shopping through wireless devices. 1997 : By the first quarter of 1997, Amazon.com revenues had increased to $16 million (which was equivalent to the company’s yearly revenues in 1996). Amazon.com went public on May 15, 1997. 1998 : Beginning in 1998, Amazon.com began aggressively expanding into new product categories and into international markets. By early 2001, the company was not just an online bookstore, it was an online superstore selling a wide variety of products in over 160 different countries. 1999 : During 1999, Amazon.com began exploring new business models including, auctions (low-end and high- end) and marketplaces (zShops). For these businesses, Amazon.com provided software and services but did not assume control of inventory. As such, it acted as an agent—not a retailer. 2000

American Psychological Association Essay

Psychology has been defined as the study of human behavior, or a science that deals with mental and emotional processes. The American Psychological Association (2010) defines it as a diverse subject which is grounded in science, having numerous applications in everyday life. Given that any discipline is subject to continuous growth, psychology was not initially termed as a science until the mid nineteenth century. It is therefore a young science compared to other natural sciences which have a long history, but it is growing rapidly. Nevertheless, for it to be a science it must possess some scientific characteristics that describe every discipline termed as such. On the other hand, science is usually described as systematic knowledge derived from study and observation, or a branch of knowledge that systematizes facts, principles and methods. Since the purpose of this essay is to discuss psychology as a science, the integral part will give an insight into some of the characteristics of psychology that qualify it as a science. Studies of Milar, & Fuchs, (2002) indicate that the discipline of psychology has its roots in Germany back in the mid nineteenth century. It resulted from the British and the continental philosophies of mind and advances of research in sensory physiology. Before then, it was only the philosophers who were in pursuit of know how related to the mind and some of its processes. However, a challenge emerged in the late eighteenth century declaring that it was not possible to study mind scientifically. The challenge was eventually overcome in the nineteenth century after the emergence of a possibility of study of mind within the field of philosophy by adoption of experimental methods used to study the physiology of the senses. As a result, the new psychology came about and has continued to grow and develop. Psychologists have contributed greatly not only for the sake of its growth, but also with an aim of maintaining it as a scientific discipline through the employment of scientific methods. Psychology contains some of the characteristics that are common with other sciences. For instance, biology is the study of the living things and physics is the study of the physical world. Similarly, psychology is basically the study of human behavior, a phenomenon that can be observed. Although a number of people argue that some branches of psychology study things that cannot be observed like fear, sciences equally study things such as gravity which cannot be seen and are still considered scientific. The study method used is also very important. Any science utilizes scientific methods in its study. Simond (2008) indicates that since the mid nineteenth century, psychology has been applying scientific methods in the study of the full range of both human and non-human behavior. In addition, its application is scientifically based. Due to its diverse nature, there are many topics in psychology because it is very diverse, but systematic observation is incorporated in all the topics. Objectivity which is a core characteristic of any scientific study, is well incorporated in most of the psychological studies. In any objective study, the researcher does not impose any ideas that may be biased or incorporate elements of his personal beliefs. In most of the psychological studies, psychologists may bring into play laboratory studies which are largely controlled such that they cannot be biased by the researcher’s beliefs. For quite sometime, physiological, cognitive and behavioral approaches have been using objective methods like laboratory experiments. However, it has been argued that an objective and value free study is not actually possible because scientists usually have a preconceived notion and they consider other factors especially during the diagnosis of psychological problems (Simond, 2008). Psychology like other science makes use of theories to explain some psychological phenomena. For instance, there are several personality theories which explain the different personality types. In addition, there are theories that give details concerning the causes of a disorder like schizophrenia. It bears noting that one of these theories explains that schizophrenia is caused by biological factors. Although there are some psychological theories which cannot be tested, some of these theories are found in other sciences are generally accepted. The research done by Lutus (2009) reveals that the role of each science is to develop reasonable explanations known as â€Å"theories describing realities†. Moreover, the justifications are supposed to be based on real evidence which is gathered and evaluated disregarding the feelings or passions of the researcher. In addition, most of the psychological theories that have been tested fit in this category quite well. Although the discipline of psychology is still going through revolution, various studies affirm that psychologists have established various laws and principles which are universally acceptable. For instance, behavior is largely viewed as a product of consequences. Much as it may be argued that it is not very easy to have laws and principles in psychology without the influence of other factors, the same problem affects other natural sciences. Considering the fact that psychology has developed some laws and principles and is still in the process of developing it can be affirmed that it is indeed a science. Simond (2008) states that, whether psychology has ever had paradigm is currently an issue that is raising a lot of debate. From a psychologist’s point of view, the subject had undergone through a number of revolutions such that psychology has had a number of paradigms. Moreover, psychology can be stated as being in a stage of a normal science as its current paradigm is cognitive approach. A keen study of psychology illustrates that although there are some perspectives which may not be scientific, a majority of the outlooks fall under scientific perspectives. On the same note, behavioral, cognitive-developmental, cognitive and physiological approaches fall under scientific perspectives. It is only humanistic and psychodynamic approach which is thought to be slightly idiographic. The social approach is intermediate because it appreciates the role of science in psychology and still incorporates other sociological and environmental factors. All factors put into consideration, the fact is that psychology is a science because it mostly employs scientific approaches. As stated by Simond ‘the issue of psychology as a science is cloudy’ (2008, Para 6). On one hand, it is a science that studies human behavior and all the aspects related to the same such as memory. In the process carrying out these studies, various variables are measured and controlled to a certain point. Laboratories are used to improve the controls and to make them as systematic as possible and as a result, general laws about behavior are formed or established. On the other hand, psychology tends to partially deviate from the scientific perspectives since it does not aim at generalizing human behavior. In some instances, scientific methods are not useful especially where the focus is on individual differences and the experiences that people go through. In some cases, psychology utilizes some methods which are non-scientific such as the case studies as well as the unstructured interviews. Either way it is worth noting that, psychology developed from both scientific and non scientific disciplines which are physiology and philosophy respectively. However, ever since psychology started operating independently, it has always taken the model of the natural sciences. Moreover, it has made numerous contributions in the scientific study of human behavior (Simond, 2008). As depicted by the findings of this paper, it is therefore possible that psychology can be viewed as a science in spite of the fact that it does not concur with some of the traditional scientific specifications. Since it follows the scientific methods which have helped to advance other natural sciences such as physics, chemistry and biology, it qualifies to be termed as a science. In addition, psychology has so many characteristics that are still possessed by other sciences. It equally entails several theories, some of which have been developed in to testable hypothesis. Various laws and principles developed from the psychological studies have been generalized such that they can be applicable in different parts of the world. It however stands out that the issue of referring to psychology as a science is contentious but there is solid evidence to defend it. Word Count 1354 Bibliography: American Psychological Association.(2010). About APA. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www. apa. org/about/ Lutus, P. (2009). Is Psychology a Science? Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://www. arachnoid. com/psychology/index. html Milar, K. , & Fuchs, A. (2002). Psychology as a Science. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://media. wiley. com/product_data/excerpt/01/04713832/0471383201. pdf Simond, M. (2008). Psychology – A Science As Well As an Art. Retrieved June 4, 2010, from http://ezinearticles. com/? Psychology- ¬- ¬- ¬A- ¬Science- ¬As- ¬Well- ¬As- ¬an- ¬Art&id=961082

How does communication device helps students in their studies Essay

Background Over the years as technology keeps improving, more and more people are using it in their daily lives. Over these past few decades, there has been a significant advancement in the field of technology. What is more obvious in the public eyes nowadays is the advancement of communication devices. Communication devices are equipment or hardware designed to move or convey information or data from one place to another. In other words, allowing one person to communicate with another. In the olden days, there is only one form of communication device which is the telephone. At that time, the phones can only be used to make calls or receive them. However, in this modern age, phones can do much more than that. In fact, there are many more sophisticated communication devices available besides phones. Communication devices have evolved over time. Besides making and receiving calls, phones nowadays are equipped with abilities such as taking pictures and connecting to the Internet. Humans have also developed various types of communication devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets and many more. What’s more is that most of these communication devices can access to the internet. Internet is what makes these communication devices flourish. This is because the internet is the most powerful, global data communications system making it the greatest invention of science because of its wide range of benefits and uses in the world today. The biggest benefit of the internet can be found in the educational sector. Educators can obtain learning material from it, prepare courses online and deliver audio and visual information to students. It is a valuable source for referencing material and tool in enhancing their knowledge. Example of one of the most effective and most used form of internet technologies in the educational sector is E-learning. According to (Ove, Salleh & Iahad, 2010): â€Å"E-learning is the use of Information and Communication Technology e.g. Internet, Computer, Mobile phone, Learning Management System (LMS), Televisions, Radios and others to enhance teaching and learning activities. E-learning is a unifying term used to describe the fields of online learning, web-based training and technology delivered instructions.† E-learning is a popular learning approach in higher educational institutions due to the fast growth of internet technology. Nowadays due to the competitive advantage, many universities have implemented E-learnings. By doing so, it left a huge positive impact on the students’ performance. The internet also provides a faster and more efficient ways of communication such as video conferencing, emails and more. With just the click of a mouse a person can be connected to someone who is in another city or even halfway across the world. Distance is erased within seconds and spatial boundaries have come crashing down due to instant messaging services. For a student, information such as the student details, notes, documents and etc. can be transferred instantly from anywhere with the help of internet. Besides that, students can also leave short messages or notification to others by using e-mails. This is both convenient for students, lecturers and also faculty staffs of the university. However, communication devices are needed in order to access to the internet. There is no way to connect to the internet without using communication devices these days. Therefore, this shows the importance of communication devices for people especially in the workplace and educational sectors. Reference: 1. N.D.Oye, Noorminshah A. Iahad, Madar, M. J., NorZairah Ab. Rahim (2012). The impact of E-Learning on students performance in tertiary insitutions. http://www.ijcnwc.org/papers/vol2no22012/2vol2no2.pdf. Accessed on 29th July 2014. 2. Shamsul Arrieya (2012). Student perspectives on M.Learning for local cultural studies in Malaysia. http://www.academia.edu/3129483/Student_perspectives_on_mLearning_for_local_cultural_studies_in_Malaysia. Accessed on 30th July 2014. 3. Computer Hope (2014). Communication devices. http://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/communication-devices.htm. Accessed on 20th July 2014. 4. Teach-ICT (2014) Communication devices. http://www.teach-ict.com/gcse_computing/ocr/211_hardware_software/types_hw/miniweb/pg6.htm. Accessed on 20th July 2014.

Blaxicans and Other Reinvented Americans Essay

In â€Å"Blaxicans† and Other Reinvented Americans,† Richard Rodriguez points out that America has become a place that is fully populated by immigrants from around the world. He asserts that there is no way to assign race names to citizens because everyone can be multiple races. According to Rodriguez, Americans create labels (e. g. Hispanic) in a ridiculous attempt to classify people in the simplest form; a plan doomed to fail. Rodriguez continues by describing his idea of â€Å"ethnicity,† which is ultimately based on the way people act and the things they value. The article describes the way in which all races are intertwined within the country, and within the world. The idea of â€Å"diversity† is also mentioned in the article when discussing the topic of interracial marriages. Rodriguez goes on to describe the false â€Å"Hispanic† category much of this country has fallen into. Ultimately, Rodriguez explains that â€Å"Hispanic† is a term used only in America for colonization purposes. Hispanic is a false idea because upon going to Latin America, one would encounter black Hispanics, white Hispanics, etc.and that is factual. By 2003, Hispanics became the largest minority in the world (whatever that means). Rodriguez goes on to share his views on assimilation: â€Å"ASSIMILATION HAPPENS. † Assimilation is the act of people of different backgrounds viewing themselves as a part of a larger national family. This article acknowledges the vast array of racial possibilities within the world. Rodriguez ends the article by saying he, a man of Mexican descent, is Chinese because he enjoys Chinese culture, and that is how ethnicity should be decided. Vocabulary * incomprehensibly: adv: inarticulately (aimlessly, franticly, confusedly) * mythic: adj: make-believe (storied, imaginary, folkloric) * rind: n: covering (epicarp, hull, husk) * aforementioned: adj: previous; come before (precedent, former, prior) * demythologizing: v: reinterpret a subject or text * mulatto: n: a person of mixed white and black ancestry Rhetorical Strategies * Anecdote: â€Å"On his interview show, Bill Moyers once asked me how I thought of myself. As an American? Or Hispanic? I answered that I am Chinese, and that is because I live in a Chinese city and because I want to be Chinese. † (paragraph 19) * Paradox: â€Å"I come to you as Chinese. Unless you understand that I am Chinese, then you have not understood anything I have said. † (paragraph 25) * Imagery: â€Å"My eye has taken on that palette, has come to prefer lime green and rose reds and all the inventions o this Chinese Mediterranean. † (paragraph 19).

The Roll of Ethics In Public Administration Research Paper

The Roll of Ethics In Public Administration - Research Paper Example This paper declares that from the case of Enron to the case of Lehman Brothers, corporate ethics, namely the disregard for them, have been a pervasive theme of the past several years. However, in all of the discussion of insider trading or purposefully ignoring standards for the financial sector, little attention is paid toward the public sector and the means through which high ethical standards must necessarily be engaged. As such, this brief analysis will focus upon the public sector and the need for ethics that it necessarily engenders. Recent cases of poor ethics within the public sector have resulted in a great loss of efficiency and/or public trust; which thereby correlates to a decrease in the functions or usefulness of these public entities. As a result of all of these reasons, regaining public trust through demonstrating high ethical standards is a core requirement that all publicly administered organizations must engage. It is the hope of this author that the discussion tha t will be forthcoming will underscore this need and seek to provide solutions and proscriptive change for the way in which this might be handled. As the paper highlights that the history of public trust dates as far back as public institutions themselves. Sadly, for much of this history, public organizations have been seen as corrupt and inefficient; at least as compared to their private counterparts. Beyond merely an unfair level of characterization, the underlying rational for this has traditionally been the fact that publicly administered organizations have a seemingly endless supply of resources. Due to this characterization, individuals incorrectly attribute this to mean that public administered organizations are inherently unethical and become wasteful and unscrupulous with the resources that they are charged with. Regardless of the standards that might exists, this is still a pervasive view that is held by many stakeholders; and likely one that is not set to change anytime in the very near future.  

Female Designers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Female Designers - Essay Example In the light of this information, there is a final reflection on my own views on being female and how this affects art production in general, and my own work and career in particular. In Western Culture most classical art has come down to us without any secure artist names attached to it, and so we cannot be sure if, for example Greek statues or Roman mosaics were designed and constructed by women. The likelihood is, however, that the vast majority of artistic items were made by men, because we know that men received a much superior education in literature, art and music, while women were trained for domestic labor and useful craft activities like weaving and needlework . Our mythologies reflect a hierarchy in which the male is the artist and the female is the muse, for example in the Greek myth of Pygmalion where the woman is perceived as a â€Å"blank page† upon which the powerful male writes his desires (Gubar, 1981, 243-246). In the Middle Ages and Renaissance the high pre stige art continued to be done by men, with a few notable exceptions, and the issue here is still that of access to training and materials which is reserved for sons and not daughters. Scholars have noted that by the nineteenth century the forces of â€Å"capitalism, patriarchy and racism† (Cherry, 1993, 11) conspired to make it difficult, but not impossible, for women to become competent professional artists. Because women artists are so few, it is tempting to analyse them as a single category and look for common features that define â€Å"female art† but in fact this does female artists a disservice. If we look with an open mind we will see that they are heterogeneous, innovative and they have engaged in many diverse types of art with different motivations, just like men. Gubar cites Frida Kahlo, â€Å"who presents herself as bound by red cords †¦ is a painter whose tragic physical problems contributed to her feeling wounded, pierced and bleeding† (while Cherry notes the affinity of late nineteenth century female artists in London with the suffragette movement. (Cherry, 1993, 95) For many women artists, their work has provided an avenue to express an alternative reality to the restrictive roles that men have seen fit to allow them. It has been a transformative force in their lives and it is in this light that I consider the Iraqi/British architect and designer Zaha Hadid. Zaha Hadid was born in 1950 to a fairly wealthy Muslim family in Iraq. Her academic career started with studies in Mathematics in Beirut and moved to London where she qualified as an architect. (Encyclopedia of World Biography website, no date). Her work is inspired by a variety of very different sources including ancient Sumerian buildings, Frank Lloyd Wright in American, and an interest in mathematical concepts, as can be seen for example in her her first major work, which was a fire station in Germany with many irregular angles, a feature that she has used in ot her buildings too. It seems that Hadid has chosen to put aside the expectations of tradition, not just in terms of the expectation that a Muslim woman should not aspire to be a successful architect, but also in terms of the parameters for using angles and spaces. Her later, even more famous design of the Cardiff Bay Opera House was rejected and stalled several times before it was finally built.

Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hank Aaron or Barry Bonds - Essay Example Bonds did smack five homers in 42 at bats in a cameo return in September, increasing his career total to 708, seven short of surpassing Ruth as the most prolific lefthanded power hitter ever. Bonds, 41, vowed to play next season with a slimmer physique to reduce the wear on his body. His first test drive will be as a DH in the World Baseball Classic in March. Given his age and surgical history, the condition of his knees appears to be the only thing keeping the Giants' leftfielder from slugging his 756th homer and overtaking Hank Aaron's alltime record by June 2007. Major League Baseball will be conflicted about how to celebrate Bonds's eclipsing Ruth. Scores of security agents will patrol the outfield seats to verify possession of the 715 ball. Should it occur on the road, pockets of fans will boo. Whatever ceremony is staged will be muted because of Bonds's connection with BALCO. The occasion will take place without the commissioner of baseball, who will claim no obligation to be on hand for a player securing second place on an alltime list. The top spot will be a different story, forcing Bud Selig to attend, where he will applaud politely. Send his butt to first. Don't even think about pitching to him. I don't care if no one's on base. Let's not have him beat us in the first inning. I'd rather have him on first with the bases loaded than those guys out there in the water fighting over a ball. And so it goes with Barry ... In turn, the hostility between Barry and the media is real - as real as his feared black bat, as real as his rock-hard body, as real as his focus to do his job without regard to what anyone says about him. Bonds' Godfather Willie Mays says, "He thinks no one likes him." Mays and Barry are total opposites. During his career, Mays was an engaging personality, but he could be mean as the devil to reporters he didn't like, and those he didn't trust. In that respect, he shares a common bond with his godson, who in July will turn 40 years of age. This season, Barry is sitting on 10 homeruns, 28 runs scored, 27 hits, 22 RBI and an .818 slugging percentage - tops in all of baseball. In 33 games, he's had 77 batting attempts, 56 of them walks. Absolutely every manager in baseball has taken the bat out of his hand. He's a patient one at the plate, so he's not going fishing. Let's go back to the Mark McGwire year of 1998 when Mark hit a MLB record-busting 70 homeruns. If you dissect that season you will discover a raw number of pitchers who threw batting practice pitches to Mark as he surged towards the record. It was like, here comes a fast one down the middle. It was almost the same with Sammy Sosa, one of baseball's most popular players. No such thing for Bonds, however. Hardly anyone wants to see him past Babe. And another thing, virtually every time there is talk of Barry and the record, it's always, "Will he pass Ruth" The hell with Ruth; Bonds is chasing Aaron. The Babe is only in the way. In one game earlier this season, Barry drew four intentional walks to first base. He's without question the greatest player of his time, and arguably the greatest player of all time. A six-time MVP, no one

Health Care Bill and Impact on the Community Essay

Health Care Bill and Impact on the Community - Essay Example Health care policy is challenging and dynamic in nature with tremendous changes taking place since the beginning of the 21st century to address increased disparities in health care, escalating costs of health care, changing population, advancement in medical technology, inequalities in health care access, and public and private health care financing growth. In terms of policy-making, nurses and other members of the health care team are mistakenly viewed as not having the necessary knowledge and skills required in the legislative arena; contrary, nurses and other members of the health care team act an advocacy role in policies, laws, or regulations governing the larger health care system (Abood, 2007, 1). Nurses are the first to see the impact of a certain policy to meeting the needs of the patients. If nurses have the advocacy role, the House of Representatives and the Senate House act the legislative roles and are responsible for the propositions of bills or acts concerning health c are. One of the examples of current bill in the U.S. health care system is the H.R.2 Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act. This will be discussed in detail in the next section. In addition, the paper will also discuss the interest groups for/against the bill, the potential impact in the community and who will be affected, and the personal opinion of the author on the bill. H.R.2 Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act The H.R.2 Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act was read on the second time and placed on the calendar of the 112th Congress of the Senate of the United States on January 26, 2011. This act aims to repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 under the Sec.2. (a) of the bill which states that â€Å"Effective as of the enactment of Public Law 111–148, such Act is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revive d as if such Act had not been enacted† (The Library of Congress, 2012, 1). The Obamacare or the Health Care Bill of Obama administration is viewed by many as a job-killing bill; meaning, a reduction in health care costs and improvement in health accessibility would result in significant job losses in the U.S. economy. On the other note, repealing the bill would mean loss of benefits of some Americans including insurance reforms that allow parents to keep children on their plans until the age of 26 and prohibition of insurers from imposing lifetime limits on coverage. The introduction of the bill to the House of Representatives received a number of support and protests. Interest groups supporting the repealing of the health care bill include the Republican Congress, economists, financial groups, and employers. Repealing the health care bill supporters claimed that the health care bill will transfer one-sixth of the U.S. economy into the hands of the politicians and agency burea ucrats and that the health care bill have done little to address the problems. Worst, the health care b