Saturday, August 31, 2019

Injury Compensation

Workplace injury causes remarkable loss to individual workers, their families, the community, and society. This loss is not only physical and financial, but also psychological and emotional. The prevention and compensation of workplace injury have thus been important issues for both academia and policy-makers. The purpose of The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada, written by Bob Barnetson, is to study how the Canadian government averts and compensates workplace injury, as well as who profits, and how.The first four chapters of the book present study of government’s injury-prevention efforts. The author deduces that the current injury-prevention strategies taken by employers and government are not valuable, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws not succeed to make workplaces more safe, and employers are able to shift costs to workers through injury. The next three chapters of the book analyzes the compensation injury system in workplaces in Canada and reach es the conclusion that workers’ compensation does not fully reimburse workers for their injuries.Chapter five describes how workers' compensation in Canada came to be, and how it theoretically benefits the employers, workers, and the government. Chapter six discusses the inclination of workers’ compensation boards to limit benefit entitlements and therefore employer costs. Chapter seven investigates how workers’ compensation is used to deal with workers and to limit worker power. The book concludes with Chapter eight.The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada doesn’t merely tell us that workers compensation doesn’t really help workers; it tells us why it doesn’t help and, even more importantly, how come no one fixes it? Mr. Barnetson states in his book, that in most cases, a â€Å"disturbing pattern of bias against workers emerges (Barnetson, 2010, p. 154). † Thousands of Canadian families have been thrown into poverty by sys tem that denies them support. The Worker's Compensation system. One of the strengths of this book, is that Mr.Barnetson does not draw any analytical punches. Writing within a traditional Marxist framework, Mr. Barnetson is able to locate both occupational health and safety and workers' compensation laws and regulations that result from class compromise. This would be: at the turn of the 20th century an increasing number of workplace accidents were initiating dissatisfaction with the productions systems in place. This unhappiness threatened to explode into the political arena and therefore endangered the legitimacy of the Canadian capitalist system.So, the provincial governments began passing ‘workmen's compensation' laws. These laws were to shift attention away from the unsafe and unhealthy labour processes that caused these accidents and injuries while representing a real victory for injured workers and their supporters. Also, they were used â€Å"to put in place a compensat ion adjudication process that spread out accidents and injury such that the causes of accidents were obscured and normalized while injured workers were left to confront a system that individualized and depoliticized their claims (Storey, 2012, p. ). † However, there is one noteworthy criticism. There are places in the book where Professor Barnetson tends to extrapolate or simplify based off one experience in Alberta, or a single study from Ontario or Quebec. It must be understood that there are significant differences between provincial occupational health and safety and workers' compensation legal systems. This does not mean that it is believed that Mr. Barnetson is unaware of such difference.It is to say, though, that keeping dissimilarities in mind can be of highest importance as is the case in the current context. For example, â€Å"the Ontario government and its workers' compensation board are using the financial status of a number of western Canadian workers' compensati on boards to justify fundamental changes in its funding formulae; changes that injured worker advocates claim will have a devastating effect on the level and duration of benefits awarded to injured workers (Storey, 2012, p. ). † Lastly, in his efforts to be all-inclusive in his analysis of the political economy of workplace injury in Canada, it is felt that Professor Barnetson moves along so quickly that it feels like he may lose his audience. If we are to believe his point that injured workers are a minor group who are unable to make specific changes that will better the system, then it is crucial that exercises in political education, are patient with their readers' efforts, in order to grasp the root of the concept.Bibliography Song, X. (2012). The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada (review). Canadian Public Policy38(1), 115-116. University of Toronto Press. Retrieved October 8, 2012, from Project MUSE database. Storey, Robert. (2012, March 22). Bob Barnetson, The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada The Free Library. (2012). Retrieved October 07, 2012 from http://www. thefreelibrary. com/Bob Barnetson, The Political Economy of Workplace Injury in Canada. -a0298292679

Friday, August 30, 2019

Self Destruction In Dr Faustus And Macbeth English Literature Essay

In the unsafe kingdoms of Renaissance supernatural belief, ‘He who walketh in darkness knoweth non whither he goeth ‘ ( 4 Cosin ) . During the sixteenth and 17th centuries, Europe was possessed by an intense, unfortunate fright of malcifium, the menace of enchantresss, devils and the Devil himself. Infiltrating every country of life, no minute was free from possible contact with these awful animals, which were accepted as non merely endangering but a existent phenomenon. The demand to derive control over this devilish, apparently unstoppable force, led to the publication of plants such as The Malleus Maleficarum ( 1487 ) and Daemonologie ( 1597 ) , which non merely catalogued the supernatural menace, but besides questioned the relationship between worlds and the Devil. Beneath the absolute belief of the being of these malicious existences, these plants speak strongly about our ain destructiveness, leting a relation between the fright of the paranormal and the fright of th e unknown, potentially destructive possibilities the Renaissance ushered into Europe. Given the societal centrality of the supernatural, it is unsurprising that when such animals debuted upon the phase, the play they haunted became cardinal in the commotion of horror, craze and machination. The Tragic History of Dr Faustus and The Tragedy of Macbeth, written by Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare severally, present two supporters who embody the powerful self-government of Men exposed to the luring possibilities of the Renaissance. Marlowe and Shakespeare were consciously cognizant of the province of panic environing the supernatural, but besides the ‘burgeoning enthusiasm of the period about humanity and its powers ‘ ( 3 Mebane ) . However, due to the heavy haze of superstitious notion that bewitched the common modern-day head, the supernatural elements in these dramas overshadowed the psychological geographic expedition of the vague parts of adult male. It is hence necessary to follow the form between the subjective every bit good as the nonsubjec tive immorality within the dramas to find the nature of Macbeth and Faustus ‘ self-construed devastation. Clark argues that because ordinary work forces and adult females interpreted misfortune as being caused by witchery, they were distracted from ‘the existent significance of their affliction ‘ ( 450 ) which was ‘the duty for events ‘ ( 450 ) . Therefore this essay will seek to find Faustus ‘ and Macbeth ‘s personal duty for their ain ruin, admiting both modern-day and modern positions. The ageless commotion of supernatural beliefs, brushs and frights kept societies of the Renaissance period suspended on the border of the boundary line between world and the occult. After digesting monarchal turbulency and the destructive effects of the Reformation, the 1580s to the 1600s in England were characterised by warring spiritual and political cabals, economic adversity and menace of foreign invasions, apparent in events such as the executing of Mary Queen of Scots in 1587 and the subsequent launch of the Spanish Armada in 1588. King James I, who experienced the reverberations of these events foremost manus, attributed his bad luck to the intercession of the Devil and witchery. Following his engagement in the North Berwick Witch Trials of 1590, he wrote the Daemonologie ( 1597 ) which reinforced the resoluteness of The Malleus Maleficarum ( 1487 ) that the fallibility of adult male was mostly to fault for the presence of evil due to God ‘s determination to let worlds s elf-determination, indicating to the duty of adult male. The innovation and rapid development of the publishing imperativeness from 1440 onwards meant that the circulation of thoughts and theories around Europe expanded vastly, opening up a new sphere of cognition to be explored. Maxwell-Stuart argues that the character of the Reformation was in many ways destructive, due to the crashing of spiritual ideals ( 115 ) . When using this expression to the Renaissance character, there is a similar destructive result. The ardent pursuit of cognition that enticed ungratified work forces beyond the ‘lawfull artes of scientific disciplines ‘ ( 10 James VI ) , meant that they succumbed to ‘the slipperie and uncertaine graduated table of curiousitie ‘ ( 10 James VI ) , taking them, in modern-day eyes, to the Devil. The Faust fable, in which a work forces sells his psyche to the Satan to capture this infinite cognition and power, is hence the perfect frame in which to capture the self-construed ruin of an ambitious character. Sh akespeare, on the other manus, drew inspiration from the Scots fable of King Macbeth. As the Scots monarchal line had ne'er been broken by foreign invasion, unlike England, the Crown was the prototype of power in Scotland. Apparently written to blandish James I, who was rumoured to be a descendent of Banquo, Shakespeare draws on the history of Scots male monarchs in order to underscore the magnitude of the power that tempts Macbeth. The gradual soaking up of Scotland into England with the combined monarchy of James I resonated with already bing frights of the unknown that society contributed to the Devil and his work. Before we can look at Dr Faustus, we must admit the disparity between the 1604 and 1616 publications. The bulk of grounds points to 1588 as the day of the month of the first production ( 282 Summers ) , but the drama was non published until more than a decennary subsequently. Nicholas Brooke argues that ‘The 1616 text is the nearer to what Marlowe wrote, and it retains more to the full the Morality drama characteristics which distinguish Faustus ‘ ( 94 ) . This statement is relevant to the subject of self devastation as it links to the thought of self-government. In the A text, a cardinal line reads: ‘never excessively tardily, if Faustus can atone ‘ , whereas in the B text it is changed to: ‘never excessively tardily, if Faustus will atone ‘ . The early version suggests Faustus is subjective to the outside forces, while the ulterior version suggests it is Faustus ‘ pick if he will atone. However this dissension is utile as it echoes the conf licting positions of modern-day audiences with modern twenty-four hours critics, and is something this essay will turn to. -Maybe travel this paragraph to earlier in the essay? Renaissance Christianity classified the Devil as the great adversary of God, alongside hosts of devils and enchantresss who worked jointly for ‘the self same generall ende, of scoring mankinde ‘ ( 2 Cosin ) . He is besides ‘the incarnation of an excessive pride, which led to his noncompliance and autumn ‘ ( 43 Maxwell-Stuart ) . The Devil is, hence, an of import figure, as his ‘overweening pride ‘ and fall relates to this destructive character, and is therefore an interesting psychological symbol to compare with Faustus and Macbeth. Yet, inquiries refering the echt power that the Devil had over human existences perplexed modern-day theologists: ‘were such visual aspects simply semblance, and if so, was the semblance created by him ‘ ( 68 Maxwell-Stuart ) . The portraiture of the Devil ‘s work upon the phase addresses this inquiry – the theater demands that we believe things that are non existent, yet the violent belief in t he world and the ocular devastation of these work forces speaks strongly to our ain, built-in destructiveness. In Dr Faustus, it is the treaty that binds Faustus to Mephastophilis, nevertheless all the needed elements to seal the treaty must be completed by Faustus. ( sentence needs a spot of tweaking ) Mephistopheles repetitively assures Faustus of the importance of his engagement: ‘But Faustus, 1000 must will it solemnly, / And compose a title of gift with thine ain blood ‘ ( 34-35: 5 ) . The accent on ‘thou must ‘ and ‘thine ain blood ‘ underscores Faustus ‘ lone duty, while the ‘deed of gift ‘ explicitly implicates Faustus in the act of giving his psyche, instead than it being taken by Mephistopheles. It is possible that Mephistopheles is pull stringsing Faustus, nevertheless Faustus ‘ chesty attitude surpasses any effort of Mephistopheles: ‘Faustus: What God can ache thee, Faustus? ‘ ( 25 ) Yet beliefs at the clip would hold suggested otherwise. Kramer and Sprenger, writers of The Malleus Maleficarum, determined that the Satan could non impact ‘natural actions, such as feeding, walking and standing ‘ ( 127 ) , nevertheless he could ‘affect the interior illusion, and darken the apprehension ‘ ( 123 ) , proposing Faustus ‘ desires may hold been heightened, as is seeable through the evil angel ‘s reminders of the wealth and power that awaits Faustus. This is evocative of the nature of the prognostications in Macbeth. Many readings of the prognostication were go arounding Europe at the clip, nevertheless the Daemonologie stated that the ‘Prophecie proceedeth onelie of GOD: and the Devill hath no cognition of things to come ‘ ( 3 James VI ) . One supposed power of the Satan was to engraft ideas by manner of seduction. If we consider the pretension of prognostication may hold been used in order to impact Macbeth ‘s ‘inner illusion ‘ , so we can see how the prognostication may hold been used non as a anticipation but as an evil tool. Furthermore, while the prognostications are spoken with supernatural presence, when they come to go through it is in non-supernatural fortunes. For illustration, Macbeth believes that he shall ne'er be threatened until ‘Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill/Shall come against him ‘ ( 92-93: Act 4 Scene 2 ) . However the wood does travel but merely as the soldi ers of Macduff use the subdivisions from the trees as camouflage. One the other manus, the Devil ‘s presence is ever alluded to: ‘Banquo: What, can the devil speak true? ‘ ( 108: Act I Scene III ) . Therefore, if the audience believes the Devil is at that place, so he will be, as demonstrated in the reported visual aspect of excess Satans upon the phase in public presentations of Dr Faustus. The metaphysical universe of immorality is merely seeable when the audience are removed from the haze of craze and fright that ruled them in modern-day times. Nicholas Brooke argued that: ‘On the one manus, supernatural manifestations are external to adult male ; on the other they are partially suggested as nonsubjective realisations of psychological struggle ‘ ( 93 ) . While this complicates affairs, it acknowledges both the beliefs of the modern-day audience and alerts us to Shakespeare ‘s appreciation of psychological projection. We must see so, the personality and scruples of Macbeth and Faustus. The thought that the bad lucks allegedly brought by witchery were chiefly a affair for the scruples was dominant among the Protestant curates of early modern Europe ( 445 Clark ) . Machiavelli held pessimistic positions about the nature of adult male, claiming that all work forces were inherently evil, and this claim has survived until modern times, with Eliot asseverating that ‘we are all, of course, impure ‘ ( 103 ) . It is difficult to state if Macbeth would hold committed the slaying had the thought non been implanted, yet the fact he goes on to slay Banquo and Macduff ‘s household demonstrates an evil run that would non be present in a moral adult male. Furthermore, the legion mentions to Macbeth ‘s aspiration demo his duty: ‘I have no spur/ To prick the sides of my purpose, but only/ Vaulting aspiration ‘ ( 25-27: Act I Scene 7 ) . He has nil to halt him from his homicidal p urposes, once more underscoring his deficiency of ethical motives, and has merely his aspiration to drive him on. However, his scruples is profoundly affected by his slayings, as evident in the visual aspect of Banquo: ‘Thy castanetss are marrowlesse, thy blood is cold: / Thou hast no guess in those eyes/ Which thou dost blaze with ‘ ( REFERENCE ) . Again frequently considered to be an objectification of Macbeth ‘s guilt, the deficiency of ‘speculation ‘ in Banquo ‘s eyes to the full hold Macbeth responsible for his slaying. Furthermore, the perturbation of Macbeth ‘s mental province emphasises the extent of guilt he feels, proposing he besides realises the entireness of his duty in his eventual destruction.- This all seems to suit in truly good with the paragraph stoping ‘ambition to drive him on'- Maybe intergrate them or at least set this one heterosexual after? Modern critics mostly take the position that the enchantresss are: ‘nothing more than the objectification upon the phase of Macbeth ‘s evil passions and desires ‘ ( 397 W. Curry ) . Macbeth observes them vanishing and exclaims: ‘Into the air ; and what seemed corporal/ melted, / As breath into the air current. Would they had stayed! ‘ ( 81-83: Act I Scene III ) . Their unsubstantial signifier and the simile ‘as breath into the air current ‘ represent the fleeting ideas within Macbeth ‘s head, the deep whirl of possibility that has struck him at this precise minute. On modern-day phases, the disappearing of the Witches may hold been hard to show in this manner, nevertheless in the book we can see the imitation of idea. The repeat of ‘All hail, Macbeth ‘ ( 54 -58: Act I, Scene III ) echoes the resonance of the possibility within Macbeth ‘s head. Montague Summers provinces: ‘They are non agents of immorality, they a re evil ‘ ( 287 ) , hence if the Witches are contemplations of Macbeth ‘s head, we must assume his personality is besides evil. Similarly to Macbeth and the enchantresss, we could reason that the Good and Evil angels are merely objectifications of Faustus ‘ scruples and personality. The incarnation of his scruples upon the phase would expose to a modern-day audience a conflict between adult male and immorality, to modern audiences it shows a battle with the ego, one which Faustus rapidly looses. He states that it is non merely the words of Valdes and Cornelius that have persuaded him to rehearse the dark humanistic disciplines, but ‘mine ain phantasy ‘ ( 103: 1 ) . Eliot argued for the ‘alarming importance ‘ ( 96 ) of personality. He surmises that ‘strong passion is merely interesting or important in strong work forces ; those who abandon themselves without opposition to exhilarations which tend to strip them of ground, go merely instruments of feeling and free their humanity ‘ ( 97 ) . This is the instance with Faustus and Macbeth, who separately abandon all oppositi on to their desires, non because of the Devil, but because of their ‘strong passion ‘ . Contemporary histories of Marlowe ‘s decease vary greatly yet are all belittling. Thomas Beard remarked that Marlowe died as a consequence of his profane furies, stating ‘He even cursed and blasphemed to his last gaspe ‘ ( 11 ) . Marlowe was besides likened to the Satan, with his decease being described as him holding ‘yielded up his stinking breath ‘ ( 12 Meres ) , about as though he had been exorcised. However, as the supernatural belief that grasped England began to loosen, the superstitious notion was stripped back from his individual and he was appreciated as a complex and misunderstood author. Faustus was besides studied as an person instead than an agent of immorality. Faustus besides began to have the same intervention. Later critics began to look at Faustus as an person, instead than a despicable misbeliever. William Hazlitt radius of ‘the freshness of the imaginativeness ‘ ( 17 ) , and while his lecherousness for power is still ackn owledged, it is understood in the context of a adult male whose ‘unhallowed wonder ‘ ( 16 Drake ) spurred him to the border of the huge abysm of the unknown that the Renaissance civilization of cognition ushered in. We can understand hence understand Faustus suicide as a merchandise of the race to get rid of the unknown. Macbeth has non been given the same intervention, as his homicidal workss mark a disturbed character instead than one of despairing wonder. Yet, like Faustus, he does embody †Everyman ‘ ( 24 Ellis-Fermour ) , as he is driven by the destructive forces of the pandemonium that marred Shakespeare ‘s clip, that potentially could impact anyone with a desire for power.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

A Farewell Of Arms, By Ernest Hemingway Essay World War II, World War

Throughout the novel, Ernest Hemingway demonstrates the true horrors and realities of the Great War. At the beginning of the novel, many individuals in the Italian army despise the Great War and its primary objectives, believing that it is not only unnecessary but also unjust. In addition the impact of the war is illustrated when an American soldier decides to take the truss off of his hernia in order to avoid fighting at the front lines. Furthermore, as the war continues to expand and intensify, Rinaldi, a proficient Italian surgeon is significantly affected as he is about his medals, war wounds as well as the promotion that he is about to obtain. Ettore further encourages Henry to join the American army, since it will compensate him much more than the Italian army. Moretti’s moral values are shown in his reasoning for joining the American army since he would rather serve in an army that pays him more for his services. Henry’s own experiences of the Great War ch anges his perspectives and attitudes, leaving him to feel lonely, disgusted as well as disconnected for participating in a warfare that destroys and kills countless of innocent people.Consequently, Ernest Hemingway portrays the First World War as meaningless, gruesome and destructive, which causes detrimental impacts on many individuals physically, morally as well as mentally. He demonstrates that war is senseless and brutal, inflicting mental and physical damage to

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Business decision making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Business decision making - Essay Example In order to attain this aim, the paper will seek to attain the following objectives: HealthJuz is a naturally formulated juice drink that will be made in four different flavours including orange, guava, apple and pear. These different fruits will be blended naturally, extracted and made available to consumers in different parts of the UK. A fifth version will contain some important elements of extracts from plants that promote weight loss. This will be extracted naturally from products that will be gathered on organic farms in the UK and in nearby lands in Europe and transported to the UK within not more than 7 days. The products will be bottled on the fruit farms and they will exclude additives and preservatives. The products will be distributed to different outlets that will include small shops and supermarkets within 24 hours to 48 hours after extraction and bottling. This will aim at health-conscious consumers in the UK who want to avoid chemicals and other products that might be toxic and harmful to the human body. The targeted consumers will include the consumers of Greater London and some commercial hubs in South England. The geographic scope will include London and surrounding areas and communities. This will seek to target important persons particularly people who are health-conscious and people who might be concerned with their health and their livelihoods. Consumers are to be classified amongst those who are health conscious who form the existing market whilst there is an active and growing market for healthy products and health foods, there is a number of people who can be literally converted to consumers of healthy products. Hence, there is the need to identify two market segments: This implies that there is the need for Zenith Bottling to engage in some kind of conflict with the entities that control the existing market of

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Project management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Project management - Case Study Example The three entities of ABC Canada will now share financial, human resources, and sales management elements. There is a fundamental problem of the current systems as they cannot integrate and share information with each other. According to Jean Roberge, the vice president of IT at ABS Canada, the required system should be able to integrate the management system for the development of the entire organisation. The adoption of the new system presents various management issues that include the technological changes making some of the current approaches become obsolete. There is an imminent change in the direction of IT management at the company following the implementation of the proposed system. This will change the roles performed by Roberge, hence he needs to find someone who can assist in performing the various activities arising after adopting the new system. The process of getting an assistant to Roberge is a fundamental challenge that is threatening the implementation of the proposed system Understanding the situation remains essential towards gaining insight and consequently getting the solution to the problem facing the organisation. It is essential to make a consideration of the organisational capabilities regarding information technology in seeking to ascertain the possible solutions to the problem identified. Roberge should conduct an Emerging Issues Analysis in seeking to understand the concerns which might arise in future and develop a strategic plan for the future (Kloppenborg, 2014). This would involve brainstorming with fellow employees whom he feels can provide support in finding solutions to the problem. Since technological change remains inevitable, there is need for Roberge to conduct training of fellow employees through the consultants who have been involved in making the proposals. This will enhance the knowledge of

Monday, August 26, 2019

Human Resources Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Human Resources Development - Essay Example ge of branded products, â€Å"backwards expansion† strategy (saturating the target’s rural market first), innovative marketing strategy and most important of all, human resource management. Walton, from the very beginning, believed that happy and satisfied employees performed well and were responsible for happy customers. Wal-Mart’s success in human resource management is keeping their workforce of 1.3 million or more from unionizing. In addition to that, Wal-Mart has achieved a very good retention rate of their employees and has also ensured discipline and uniformity in an organization that has been growing at such a rapid pace. Wal-Mart’s distinctive human resource management policies can be listed and analyzed as follows: (1) Recruitment: In the realm of employee recruitment, Wal-Mart has targeted college students to add to their workforce.   Wal-Mart achieves this recruitment by fanning out over 80 college campuses. While they are at these colleges, they are also able to expand their demographics by looking at minority fraternities and sororities, which brings all types of people from different backgrounds, races, and genders together in the Wal-Mart family.   Having a wide variety demographic for a workforce, only serves to attract more people to seek employment with Wal-Mart because they are able to show that they have a very open hiring process. (2) Training and Development: Beyond recruitment, Wal-Mart has taken an additional step with college students by offering management training for college students while they are still in school so they are more developed and prepared upon their graduation. This program serves the purpose of making college students consider careers with Wal-Mart, and over the last few years, the program has had immense success.   The company is also highly committed towards employee development and improving their career prospects. It has a policy of recruiting more than seventy percent of its personnel in managerial

The Role Of Systems And Simulation Research Paper

The Role Of Systems And Simulation - Research Paper Example The process management is recognized to be one of the most important tools for developing better operational management as well as a performance of a company.   In order to maintain the business process in a smooth manner, every company has developed its own process. Most of the companies have built their own process charts such as producing the widget, paying vendor administering payroll and much more. Contextually, it is evident that Wal-Mart has also played a vital role in preparing its own process management. The process name six sigma has been regarded as a more critical organizational process that includes a large number of operational activities of the organizations has been implemented within the operations of Wal-Mart (Grewal, 1-3).   It is notable that the concept of process management is recognized to be one of the most important concepts of managing the operations of the business in the most efficient manner. Through the implication of six sigma techniques of process management, the company has been able to reduce its additional cost within the business. It will be worth mentioning that the strategy of sig sigma is recognized to be more efficient in reducing extra cost of the company. In this regard, the company has decided to implement the six sigma process within the logistics department.   Apparently, it can be stated that Wal-Mart is recognized to be successful in establishing sustainable supply chain management with the help of a new concept name six sigma (Cengage Learning 1-2).  

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Genre and The Yellow Wallpaper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Genre and The Yellow Wallpaper - Essay Example But I am sure that everything comes to be even much more simpler than it seems to be and that there are less hidden senses in this story than it is considered to be. At first glance the story described in the "Yellow Wallpaper" is quite typical for the 19th century. As a basis it describes "female hysteria" treating practice – the method invented by Dr. Mitchell, who believed that depression was brought on by too much mental activity (Dock, 61). It seems that from his point of view women were considered to be helpless creatures with delicate health, unable to make critical evaluation of reality. So, following the recommendations of Dr. Mitchell, heroine`s husband makes her to practice  «rest cure » (treatment by rest). After each meal he makes her to have a rest lying down for an hour. He forbids his wife to practice any intellectual work more than two hours a day. For the heroine of the story this course of treatment became to be a disaster. Soon she got a nervous breakdown, having no opportunity to work both physically and mentally. In such circumstances, unfortunate heroine of the story being locked in a room with yellow wallpaper and bolted-down bed unbearable went mad. She became lost in delusions with no sense of reality, dreaming that it was she that trapped woman in the wallpaper. Investigators consider, that from the Gilman`s point of view â€Å"rest cure† method focuses on attempt to destroy woman’s creativity: by forcing the narrator to give up her writing, her husband hopes to calm down her anxious nature making her to act according to her ideal wife and mother position. It comes that society doesn`t ready to accept woman’s desire to have more in her life than her husband and child. The desire to stay creative and socially active is the point which distinguished woman from the idealized standard. Thus, Gilman criticized not just the dependent position of women in society, but also the method of the

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Bretton Wood System Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Bretton Wood System - Coursework Example The countries had control over their own monetary systems. The Bretton Woods system was very effective in these situations. However, currently, the environment has changed. The economies have united and markets have become more liberalized. As a result, the stability of the economy depends on the global economy. This explains why the financial crisis of 2008 had a major effect on different countries across the world. In the meantime, many of the countries are interconnected. Therefore, one crisis affects different economies. As a result, it is the high time that the country transforms rather than reform the institutions that were originally part of the Bretton Woods system. This is in order to put up mechanisms that will fit with the new global challenges. Moreover, the new strategies will be future oriented, an aspect that will create an opportunity for different countries to set up policies that will protect their vulnerable institutions. This will play a significant role in reduci ng the negative impacts that result from increasing levels of globalization. â€Å"For many people in the developing world, the international finance institutions of the Bretton Woods system are yet another form of neocolonial exploitation.† Many of the funds being given to these countries are not in form of grants but, loans. These countries are already struggling with internal issues. Most of these loans are being used to support the operations of the governments such as paying salaries. This has increased the burden to the current generation and the future generation that will live in these countries. As a result, the helping hand is becoming a curse to even the unborn. Little change is being seen when using the current systems. As a result, it is the high time that the institutions transform in order to serve the changing needs of the people in the world. Since the launch of millennium development goals a decade ago,

Friday, August 23, 2019

Can You Motivate The Unmotivated A case study of male university

Can You Motivate The Unmotivated A of male university students in Saudi Arabia - Case Study Example Students in Saudi Arabia are faced with a lot of problems studying in a language other than their first language (L1). This phenomenon has introduced the rule of ‘No Arabic Speaking’ in the Saudi Arabia where students are prohibited from the use of L1 in everyday classroom activities, as the teachers and proponents of this rule believe that the active use of L1 may inhibit the proper and quick learning of L2. This leads to poor motivation in those students and difficulties in learning and acquiring the second language in its true spirit. So the question tends to be whether the restricted use of L1 assists in or inhibits the proper acquisition and learning of the second language, in short if it is an asset or a liability. This paper sheds some light on the motivation theories and their application with respect to the problem in discussion, and tries to review the monolingual practices in order to help such students in developing positive attitudes towards the target langu age, so that they can be highly motivated to acquire L2 in its true meaning thereby enabling them to lay a firm foundation for speaking and writing in L2. In order to evaluate the issue under consideration, we will first look at the recent research works and studies about L2 motivation as a second language (in a foreign environment) or foreign language (in a native English-speaking country). For the analysis of the problem I have selected a few articles, journals, and other related literary documents to accumulate knowledge and to establish well-grounded theoretical context and conceptual framework for the paper. So this paper can also serve as a comprehensive summary of the relevant studies which comprise, for example Cle ´ment & Gardner, 2001;... Hence, instead of restating what has already been very well described in the articles and journals selected for the anthology, I have tried to evaluate the answers to the question under study from various standpoints, highlighting their importance and trying to establish the connections with other approaches to the problem. In trying to understand the acquisition of L2 as a language we need to see it not just as a subject, but as a deeply social and cultural event; and that’s what makes language learning different from other academic subjects. The elements of language learning as a subject include the understanding of lexical terms, vocabulary and grammatical rules; whereas it is also socially bound requiring the language learner to integrate several elements of the culture of the second language (Gardner, 1979 and Williams, 1994). L2 motivation researchers have widely supported this approach, which has led to the inclusion of social and cultural dimension in the language lear ning and studies. This has also introduced the concepts of multiculturalism, language globalization, power relations between different cultures and social groups in the study of L2 motivation. This, in fact, also explains why it was the social psychologists who first initiated the researches into L2 motivation. The first comprehensive study of L2 motivated was initiated by Robert Gardner and Wallace Lambert in 1972. They viewed language learning as a means of reconciling differences between different cultures and social groups. According to them, for intercultural communication and association to take place, â€Å"motivation† to learn the language of others is the primary driving

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Life and Influences of Albert Einstein Essay Example for Free

The Life and Influences of Albert Einstein Essay Sometimes in history, ironically, the greatest contributions to society come from the most inconceivable places. Undoubtedly, Albert Einstein contributed not only innovative thought to his time, but also aided in revolutionizing science especially in physics. His efforts, however, would not have been expected by historians if only his childhood was examined. Einstein was born March 14, 1879 to Herman and Pauline Einstein. Albert was the first child born to this young, Jewish couple. After a year, the couple moved to Munich where Einstein would spend the remainder of his childhood (Schulmann, par. 1). Like many children during this time, Einsteins childhood was a normal one, except that to his familys irritation, he learnt to speak at a late age (Schulmann, par. 1). His childhood was fortunate in that he was able to receive a high quality of education. By the age of five he was enrolled in a private school and by six he was receiving a full scale education at Petersschule, a Catholic school in Munich (Schulmann, par. 1). Einstein never shined in school and when attempting to apply to ETH, a school in Zurich, he was turned down because his exam results were insufficient (Schulmann, par. 2). Therefore, Einstein followed the advice of his rector and attended the Kantonsschule in the town of Aarau in order to improve his knowledge (Schulmann, par. 2). The remainder of Einsteins early life was marked by disappointment in that he was rejected from various schools and jobs. In between jobs, Einstein tutored in mathematics and physics and out of this grew Akademie Olympia, an organization devoted to scientific and philosophical questions (Schulmann, par. 3). This organization may have been the major origin for Einsteins transformation from average student to genius (Schulmann, par.3). It is important to understand that Einsteins innovations and theorys came at a time when science and technology was booming. Scientific revolutions were occurring with uncanny frequency in the disciplines of biology, invention, and chemistry due to the devotion of numerous, professional scientists. Charles Darwin, in 1859, wrote Origin of Species a philosophical breakthrough in biology in the theory of evolution. In 1879, the same year as Einsteins birth, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb. Finally, in 1908, Ernest Rutherford received a Nobel Prize for his earlier work on illustrating the atomic nucleus (Scientific Timeline). However, Einsteins innovative theology and contributions to science in quantum mechanics, the relationship between mass and energy, and the principle of equivalence may have advanced science further than anyone. Albert Einstein didnt invent anything. He didnt discover a new planet or star. He didnt produce something faster, bigger, or better (Wishinsky p. 1). He did however, see the world in a new way. He asked new questions about light, energy, space, time, mass, and gravity. He formulated new answers. He made scientists rethink their old theories and see new possibilities (Wishinsky p. 1). Einstein conducted many studies. A few of them are quantum mechanics, the relationship between mass and energy, and the principle of equivalence. Quantum mechanics is defined in Albert Einstein: the Rebel behind Relativity, by Jake Goldberg, as a theory of matter that describes the behavior of subatomic particles based on the idea that they have properties of both waves and particles. A man by the name of Planck researched this idea before Einstein. But, Einstein elaborated more on the idea that energy is emitted and absorbed by objects in tiny chunks called quanta (Goldberg p. 38). In Einsteins first paper that he wrote, he agreed with Plancks ideas (Goldberg p. 38). Einstein said that light is actually made up of quanta whose energy content, or size, depends on the frequency of the light. When the light on the metal was made more intense, the metal was bombarded by more quanta of the same size, none of which had the push to knock out electrons any faster. But when the frequency of the light was increased, bigger quanta were created that could knock out electrons at higher speeds (Goldberg p. 38). Even though, Einstein agreed with Planck, he did surpass him in the end because he was suggesting not only that energy is emitted and absorbed in tiny bundles, but that the light waves themselves are made up of energy bundles (Goldberg p. 39). Another study Einstein performed was the relationship between mass and energy. He discovered that the two are equivalent (Swisher p. 41). However, in the past, scientists had thought energy and mass were separate and had developed separate laws for each. With this new perspective, Einstein reasoned that if a body, a mass of something, gave off energy, then the size of the mass would diminish, according to the amount of energy given off (Swisher p. 43). He thought that this idea would hold true for all forms of energy: heat, light, or electricity. To make a formula, he used E to symbolize energy and again he used c, the constant of light. His formula E/c^2 calculates the amount of energy given off Einstein realized that the reverse is also true, that all mass is equivalent to energy. With this discovery, he was able to calculate the actual amount of conversion with the equation E=mc^2 (Swisher p. 43). A different study he did was discovering the principle of equivalence. He found out that the force of gravity was equivalent to the force produced by acceleration. (Parker p. 19). According to Einstein, there are two way to measure mass. One is the force by which gravity pulls on it the familiar weight here on Earth. The other is the force needed to make it accelerate (Parker p. 19). These two ways are known today as gravitational mass and inertial mass. Einstein reasoned that the mass of a large object such as the Sun would attract the energy in something weightless like light (Parker p. 19). Albert Einstein has been one of the few scientists to totally change mans view of the world (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104). His face stares out from posters, mugs, and magazine ads-a somber, time-worn face beneath a wild mane of silvery hair. Hes a cartoonists dream-the model for the brilliant but dreamy professor, wrapped in complex thoughts, oblivious to the everyday world. (Heinrichs pg. 4) During the first half of this century Einstein set forth a number of theories about the physical world. These theories dealt with everything from the inside of an atom to the farthest regions of the universe. (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104) Einsteins theories were created to prove that elements such as gravity, energy, matter, light, space, and time are all related to one another (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104). Einstein worked out his theories in the laboratory of his mind. He had to use the most advanced kinds of mathematics to describe his ideas. These theories were so unusual and complicated the very few scientists could understand them at first. (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104) After years of tests, experiments, and observations on Albert Einsteins theories, they were proven to be accurate (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104). The theories not only explained what was already known, but they allowed scientists to predict what would happen. (The New Book of Knowledge pg. 104) One of the scientists efforts dealt with quantum mechanics. It aggravated Einstein that he could not figure out why light sometimes behaves like a particle and sometimes like a wave. Other scientists devised some answers to the particle-wave question and moved ahead to develop the field of quantum mechanics. One of the basic ideas was the uncertainty principle-the idea that one could never predict when an atom would release a quantum of light. Einstein could never accept this. I cannot believe that God would choose to play dice with the Universe, was his now-famous comment (Heinrichs pg. 29). As the years pass, scientists have used quantum mechanics to invent many advanced inventions (Heinrichs pg. 29). Einstein for instance had shown that light could be amplified. Further research in quantum mechanics produced the laser, a name that stands for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Now lasers have thousands of practical uses in medicine and industry (Heinrichs pg. 29). Another one of Albert Einsteins most famous efforts is the popular equation of E=mc^2 (Heinrichs pg. 6). This equation means that energy equals mass times the speed of light squared. Basically, it explains that physical material can be transformed into energy. This principle led to the splitting of the atom, which ushered in the nuclear age. (Heinrichs pg. 6). This effort especially had a huge affect on the world. This discovery led to the makings of nuclear weapons, the atomic bomb, during World War II. On the other hand, Einsteins most well-known effort, that has probably had the biggest affect on science and the world, is his theory of relativity (Heinrichs pg. 6). Its the notion that space and time are not firm, fixed, and unchanging, but relative-swelling and shrinking with ones point of view. (Heinrichs pg. 6) There have been two different theories of relativity. Both have had big influences on science (Parker pg. 26). Special relativity was accepted in a few years. It was in the mainstream of scientific events, and it answered questions that scientists were asking. And it had many uses in the main areas of research being carried out at that time, such as nuclear physics and quantum mechanics. (Parker pg. 26). Also, it is an everyday tool for physicists working on the makeup of matter and the forces that bind it together. (Parker pg. 26). Einstein continued research for laws of the universe until the end (Freeman, pg. 106). It will be many years before all his ideas can be followed through. But like Copernicus and Isaac Newton, he forced men to re-examine their world. Directly or indirectly, Einstein has already influenced many areas of the modern world-science, art, philosophy. (Freeman, pg. 106) Albert Einstein has become a popular figure throughout the years, even though only few people understand his works (Heinrichs pg. 4). His discoveries opened the door to the development of television, lasers, transistors, computer chips, nuclear power, and space exploration. (Heinrichs pg. 4) Also, Albert Einstein encouraged many people to exercise their imagination. Imagination, he once said, is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world. (Heinrichs pg. 5) Thanks to Einstein, science fiction took off in fantastic new directions. His theories paved the way for what-if? scenarios about time travel, time warps, black holes, and voyages to distant galaxies. (Heinrichs pg. 5) Einstein was one of our greatest geniuses, period according to Bran Ferren the cochairman and chief creative officer of Applied Minds in his statement in the September 2004 Discover, this declaration is extremely clairvoyant in its praise for Einstein; but, even geniuses make statements and errors that can send waves of controversy through the discipline. Einstein was not immune to making errors or falsifying research as was most noted in his attempts to prove a paralyzed universe. According to Karen Hunt of Discover In 1916 Einstein what he considered a glitch in his new theory of general relativity (Wright 2004, 50). Instead of attempting to revise his newly presented theory he allowed pride to taint his new findings. To account for these new findings Einstein So he invented a fudge factor, called lambda, that could function mathematically to hold the universe at a standstill (Wright 2004, 50). Einstein himself admitted that lambda was a fudge factor when he said in regards to the constant was not justified by our actual knowledge of gravitation (Wright 2004, 50). Albert Einstein is often attributed to quantum mechanics and few realize the science made more steps in his attempts to disprove it. In the 1920s quantum mechanics became the rage, and it advanced by leaps and bounds, thanks in large part to Einsteins persistent efforts to discredit it (Wright 2004, 53) As the theory progressed one would assume Einstein would begin to support the theory he indirectly helped prove, but Einstein was never one to follow the normal. He was quoted as saying The more success quantum theory enjoys, the sillier it looks (Wright 2004, 53). Einstein never gave his acceptance of the quantum theory but finally shifted focus to other things such as the unified theory. Although Einstein made many mistakes and even falsified data it was but to prove that he was human. Even in his errors he often made many discoveries and spurred on further research and investigation. In his opposition he would often be the primary contributor to the discovery as in the quantum theory. Even when Einstein was wrong, in many ways he was still right and scientist today still envy his ingenious mistakes Most scientist would give their eyeteeth to make even one of Einsteins mistake (Wright 2004, 50) according to theoretical physicist Fred Goldhaber. Who could possibly be such a mortal scientist yet possess the gift to be inspiring in his errors and revolutionary in his theories. Truly Albert Einstein was a remarkable scientist whose contributions to the scientific world continue to revolutionize the way we think. Einstein, although not a renowned inventor, has influenced many modern day inventions including: smoke detectors, x-rays, GPS, roads, computer monitors, fiber optic cable, and many pharmaceuticals just to name a few (Bodanis 2004, 32). His theory of relativity stretched much farther then just the scientific realm according to Walter Isaacson when he wrote Einsteins theory of relativity not only reshaped physics, it also jangled the underpinnings of society (Isaacon 2004, 14). Albert Einstein contributed so much to the scientific realms but he has influenced our society with his image being associated with the term genius and his name being forever engraved into history. His examples of abstract thinking, unmovable resolve, learning from mistakes, and his desire for knowledge produce a near perfect formula for a revolutionary. References Bodanis, David. Tinker, Thinker, Inventor of the Modern World. Discover Sept. 2004: 32-35. Goldberg, Jake. Albert Einstein. Danbury, Connecticut: Franklin Watts, 1996. Isaacson, Walter. No Mere Genius. Discover Sept. 2004: 12-14.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Scottish Independence Essay Example for Free

Scottish Independence Essay â€Å"The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves† -Walt Whitman Currently Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Scottish Independence is â€Å"a political aim for some political parties, advocacy groups, and individuals in Scotland for the country to once again become an independent sovereign state.† A Referendum (â€Å"A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.†) will be held on Thursday, 18 September, 2014 to decide whether Scotland should become an independent country. I am for Scotland being an independent country primarily because of, but not limited to, the points listed below. Scotland will be more prosperous and economically better off as an independent country. In any society, one of the main questions asked before any sort of political decision, whether it be by the prime minister or just an electorate deciding who to vote for, is if I decide on this option, will I or the country be better off because of it. It is no surprise then that this is one of the main points brought up in the referendum debate. Objectively it seems that Scotland and subsequently the people of Scotland will be financially better off if Scotland were to become independent. A lot of people say this is primarily because of the North Sea oil. Although North Sea oil is important and is in itself another point of discussion/concern for the Scottish government and its people, even without it Scotlands economic output per head is 99 percent of the UK average- and with oil it is 118 percent. This means that over the last 30 years we’ve paid more than our share of tax.. This isn’t a recent or random occurrence either, for decades the amount of tax revenue generated in Scotland per person has been greater than the figure for the UK as a whole. In the most recent year, Scotland contributed  £56.9 Billion in tax revenue. That’s equivalent to  £10,700 for every person in Scotland. In Comparison the average tax revenue in the UK as a whole was just  £9000 pound per person. If you do the math then Scotland has been paying  £1,700 a head extra in taxes. As mentioned previously however, this isn’t a recent thing and has been going on for decades. As a  matter of fact since 1981 Scotland has paid  £222 billion more than we would have done if we had just matched the contribution made per head by the UK as a whole. This all equates to almost  £45,000 extra paid for every person living in Scotland. Scotland makes up 8.4 percent of the United Kingdoms population and generates 9.9 percent of its taxes, but only gets back 9.3 percent back again to spend on essential services. Scotland’s finances were stronger than uks by  £4.4 billion, this means if Scotland got independence we would have  £4.4 billion extra to spend and still be in the same financial position as the UK is now. All this leads up to the fact that if Scotland were to become an independent country we would be 8th in the OECD league table of the world’s advanced economies in terms of GDP per head. By contrast, the UK would only be in 17th place. Scotlands wealth per head was  £27,211. The UK figure was  £23,002 per head. Public Spending in Scotland only accounts for 42.7 percent of Scotland’s gdp compared to 45.5 percent for the uk as a whole. Withdrawing the nuclear weapons from the Clyde will save  £163 each year and if the current government introduce the proposed new nuclear missiles then that means saving  £250 million a year. oil and gas revenue would flow to Scotland and expect to contribute  £48 billion in next six years. An independent Scotland would mean a renewed and fairer democracy. If you refer back to the definition of Scottish independence, then you see that the aim is for Scotland to become an independent sovereign state. a sovereign state is â€Å"a nonphysical juridical entity of the international legal system that is represented by a centralized government that has supreme independent authority over a geographic area† all sovereign states are countries but not all countries are sovereign states. Scotland is classified as a country however it is currently part of the sovereign state known as the United Kingdom. If you apply the definition to this context then the centralized government is Westminster and the geographic area is the whole of the UK. If you think about it like that it doesnt really seem fair that Scotland has to abide by the laws and policies brought in by a different country. Scotland does have mps in westminster but this usually does little the change the verdict due to the following fact: After the 2010 general election 650 mps were elected, 553 from England, 59 from Scotland, 40 from Wales and 18 from  northern Ireland, This means that no matter if every mp from Scotland votes against a policy all it would take is one tenth of the rest of the mps to vote for it and it would be passed. An example would be the recent bedroom tax, 9% of Scottish mps voted for and 91% against it but the tax still went through, another example would be the welfare cuts, 19% Scottish mps voted for and 81% voted against and it but it went ahead and will force, experts believe, 60,000 more Scottish children into poverty. This has also happened with austerity cuts VAT increases and many more policies were Scotland’s mps have voted against it yet it still affects Scotland because more mps from different countries vote for it. This affects Scotland politically but as a result of and possibly even more importantly economically, this is represented well by the previous statistics and also by the fact that the UK government has placed trident missiles at faslane on the Clyde, even though the majority of Scottish citizens are against it, yet were paying  £163 million extra a year to keep weapons we dont want in a place where we dont want it to be kept. However, with regard to the above arguments, not everything about Scottish independence would be easy sailing and clear skies, it couldnt be or the majority of the population wouldnt be voting against independence. The Scotsman polls Yes at 33-34% and No at 52-57%. The Daily Mail puts it at 27% for Yes and 56% for No. Herald Scotland says 27% will vote Yes and 41% will vote No. It seems that the consensus among people is that Scotland will remain part of the UK. Below are some reasons why people may be deciding against independence Scotlands future seems uncertain if we get independence. Alot of things about the referendum and Scotlands future are very cloudy and even after the release of the white paper, which was meant to clear up a lot of these issues so that the people could make their own informed decision, there are still a lot of points which people and even the government are unsure about. An example of this would be the amount of debt which Scotland would take on if it were to get independence. The UK has a debt of 88.7% of their GDP (as of 2012, its expected to have risen to around 90%) and if scotland were to become independent then it is expected that Scotland would take on anywhere  from 0 to  £140 billion of this or even more,its just not clear enough yet how much debt Scotland would take on.Another question is what currency Scotland would employ after they gained Independence. Alex Salmond vows that he will keep the pound however no official agreement has taken place. According to the Scotsman Alex Salmond held â€Å"technical† discussions on the proposal with the former Bank Governor, Mervyn King,last year.Many people, like George Osborne and Alistair Carmichael, think it is unlikely that the two countries will share the pound sterling, with george osborne even going as far to say that he will block scotland from retaining the pound.This is discussed in further detail below.If Scotland were to get independence they would have to leave the EU, according to the spanish prime minister, who is dealing with a similar situation with catalonias proposed independence, he said If a part of the territory of a member state ceases to be a part of that state because that territory becomes a new independent state, treaties will no longer apply to that territory, In other words, a new independent state would, by the fact of its independence, become a third countr y with respect to the Union and the treaties would, from the day of its independence, not apply anymore on its territory. they can re-apply for membership, which is what Alex Salmond would intend to do, however all of the countries would have to accept/agree with Scotland joining the EU. Scotland would have problems with the currency. No matter if Scotland retain the pound or not, they will run into consequences with whatever option they choose. As it stands there are 3 options Scotland has in terms of currency: 1.Keep the pound, this is what Alex Salmond wants,however if Scotland and England were going to agree to a â€Å"Currency Union† (â€Å"where two or more states share the same currency, though without there necessarily having any further integration†) then it would ultimately put Constraints on an independent Scotland’s economic policies: even if it could be agreed, a formal currency union would severely limit an independent Scotland’s economic freedom – to ensure that risks to the rest of the UK were managed an independent Scotland would lose some of its power over decisions on its own â€Å"fiscal policy† (for example, how much it could spend on health, education, and so on) with the Bank of England also determining interest rates and the cost of borrowing in Scotland and would have to accept the rest of the UK having oversight of  its tax and spending plans. This all in a way defeats one of the main points of Scottish Independence, which is for Scotland to have complete economic independence and to have full control over taxes, public expenditure etc. As you can see this would not be the case if an Independent Scotland were to adopt the Pound. Another option would be to join the Euro. This would possibly be the worst decision as all the problems associated with adopting the pound would be present in adopting the Euro, just worse. Many more countries in the eurozone are running into debt and having to accept bailouts, primarily because of fact that one shoe doesnt fit all in terms of the politics of the eurozone, theres not really any way to tell if an Independent Scotland would benefit from the policies and regulations set in by the european union in terms of the euro. The last option would be that Scotland creates its own currency. On the outside it seems to dissolve the problems of another country/set of counties having a large influen ce and in some instances complete control of many of the economic policies and taxings within Scotland. While this is probably the best option, starting a new currency is no easy task. Apart from the decisions to be made on the actual currency like what would be printed on the currency, what materials the coins/notes would be made from in terms of percentages, what the new currency would be called, however these are just minor problems, the real problems would be figuring out how to get the new currency into the system, with rules possibly having to be put in place to prevent large amounts of Pounds Sterling leaving the country. Laws would have to be formed to grant the new currency status of legal tender, as well as laws which define and control the use of the currency. All of these laws would also have to be approved by parliament.To change the currency would take about 6 months minimum, but in reality it would probably take alot longer. The actual printing of the money could possibly run into tens of millions of pounds, but the actual process of the currency swap would be the most costly. All of this would have to be highly scrutinized,as if there was any uncertainty over the details of the currency it could potentially drive away countries or businesses looking to invest in scotland or its new currency. To sum up, even though a lot of the details about scottish independence are still cloudy and a lot of people are scared about what might happen if we  gain independence and if such a small country could support itself, the bottom line seems to be with complete political and possibly economic independence, we would get to make decisions based on our own needs, and not the whole UK’s. Even though we do still rely quite heavily on Oil, its still a while to go before it runs out, and in that time hopefully the money generated by it will be invested into different economic sectors to fuel Scotlands powerful economy. With Reference to the quote by Walt Whitman, we must take action and rely upon ourselves to make the right decision in relation to this countrys economic and political well being, even if it might seem scary, no-one ever got anywhere by running away from a situation and sitting on their hands just because the idea scared them. Alex Salmond described the referendum as a â€Å"once in a lifetime opportunity† and it would be such a shame to see this opportunity wasted due to the sheer pride and prejudice of people.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Aesthetically Pleasing Efficient Intelligent Building Skins Engineering Essay

Aesthetically Pleasing Efficient Intelligent Building Skins Engineering Essay Architecture is no longer static and unchangeable instead it is dynamic, responsive and conversant The idea that building skins reflect the skins of living organisms: properly designed, they breathe, change form, and adapt to variations in climate But can highly efficient intelligent skins still be aesthetically pleasing? A building becomes a chameleon which adapts. A properly equipped and responsively clothed building would monitor all internal and external variables, temperature, hygrometry and light levels, solar radiation etc, to determine the best energy equation given these conditions and modify the building and its internal systems accordingly. It is not too much to ask of a building to incorporate, in its fabric and its nervous system, the very basic vestiges of an adaptive capability. (Rogers 1978) The aim of this paper is to explore the notion of incorporating intelligence into a buildings faà §ade. The discussion about the energy efficiency of faà §ades has inspired many architects to no longer view the building envelope as static but as a dynamic being, that can adjust its shape, surface, function and interior spaces in real time in response to intelligent controls that monitor active feedback from the environment. Solar and wind energy, daylight, and water can be captured by buildings and reused efficiently. An Intelligent building is one that combines both active features and passive design strategies to provide maximum user comfort by using minimum energy. The intelligent faà §ade forms part of the intelligent building, it is what protects the inhabited interior whilst controlling exchanges between inside and outside at the envelope level. The plan being to respond effectively to changing climate conditions and inhabitant needs in order to improve functional performance. A buildings faà §ade doesnt just play a key role in the sustainability of a building; adding to both energy efficiency and the quality of the internal climate. It is also a fundamental part of the buildings aesthetic, adding to the structural outline and defining its visual impact on the urban surroundings. A faà §ade can only be described as intelligent when it makes use of natural renewable energy sources such as solar energy, airflows or ground heat to meet a buildings requirements in terms of heating, cooling and lighting. The idea that the fabric of a building can increase its interaction and response to external changes and internal demands with a prime objective of lowering the environmental load is an exciting concept. The facades almost become local, non-polluting energy suppliers to the building. The notion of intelligent building facades is not a new idea; however the implementation of high-tech skins has been slow. While fashionable and almost certainly advantageous, sceptical architects are afraid that operable components are magnets for value engineering or foresee them being stripped off their buildings in the future due to poor performance or poor maintenance. However, the rising cost of energy, latest environmental initiatives and the focus on the green propaganda has put great responsibility on architects and engineers to make continuous energy savings and this must be achieved through effective building design and clever management. Almost seven years after the European Union passed legislation requiring property owners to report on the energy performance of their buildings, a new round of tougher regulations is under way. Plans to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) in 2010 are expected to result in even tighter emissions targets for new buil dings. Gradually more and more architects are beginning to enjoy automating their facades rather than leaving energy-efficient functions to chance. Consequently, the crucial boundary connecting the interior environment and the elements is getting more consideration and consequently more animated. Most buildings today are equipped with increasingly advanced technologies, but few still seem to be utilizing the true potential that this green intelligence has to offer. The intention of this study is to take the idea of the intelligent skin much further and realize what could potentially be possible in the future. The paper will go on to describe the context within which the need for variability in building skin performance has arisen and demonstrate how such dynamic response mechanisms have been incorporated into the design and construction of three buildings; The GSW Headquarters in Berlin, by the architects Sauerbruch and Hutton 1999. The Debis Headquarters building, Berlin by The Renzo Piano Building Workshop in 1997 and the B4 and B6 office buildings in Berlin by Richard Rogers 1998. All three case studies are purpose built office buildings that were built around the same time frame and are in the same European climate, Germany. The climate in Berlin is known as continental. The summers are warmer than the UK and the winters colder. Summer temperatures can rise to 32 degrees centigrade while winter temperatures can drop to -15 degrees centigrade. After German reunification in 1990 Berlin was to become the gateway to the whole former Soviet Communist Empire as it was transformed into an economic epicentre by new investment from the West. A skyline of construction cranes rose over the city, citizens marvelled at the remarkable commitment to entwining a city separated for 50 years. Berlin bravely tried to reconcile its catastrophic past with a new visualization of the urban future. Potsdamer Platz has been the site of the extensive redevelopment, instigating all three of the buildings in the review. Because of this, the buildings should employ reasonably up to date technology and design, which can be effectively compared and critiqued in the study. Not only this, but through a growing trend, buildings that employ environmentally conscious technologies are still the exception in most of Europe today. However Mary Pepchinski explains why for many reasons Germany appears to be the leader Many German architects and engineers sincere ly care about the effect their buildings have on the environment, but others realise that new technologies will be profitable in 10 to 20 years time. Politically, Germanys powerful Green party also influences national environmental policies. (M, Pepchinski 1995:70) The overall purpose of this review is to determine whether functional and aesthetic value can be effectively combined in a single project while still managing to cut energy consumption. However to establish whether the buildings have aesthetic significance one must first determine the criteria for aesthetic judgement. Aesthetics examines our response to an object. Judgments of beauty are sensory, emotional and intellectual all at the same time. Viewer interpretations of beauty possess two concepts of value: aesthetics and taste. Aesthetics is the philosophical notion of beauty. Taste is a result of education and awareness of cultural values; therefore taste can be learned. Taste varies depending on class, cultural background, and education. According to Philosopher Immanuel Kant writing in 1790, beauty is objective and universal; thus certain things are beautiful to everyone. The contemporary view of beauty is not based on innate qualities, but rather on cultural specifics and individual interpretations. (Kant 1790) The criteria for assesing whether the buildings are aesthetically pleasing in this study will be based on two or more views, that of architects or journalists and my own personal opinion. Because judging aesthetics depends on individual interpretations, one is hard pressed to determine the answer, however if based on two views, both can be taken into account, and a conclusion come to. To asses whether the building meets the technological efficiency will be based on performance data or statistics and an engineers view. By also looking at whether or not post occupancy evaluation (POE) methods have been adopted at the as-built stage, involving the views about the buildings from the perspective of the people who use them. It could give vital information on building user perception assessing ease of use, controls, facilities and most importantly perceived visual appreciation. GSW Headquarters Berlin Sauerbruch Hutton Architects 1999 This landmark office tower is an exemplary example of sustainable architecture making use of energy-conserving features. It was the worlds first thermally flued tall building. The most important aspect of the low-energy concept is the highly transparent and dynamic high-rise faà §ade. Colourful orange and pink automated shading panels in the west double skin cavity manage solar heat gain and day lighting. These perforated metal shutters give the building its unique and ever varying appearance. They can be both pivoted and moved aside mechanically or individually by the user; therefore the composition of the entire west faà §ade depends on the habits of the occupants. This creates a distinctive ever-changing pattern causing the structure to come alive. Whilst elegant in simplicity, form and function, the design results from a highly technical discourse in which the engineering and architectural principles rely largely on each other. The design process involved a high level of collaboration between the architects and the engineers-Arup London. The multiple functioning envelope required the main elements of the building to be the result of excellent teamwork. To minimise heat loss both the East and West perimeter walls are designed as double skin facades. The West faà §ade acts as a solar flue, it has three layers; the inner layer consists of a double glazed aluminium curtain wall in which every second bay has an operable window. The vertical posts of this inner faà §ade carry cantilevering brackets to support the outer faà §ade this layer is single glazed and consists of 3.3m x1.8m laminated glass panels. Airflow within the inner and outer skins of the faà §ade can be regulated according to seasonal and weather conditions by da mpers at the top and bottom. Natural ventilation is brought in through the East double skin faà §ade. Fresh air enters the building, passes through the interior spaces, across specially designed corridor openings, and is extracted by the solar flue of the West faà §ade, which offers particularly good thermal insulation. The East faà §ade with its porous ventilation openings is like a smooth skin, where as the West faà §ade deep and separated into layers resembles a fur. (UME 2001:29). The reduced depth of the tower along with generously sized windows allows maximum day lighting, creating optimum conditions on the office floors making most artificial lighting redundant. The brief noted the building had to be a low-cost, socially sensitive structure, which addressed the historic urban context and street planning, but still provide a strong image as the headquarters of GSW. It also had to have functional quality in connecting new and old buildings whilst ensuring operational environmental efficiency. The overall aim for the mechanical design was to improve the buildings sustainability rating by achieving energy savings of 30-40% in comparison to an ordinary building. (www.arup.com) the structure is integrated in a three-dimensional composition, offering a working environment which is beneficial to team-working and customer-focused operations. In 1999 natural ventilation was reportedly used for 75% of the year and the building hardly saw the need to operate its air-conditioners. (NSG space modulation) In the Property EU Magazine M. Korteweg said The building is excellent in its passive control of energy consumption, with CO2 savings estimated to be 55% of equivalent air-conditioned buildings. (Korteweg, M) In my opinion the tall, slender 85 metre tall structure that is curved in shape adds an interesting addition to the urban skyline. The bright coloured red, pink and orange shutters on the West faà §ade are undoubtedly what makes this building stand out from the crowd. It looks like a radiant mosaic, very different from the silvery white East faà §ade. I consider colour to be a fantastic medium to address the senses. Colour is used actively in design as a means of generating atmospheric and distinctive buildings, and I think in this structure it works particularly well. It certainly looks the part but this buildings image is not just skin deep, it also plays the part in reducing emissions and saving energy. The fact that these vivid panels are not just decorative but also functional makes the building so much more fascinating. At night the exterior of the building is lit up, making it easily recognisable, even from a distance. Showing how functional and aesthetic value can be united fantastically in a lone project. In the Architectural Review magazine, James Russell describes the building as An array of energy saving strategies and staff amenities in a colourful, stylish package (Russell, JS 2000:156) Reunification put the site back at the centre of things, and the colourful new sun-shades on the west elevation energise the neighbourhood. (Russell, JS 2000:156) To sum up this sophisticated mix of bold good looks and intelligent features and to evaluate the success and failures, I would say that this building works astonishingly well on both levels. The building lives up to what the brief intended. The Debis Headquarters Berlin The Renzo Piano Building Workshop 1997 The Debis Tower was the first building in the initial stage of the huge Potsdamer Platz development, which was anticipated to give Berlin a new spirit. It is a pioneering energy-conserving design an exceptional example of environmentally progressive architecture celebrating design and technology. It comes across as being subtle and rather understated compared to some of the surrounding urban infrastructure. It has a certain graceful and distinguished modesty. The East facade of the tower is dominated by biscuit coloured terracotta cladding, horizontal and vertical terracotta slats create an accurately proportioned pattern, which expresses every floor and bay within an overall texture resembling a sort of skeletal skin. The building is technologically sophisticated; it has a highly effective curtain wall, which offers considerable advantages in terms of the preservation of energy, day lighting, user control and comfort. The interior skin consists of a visually delicate and subtle glass-breathing wall. It features double-pane operable windows, allow the individual inhabitants of the offices to adjust their own internal climates all year round by taking tempered air from the 700mm wide cavity for natural ventilation. The exterior faà §ade is made up of 12-mm thick, automated, pivoting, laminated glass louvers. The smallest amount of air exchange takes place through these louvers when closed. Allegedly the thermal devices designed for the faà §ade work so well that natural ventilation is used for around 60% of the year an exceptional percentage for a building in a northern climate. In addition, there is a 50% reduction in the energy consumption of the building and 70% reduction in the emission of car bon dioxide. (NSG, Space Modulation). Energy conservation was a significant aspect of the design policy for the building and the project was awarded funding from the European Union Joule II research programme to help finance the design of the facades. To create this environmentally sustainable building many factors had to be considered and contribute towards the design. One being water management. The building makes proficient use of the rainwater it collects, some of the rainwater is used to irrigate the surrounding landscape and vegetation of the building, some is used as water for toilets, and the excess is used to fill the nearby pond when the level drops. The building is accounted to save around 20,000 cubic metres of water a year. (Arch Review 1998) This building is very different from the first case study I looked at. It doesnt make a huge statement, clad in bright, bold colours and doesnt stand out significantly from its neighbours. I think it is delicate and rather subtle in the way it looks. A continuous rhythm of horizontal terracotta louvers interrupted by ever changing individually operable blinds, creating an interesting pattern. In the Architectural Record J.Russell gave his opinion of the building At some times of the day, the sun sparkles from the bevelled bottom edge of the pivoting glass panels; at others, it picks out elements between the glass walls: the vertical glass returns, the metal faà §ade-support structure, or the maintenance platforms. The terra-cotta elements dont move, but their raw-claw finish invites touch. The rhythms of open and closed cladding along with deepening and lightening shadows as the light changes through the day have their own sensuous appeal. (Russell 1998:135) To begin the process of discussing the successes and failures of the building, I am struggling to find a part of the buildings environmental aspects that can be described as a failure. Even tiny details seem to add to the sustainability of the design. The energy-saving approach of the facades combining terracotta and glass screens gives the building a visually rich texture and a highly practical purpose. The building has an innovative environmental approach and careful design detailing, making it an all round success. B4 B6 office buildings Berlin Richard Rogers 1998 Like the previous case study, these two office buildings were part of the much bigger master plan to redevelop the devastated Potsdamer Platz area of Berlin. In this dense urban context the aim was to produce innovative environments for businesses, which must be strikingly contemporary in appearance, and most significantly, utilized a low-energy servicing agenda with a high-quality user comfort. The faà §ades are made up of identical modules of which their basic identical construction can be varied by using different in-fills according to the orientation and performance requirement. This allows different parts of the building to perform in different ways, depending on its specific position. The materials used are clear and opaque glass panels, ceramic tile cladding, and external and internal blinds, a sophisticated mix, which allows the internal environments to be adjusted in response to the requirements of the occupants. The hollow core plan form of the office buildings is cut away gradually from roof level down flooding the atriums with natural light. The atriums are entirely naturally ventilated. In order to optimise the thermal conditions and airflow in the atrium computer simulations were conducted. Solar radiation contributes to the heating and thereby reduces energy consumption in the winter. The natural ventilation ensures that a comfortable climate prevails in the entrance area and the offices adjacent to the atrium throughout the year. A great deal of daylight enters the offices through glazing; this solar radiation is used to heat the fresh air from outside and naturally ventilates the offices. It was estimated that energy consumption in the office buildings would be 50% less than that generated by a conventionally air-conditioned building. When visiting this building what initially stood out to me was how much more high-tech it looked than the previous two case studies I had visited. The energy saving devices seem to stand out more and are what primarily make up the interesting, dynamic faà §ade. The building is made up of two blocks, symmetrical from the front. Similar to the GSW headquarters, brightly coloured solar shading blinds are used. In this case they are bright yellow, and feature at each end of the building almost acting as bookends. In terms of aesthetics, I think the building is visually interesting and fits in well with its surroundings. Kenneth Powell described the completed buildings as Striking expressions of the rise of an eco-architecture on a grand urban scale. (Kenneth Powell) The amalgamation of environmental technology and design in these three case studies seems to have created visually attractive and interesting facades that credit the surrounding city. However it has been argued that Design of such environmental screens has concentrated on technical developments with little appreciation that facades are the public face of architecture. (Moloney, J. 2007:461) this is a strong argument, which I cannot disagree with without taking every case into account. In the past environmentally aware buildings have sometimes been perceived as inept and unattractive. But times have changed. Technology and aesthetics should be able to run alongside each other in harmony. Architects are now beginning to use energy saving strategies to their advantage to create more unique, interesting facades. Solar shading devices can add a huge amount of visual interest to a building, creating an ever changing dynamic pattern, just like the buildings featured in this review. Climate change is undeniable. Therefore the demand for more efficient, next-generation adaptive systems for building facades is increasing. What has the future got in store for adaptive facades? New innovations in faà §ade design are primarily down to advanced technical developments in both computer technology and materials. The building envelope is a critical area of a buildings design, with the facade engineer playing a vital role in bringing the architects vision to life. New cladding materials and processing techniques are continually being developed in the search for better faà §ade performance, making the design and procurement of the building envelope a highly technical and complex process yet one that is still immensely creative. Various architects have presented performance-based prototypes as technological, social, and utopian solutions for the problems we face. Here are two examples: Adaptive faà §ade Fluidic muscle technology Prof Ir Kas Oosterhuis 2003 This was a competition, its aim being to come up with an innovative idea to create a faà §ade that has flexibility that will enable the occupants to have total control of the light levels in their immediate area, rather than have a centralised controller. Currently most solar shading devices have no facility for localised control and the whole faà §ade has to change at once and can usually only be set to fully open or fully closed. This system allows the building users in any part of the building to set their own preferred light levels. The muscles are made of silicon coated polyamide rubber with steel valves at each end, the shades are inflatable cushions made of polyester coated with hypalon and the whole assembly is joined by steel fixings. The structure is very lightweight meaning easy attachment to existing buildings with little disruption. It can therefore be used to enhance the aesthetics of a mundane building. The facade brings attention to the building by the way it moves, it makes the building appear as if its alive, as the skin pulsates and opens. Edge monkeys (theoretical idea) Stephen A. Gage and Will Thorne (British architect-academics) In an article published in the cyber journal Technoetic Arts Stephen A. Gage and Will Thorne describe a hypothetical fleet of small robots they call edge monkeys. Their function would be to patrol building facades, regulating energy usage and indoor conditions. Basic duties include closing unattended windows, checking thermostats, and adjusting blinds. But the machines would also gesture meaningfully to internal occupants when building users are clearly wasting energy. This sci-fi sounding scheme crystallizes the widespread concern informing many recent architectural projects. Today, activating a buildings skin is in fashion. From the robotecture labs at top architecture schools to interactive art installations. Aesthetics and technology are converging in unlikely places. Nonetheless, the mainstream drivers for interactive envelopes are sustainability and strict energy codes. Conclusion- At the conclusion of this review, I have gained an appreciation and better understanding of this new trend towards intelligent faà §ades. Although it is somewhat difficult to conclude this study, primarily because the outcome really depends on individual interpretations and taste. By comparing the views and opinions of more than one person, I feel an honest result has been achieved. Yet due to the lack of commonly accepted methods and relevant supporting data for technology, the assessment of the overall performance of the intelligent facades cannot be carried out. It remains difficult, if not impossible, to carry out a fair comparison between different case studies in terms of intelligence. The different examples show that there isnt only one intelligent faà §ade system but rather that depending on the case in order it is an individual solution according to the location and utilization of the building. As a result it proves difficult to compare the case studies in this report. How ever looking at them individually the environmental data and statistics collected all point to succesfull levels achieved. The facades seem to be doing their job by reacting intelligently to the climate and impoving internal conditions while still cutting energy consumption. The conclusion reached is that with the combination of these three elements: new technology, innovative materials and very good design, highly efficient intelligent skins can still be aesthetically pleasing. But do technically innovative buildings always come in such stylish packages? What twenty years ago was perceived as clumsy and unattractive eco-buildings and deterred architects from a design perspective is today an aesthetically interesting and multi faceted solution. In the design of new buildings, the sustainability aspect is particularly popular and the faà §ade returns to its initial purpose of representation: bold, transparent and sustainable architecture is implemented with minimal conflict as a general rule. Another thought is that intelligent facades are possibly perceived as being visually attractive because of their environmental advantages in a world where being green is in vogue. Or more philosophically, people are attracted to facades with moving parts because motion seems to herald change. Michael Fox an architect and robotics expert predicted Architectural environments will be increasingly smart and responsive and capable of complex behaviours. But one must question whether such promises have been realized? And what is needed to push the idea forward and turn the promise of extraordinarily intelligent faà §ades into a reality? Steps need to be taken to develop these products quickly. We are in the midst of global climate change, the way we think is changing and the way in which buildings are designed and made must also change. Adaptive, intelligent environmental strategies offer a critical contribution to the broad ambition of reversing environmental damage. Intelligent facades will, one day in the near future become a necessity/commonplace and that in time may hinder the obvious aesthetic merit of exemplar buildings like the ones shown in this report.

Sound on Disc :: essays research papers

Sound-On-Disc: From Inception ‘til Death From the Kinetophone to the Vitaphone, the sound-on-disc format dominated the pioneering stage of sound in movies. For the first time ever, people were able to hear sound synchronized with the images on the screen, and the revolution had begun-the talkies were here to stay. It was the sound-on-disc format that helped create many of Hollywood’s â€Å"talkie† classics, including The Jazz Singer and The Singing Fool. However, another format, sound-on-film, would soon take reign of the talking motion picture movement, as the audience and the exhibitors started to become more demanding as technology was slowly improving. Sound-on-disc was simply beleaguered with too many technical and economic problems to continue to stay relevant. Thus, the competing sound-on-film format eventually became widely-accepted in the motion picture industry and is used even to this day.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There were many different technologies in the beginning of the 20th Century that were able to incorporate sound with film, including the Chronophone and the Cameraphone. However, the most influential film-phonograph combination in terms of the impact on the developments in the 1920s was Thomas Edison’s Kinetophone, which featured an automatic synchronizing system (Gomery, 27). Numerous identical gears linked the phonograph and projector to cause both machines, if manually operated, to move at the same rate. He also created an adjustment dial to correct synchronization problems. The Kinetophone was indeed advanced for its time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On February 19, 1913, the Kinetophone premiered at the Colonial, a vaudeville theatre on Broadway. The film opened with a lecturer who proceeded to explain the system. He also smashed a plate, played the violin and piano, and had a dog bark-all of which demonstrated the power of Edison’s technology (28). A minstrel act followed, and the film eventually ended with the chorus of the â€Å"Star Spangled Banner.† It was a huge hit, and the audience gave the film a 15 minute standing ovation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Despite it’s successful opening night, the promise of the Kinetophone never materialized. During the second week of its New York Presentation, the audience booed the Kinetophone, as the synchronization was off by as much as 10 to 12 seconds due to an inexperienced projectionist. There were also other problems that plagued it. The phonograph emitted a â€Å"harsh, metallic sound†, and its volume was never sufficient to fill a large vaudeville theatre (29). Eventually, by 1915, all operations of Edison’s Kinetophone had ceased. Edison’s failure marked the end of the pioneering phase of the phonograph- based sound pictures.

Monday, August 19, 2019

The Great Depression in America :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Great Depression of 1929-33 was the most severe economic crisis of modern times. Millions of people lost their jobs, and many farmers and businesses were bankrupted. Industrialized nations and those supplying primary products which were all affected in one way or another. In Germany the United States industrial output fell by about 50 per cent, and between 25 and 33 per cent of the industrial labor force was unemployed. The Depression was eventually to cause a complete turn-around in economic theory and government policy. In the 1920s governments and business people largely believed, as they had since the 19th century, that prosperity resulted from the least possible government intervention in the domestic economy, from open international relations with little trade discrimination, and from currencies that were fixed in value and readily convertible. Few people would continue to believe this in the 1930s.The Great Depression was an economic slump in North America, It was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world. Though the U.S. economy had gone into depression six months earlier, the Great Depression may be said to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929. During the next three years of the U.S. government stock continue to fall, until by late 1932 they had dropped to only about 20 percent of their value in 1929. Besides ruining many thousands of individual investors, this precipitous decline in the value of assets greatly strained banks and other financial institutions, particularly those holding stocks in their portfolios. Many banks were consequently forced into insolvency; by 1933, 11,000 of the United States' 25,000 banks had failed. Many people thought that it was the governments fault for bringing this together. It also became clear that there had been serious over-production in agriculture, leading to falling prices and a rising debt among farmers. The Depression spread rapidly around the world because the responses made by governments were flawed. When faced with falling export earnings they overreacted and severely increased tariffs on imports, thus further reducing trade. Moreover, since deflation was the only policy supported by economic theory at the time, the initial response of every government was to cut their spending. As a result consumer demand fell even further.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

The Influence of Bob Marleys Absent, White Father :: Bob Marley Essays

â€Å"My fadda was a guy yunno, from England here, yunno? Him was like†¦like you can read it yunno, it’s one o’dem slave stories: white guy get the black woman and breed her. He’s a English guy†¦I t’ink. Cos me see him one time yunno. My mother? My Mother African.† (Bob Marley, 1978) The psychological aftermath of being an abandoned child of a biracial marriage was something that heavily influenced reggae superstar Bob Marley for his entire career. Many of Marley’s most loyal fans and the vast majority of reggae enthusiasts are unaware that he was, indeed, born to a white father, Captain Norval Marely, and a black mother, Cedella Booker. Bob Marley grew up angry with his father who he felt had mistreated him and his mother. Marley was also partially ashamed of his white heritage. This childhood mentality of resentment and embarrassment sculpted Marley’s youth and eventually influenced the ideals and work of his musical genius for his entire career. The sentiment of abandonment and the lack of a father figure forced Bob Marley to look to other means, like the ideals of Rastafarianism, for direction, comfort, and a sense of belonging. The strong allegiance to black culture that resulted from the absence of his white father also partially attribut ed to Marley’s unwaveringly sense of Pan-Africanism. The imperfections and almost total absence of Bob Marley’s Caucasian father, Captain Norval Marley, had a profound psychological influence on the great reggae icon. The effects of racial issues on human nature and thought are highly debated and viewed quite sensitively by many. Often, people even find their feelings and observations difficult to discuss with regard to the subject matter. With this in mind, it needs to be stated that Bob Marley was not a bigot in any way. In reality, Marley was a â€Å"missionary for a form of personal and collective identity he called â€Å"Rasta† a word that both signified a history of racial oppression, and pointed to a definition of community beyond the language of race† (Stephens 149). It should also be stated that Marley was a member of the early movement of Rastas who were rooted in Garvey’s Black Nationalism, and in an ancient tradition of â€Å"Africanized† Christianity known as Ethiopianism (Stephens 149). Early Rastas adopted the ideals of Kenyan anti-colonial rebels, their call to action being: â€Å"Death to the white oppressor† (Stephens 149).