Criminology & Criminal Justice BSc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6000 words

Criminology & Criminal Justice BSc - Essay Example The ultimate result of this frustration will lead to withdrawal of co-operation by the victim (Department of Justice 2009, p. 4). Therefore, the co-operation is necessary for the effectiveness of criminal justice system to ensure that it will lead to punishing the offender. Ensuring the credentials of the victim as genuine, does not necessarily mean, will usurp the rights of defendants as enshrined in the fundamental rights. In 1994 rights of victims were neglected badly. This is not the first time in the history of UK when the Liberty has called for greater objectives. According to Zedner (2007), a study reveals no conflict between the rights of defendants and the rights of victims (p. 265). Fair and just trials are the essence of criminal justice system. In order to ensure fair prosecution and to avoid miscarriage of justice, it is incumbent upon the law enforcers to protect the rights of defendants. Review of the European Convention on Human Rights indicates limited protection for victims. It is the duty of the police to provide protection to individuals in general and youngsters in specific from breaching of personal integrity. Failure to protect the victim, the authorities concerned will be held responsible as per law (Zedner 2007, p. 274). It would be in the fitness of things if victims should have more rights than those reflected in the Convention. The charter of victim first come to surface in the year 1990 and revised in the year 1996 clearly defined the fundamental rights of every victim of crime (Shapland 2000, p. 82). By all means, it can be considered a revolutionary step in the legal history of the United Kingdom. The existing Charter fulfils the expectation of a victim. According to Shapland (2000), in case of dissatisfaction, it permits the victim to lodge his or her complaint to an appropriate authority (p 83). Of course, the Charter of Victim is a well thought out document to address the issues and the difficulties faced by the

Prejudice in Of Mice and Men Essay Example for Free

Prejudice in Of Mice and Men Essay Prejudices are the chains forged by ignorance to keep men apart. Marguerite Gardiner. In society, both modern and in the past, prejudice has been a tool of thinking and labeling a group of race, people, class and culture in order to distinguish ones superiority and dominance from one another, but is simply a way to judge without gathering valid facts. In Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, we see that prejudice was just as rampant in the 1930s. In the novel, prejudice is demonstrated on 3 different levels: racial, sexual and social. It is shown how these prejudices generate false perceptions that although meant to aid, do no such good as their end result is clouding the truth. Racial prejudice is most significant when describing Crooks, who happens to be the stable buck for the farm. Crooks is also a Black man with a back disability, hence the reason he is called Crooks. While most of the other workers live in the same area and attend to jobs that are quite similar, Crooks is forced to live by himself, work alone in the stables and is almost never in contact with any of the other characters. People such as Curlys Wife go as far as to ridicule Crooks and even look down at him simply for the fact that he is a Black man with a disability who is a laborer. In one instance, Curlys Wife threatens Crooks by telling him Listen, Nigger, you know what I can do if you open your trap, I could get you strung up on a tree so easy it aint funny (Steinbeck, 98). The open brutality of this comment shows that even a woman, who would normally not have much or any say during this time in the 1930s, is still considered higher in social class than an African-American man. Nothing is known about him as a person by any of the other farm attendants, but the prejudices that in this case are completely false help propel a gap between them, when one does not need to be. Although he may be physically handicap, he is just as capable as any of the others. As a result of being an outcast at the farm, Crooks has become very isolated and disengaged with the other members. When Lennie enters Crooks cabin in order retrieve the puppies, Crooks lashes out and tells Lennie I aint wanted in the bunk room and you aint wanted in my room (Steinbeck,124). This comment shows that Crooks has become bitter and alone because of the prejudice constantly being aimed at him when there is no reason for the way he is treated. He is a great overall example of racial prejudice in Of Mice and Men and society, both past and present, in which a African-American male, who is as capable as any man of another color is denied the same opportunities because of stereotypes and perceptions which can only be supported with biased false facts. Sexual prejudice is strong when Curlys Wife is a part of a scene. Curlys Wife also happens to be the only female that is currently occupying the place of work that the novel is set in. Curlys Wife is presented as a character who tends to be very friendly with all the men on the farm and enjoys the attention she gets because her husband, Curly does not give her the amount of attention that she wants, so she finds it with others. Curlys Wife is often avoided by all other who work at the farm because she is a woman who could get them in a lot of trouble. Curly is the boss son and Curlys Wife being the daughter-in-law always gets her way and can have any man in the farm fired without reason. She got the eye goin all the time on everybody. I bet she even gives the stable buck they eye. I dont know what the hell she wants (Steinbeck,51). Being a woman, there is already significant amount of sexual prejudice directed to her and the fact that she is very flirtatious with the other men further strengthens their perception of her. They all try to remain as calm as possible, careful not to give her the wrong idea cause they know the trouble that she could get them in. In actuality it appears that Curlys Wife only craves attention from the other men and nothing sexual because of the lack of her husband to give her the attention that she wants. The idea of her wanting something only sexual and not spiritual shows the prejudice associated with gender in this novel and how its falsehood prevents a lonely woman from engaging and connecting with others on a mental level. Equally important is the Social prejudice towards characters such as Candy and Lennie in Of Mice and Men. Candy is very old and not capable of doing much around the farm but is still kept around to do the simple chores that the others are seen as more of a waste of time for others. These simple chores are envied by others and this jealousy helps create a division between Candy and the others. Candy also has a dog that in many ways is similar to him [The] dog aint no good to himself. I wisht somebodyd shoot me if I got old an a cripple (pg. 45). They are both described as being old, withered, confused and in many ways more of a nuisance who would do more good dead than alive. Socially being hated by the majority of the men at the ranch shows the prejudice that is directed without any reason, but simply motivated by jealousy. In the instance of Lennie, social prejudice is strongest evident in the perception others have of him because in their eyes, all they see is a big oaf incapable of accomplishing anything intelligent and only kept around for his strength. Before meeting Lennie and even engaging him in conversation, his position has already been established at the Ranch. With Curly we see that [Hes] like a lot of little guys. He hates big guys. Hes alla time picking scraps with big guys. Kind of like hes mad at em because he aint a big guy (pg. 26). Regardless of his ability to be of help at the farm, Curly already establishes his position on Lennie even though he has had no significant direct contact or enough time to accurately depict Lennie as a person and not just a big man physically. Not only Curly, but other members of the farm also have decided Lennies place at work before fully knowing him. He is left out of card games, left back at the ranch when George and the others go out to hand more important jobs. Being considered a simple minded men with little use who spend their days playing with and day dreaming about rabbits or sweeping after others, Lennie and Candy have become outcasts in the sense that one of them is perceived to be mentally unstable and added to the fact that he is physically strong, while the other one is a nuisance who many could live without, make them both isolated and all the more reason to be avoid and singled out. Of Mice and Men is a brilliant novel in demonstrating that prejudice is a tool that people use to become more familiar with other individuals in order to overcome the fear of uncertainty. However, the ending result is that it puts distance between the person and the one they judge because it is not fact, but perception that is completely untrue. Prejudice is simply the reasoning of a fool to make themselves feel secure.

Cancer :: essays research papers fc

The Mysterious Face of Cancer Statement of Purpose: What people need to understand though is yes cancer is Life-altering chain of events but cancer is not the end of the world. I. Death is inevitable; there is no way around it. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are more than one hundred types of cancer. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are three main ways doctors and scientists detect cancer in a patient. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If a patient does have cancer and it is detected in the early stages there is a greater chance of recovery. II. There are three main types of cancer treatment doctor’s use.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most cancers are treatable if they are detected in the early stages. B.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sadly, many people discover they have cancer after is too late. C.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are several warning signs that may save a patients life. III. Scientists may not know right now why cancer affects certain people but they do know that it has nothing to do with age or gender. A.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the United States about 8.4 million Americans alive today have a history of cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  B. Nearly 552,200 people will develop cancer in the next year. C. There are several steps a person can take to reduce his or her risk of developing the cancer virus. The Mysterious Face Of Cancer Every person on earth will eventually one day have to leave it behind. It is not the choice of the person whether they go peacefully or whether they go with pain. More often than not a person will go with pain. This is the case with cancer. More and more people die everyday from cancer and it appears to ruin the lives of all those associated with it. What people need to understand though is yes cancer is a life altering chain of events but cancer is not the end of the world. Death is inevitable; there is no way around it. Perhaps cancer patients realize this more than anyone. â€Å"All creatures born upon this earth must, in the end, die. Some live long and peaceful lives. But others are caught up in struggles—must fight for their lives† (Silverstein 12-13). This is the case with cancer. Cancer patients will struggle and fight for their lives and not have the luxury of dying peacefully. The cause of cancer is still unknown to scientists but they have been able to come up with some possible explanations. Cancer affects newborn babies, boys, girls, women, men, animals and even plants. The possible causes of the cancers that affect each of these groups include chemicals in the body, viruses, ultraviolet rays, smoking, and it has been proven to be hereditary in some cases.

Chromatography Essay -- Essays Papers

Chromatography is a method of separating and analyzing complicated substances. This is done in two phases, a mobile phase and a stationary phase .During the stationary phase, said substance is stationary, while during the mobile phase, the substance moves in a specific direction. During the mobile phase, the substance is filtered through the stationary phase. The stationary phase in necessary in order for the substances to be separated even though it doesn?t involve movement of the substance because it filters the substance through the stationary phase.. Since the substance is made of different, specific substances, each can go though the process of chromatography at different rates. This causes the components of the substance to be moved over materials made for absorption at different times. This makes the different components of the substance absorb at different rates. This is done numerous times and is a very precise method of separation. This process can be used to separate a w ide variety of things, and can be used to separate most volatile or soluble substances. This process is used many like because it is gentle enough to separate delicate solutions, like those of proteins. There are many types of chromatography, the types of which are as follows: Gas Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography, Ion Exchange Chromatography, and Affinity Chromatography . Gas Chromatography uses a pressurized gas camber to filter gasses by either thermal conductivity or flame ionization. There are three types of gas chromatography: capillary gas chromatography, gas adsorption chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography. Capillary gas chromatography used more often than any other type of gas chromatography. In this form of chromatography... ...ntro to Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Environ/CHROMO/chromintro.html> Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordanaro. "Gas Chromatology." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordonaro. "Liquid Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rebecca, and Julia Bordanaro. "Ion Exchange Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 Carrier, Rececca, and Julia Bordonaro. "Affinity Chromatography." 25 Feb. 2008 "Chromatography." Shaffald Hallam University. 25 Feb. 2008

Problems Related to Population Growth

Population growth is a major issue within today’s world, with the rapid and exponentially increasing rate of population growth causing problems with overcrowded areas affecting the business environment as well as everyday life. The world’s population is at an estimated 7 billion people (BBC, 2011) and ‘at today’s rate, population would skyrocket by 2100, to 27 billion from today’s 7 billion’. (Harvard Gazette, 2012). Sourced from BBC (2013)The above diagram shows the extent of the increase in the rate of population growth from the year 500B.C. to a forecasted 8. 5 billion people in 2025. This highlights that, by 2025 the world’s population is on track to more than treble since 1950. This increase in population growth over the last 200 years could be attributed to an increase in fertility, for example, ‘just over 723,000 babies were born in England and Wales in 2010, up from fewer than 600,000 in 2000. The average number of childre n each woman is likely to have has gone up from 1. 64 to 1. 98. ’ (Daily Mail, 2012).This increase in fertility has not been coupled with an increase in the death rate which, due to factors such as ‘better medicines and improved sanitation’ (Brooks, Weatherstone and Wilkinson, 2011, p. 169) and more stringent health and safety procedures, has actually declined as ‘many of the once incurable diseases have cures today. ’(Buzzle, 2012). The increased population growth has brought with it many problems, for example in China the necessity for increased production to satisfy demand from a higher population has put strain on resources as well as producing high levels of pollution which is a negative externality.This has resulted in a law being passed restricting the number of children a family can have to 1 per couple. Another problem with population growth is that more housing is necessary to accommodate increased numbers of people. This has resulted in la nd that is used or could be used for farming being converted into housing. This is particularly disadvantageous because as Malthus’ theory suggests, the population is growing faster than the food supply.He theorises that the extra people must die, whereas Ester Boserup argued that ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and asserted that the increase in population pressure acts as an incentive to developing new technology such as genetically modified crops (Rogers, Jalal & Boyd, 2008, p. 20). This has given rise to ethical debates concerning the use of disease-resistant, higher yielding modified crops which have been produced to cope with the increased population’s demand.Also with this loss of land comes extinction of species due to their natural habitats being destroyed. A further issue with fast population growth is that with increased population comes increased poverty and inequality. The poorest most impoverished of the population don’t have acc ess to adequate birth control which means they are continuing to reproduce whilst having the same small amount of resources, this is leading to malnutrition and infant mortality, as well as adding strain to the already inadequate educational and healthcare systems.

How to Make a Red Cabbage pH Indicator

How to Make a Red Cabbage pH Indicator Make your own pH indicator solution! Red cabbage juice contains a natural pH indicator that changes colors according to the acidity of the solution. Red cabbage juice indicators are easy to make, exhibit a wide range of colors, and can be used to make your own pH paper strips. Introduction to the Cabbage pH Indicator Red cabbage contains a pigment molecule called flavin (an anthocyanin). This water-soluble pigment is also found in apple skin, plums, poppies, cornflowers, and grapes. Very acidic solutions will turn anthocyanin a red color. Neutral solutions result in a purplish color. Basic solutions appear in greenish-yellow. Therefore, it is possible to determine the pH of a solution based on the color it turns the anthocyanin pigments in red cabbage juice. The color of the juice changes in response to changes in its hydrogen ion concentration. pH is the -log[H]. Acids will donate hydrogen ions in an aqueous solution and have a low pH (pH 7). Materials You Will Need Red cabbageBlender or knifeBoiling waterFilter paper (coffee filters work well)One large glass beaker or another glass containerSix 250 mL beakers or other small glass containersHousehold ammonia (NH3)Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3)Washing soda (sodium carbonate, Na2CO3)Lemon juice (citric acid, C6H8O7)Vinegar (acetic acid, CH3COOH)Cream of tartar (Potassium bitartrate, KHC4H4O6)Antacids (calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide)Seltzer water (carbonic acid, H2CO3)Muriatic acid or masonrys cleaner (hydrochloric acid, HCl)Lye (potassium hydroxide, KOH or sodium hydroxide, NaOH) Procedure Chop the cabbage into small pieces until you have about 2 cups of chopped cabbage. Place the cabbage in a large beaker or other glass container and add boiling water to cover the cabbage. Allow at least ten minutes for the color to leach out of the cabbage.Alternatively, you can place about 2 cups of cabbage in a blender, cover it with boiling water, and blend it.Filter out the plant material to obtain a red-purple-bluish colored liquid. This liquid is at about pH 7. The exact color you get depends on the pH of the water.Pour about 50 - 100 mL of your red cabbage indicator into each 250 mL beaker.Add various household solutions to your indicator until a color change is obtained. Use separate containers for each household solution - you dont want to mix chemicals that dont go well together! Red Cabbage pH Indicator Colors pH 2 4 6 8 10 12 Color Red Purple Violet Blue Blue-Green Greenish Yellow Tips and Safety This demo uses acids and bases, so please make certain to use safety goggles and gloves, particularly when handling strong acids (HCl) and strong bases (NaOH or KOH).Chemicals used in this demo may be safely washed down the drain with water.A neutralization experiment could be performed using cabbage juice indicator. First, add an acidic solution such as vinegar or lemon juice until a reddish color is obtained. Then add baking soda or antacids to return the pH towards a neutral 7.You can make your own pH paper strips using red cabbage indicator. Take filter paper (or coffee filter) and soak it in a concentrated red cabbage juice solution. After a few hours, remove the paper and allow it to dry (hang it by a clothespin or string). Cut the filter into strips and use them to test the pH of various solutions. To test a sample, place a drop of liquid on the test strip. Dont dip the strip in the liquid or else youll get cabbage juice in it. An example of a basic solution is laundry soap. E xamples of common acids include lemon juice and vinegar.

Introduction to Automation

Introduction to Automation Free Online Research Papers Human being is a characteristics species among all living species that distinguish itself from all other living species by its ability to magnify and extend its own capabilities. Earlier, the human being has been described as a tool utilizing other animals for carrying out the work generally ascribed by him for himself. The capabilities of man along with his desire for knowledge and improvement leads to the development of a device called â€Å"A machine†. A machine, as per one of the definitions given in ‘Oxford English Dictionary’ is â€Å"An apparatus for applying mechanical power consisting of a number of interrelated parts, each having a definite function.† The evolution of machine is attributed to the propagating power of machine which is inherited from its ancestor machines. Existing machine tool makes the pathway for the manufacturing of more advanced machine tools which successively serves to accelerate the evolution of new machine tools. The industrial revolution which started in 18th century urges for mechanization by systematically eliminating human labour for the need of better work, consistence performance and higher production. The word mechanization was then replaced by the dynamic word â€Å"Automation†. The automation reinforces the process of technological development. Over a period of time, it has been seen that the machinery becomes more and more automated. This is achieved by eliminating machine-operator intervention in manufacturing processes and process controls. A high accuracy, consistence performance, greater production rate, etc. makes these machines inherently specialized. These specialized machines can process only limited number of components. The need of manually operated machines can been ruled out except for prototype and low volume component production. Modern manufacturing systems and industrial robots are advanced automation systems that utilize computers as an integral part of their control. Computers are now a vital part of automation. They control stand-alone manufacturing systems, such as various machine tools, welders, and laser beam cutters. They run production lines and are beginning to take over control of an engine factory. Even more challenging are new robots performing various operations in industrial plants and participating in the full automation of factories. It is well to keep in mind that the automatically controlled factory is nothing more than the latest development in the industrial revolution that began in Europe two centuries ago and progressed the following stages: 1. Construction of simple production machines and mechanizations started in 1770, at the beginning of the revolution. 2. Fixed automatic mechanism and transfer lines for mass production came along at the turn of this century. The transfer line is an organization of manufacturing facilities for faster output and shorter production time. The cycle of operation is simple and fixed and is designed to produce a certain product. 3. Next came machine tools with simple automatic control, such as plug board controllers to perform a fixed sequence of operations and copying machines in which a stylus moves on a master copy and simultaneously transmits command signals to servo drivers. 4. The introduction of numerical control (NC) in 1952 opened a new era in automation. NC is based on digital computer principles, which was a new technology at that time. 5. The logical extension of NC was computerized numerical control (CNC) for machines tools, in which a minicomputer is included as an integral part of the control cabinet. 7. Industrial robots were developed simultaneously with the CNC systems. The first commercial robot was developed in 1961, but they did not play a major role in the manufacturing until the late 1970s. 8. A fully automatic factory which employs a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) and computer and computer aided design/computer –aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) techniques in the next logical extension. FMS means a facility that includes manufacturing cells, each cell containing a robot serving several CNC machines, and an automatic material- handling systems interfaced with a central computer. Stages of development: (i) First Industrial Revolution, began with the advent of powered machine tools and the creation of factories but continuously moved toward Mechanization rather labour muscle power. (ii) Second Industrial Revolution, began in 1900s with advent of mass production and assembly lines. The large automated Material Mechanisms and transfer lines were developed. This type of automation is, these days, called as fixed automation. Specifically, Automation is a term was coined by D.S. Harder of Ford Motor company in 1947. (iii) Third Industrial Revolution, evolved in recent years is flexible in contrast to second. In this, computers are used to control, processes as well as the information system i.e. both muscle as well as brain work for production. Production is the a transformation process that converts raw material into finished products that have value in market place. The products are made by the combined efforts of man, machine, material and tools. All work requires both energy and information, and these two elements must be provided by some sources, either a human or any substitute. More the human attributes, if performed by a machine, the higher it has â€Å"automaticity†. Automaticy is thus defined as self-acting capability of the device in general terms. Mechanization Mechanization is providing human operators with machinery that assist them with the muscular requirements of work. It can also refer to the use of machines to replace human or animal labor. A step beyond mechanization is automation. Even the use of hand powered tools is an example of mechanization as it reduces the work of either screwing, drilling, inserting nails, punching or even power washing a surface. Mechanical vs human labour When we compare the efficiency of a labourer, we see that he has an efficiency of about 1%-5.5% (depending on whether he uses arms, or a combination of arms and legs). Internal combustion engines have mostly about an efficiency of 20%. This although, some IC engines state efficiencies of

Conventional Elements of Literature Essay Essays

Conventional Elements of Literature Essay Essays Conventional Elements of Literature Essay Essay Conventional Elements of Literature Essay Essay Literature has elements by which we can analyse the piece ( book. verse form. drama. etc. ) written. These elements are ; secret plan. character. puting. subject. construction. point of position. struggle. enunciation. prefiguration and symbolism ( Scholes. 1991 ) Three of them will be explained here further. The secret plan of the literature is the manner the narrative goes. the line of the narrative. the manner it starts. develops and terminals. Basically. the secret plan tells us what happens in the narrative. The secret plan can dwell of an expounding ( puting and characters ) . struggle ( complications that might originate ) . flood tide ( minute of crisis or the most of import portion of a narrative ) and a denouement ( the declaration. the unraveling ) . Analyzing the secret plan and secret plan alterations tell us the whole narrative and explicate the narrative. Fictional characters make the narrative ; they are the personalities of the narrative. Fictional characters can be conventional ( e. g. human existences. populating on Earth ) . scientific discipline fictional existences ( e. g. foreigners ) or antic extra-ordinary existences ( e. g. ace hero’s or trolls ) . All these characters can either be fictional ( made up ) or existent. The characters can besides be human. supernatural. fabulous. animate being or Godhead. Then there is besides the ‘depth’ of the character to be considered ; characters can be round ( developed and complex ) . level ( no complexness ) or stereotyped. They can besides be dynamic ( alterations ) or inactive ( they don’t alteration ) . Analysis of literature from the characters is an in depth analysis of the whole piece. the characters are one of the most of import elements in all literature. Enunciation. the usage of linguistic communication. is another of import component in literature. The duologues reflect the characters. convey interior ideas and give significance to actions. Analysis of the linguistic communication and the duologues can give the reader a great penetration in the characters and the significance of the literary piece. A piece of literature can non be analyzed with the usage of merely one component. To understand literature. you have to analyse at least the secret plan and the characters to be able to give any significance to a piece. But shortly. there will be other inquiries as ‘theme’ . ‘points of view’ and ‘symbolism’ . All these combined will give you an analysis of literature. The chief inquiry any analyst has to inquire the piece is ‘why’ . This will assist the analysis and give penetration in all the elements. Mentions Scholes. R. ( Ed. ) . Klaus. C. H. ( Ed. ) . Comley. N. R. ( Ed. ) A ; Silverman. M. ( Ed. ) . ( 1991 ) . Elementss of Literature: Essay. Fiction. Poetry. Drama. Film. New York: Oxford University Press. Inc.

Private sector involvement in environmental management Essay

Private sector involvement in environmental management - Essay Example There are various advantages that are associated with the involvement of the private sector in the issues of environmental management, more so, as regards the management of water resources and biodiversity. One of these advantages is the provision of technical assistance in the environmental management issues. The private sector may be well equipped and versed with technical expertise that is relevant for the management of water and biodiversity (Brown, Aradau, and Budds, 15). Thus, the involvement of the private sector in this practice will serve to ensure that such expertise is availed in the management of water and biodiversity projects. This ensures that the whole process becomes successful and is implemented within the shortest duration possible, in that the presence of technical assistance helps the whole project to run smoothly and efficiently, saving on the time that would be involved in correcting mistakes arising from the lack of technical skills in the project implementati on (17). Provision of private finance is the other advantage associated with the involvement of the private sector in environmental management programs (23). Such finances provided by the private institutions may be in form of loans or grants towards such projects. This is an advantage in that the financial provision by the sector serves to supplement the public finances that could have been allocated for such a program. In so doing, a project that could have been implemented over many years due to financial challenges is implemented within a short duration. The provision of financial support from the private sector also serves to ensure that, suitable and most recent technology can be accessed and acquired for the implementation of the environmental management projects. This way, the projects are implemented more rapidly and efficiently, while ensuring that the necessary tools and equipment, which are most suitable for the project, are afforded and involved in the project execution (59). Additionally, the provision of private finance serves to ensure that the project can run continuously, since there is some aspect of public finance that requires many bureaucratic procedures to be undertaken before the finances are availed for used in the project. Most limiting factor associated with public finance, is the fact that, if any additional finance is deemed necessary, then such has to wait until another budget period, when such supplementary finances can be planned (161). In contrast, the private sector finance is easily accessible and requires less bureaucracy to obtain and use. The involvement of the private sector in environmental management is also advantageous in that it affords an opportunity for contracting a single contractor, who will deal with the whole project, from the design phase to completion (39). If such projects would be left wholesomely to the public sector, their implementation would be a great challenge, in that, the project would require vari ous departments of the public sector to be involved at different phases and stages of project implementation. Thus, the planning department would be required to plan for the project, the architecture department to design the project structures and the other departments to take respective phases of the project execu

Demonstrate the major differences between documentary and reality TV Essay

Demonstrate the major differences between documentary and reality TV programmes by comparing examples on similar subjects - Essay Example The basic assumption made by the current report is that both reality TV and documentaries are manipulative genres, which use objectivity (an impossibility in reality) as a way of excusing the purposeful arrangement of form and content to achieve a certain audience reaction. Certain other genres, including documentaries, may be said to be forerunners of reality TV. Among these are quiz shows, which had their peak of popularity in the 1950s and declined after a series of scandals. In these shows, average everyday individuals would compete against members of the scholarly and intelligence community for cash and other prizes by answering questions in a game-show format. Part of the draw of these shows, as in other reality TV shows as well as documentaries, was that the viewer was not watching an actor delivering planned lines, but rather was watching an individual who was just like them in many ways. The genre of quiz shows became wildly popular, partly as a result of this, but faded after quiz show scandals revealed that many of the so-called average everyday people were actually actors, being coached and given lines by the shows’ producers. However, the genre of game shows, which is closely related to quiz shows, survived the scandals and kept its place on network television, especially during the morning and daytime hours. â€Å"Various types of programme are believed to impart greater knowledge and â€Å"broaden the mind†: in part political programmes (which are not uniformly popular as a result of the disillusionment frequently expressed with respect to politics and politicians); to a greater extent magazine-style programmes, debates, reports and documentaries on a series of topics including society, travel, foreign countries, nature† (Attitudes, 2010). People are interested in this form of entertainment, and therefore, it

The impact of World War II Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The impact of World War II - Term Paper Example The roaring 20’s also give the rise to employment laws and regulations, which consisted of minimum wage, 8 hour work shifts, and 5 days of regular work. Ford was the first company to introduce this idea behind a clever strategy of consumer spending. If it enabled its workers to have spare time, they would spend it in leisure which would boost the nation’s economy. The 1920’s also was marked by the Great Depression that occurred post World War I. In addition, the 1920’s signified the ban of alcohol through prohibition, which drastically reduced the death rate from drinking. The 18th Amendment was one of the critical elements that banned.One of the more prevalent and essential events that occurred during the 1920s was discrimination and racism that plagued the nation. The rise of William Simmon in 1920’s was drastic as the emergence of the new Klan began. As immigrants continued to pour in from nations, Simmons used this as fear tactic and as an oppor tunity to reap money where he sold memberships along with life insurances. The rebirth of the KKK continues to gain strong support as, Catholics, Jews and Chinese became target of hate crime. The whole nation and even Congress itself passed the National Origins Act, which limited citizenship to immigrants. Anti-immigration legislation such as this one was a critical element as it marked the beginning of restricting immigrants after the open door policy. The Progressive Era, which lasted until the 1920’s, was a response to an industrial era and a shout for reform.... The whole nation and even Congress itself passed the National Origins Act, which limited citizenship to immigrants. Anti-immigration legislation such as this one was a critical element as it marked the beginning of restricting immigrants after the open door policy. The Progressive Era, which lasted until the 1920’s, was a response to an industrial era and a shout for reform. Its effects touched virtually all Americans and transformed the role of government in American society. The Progressive Movement was successful as it was promoted by both parties in Congress. One of the prominent players in this reform was Theodore Roosevelt, who used his passive presence to dominate the political scene. In two terms of service, he solidified the navy, won the noble prize, aggressively pursued the building of the panama canal, and played a vital role in ending the Japanese-Russian war. He gained popularity amongst his supporters and tremendously helped the nation in the reform movement. Th e New Deal was one of the most essential legislation that continues to be prominent in American history. This deal was introduced by Franklin Roosevelt, who had a vision of reform to boost the United States economy back on its feet. FDR gained so much popularity by citizens that he was elected four times due to his reputation and the ongoing of the War. The New Deal enabled the American government to passively play the role of a â€Å"big government.† Prior to the depression, society felt that the government did not play a big role in regional community. However, that soon changed as the government began to directly implement programs and services that effected peoples’ lives

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility Research Paper

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility - Research Paper Example In relation to the conception of business ethics along with social responsibility, Business Ethic Management (BEM) is viewed to be a process of analysing as well as minimising ethical issues or problems with the application of certain specific programs and effectual practices. There are varied important elements that are applied by different organisations for minimising ethical problems or issues that include formulating effectual mission statements and establishing standard code of ethics. It has been apparently observed that the people involved with an organisation are provided with business ethics related education as well as training in order to effectively operate their respective business activities in accordance with organisational objectives. Moreover, business operations of an organisation are required to be audited as well as reported in an appropriate manner in order to effectively analyze business performances by a significant level (University of Bahrain, n.d.). News Int ernational or NI Group Ltd (NI) is regarded as one of the renowned as well as the biggest publishers of famous British newspapers. The well-known newspapers published by NI are The Sunday Times and The Times. These newspapers which publish by the organisation are considered to be the best in consideration to quality. Furthermore, another well-known newspaper of the organisation named The Sun is regarded to be one of the most read newspapers in the UK that accounts to seven million readers per day (NI Group Limited, 2012). This discussion will emphasize upon analysing ethical as well as social issues that faced by NI. Moreover, the discussion will further focus upon the techniques as well as the standards that adopted by the organisation in minimising all these identified issues that are pertaining within the organisation. Ethical and Social Issues of NI NI is one the famous newspaper publisher in the UK that faced several issues or problems which have been identified to hamper the p erformances as well as the business ethics of the organisation at large. The organisation has faced the problems due to corrupt practices that were performed for investigating certain crime related activities or news reports. The major ethical problem that faced by the organisation is the phone-hacking investigation procedure. Moreover, the staff members of the organisation were also alleged that they were involved in accessing messages of general public along with comprising the celebrities as well as the politicians (Davies, 2009). Furthermore, one of the staff members named Clive Goodman as well as two other members of NI was identified to be involved in tapping the phone calls of Prince William, a member of royal family (Day, 2006). There was another event that hampered the ethical standards of the organisation considering the case of Milly Dowler who was murdered. In regard to this case, the members of NI were alleged that they erased messages from Milly Dowler’s mobile phone with the intention of acquiring future messages (Muller, 2012). Furthermore, the organisation is also charged with the crime of providing bribery to public officials for acquiring important information

Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management - Essay Example These factors can be both a threat and opportunity for the company. It is a threat because they are beyond control of the company, that the acronym PEST becomes an appropriate term. It becomes an opportunity when the company takes advantage of the environment and it becomes a rearranged word as STEP towards strategies in entering the market. Any company wishing to enter new market should study the macro-environment factors surrounding the country. First consideration is the political analysis that consists of: political stability, legal framework for contract enforcement, trade regulations and tariffs, favored trading partners, anti-trust laws, pricing regulations, taxations – tax rates and incentives, wage legislations, mandatory employee benefits, industry safety regulations and product labeling requirements. The political analysis done for Sainsbury showed following results: Trade restrictions. It will not be difficult for Sainsbury to establish commercial business relation s with Qatar because of its existing friendly relationship with U.K. It has an existing Free Trade Agreement that provides benefits to both contracting parties (Pratap, 2011). One of the Qatar’s policies that makes setting up of large industries possible here are the regional integration, trade liberalization and expansion of market volume, thus encouraging mass production and economies of scale. Tax policy. Benefits owing to tax incentives include the following: No income tax or social security deductions payable on wages and salaries. No taxation is payable on exports and customs duties start at 5% Foreign investors are permitted full repatriation of capital and profits overseas in foreign currency. Corporate tax on foreign companies is 10% Source: KMD Consulting Legal. According to SMD (2008), the Foreign Investment Law No. 13 of 2000 offers foreign ownership up to 100% foreign ownership in sectors of agriculture, manufacturing, health, education and tourism. In Feb. 1, 20 10, this law has been amended and now includes 100 percent ownership in businesses such as consultancy services, information technology (IT), services related to sports, culture and entertainment as well as distribution services. Minimum capitalization required for a Qatar company is 200,000 QR and contracts entered into by Sainsbury in Qatar are covered by the Qatari Civil Code. Sainsbury can be exempted from the Qatari Law that stipulates a total local equity of 51% in any commercial company because it falls into the category of distribution service engaged in the retail distribution network and this exemption is available upon request (SMD, 2008) Legal. Environment regulations. The current environmental issue that would most likely affect Sainsbury’s entrance to Qatar is its limited natural fresh water resources and its increasing dependence on large-scale desalination process. Political stability. The peace and quiet of a country is vital in determining investment. Qatar, according to Business Monitor International will most likely to remain politically stable as analysts see no threat to al-Thani’s family rule (Business Monitor, 2009) Next, we go to the economic factor. Included in this analysis are: the type of economic system in countries of operation, government intervention in the free market, comparative advantage of host country, infrastructure

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility Research Paper

Managing Ethichs and Social responsibility - Research Paper Example In relation to the conception of business ethics along with social responsibility, Business Ethic Management (BEM) is viewed to be a process of analysing as well as minimising ethical issues or problems with the application of certain specific programs and effectual practices. There are varied important elements that are applied by different organisations for minimising ethical problems or issues that include formulating effectual mission statements and establishing standard code of ethics. It has been apparently observed that the people involved with an organisation are provided with business ethics related education as well as training in order to effectively operate their respective business activities in accordance with organisational objectives. Moreover, business operations of an organisation are required to be audited as well as reported in an appropriate manner in order to effectively analyze business performances by a significant level (University of Bahrain, n.d.). News Int ernational or NI Group Ltd (NI) is regarded as one of the renowned as well as the biggest publishers of famous British newspapers. The well-known newspapers published by NI are The Sunday Times and The Times. These newspapers which publish by the organisation are considered to be the best in consideration to quality. Furthermore, another well-known newspaper of the organisation named The Sun is regarded to be one of the most read newspapers in the UK that accounts to seven million readers per day (NI Group Limited, 2012). This discussion will emphasize upon analysing ethical as well as social issues that faced by NI. Moreover, the discussion will further focus upon the techniques as well as the standards that adopted by the organisation in minimising all these identified issues that are pertaining within the organisation. Ethical and Social Issues of NI NI is one the famous newspaper publisher in the UK that faced several issues or problems which have been identified to hamper the p erformances as well as the business ethics of the organisation at large. The organisation has faced the problems due to corrupt practices that were performed for investigating certain crime related activities or news reports. The major ethical problem that faced by the organisation is the phone-hacking investigation procedure. Moreover, the staff members of the organisation were also alleged that they were involved in accessing messages of general public along with comprising the celebrities as well as the politicians (Davies, 2009). Furthermore, one of the staff members named Clive Goodman as well as two other members of NI was identified to be involved in tapping the phone calls of Prince William, a member of royal family (Day, 2006). There was another event that hampered the ethical standards of the organisation considering the case of Milly Dowler who was murdered. In regard to this case, the members of NI were alleged that they erased messages from Milly Dowler’s mobile phone with the intention of acquiring future messages (Muller, 2012). Furthermore, the organisation is also charged with the crime of providing bribery to public officials for acquiring important information

Early Greek Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Early Greek Philosophy - Essay Example They believed everything is only so to the eye of the beholder, and so to was it with knowledge itself according to the Sophists. Socrates, however, opposed to the Sophist position. He attempted to understand the nature of such absolutes as Justice, Goodness, or Beauty in discussion with others. Ultimately, his aim appears to be a form of the Golden Rule. If everything is relative and nothing is static, how would it be for one to be on the less than desirable side of relativity? Socrates used a dialectic technique (86). Socrates’ preferred method of debate was that of the question-answer session. He would question his opposition, and based on their answers, formulate additional questions until the relative err or truth in a given belief could be brought to light. This way, it was more as if the student derived his own conclusion from obviated facts than simply believing what is told him or her. The path to wisdom is not necessarily the accumulation of knowledge but more the honing of one’s power of discernment. Socrates believed that much like a midwife helps a mother bring forth a newborn so do teachers assist students in drawing out clarity from things in their own minds (96). As such a teacher can no more bring forth understanding from a person devoid of at least some ideas than a midwife can bring forth life from a woman not pregnant. Socrates augmented this method with strategic use of Irony. Irony is the employment of communication on multiple levels – usually an exoteric and an esoteric. The exoteric level is that of obvious, literal meanings. The esoteric is that of hidden, basic meaning. Socrates applies this method to keep his listeners engaged in his speech throughout the processes of clarification. Socrates’ discussion with Thrasymachus is representative of this process (99). The question he is trying to decide in the discussion with Thrasymachus is whether might makes right. He ultimately argues against Thrasymachus position by

Mystic Monk Coffee Essay Example for Free

Mystic Monk Coffee Essay Introduction Mystic Monk coffee company is a cloistered monastic environment where monks from the Carmelite monastery of Clark, Wyoming spend their daily manual labour hours roasting coffee (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420). The monks are a religious sect of the Catholic church and are fully dedicated to their religious and spiritual side, which requires most of their daily hours, be spent praying or contemplating in silence; this leaves little time to spend on coffee roasting productions, especially due to the small population of monks that are able to live at the Carmelite monastery. There were many restrictions that the Carmelite monks faced with their coffee productions such as having restricted roasting capacity, inadequate land and partial workers. Father Daniel Mary, the prior of the Carmelite order, had a vision of expanding the small monastery of 13 monks, by creating a new Mount Carmel in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming. There is a nearby location called the Irma Lake Ranch that would include a large house, caretaker house, guesthouse, a gothic church, a convent for Carmelite nuns, a hunting cabin and a dairy and horse barn; this would allow the monks to expand their opportunities, as well as expand their Carmelite monk residents (Thompson, 2012, pg. 421). This vision is everything that Father Daniel Mary ever dreamed, the only thing prohibiting the change, is that the Irma Lake Ranch will cost the monks $8.9 Million. The Mystic Monk coffee company only earns money based on their coffee sales (11% of revenues) and donations from private donators; the Carmelite monastery received a $250,000 donation which they can use at their discretion (Thompson, 2012, pg. 420,423). The following report will take a look at the options that are available to the Carmelite monks and what would be the most strategic plan that should be enforced in order for the monastery to be successful. External and Internal Analysis S.W.O.T. Analysis Strengths * Fair trade/ Organic Arabica beans * Variety of coffee flavors * Accessories (t-shirts, cups, CD’s) * Online shopping is available * Tea has been added to selection * Free labour/ No wages paid * Affordable/ reasonable retail price * Membership â€Å"coffee club† * Favors catholic market (large)| Weaknesses * Limited roasting capability (540 lbs/day) * Limited production due to worship * Cant expand due to limited land * Coffee is not a necessity (trend?) * Caffeine is highly addictive (health) * Purchase beans instead of growing * No business expertise/ experience * No absolute competitive advantage * Poor earnings (11% of revenues)| Opportunities * Expand availability into grocery stores * Collaborations (Keureg, Tassimo) * Other purposes (weight loss, bio fuel) * Increase advertisements * Expand into international market * Start a franchise * Open coffee shops (Starbucks, Tim’s)| Threats * Poor coffee growing season * Natural disaster/ weather * Eco nomic Conditions (recession) * Established competition (Folgers, nabob) * Others’ personal religious beliefs * Dependant on donations/ revenues| (Mystic Monk, n.d., pg. 1) Alternatives The Mystic Monk coffee company has to look at their options before they are able to make a decision regarding the continuation of their business. The two options that are available to the Carmelite monks at this point in time are: 1) stay at the current location of Clark, Wyoming, and continue operations as they are and use some donation money to purchase another roaster to help increase production or 2) see if the owners of Irma Lake Ranch would â€Å"gift† them a portion of the ranch without monetary repayment, as a donation, and they would pay the owners as a lease to own the remaining balance of the land, until a breakeven point has been reached. Discussion of Alternatives The first option is to stay at their current location to continue operations as they are. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) retaining their donations and revenues to improve their current monastery, 2) there is little to no risk involved. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is little opportunity to expand the Mystic Monk Company, 2) they cannot easily increase their Carmelite population. The second option is to move to a nearby area, which would involve purchasing the Irma Lake Ranch. The advantages of choosing this option are: 1) the Mystic Monk Coffee can increase production easily, 2) there is a large opportunity to expand, 3) the new Carmelite monastery would allow its population to double. The disadvantages of choosing this option are: 1) there is a tremendously high level of risk involved, 2) the owners may not gift the monks any land. Recommendation After evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative, a decision has been concluded that the most practical and strategic option would be to receive a portion of the Irma Lake Ranch, as a â€Å"gift† without monetary repayment, then pay the land owners on a lease to own schedule with the increased earnings projected from the new Mount Carmel location. This is the most logical selection if they want to expand and improve their Mystic monk coffee brand, as well as their community; the Carmelites will have no opportunity to grow or expand if they choose to stay where they are and continue on as they have been, as well as soon they will not be able to keep the supply at an adequate level to cover the demand for their products. The Carmelite monastery would have more financial opportunities available with this purchase, such as milk production from the dairy cows, horse rides on the trails through the forest, increased population to help roast and package the coffee. Also, the monks would have sufficient land to be capable of growing and producing their coffee beans without the need of suppliers, which in turn will decrease the cost of goods sold and drastically increase the Mystic Monk’s net profit margin from the current 11% of the sales revenue. The risk on this investment is exceptionally high, but if it is successful, the reward and pay off could be far greater than projected. Action Plan A realistic action plan must now be devised, to ensure that the previous decision is executed correctly, otherwise the Carmelite monks and the Mystic Monk coffee company will not be successful. The monastery is incapable of affording the Irma Lake Ranch with the funds that they currently have, including the $250,000 donation. The Mystic Monk coffee company should confront the current owners of the Irma Lake Ranch and see if they would be willing to â€Å"gift† them a portion of the property without monetary repayment, which could be considered a donation; the remaining balance owing on the land could be contracted as a lease or rent to own situation, where a breakeven point would be reached in a reasonable time frame. Also, because the property has been â€Å"gifted† to the Carmelite monks, they would be eligible to receive a tax break, which would significantly affect their financial status. The new property would be able to offer the monastery an opportunity to expand their brand by introducing tourism, sustainability and other financial opportunities. If the Mystic Monk coffee company decided that they would be capable or growing their own beans on the new land, they would be able to drastically cut costs on the cost of goods sold and eliminate suppliers, which in turn will increase their marginal earnings from the sales revenue. All of these new opportunities are realistic and show that the increased earnings would rapidly and effortlessly be able to pay off the remaining balance owing to the original Irma Lake Ranch owners. Conclusion In conclusion, the Mystic Monk coffee company has been successful with its entrance into the coffee market, however demands are increasing and new opportunities are being presented to the Carmelite monastery. If they wish to grow and expand their business and community, they are going to need to take the risk which is to relocate to a more practical location, ideally the Irma Lake Ranch. Irma Lake Ranch offers many new prospects to the Carmelite monks, which they would not be exposed to if they stay at their current location. This property can allow them to be independent from suppliers and venture into new venture projects such as introducing horse trail rides and milk from the dairy cows. Although the monks are a non-for-profit group, the sales revenue will mostly be paid to the original property owners until the principal amount is depleted, the rest of the money from earnings and donations will be put towards building, growing and maintaining the new Mount Carmel Monastery. References Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. (n.d.). Mystic Monk Coffee | Buy Coffee Beans Online | Online Coffee Store. Retrieved January 24, 2013, from http://www.mysticmonkcoffee.com/store/storefront.php Thompson, A. A., Peteraf, M. A., Gamble, J. E., III, A. S. (2012). Case 1. Crafting and Executing Strategy (18th Edition ed., pp. 420-424). New York: McGraw-Hill/ Irwin.

Cutaneous Myoepithelioma | Case Study

Cutaneous Myoepithelioma | Case Study TITLE: Cutaneous myoepithelioma: A case report of an unusual and recently recognized entity ABSTRACT: Myoepitheliomas and mixed tumors were only recently recognized to occur primarily in soft tissue, and only small case numbers have been described. The present case is of 25-year-old male who had solitary, painless mass over right middle finger, measuring 3cm in greatest dimensions and light microscopy revealed a tumor composed of a mixed population of spindle, epithelioid and plasmacytoid cells arranged around a central chondromyxoid stroma. No definite diagnosis could be reached on this morphology and initial diagnosis of benign mixed stromal tumor was considered. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was performed and the tumor showed strong positivity for Calponin and SMA, Ki-index showed low index, weak and focal positivity for S-100 and negative for Pan-CK. The final diagnosis of benign myoepithelioma was entertained. Keywords: Myoepithelioma, Cutaneous, Soft tissue INTRODUCTION: Myoepithelioma of the skin and soft tissue is a newly recognized entity only ten years ago with fewer than 50 case reports. It has characteristic histopathologic and immunohistochemical features, which need to be differentiated from a variety of tumors CASE REPORT: Case history: A 25-year-old male presented with a solitary, painless mass over right middle finger, measuring 3cm in greatest dimension since 6months. There is no increase in size and overlying skin is smooth and unremarkable. The mass is firm, non- tender and mobile. X-ray showed a soft tissue mass with underlying bone unremarkable. Gross: Multiple tissue bits aggregate measuring 3Ãâ€"2Ãâ€"1cm and skin flap measuring 2Ãâ€"1cm. Light microscopy: Revealed a tumor in the superficial dermis composed of a mixed population of spindle , epithelioid, and plasmacytoid cells arranged around a central chondromyxoid stroma. No definite diagnosis could be reached on this morphology and diagnosis of benign mixed stromal tumor was considered. Immunohistochemistry(IHC): IHC was performed and showed strongly positive Calponin and SMA. S-100 was weak and focally positive. Pan CK was negative. Ki 67 revealed low index (2%). The final diagnosis of Benign myoepithelioma was entertained. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The primary differential diagnoses considered were extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma (EMC) and ossifying fibromyxoid tumor (OFMT). EMC typically shows a multinodular growth pattern with cords of cells in a myxoid matrix. The tumor cells in EMC are more spindled than those of myoepitheliomas. S-100 protein and epithelial markers are expressed in a minority of EMC and usually only focally, while both the markers are often extensively expressed in myoepitheliomas. OFMT is a lobulated tumor surrounded by a rim of metaplastic bone. The tumor cells are mostly pale-staining ovoid to round cells. Approximately 70% of OFMT show positivity for S-100 protein and vimentin and 50% of tumor cells are positive for desmin. The tumor cells in OFMT are rarely positive for epithelial markers and GFAP. Myoepitheliomas are generally negative for desmin, nearly half positive for GFAP, and nearly always show positivity for keratin and S-100 protein.[1] Other tumors that should be differentiated are, Epithelioid benign fibrous histiocytoma that usually shows a superficial dermal tumor with a well-developed epidermal collarette. Spitz nevus is characterized by a junctional component, nesting and maturation of tumor cells. In epithelioid sarcoma, multiple tumor nodules around central necrosis or even myxoid degeneration are often seen. More morphologic uniformity is observed in epithelioid sarcoma over myoepithelioma. Moreover, approximately 90% of epithelioid sarcoma are positive for vimentin, cytokeratin, and EMA, and around 60% are positive for CD34, but are generally negative for other markers typical myoepithelial differentiation (S-100 protein, GFAP, myogenic markers). Cellular neurothekeoma consists of nesting of tumor cells, and are consistently S-100 negative.[2] COMMENT Tumors comprised mostly of myoepithelial cells without obvious epithelial differentiation are designated myoepitheliomas.[1] Neoplasms of myoepithelial cells can occur in a pure form as myoepitheliomas or in association with glandular structures as mixed tumors.[2] Myoepitheliomas of the skin and soft tissue were recognized only 10 years ago.[3] Myoepithelial cells can exhibit dual epithelial and myoid differentiation. They may also show divergent metaplasia, including squamous, adipocytic, bone and cartilaginous differentiation.[4,5] As a consequence, proliferating myoepithelial cells in neoplasms display a variety of histologic and immunohistochemical expression patterns. It has been postulated that cutaneous myoepitheliomas are related to mixed tumors of skin and that soft tissue myoepitheliomas are derived from deeply located adnexal structures. Cutaneous myoepitheliomas of the head and neck may be derived from salivary gland tissue, as has been reported in two parotid gland myoe pitheliomas presenting as infra- auricular subcutaneous masses.[6] Therefore, the possibility of an underlying primary salivary gland neoplasm should be considered in myoepitheliomas presenting in the head and neck. Myoepithelial tumors were described only recently in soft tissue, and, to date, fewer than 50 cases have been reported. Kilpatrick et al [3] reported a study of 19 patients with mixed tumors and myoepitheliomas of soft tissue in 1997. Michal et al [7] reported 12 additional cases of myoepitheliomas of the skin and soft tissues in 1999, Hornick and Fletcher conducted a study of 14 cutaneous myoepitheliomas. There were 11 males and 3 females. The study indicated that cutaneous myoepitheliomas occur with peaks in childhood (7 patients were between 10 and 20 years of age) and middle age and are most common on the extremities, in contrast to mixed tumors of the skin, which typically occur on the head and neck in middle aged or elderly adults.[1,3,4] Myoepitheliomas of soft tissue are often lobulated, and the most frequent architectural pattern is reticular or trabecular with chondromyxoid or hyalinized stroma. These lesions display the same wide range of histologic features as those of salivary gland origin. Many tumors are heterogeneous, containing an admixture of epithelioid and spindled cells, reticular areas merging with solid areas, at least focally prominent stroma, and occasional foci of cartilaginous or osseous differentiation. [8] A small subset of tumors approximately 10% are predominantly solid proliferations of spindled or plasmacytoid myoepithelial cells. Occasional tumors display features of so-called parachordoma, namely, large epithelioid cells with eosinophilic epitheliomas. Initially, myoepitheliomas were only recognized to contain spindled or plasmacytoid cells growing in solid sheets. [9]Current classifications therefore include all of these patterns within the spectrum of myoepithelioma, simply separating those tumors with ductal differentiation into the mixed tumor category.[10,11] Whereas some investigators allow up to 5% or 10% ductal differentiation in myoepitheliomas, others classify tumors with any ducts as mixed tumors. In any event, it is now widely thought that myoepitheliomas and mixed tumors fall along a spectrum of tumors with overlapping histologic appearances and similar clinical behavior. Because the immunophenotype of these lesions overlaps with myoepithelioma, and otherwise typical myoepithelioma s can show focal areas with â€Å"parachordoma†-like features, it is becoming increasingly clear that parachordoma probably falls within the spectrum of myoepithelioma of soft tissue, as is reflected in the new WHO classification.[11] The only apparent difference in immunophenotype is GFAP and SMA negativity in parachordomas, because few cases of parachordoma have been studied and only about 50% of otherwise convincing soft tissue myoepitheliomas are GFAP positive and only around 40% are SMA-positive, then this distinction seems very questionable. Awareness of the wide morphologic range of myoepitheliomas is necessary to perform confirmatory immunohistochemical stains and thereby to arrive at the correct diagnosis.[12] In salivary glands, myoepitheliomas are generally positive for cytokeratins and S-100 protein, whereas immunostaining for actin and GFAP is variable. We therefore required immunoreactivity for either keratin or EMA, in conjunction with detection of S-100 protei n or myogenic markers, for the diagnosis of myoepithelioma and inclusion in this series. Neoplastic myoepithelial cells of all morphologic types often expressed myogenic markers.[13] As has been reported in the salivary gland, we found calponin to be the most sensitive myogenic marker, staining 86% of tumors, whereas SMA stained 36% and desmin only a small subset (14%). Interestingly, the basal cell/myoepithelial marker p63, which has shown utility in the differential diagnosis of carcinoma of breast and prostate due to the staining of myoepithelial or basal cells in in situ lesions, appears to be detectable in only one fourth of soft tissue myoepithelial tumors. Immunostaining for p63 is not specific for myoepithelial tumors, however, as this antigen has also been reported in other neoplasms, especially squamous cell and urothelial carcinomas.[13,14] Nonetheless, detection of p63 expression may provide helpful supportive evidence of myoepithelial differentiation in the proper morph ologic context. CONCLUSION: Cutaneous myoepitheliomas are relatively rare. Pathologists play an important role in reaching to accurate morphological diagnosis. Myoepitheliomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cutaneous and soft tissue tumors. Immunohistochemical study may aid in the diagnosis. Although most cutaneous and soft tissue myoepitheliomas behave in a benign fashion, there is a significant risk for local recurrence and a low metastatic potential. Wide excision with safe surgical margins and regular follow-up are crucial for the management of cutaneous and soft tissue myoepitheliomas. References: 1. Hornick JL,Fletche CDM. Myoepithelial tumors of soft tissue a clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical study of 101 cases with evaluation of prognostic parameters. Am J Surg Pathol. 2003;27:1183–1196. 2. Hornick JL, Fletcher CD. Cutaneous myoepithelioma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 14 cases. Hum Pathol. 2004;35:14-24. 3. Kilpatrick SE, Hitchcock MG, Kraus MD, Calonje E, Fletcher CD. Mixed tumors and myoepitheliomas of soft tissue: a clinicopathologic study of 19 cases with a unifying concept. Am J Surg Pathol. 1997;21:13-22. 4. Mentzel T, Requena L, Kaddu S et al. Cutaneous myoepithelial neoplasms: clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 20 cases suggesting a continuous spectrum ranging from benign mixed tumor of the skin to cutaneous myoepithelioma and myoepithelial carcinoma. J Cutan Pathol. 2003;30:294-302. 5. Fernà ¡ndez-Figueras MT, Puig L, Trias I, Lorenzo JC, Navas-Palacios JJ. Benign myoepithelioma of the skin. Am J Dermatopathol. 1998;20:208-12. 6. Lewin MR, Montgomery EA, Barrett TL. New or unusual dermatopathology tumors: a review. J Cutan Pathol. 2011;38:689-96. 7. Kutzner H, Mentzel T, Kaddu S et al. Cutaneous myoepithelioma: an under-recognized cutaneous neoplasm composed of myoepithelial cells. Am J Surg Pathol. 2001;25:348-55 8. Dix BT, Hentges MJ, Saltrick KR, Krishnamurti U. Cutaneous myoepithelioma in the foot: case report. Foot Ankle Spec. 2013;6:239-41. 9. Michal M, Miettinen M. Myoepitheliomas of the skin and soft tissues. Report of 12 cases. Virchows Arch. 1999;434:393-400. 10. Franklin G, Chen S, Sznyter LA, Morgenstern NJ. Cutaneous myoepithelioma with a plexiform pattern of growth: a case report. J Cutan Pathol. 2009;36:42-5. 11. Jo VY, Antonescu CR, Zhang L et al. Cutaneous Syncytial Myoepithelioma: Clinicopathologic Characterization in a Series of 38 Cases. Am J Surg Pathol. 2013 ; 37: 710–718. 12. Jakate K, Wong K, Sirbovan J, Hanna W. Cutaneous myoepithelioma arising within hidradenoma of the scalp. J Cutan Pathol. 2012;39:279-85. 13. Stojsic Z, Brasanac D, Boricic I, Bacetic D. Clear cell myoepithelial carcinoma of the skin. A case report. J Cutan Pathol. 2009;36:680-3. 14. Tanahashi J, Kashima K, Daa T, Kondo Y, Kuratomi E, Yokoyama S. A case of cutaneous myoepithelial carcinoma. . J Cutan Pathol. 2007;34:648-53. LEGENDS Figure 1:Myoepithelioma(100X): composed of a mixed population of spindled, epithelioid, and plasmacytoid cells arranged around a central chondromyxoid stroma. Insert shows 400X view and reveals mild nuclear atypia (coarse chromatin and prominent nucleoli) . Figurer 2:Myoepithelioma(400X): (a)shows SMA positivity in the cytoplasm of myoepithelial cells.(b) shows strong positivity for Calponin in the cytoplasm of spindle cells.(c) shows PAN CK negativity(d) showsS100 negativity. Figure 3 :Myoepithelioma(400X): shows Low Ki 67 index.

Evolution of the Haunted House in Early and Modern Gothic Novels Essay

Evolution of a Haunted House: The use of setting in early and modern gothic novels The setting for a novel plays a big part in how the story and its characters relate to the reader. This paper will examine how setting in gothic literature, plays an important role in the telling of a story by using Horace Walpole’s The Castle of Otranto and Shirley Jackson’s The House on Haunted Hill as examples. During the eighteenth century, the Romantic period of literature emerged. The works of this time were often filled with imagination, strong emotional contexts, and freedom from the classical notions of art and social conventions (wordiq.com). The Castle of Otranto, while considered by many to be a Romantic drama, had a style that was distinctively different (Mulvey-Roberts, 226). Elements, not previously seen in works of literature were added to the story, much in the way embellishments were added to buildings of the time. Horace Walpole, used elements of the macabre, mysterious, and violent incidents; along with desolate and remote settings to create the first true English-language gothic novel (Merriam-Webster.com). The ruins of castles and other ancient settlements, set amongst the gloominess of the surrounding landscape provided the perfect backdrop for the early English gothic novel (Goldstein, Grider, Thomas 145-146). It was at once mysterious, foreboding, and could create a sense of fear and dread in the reader. Horace Walpole took advantage of setting in The Castle of Otranto. The castle evokes feelings of darkness, solitude, loneliness, and claustrophobia (Mulvey-Roberts, 174). There are secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, and areas of ruin. The aim is to produce the classic emotion of fear of the unknown. Add in a... ..., a moaning sound is heard prior (Walpole, 34). In The Haunting of Hill House, it is the female protagonist who hears a hammering against the upper edge of a bedroom door that sounded like â€Å"something children do†. She also hears "little mad rising laugh" outside the door (Jackson, 95,97). For more than two centuries, the setting of the haunted castle or house has played with our emotions and psyches. They create tension and fear, while we wait for the ghost or bogeyman to jump out. Author H.P. Lovecraft, known for creating these emotions with his own works, states â€Å"the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown† (Lovecraft, 12). This fear of the unknown continues to make gothic novels as popular today, as when Horace Walpole took a romantic drama, added a few shiny bits, and called it gothic.

Distance Learning Followed by World Première :: Katalin Pocs Evening Song Music Essays

Distance Learning Followed by World Premià ¨re Esti Dal (Evening Song) by Katalin Pà ³cs was written for the Indiana University International Vocal Ensemble and harpist Erzsà ©bet Gaà ¡l in January 2000. The composition received its world premià ¨re conducted by Professor Mary Goetze on April 9, 2000 at IU School of Music, Bloomington, Indiana. Katalin Pà ³cs is one of the leading members of the young generation of Hungarian composers. Her compositions include orchestral and chamber works that have been performed throughout Europe. She has performed some of her own piano music in Berlin, Gdansk, Moscow, Munich, and Vienna. In addition, Pà ³cs has written electronic works that were performed in Canada, as well as works for harp, for example a Septet called Vibrarions and a solo piece called Ballade which were introduced by Erzsà ©bet Gaà ¡l in Hungary and in the United States. In her setting of the folk song Esti Dal, Pà ³cs employs the sounds of mixed choir, harp, and synthesized music. These three elements blend together to express the song's text about wandering, weariness, and a plea to God for rest and shelter. This choral work connects the past with the present by incorporating an ancient tonal Hungarian folk song into a modern texture with harp accompaniment. The addition of an electronic sound track that creates new relationships between consonance and dissonance in the music juxtaposes tradition with present 21st century practices. Mary Goetze is a Professor of Music and Chairperson of the Music in General Studies Department. She founded the International Vocal Ensemble in 1995. The choir specializes in the recreation of music from outside the European and American art traditions. Through the learning process, the choir becomes acquainted not only with the music itself but also with the related aspects of the culture and language. In 1996, Dr. Goetze was awarded a grant from Indiana University for a project entitled "Multicultural Music Education" which allowed her to do research in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Currently she is co-authoring a series of CD ROM's that facilitate the oral transmission of vocal music from diverse sources. In preparation for the first performance, the International Vocal Ensemble had the privilege to work with composer Pà ³cs on her new composition through a satellite hook-up connection between Budapest, Hungary and Bloomington, Indiana that was made possible by the Center for the St udy of Global Change on IU's campus. A technology called interactive compressed video opened the door for the choir and the composer to work together on Esti Dal notwithstanding a difference of six time zones.

School Locker Search Persuasive Essay

School Locker Searches: Protecting Your Children â€Å"The National School Board estimates that more than 135,000 guns are brought to school each day† (Debate). Besides weapons, drugs like marijuana are reportedly used by up to 22. 6 percent of 12th graders (Drugabuse). With rising danger in schools, locker searches seem like the right thing to do. A locker is owned by the school and loaned to the student, therefore entry is always legal. With this legal authority, schools should flex their rights and protect their students. With rising crime rates and high-profile shootings, firearms are often stored in the schools’ lockers.If these are searched daily or even weekly, students would be in a much less dangerous setting. Finally, frisks can stop some of the biggest issues in school: drug dealing. A simple run-through can remove some of the most dangerous substances in school   In short, locker searches prove to be legal, cause a safer-feeling environment, and prevent cr imes. First off, lockers are school property, and therefore subject to any search. Although students are protected by the fourth amendment, lockers do not have to follow this guideline (Nytimes).This reasoning has been tested in numerous court cases, namely in the Supreme Court’s decision of New Jersey v TLO (Nytimes). In this ruling, a it was stated that School officials do not have to follow the strict Fourth Amendment guidelines in school. Furthermore, lockers must also be maintained. This means that they require entrance for regular maintenance and custodial problems, like rotting food. If this isn’t done, health hazards could be a massive problem for students in the building. Finally, in every Lakeville South handbook, students agree to locker searches when they start school.It is written that locker searches will be conducted at random. This gives a very civil warning for the students. For these reasons, locker searches are not only legal, but fair. Next, locker frisks can provide a peace of mind for individuals in the building. According to one New York Newspaper, 200 students were evacuated after a shooting threat was found in the women’s bathroom (Smithtown). Acts like this terrorize students, and disrupt the daily learning. Martha Kaufeldt, an established author and educator states, â€Å"The brain gives priority to processing incoming data that poses threat to survival. (Dialogueonlearning) This means that in threatening habitats, students will perform worse than average. To combat this issue, locker searches could help provide a feeling of safety, thus allowing students to fully apply themselves to school. Simply put, locker searches will create a safe and enjoyable atmosphere. Lastly, schools must protect against the use of lockers in serious crimes. In January 1999, a bomb explosion in a Kansas High School locker sent 11 students to the hospital (Schoolsecurity).If a search had discovered the bomb, students could have been e vacuated to a safe area and protected from the blast. Adding to the issue, a half pound of marijuana was found in a 13 year old’s locker (Thenewsdispatch). He later confessed to police that he intended to sell the drug. In both these cases, the school became a dangerous environment and disrupted daily learning. Had the school regularly frisked lockers, students could be confiscated of dangerous materials or even discouraged from bringing them in the first place. Actions like this can increase safety and student involvement in class.In short, locker checks create a safer, more efficient environment for everyone in school. All in all, there is no reason a school shouldn’t search lockers. As its property, an institution can search anything it owns, without a reason. While removings drugs and firearms, these searches protect students and faculty alike, creating a safe and efficient workplace. Finally, locker frisks will promote a safer feeling environment, preventing unnec essary absences by students. With the dangerous crime rates, it only endangers students to skip much-needed locker frisks.

Research Essay

Use your own creativity to illustrate. Write your name, ID number, Course code and your programme of study. Page 2: Plagiarism Declaration Form – Sign the plagiarism declaration form to confirm the work is your own original work, you are complying with FNU policies on plagiarism, and are free of the dishonest practices outlined in the FNIJ Academic and Student Regulations (No 40,40. 1, 40. 2: pg 42). The declaration form is in gutulei – EVG401 folder. You must use your own words in this assignment. If you are using ther authors’ work from books, internet or other sources, cite the source correctly (reference). Check that your spelling and English sentence structure is correct. A ‘Simple Reference Writing Guide’ is available to help write references.If you fail to acknowledge sources, the copied information will be regarded as plagiarized. You will receive zero marks if you plagiarise in your assignment. Serious cases of plagiarism will be referred to the F-NU Registrar for action. Page 3: Attach the on this page. Part 1: Background. (2 marks) Briefly describe what the news article is about. Give background information on the issue(s) highlighted in the newspaper article and if this issue is a problem in Fiji or elsewhere. Identify the ethical problem in the news article. Make reference to the article. You must have a minimum of two sentences or a maximum of one paragraph. Part 2: Ethical Concerns (6 marks) This section carries the most marks so think carefully and use your knowledge of ethics, values, morals, ethical theories, religious, human rights, law, or good governance to answer it. Why does the issue in the news article raise ethical concerns? You must identify 3 different ethical concerns raised by the ethical roblem in the newspaper article and explain why each of the three ethical concerns is wrong. Word limit – minimum 2 sentences per ethical concern and maximum one paragraph per ethical concern. Part 3: Consequences (4 marks) How does the issue(s) affect the people in the article or other people in society. Provide 2 different ways in which people can or have been affected by the issue. Word limit – minimum 2 sentences per consequence and maximum one paragraph per consequence. Part 4: Resolutions (4 marks) Give two possible solutions on how this issue can be resolved in an ethical (fair and just) way. Word limit – minimum 2 sentences per resolution and maximum one paragraph per resolution. Your layout (2 marks) Art work, graphics, pictures, eye catchiness, and neatness will be rewarded with a maximum 2 marks. Bind, staple and use your creativity to present a beautiful booklet. You are encouraged to use the computer to type your work. You will be penalized if you use any unethical, nude, disgusting or distasteful pictures or illustrations in the assignment. References (2 marks) Proper acknowledgement of sources used for this assignment and proper writing of references will gain you a further 2 marks.

US History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

US History - Essay Example post-war foreign policy, maintaining that the Soviet Union was â€Å"relentlessly expansionary† and that the ebb of â€Å"the flow of Soviet power† required a â€Å"firm and vigilant commitment† (Kennedy 554). And it was from this principle, to be known as the â€Å"containment doctrine,† that much of the post-1945, anti-Soviet foreign policy of the United States arose in a crescendo of increasing intensity. The application of the containment doctrine began with a series of policies designed to avert war and Soviet dominance. First, in March of 1947, President Harry S. Truman appeared before Congress to request military equipment and advisers to strengthen the defenses of Greece and Turkey against the communist threat (Brinkley, 782, Kennedy 554-55, Palmer 844-45). In his request, Truman pledged the support of the United States to those â€Å"free peoples . . . resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or outside pressures† (Kennedy 555). This rhetoric, historically known as the â€Å"Truman Doctrine,† formed the basis for further acts of Soviet containment and, indeed, committed the United States and its foreign policy to a comprehensive, international battle against communism. To be sure, a fundamental element of the containment policy was the recognized need to aid in the economic recovery of Western Europe, where some countries, particularly France, Italy and Germany, were still afflicted with the social and economic turmoil stemming from World War II and were thus susceptible politically to communist exploitation (Brinkley 782, Kennedy 555, Palmer 845). Consequently, in June of 1947, then-Secretary of State George C. Marshall offered economic aid to all European countries, hoping to reconstruct the economy of Europe and thereby strengthen its resolve against Soviet influence (Kennedy 555, Palmer 845). The Marshall Plan, as it became known, dedicated 12.5 billion

Critically analyse the importance of Paris in French New Wave cinema Essay

Critically analyse the importance of Paris in French New Wave cinema with close reference to two appropriate films - Essay Example The film makers made France to experience a massive revolution in the film industry. As a result, they acquired the name â€Å"French New Wave† (Betz 2009, p. 136). Before the changes in the film industry, all the French movies were shot in studios. In the traditional films, Paris was presented in reconstructive and conservative way. Many scenes that were captured before and during the war could not be adapted to the screen. The situation was becoming less attractive to the new generation of filmmakers. Consequently, they gathered at the editorial room where they all agreed that the traditional films in French were very artificial. They decided to divert from the filming strategies that were influenced by the preferred aesthetics during that period (Shortcuts 2011, p. 75). Among the factors that motivated the film makers to introduce the new changes in cinema was the fast evolving technology in Paris and the improved financial system. The film makers from Paris made film makin g more flexible with the new technology. For instance, in the traditional French film industry scenes could only be shot during the day. In addition, the outdoor scenes were not very clear. However, with the new technology, scenes could be captured even at night. Outdoor shoots also became clear because of the use of the new lightweight cameras. Among the first film makers to use the new technologies introduced in the film industry was Louiss Malle in the year 1958. His film was followed by other experimental films which aimed at capturing the real life events in the city. This resulted into a shift from artificial films to films that gave a realistic impression of the city. For instance, the scenes captured in the films seemed real and not highly dramatized like those in the traditional ones (Neupert 2007, p. 356). Paris also played a great role in the new wave because all the film critics

Sampson and Laub's Life Course Perspective Theory Essay

Sampson and Laub's Life Course Perspective Theory - Essay Example The Social Control Theories is an umbrella of various theories written and formulated by several researchers and sociologists, one of which is the Life Course Perspective Theory by the tandem of Sampson and Laub (1992). This theory is distinct from other theories within this umbrella not only because it does not subscribe to some of the principles adhered to by the theorists of the Social Control school of thought, but also because of its potential broader utility in the study of criminology. Sampson and Laub’s Life Course Perspective Sampson and Laub (1992) formulated a theory that seeks to remedy the ‘either or focus’ of researchers in explaining the origin of criminal behavior, one that attempts to resolve two opposing research findings by harmonizing them. Calling this theory life course perspective, these two researchers observed that one group of researchers emphasizes youth in crime in a theory called age-crime curve where criminality starts and peaks durin g teen years while the other group believes that criminal behavior persists even in adulthood. The ‘overemphasis’ of these two groups on their respective theories result in the failure of sociologists, as a whole, to link childhood propensity to criminality to adult criminal behavior. Life course perspective, which Sampson and Laub (1992) defined as â€Å"pathways through the age differentiated life span† (p. 65), synchronizes the aforesaid theories by taking a comprehensive view of the criminal behavior from childhood to adulthood particularly noting the various events that incite changes in the course of an individual’s and affects criminal propensity. The life course perspective is a theory under the broad umbrella of social control theory, but differs from all others in the group by advocating, not for a single factor, but for more comprehensive multi-factor underpinnings of criminal behavior (Sacco & Kennedy p. 74). It is underpinned by two elements: trajectories, and; transitions. Trajectories, according to Sampson and Laub (1992), are the general direction that an individual is expected to take on the basis of his overall pattern of behavior while transitions are significant life events that occur in a person’s life that cause changes in the general trajectory of his life. Furthermore, life events, however significant, may or may not cause transitional change, but depends on â€Å"timing, duration, and ordering of major life events and their consequences for later social development† (p. 66). The way a person reacts to a significant life event is underpinned, according to this theory, to his childhood past, but also acknowledges that events in themselves can be a cause for a redirection of life trajectory. Overall, the life course perspective concerns itself with the study of life trajectories, the connection between childhood and adult behavior, the social implication of age, the transmission of social patterns from one generation to another, and the effects of significantly big events such as international catastrophes (Sampson & Laub, p. 66).  

Nicolaus Copernicus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nicolaus Copernicus - Essay Example was aware of this and could not present any observational "proof" in his manuscript, relying instead on arguments about what would be a more complete and elegant system. From publication until about 1700, few astronomers were convinced by the Copernican system, though the book was relatively widely circulated (around 500 copies are known to still exist, which is a large number by the scientific standards of the time). Many astronomers, however, accepted some aspects of the theory at the expense of others, and his model did have a large influence on later scientists such as Galileo and Johannes Kepler, who adopted, championed and (especially in Kepler's case) sought to improve it. Galileo's observation of the phases of Venus produced the first observational evidence for Copernicus' theory. The Copernican system can be summarized in seven propositions, as Copernicus himself collected them in a Compendium of De revolutionibus that was found and published in 1878: 1. Orbits and celestial spheres do not have a unique, common, center. 2. The center of the Earth is not the center of the Universe, but only the center of the Earth's mass and of the lunar orbit. 3. All the planets move along orbits whose center is the Sun, therefore the Sun is the center of the World. (Copernicus was never certain whether the Sun moved or not, claiming that the center of the World is "in the Sun, or near it.") 4. The distance between the Earth and the Sun, compared with the distance between the Earth and the fixed stars, is very small. 5. The daytime motion of the Sun is only apparent, and represents the effect of a rotation that the Earth makes every 24 hours around its axis, always parallel to itself. 6. The Earth (together with its Moon, and just like the other planets) moves around the... Copernicus' major work, was the result of decades of labor. It opened with an originally anonymous preface by Andreas Osiander, a theologian friend of Copernicus, who urged that the theory did not necessarily have implications outside the limited realm of astronomy. Copernicus' actual book began with a letter from his (by then deceased) friend, the Archbishop of Capua, urging Copernicus to publish his theory. Then, in a lengthy introduction, Copernicus dedicated the book to Pope Paul III, explaining his ostensible motive in writing the book as relating to the inability of earlier astronomers to agree on an adequate theory of the planets, and noting that if his system increased the accuracy of astronomical predictions it would allow the Church to develop a more accurate calendar (calendar reform then being an important question and one of the major reasons for Church funding of astronomy.

Change of Focus For Your Financial Organisation From Transactional to Essay

Change of Focus For Your Financial Organisation From Transactional to Relationship Marketing - Essay Example II. Background â€Å"Today’s financial services customers is a ‘Butterfly Customer’, sceptical, and not loyal to any product or company, and yours only until the next good thing comes along† (O’Dell & Pajunen, 2008, p.24). Because of this, HSBC requires a sound methodology for conducting market research to ensure more customer volume increases. HSBC Australia conducts routine customer-related surveys to gain quantitative information about the brand in the eyes of customers, willingness to recommend HSBC over other target competition, and a variety of customer service feedback systems. Refer to Appendix A for a chart of survey results associated with intent to recommend HSBC from the company’s 2010 annual report which highlights the very low level of word-of-mouth HSBC can rely on based on this quantitative information. Financial services at HSBC include personalized planning from HSBC financial planners in areas of superannuation, retirement p lanning, wealth creation, borrowing for investment purposes, and personal insurance policies (hsbc.com.au, 2011). Since it has been determined that HSBC is not meeting its Board-mandated sales results in gaining customer loyalty for using HSBC for its financial planning, the business must revamp its current marketing strategies and change its current format of reliance on market research tools. Tightening of monetary policies from the government has a very hard impact on interest rates during a recession. This makes investment less attractive to customers and they instead seek bank loans (Bolton & Freixas, 2006). It has been established that HSBC outperforms most of its Australian competition in banking, and it is necessary to try to restore confidence in target consumers to ensure that existing banking customers and new customers choose HSBC for its financial planning and investment services offerings. III. Discussion It is being proposed that HSBC conduct a new type of market rese arch program that includes qualitative data in the form of questionnaires rather than the traditional survey format. Qualitative research provides key insights into emotional capacity of consumers, their confidence in banking and investment, and also serves to uncover the psychological dimensions of what is driving such a high resistance to financial planning services. Why is this a preferred research format over the survey currently being utilized? Financial investment services represent risk to the consumers. Financial decision making is driven by the willingness to accept risk along with intuitive factors, such as trust in a brand, as well as data and options analyses (fsa.gov.uk, 2005, p.9). Intuitive factor is the key phrase in this proposal, since most of this is based on sociological or psychological factors which determine how a consumer structures and plans their investment strategies. Identifying which financial services planners best fit the buyer needs is a very elongate d search process that include pricing, perceptions of reliability, service quality, and many other factors (Laffey & Gandy, 2009). The longer a search process takes, the less chance a brand has of gaining consumer interest immediately in areas of promotion. The data gleaned from qualitative research

Gramsci and Hegemony Essay Example for Free

Gramsci and Hegemony Essay Antonio Gramsci is an important figure in the history of Marxist theory. While Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels provided a rigorous analysis of capital at the social and economic levels – particularly showing how capital antagonises the working class and gives rise to crisis – Gramsci supplemented this with a sophisticated theory of the political realm and how it is organically/dialectically related to social and economic conditions. He provides us with a theory of how the proletariat must organise politically if it is to effectively respond to capital’s crises and failures, and bring about revolutionary change. Incidentally, this innovation has proven to be of interest not only to Marxists, but also to those involved in other forms of progressive politics, from the civil rights movement, to gender politics, to contemporary ecological struggles. The reason why his approach has proven so popular and generally adaptable is because Gramsci was himself a man of action and his fundamental concern was with progressive strategy. Thus while in this article I plan to give a give a general outline of Gramsci’s theory of hegemony and the reasons behind its formulation, it’s important that we build on this by thinking about how we can use these concepts strategically in our own struggles. What is hegemony? It would seem appropriate to begin this discussion by asking What is hegemony?’’ It turns out to be a difficult question to answer when we are talking about Gramsci, because, at least within The Prison Notebooks, he never gives a precise definition of the term. This is probably the main reason why there is so much inconsistency in the literature on hegemony – people tend to form their own definition, based on their own reading of Gramsci and other sources. The problem with this is that if people’s reading of Gramsci is partial then so too is their definition. For example, Martin Clark (1977, p. 2) has defined hegemony as how the ruling classes control the media and education’’. While this definition is probably more narrow than usual, it does reflect a common misreading of the concept, namely that hegemony is the way the ruling class controls the institutions that control or influence our thought. Most of the academic and activist literature on hegemony, however, takes a slightly broader view than this, acknowledging more institutions than these being involved in the exercise of hegemony – at least including also the military and the political system. The problem is that even when these institutions are taken into account, the focus tends to be exclusively on the ruling class, and methods of control. Hegemony is frequently used to describe the way the capitalist classes infiltrate people’s minds and exert their domination. What this definition misses is the fact that Gramsci not only used the term hegemony’’ to describe the activities of the ruling class, he also used it to describe the influence exerted by progressive forces. Keeping this in mind, we can see that hegemony should be defined not only as something the ruling class does, it is in fact the process by which social groups – be they progressive, regressive, reformist, etc. – come to gain the power to lead, how they expand their power and maintain it. To understand what Gramsci was trying to achieve through developing his theory of hegemony, it is useful to look at the historical context that he was responding to as well as the debates in the movement at the time. The term hegemony’’ had been in general use in socialist circles since the early 20th century. Its use suggests that if a group was described as hegemonic’’ then it occupied a leadership position within a particular political sphere (Boothman, 2008). Lenin’s use of the term gegemoniya (the Russian equivalent of hegemony, often translated as vanguard’’), however, seemed to imply a process more akin to what Gramsci would describe. During his attempts to catalyse the Russian Revolution Lenin (1902/1963) made the observation that when left to their own devices, workers tended to reach only a trade union consciousness, fighting for better conditions within the existing system. To bring about revolutionary change, he argued that the Bolsheviks needed to come to occupy a hegemonic position within the struggle against the tsarist regime. This meant not only empowering the various unions by bringing them together, but also involving all of society’s opposition strata’’ in the movement, drawing out the connections between all forms of political oppression and autocratic arbitrariness’’ (Lenin, 1963, pp. 86-87). In the post-revolutionary period, however, the implication changed. Lenin argued that it was crucial to the establishment of the hegemony of the proletariat’’ that (a) the urban proletariat retain an ongoing alliance with the rural peasants (who made up the majority of Russia’s population) in order to retain national leadership and (b) that the expertise of the former capitalists be utilised, by forcing them to effectively manage state industries. These dual processes of leadership via consent and the command of force in the development of hegemony would play a crucial role in Gramsci’s theory. Gramsci had been in Russia from 1922-23 while these debates were raging and it was after this time that we see hegemony begin to take a central role in his writings. Italy As much as he was influenced by what was going on in Russia, Gramsci was also influenced by his own political experiences. Gramsci had been heavily involved in the struggle against capitalism and fascism in Italy and for a while served as the leader of the Communist Party of Italy. In the period following the World War I, there had been a lot of optimism in Europe, and Italy in particular, that now that people had seen the atrocities that the ruling classes could unleash and the alternative that was developing in Russia, some kind of workers’ revolution in Europe was imminent. Gramsci certainly shared this optimism. Events that took place in the early 1920s seemed to confirm this. Tensions at all strata of society were high, there were mass agitations and people were forming factory councils and workers co-operatives. But despite the intensity of the mobilisations, it fizzled out remarkably quickly. Unions were co-opted, workers’ co-ops became marginal and uncompetitive. Common people were intimidated by elites or otherwise captivated by the allure of fascist rhetoric. Gramsci and others formed the Italian Communist Party to try to reinvigorate the movement, but it was evident that people were too disillusioned by the failures of the previous years to really become involved. Votes for the Communist Party were disappointingly low. When Gramsci was arrested in 1926 as a part of Mussolini’s emergency measures, he found himself in prison with a lot of time to reflect on what had happened and where things went wrong. How was it that the ruling class had been able to so effectively stifle the potential of the movement, and what would be required for the progressive forces to mobilise the masses in a way that would enable them to bring about a fundamental change in society? These questions would of course be central to Gramsci’s theory of hegemony. Stages As suggested above, in The Prison Notebooks Gramsci refers to hegemony to describe activities of both currently dominant groups as well as the progressive forces. For Gramsci, whatever the social group is, we can see that there are certain common stages of development that they must go through before they can become hegemonic. Drawing on Marx, the first requirement is economic: that the material forces be sufficiently developed that people are capableof solving the most pressing social problems. Gramsci then goes on to state that there are three levels of political development that a social group must pass through in order to develop the movement that will allow change to be initiated. The first of these stages is referred to as economic-corporate’’. The corporatist is what we might understand as the self-interested individual. People become affiliated at the economic-corporate stage as a function of this self-interest, recognising that they need the support of others to retain their own security. Trade unionism is probably the clearest example of this, at least in the case of people joining a union for fear of pay cuts, retrenchment etc. One can also speak of short-term co-operation between otherwise competing capitalists in these terms. The point to emphasise is that at this stage of a group’s historical development there is no real sense of solidarity between members. In the second stage, group members become aware that there is a wider field of interests and that there are others who share certain interests with them and will continue to share those interests into the foreseeable future. It is at this stage that a sense of solidarity develops, but this solidarity is still only on the basis of shared economic interests. There is no common worldview or anything of that nature. This kind of solidarity can lead to attempts to promote legal reform to improve the group’s position within the current system, but consciousness of how they, and others, might benefit through the creation of a new system is lacking. It is only by passing through the third stage that hegemony really becomes possible. In this stage, the social group members becomes aware that their interests need to be extended beyond what they can do within the context of their own particular class. What is required is that their interests are taken up by other subordinate groups as their own. This was what Lenin and the Bolsheviks were thinking in forming an alliance with the peasants – that it was only through making the Bolshevik revolution also a peasants’ revolution, which peasants could see as being their own, that the urban proletariat could maintain its leading position. Gramsci reckoned that in the historical context that he was working in, the passage of a social group from self-interested reformism to national hegemony could occur most effectively via the political party. In this complex formulation, the different ideologies of allied groups come together. There will inevitably be conflict between these ideologies, and through a process of debate and struggle, one ideology, or a unified combination thereof, will emerge representing the allied classes. This ideology can be said to be hegemonic, the group that it represents has acquired a hegemonic position over the subordinate groups. At this stage, the party has reached maturity, having a unity of both economic and political goals as well as a moral and intellectual unity – one might say a shared worldview. With this unity behind it, the party sets about transforming society in order to lay the conditions for the expansion of the hegemonic group. The state becomes the mechanism by which this is done: policies are enacted and enforced that allow the hegemonic group to more effectively achieve its goals and to create symmetry between its goals and those of other groups. Although these goals are formulated with the interests of a single group in mind, they need to be experienced by the populace as being in the interests of everybody. In order for this to be effective, the hegemonic group must have some form of engagement with the interests of the subordinate classes. The dominant interests cannot be simplistically imposed upon them. Progressive hegemony While Gramsci considers these pragmatic moves as being requirements for any group to come to power, he also has a very deep ethical concern for the way in which the process occurs. In this sense, we can detect in Gramsci’s work a qualitative difference between the operations of hegemony by regressive, authoritarian groups on the one hand, and progressive social groups on the other. At an ethical level, Gramsci was above all else an anti-dogmatist believing that truth could not be imposed from the top down, but only made real through concrete and sympathetic dialogue with people. Where a regressive hegemony involves imposing a set of non-negotiable values upon the people, chiefly through use of coercion and deceit, a progressive hegemony will develop by way of democratically acquired consent in society. To give some flesh to these differences, the remainder of this article will elaborate on the different ways in which Gramsci talks about hegemonies of currently and previously ruling classes and how these contrast with the progressive hegemony that he hoped to see in the future. It is evident that if we look through history, the capitalist class has retained its hegemony primarily through various forms of coercion, ranging from the direct deployment of the military through to more subtle forms, for example, using economic power to marginalise political opponents. It would, however, be a great mistake to think that capitalism does not also rely heavily upon building consent. Indeed, it could be argued that it is capitalism’s consent-building that we, from a strategic point of view, need to pay more attention to, as it is on this level that we compete with them. The nature and strength of this consent varies. There are ways in which capitalism succeeds in actively selling its vision to subordinate classes. This means not only selling the distorted vision of a society of liberty, freedom, innovation, etc., but also deploying the ideas of bourgeois economics to convince working people, for example, that although capitalist policy is in the ultimate interests of the capitalist class, they too gain some of the benefits via trickle-down effects. Capitalism can also win consent among those who perhaps don’t buy the idea that the system is in their interests, but who have been convinced that there is no alternative or that the alternatives would be worse – in other words, through the promotion of the belief that the system is a necessary evil. The 20th century saw capitalism massively expand this form of consensus, largely through the corporate control of the media and advertising. In the United States in particular, the promotion of the American dream’’, and all of the useless commodities required to attain it, served not only to massively boost consumption and thereby the economic interests of the capitalists, it also sold a way of life which only capitalism could deliver. This was of course aided throughout the Cold War with simultaneous attempts to smear any alternative to capitalism as slavery. The capitalist class, in opposing any policy attempts to close in on corporately owned media, used its hegemonic political power to create the conditions for the building of further consent, in turn expanding their interests. The hegemonic group will continually struggle in this fashion to reach greater levels of consent – in this case by locking people into rigid mindsets and overcoming any optimism. We can look at former Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s attempts to expand privately owned schools, and to change high school history syllabi to make them more favourable to bourgeois perspectives as a part of this ongoing hegemonic process. The ruling class will constantly try to expand its field of interests and win further consent in response to changes in context and challenges to legitimacy. `Syndicalism’ Certain forms of trade unionism can also be seen as examples of capitalist hegemony. What Gramsci calls syndicalism’’ the view that the conditions of the workers can be maximally uplifted via the increasing power of the trade unions reflects a social group (the workers) left in the economic-corporate stage of development due to the hegemonic influence of capitalists, specifically free trade advocates, in the realm of ideology. The free trade advocates argue that the state and civil society should be kept separate, that the state should keep out of the economic sphere, which functions autonomously – leave it to the invisible hand of the market’’ and so on. The syndicalists had adopted this assumption of an arbitrary separation of the social and economic realms on the one hand and the political realm on the other, and assume that they could bring about radical change without political representation. The concrete result of this is that they are left to negotiate for narrowly defined improvements in the economic sphere, with no policy changes that would allow these wins to take on a more permanent basis. Meanwhile, the free trade advocates are themselves actively involved in policy, despite their claims, setting up conditions that will be favourable to the capitalist class! When the interests of the capitalist class are directly threatened, however, the hegemonic forces will inevitably resort to coercion. There is no room to negotiate on this, within the current hegemonic order. On a simple level this can mean legislating to allow police to crack down on workers taking industrial action, who threaten profits in an immediate sense. But a far bigger threat to the capitalists is the development of a hegemonic alternative within civil society. The threat is that people will move from the economic-corporate phase, and recognise that their interests overlap with all of those whom capitalism marginalises and holds back, that they will come to recognise their power and demand radical change. This being the greatest threat to capital, the most effective way for it to use coercion is to break apart emerging progressive alliances between subordinate groups. When confronted with force and economic bullying, the people are less able to relate to the group. Concerns for survival mean that people have to defend their own interests as individuals. The movement of the progressive hegemony is slowed, as people are forced to behave in a corporatist manner. The ruling class can also try to violently break apart movements by stirring up ideological differences, appealing to religion, for example. Democracy and consensus Gramsci saw the development of a progressive hegemony involving a far greater degree of openness, democracy and consensus, rather than coercion. In so far as there is coercion, it should only exist to hold back those reactionary forces that would thwart society’s development. This would allow the masses the space in which to reach their potential. A large part of The Prison Notebooks is devoted to figuring out what would be required for this kind of hegemony to develop, and a lot of Gramscian thinkers since have devoted themselves to this puzzle. As a starting point, we can say that while the existing hegemony tries to keep all the disaffected and subordinate social groups divided, the emergent progressive hegemony must bring them together. Gramsci certainly recognised the challenge involved in this. In his own historical situation (and as is undoubtedly still the case in ours), there were considerable barriers between the marginalised groups in terms of experiences, language and worldview. What all of these groups had in common, however, was that none of them had adequate political representation within the current system. Gramsci calls these groups that lack political representation subaltern’’. The challenge of the hegemonic group is to provide a critique of the system such that subaltern groups are made aware of their commonality and then raised up’’ into the political life of the party. In order to facilitate this incorporation of others, Gramsci stressed the need for the hegemonic group to move beyond its economic-corporatist understanding of its own interests, sacrificing some of its immediate economic goals in the interest of deeper moral and intellectual unity. It would need to overcome its traditional prejudices and dogmas and take on a broader view if was to lead while maintaining trust and consensus (both necessary to overcome existing power). If these aligned forces are to have any historical significance, they need to be enduring and organically related to conditions on the ground, not merely a temporary convergence. To develop mass momentum they would need to demonstrate, both in people’s imagination and in action, that they were capable of coming to power and achieving the tasks they had set for themselves. These tasks must effectively be everyone’s tasks – they must come to represent every aspiration, and be the fulfilment of the failed movements of the previous generations. Such a demonstration of power and historical significance could not be achieved through a passive action, of which Gramsci provides the example of the general strike. If the movement simply represents the rejection of the existing system or non-participation in it, then it would quickly fragment into everyone’s unique ideas of what should replace the system precisely at the moment when unity is most called for. It must be an active embodiment of the collective will, crystallised in a constructive and concrete agenda for change. Clearly this is no small ask, and Gramsci is certainly not of the view that one can just implement these strategies as though reading from a manual. What is called for is for rigorous work on the ground laying the moral and intellectual terrain upon which these historical developments can occur. One develops the unity, self-awareness and maturity of the movement, making it a powerful and cohesive force, and then patiently, with careful attention to the contextual conditions, waits for the opportune moment for this force to be exerted. Moment of crisis This moment is the moment of crisis within the existing, dominant hegemony: the moment at which it becomes clear to the populace that the ruling class can no longer solve the most pressing issues of humanity. Provided that the progressive forces adequately assert the alternative at this moment and the ruling group is unable to rapidly rebuild consent, it becomes visible that the conditions under which the ruling group became hegemonic are now passing away and society can collectively say We don’t need you anymore.’’. Gramsci calls this process of historical purging catharsis’’ in which structure ceases to be an external force which crushes man, assimilates him to itself and makes him passive; and is transformed into a means of freedom, an instrument to create a new ethico-political form and a source of new initiatives.’’ (Gramsci, 1971, p. 367.) For Gramsci the need for this transition from the world as it is to the freedom to create the world anew should be the starting point for all Marxist strategy. So, what does Gramsci have to offer us? His insistence that the socialist political form should be one of openness, democracy and the building of consensus certainly provides us with greater vision and focus and really ought to inform the activities of all progressive political groups – if not for ethical reasons, then at least because in the present environment, without a willingness to genuinely work on building consensus with others, one’s chances of success are very much diminished. (We’re not the ruling class – we don’t have the means to coerce). More than this, however, Gramsci provides us with a way of thinking; he gives us the conceptual tools to dissect the political situation we find ourselves in, to view it in historical context and to understand where we can find the conditions for the further development of our power. †¢ [Trent Brown is a doctoral student at the University of Wollongong and a member of Friends of the Earth Illawarra.] Bibliography Boothman, D. (2008). Hegemony: Political and Linguistic Sources for Gramsci’s Concept of Hegemony’’. In R. Howson and K. Smith (Eds.), Hegemony: Studies in Consensus and Coercion. London: Routledge. Clark, M. (1977). Antonio Gramsci and the Revolution that Failed. New Haven: Yale University Press. Gramsci, A. (1926). Some aspects of the southern question’’ (V. Cox, Trans.). In R. Bellamby (Ed.), Pre-Prison Writings (pp. 313-337). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Gramsci, A. (1971). Selections from the Prison Notebooks of Antonio Gramsci, Q. Hoare G. N. Smith, eds. trans. London: Lawrence and Wishart. Howson, R. (2006). Challenging Hegemonic Masculinity. London: Routledge. Howson, R. Smith, K. (2008). Hegemony: Studies in Consensus and Coercion. London: Routledge. Lenin, V. I. (1963). What is to be Done? S.V. Utechin P. Utechin, trans. Oxford: Oxford University Press. From: http://links.org.au/node/1260