Is solar energy a viable option for the future Research Paper

Is solar energy a viable option for the future - Research Paper Example A passive solar home harnesses the sunrays without use of mechanical and electrical devices such as heat pumps, or electrical controls to move and distribute the heat. The key to designing a passive solar home is to best take advantage of what the local climate has to offer. Passive solar techniques are easily incorporated into new home designs; however, existing buildings can be adapted to collect and store solar heat. Passive solar homes can incorporate heat through direct gain of the sunrays, indirect gain or Thrombe walls, and the use of isolated gain or sun spaces. In the direct gain method, sunlight enters the house through south facing windows with a glazing application made of translucent glass. The sun then hits brick flooring or masonry walls that are typically dark colors, to absorb the heat. Then as the house cools down at night, the heat is transferred into the room for several hours. Some passive homes use water barrels placed in strategic locations to catch the sun hea t. It is then transferred into the room as the home cools down at night. Water stores twice as much heat as masonry per cubic foot of volume. Water tanks do require some maintenance, since water does not support itself. The tanks require periodic treatment to prevent alga growth. The amount of passive solar in a particular area depends on how large the area of glazing and amount of thermal mass. The glazing area determines how much heat can be collected. The thermal mass determines how much heat can be stored. If the thermal mass is not large enough, the house could overheat. The ratio of thermal mass to glazing has to be determined by the climate in which you live. Thermal mass must also be insulated in order to retain the stored heat as long as possible. Loss of thermal heat is especially prominent when the thermal mass is directly connected to the ground or in contact with outside air. The temperature around the thermal mass needs to remain at or above the temperature of the ther mal mass itself. Even if you live in a simple house with south-facing windows without thermal mass, you still have potential passive solar elements. This is called solar-tempering. To make best use of this type of passive solar heating, install window treatments that reduce nighttime heat loss and prevent overheating during the summer months. The indirect gain method or Thrombe walls are the most commonly used method. The wall is usually 8-16 inches thick, masonry wall, and on the south side of the house. Then either a single or double layer of glass is mounted one inch or less in front of the wall. Solar heat is then absorbed by the dark color of the wall and then the heat is transferred into the living area. The Trombe releases the heat into the home over a period of several hours. The heat collected usually reaches its highest temperatures in the late afternoon. When the outside temperatures drop, the wall radiates heat into the room. Heat travels through a brick wall at the rate of one hour per inch. Therefore, heat absorbed in an 8 inch thick brick wall at 12:00 noon will enter the living space of the home around 8:00 p.m. So if your highest temperatures are collected in the brick wall at 4:00 in the afternoon, the heat will be transferred to the living area at 12:00 midnight. The third

English Literature Antigone Ismene Thebes

English Literature Antigone Ismene Thebes Antigone Ismene Thebes Inductive essay of Antigone In the play Antigone, written by Sophocels, there are many complications. The most important event is the killing of Antigone’s two brothers, Eteocles and Polynices. It was the main inspiration for the whole play. It all starts after King Oedipus was banished from the city of Thebes after he knows that he has murdered his father, his younger son Eteocles declares to be the king, banishing his older brother Polyneices. Polyneices then attacks Thebes with a huge army, but none of the two brothers wins the war because they both kill each other in combat. Creon then declares the kingdom of Thebes, and he decides that Eteocles should be buried and honored as a hero while Polyneices body shouldn’t be honored, but it should be thrown in the streets of Thebes left for dogs and birds to be eaten in humiliation. Creon decides that the punishment for trying to bury the body of Polyneices will be death. Antigone, Eteocles and Polynices’ sister, insists that her brothers body must be buried so that his spirit can rest in peace, in spite of the cautious advice of her younger sister, Ismene. She goes to the battleground, pouring sand over Polyneices body and performing burial rites. After that the guards discovers that someone was trying to bury the body, they uncover the dust from the body, and they starts to look for who does that. Antigone comes back insisting on burying her brother’s body .She finally allows herself to be captured after coming out of hiding when some guards try to uncover the body again, and a rebellious Antigone is brought to Creon. He decides to execute only Antigone since Ismenes is innocent and Antigone is sent outside of Thebes to starve to death in a cave. Even though Antigone was nothing but a girl left alone, she faces many obstacles by herself to do what she believes it is right without any concerns about the consequences. The first obstacle that faces Antigone was her sister, Ismene. They were the only two family members left after their father’s death and their two brothers’ shameful war against each other and killing each other in the battlefield. Instead of supporting her sister, and trying to keep what’s left of the family together, Ismene abandons Antigone and tries to convince her to obey the king’s orders. The author quotes Ismene saying â€Å"The worst of all if we violate the laws and override the fixed decree of the throne, its power- we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men† (Sophocles 1144). It is clear that Ismene is so frightened of Antigone’s decision to bury her brother Polyneices. It is also clear how Creon, the king, put his fear in his people’s minds so he will has full control over his kingdom. Antigone doesn’t worry about Creon’s punishment and decides to continue. The autho r quotes her answering her sister â€Å" So, do as you like, whatever suits you best- I’ll bury him myself. And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory.† (Sophocles 1144). This quote shows how determined Antigone is to bury her brother without having any concerns about the result. It also shows how she considers the death a glory to her for doing what’s she believes is right. She considers honoring her brother by giving hem the proper burial is her obligation. Antigone overcomes this obstacle by excusing her sister from joining her to bury their brother. The second obstacle that faces Antigone is the king himself. He wanted to force his authority and power over the kingdom after the disturbance that happened in Thebes. He wants his orders and commands to be followed by everyone. Creon creates a monster of himself to scare his people; he likes power, authority, and to be obeyed. That’s why everybody was scared and afraid to disobey Creon except Antigone. She did what’s right; she wasn’t even afraid when the guards arrested her, she bravely surrendered to them (1152). Creon felt that he lost his power and authority once Antigone disobey his orders. Creon says, â€Å"This girl was an old hand at insolence when she overrode the edicts we made public. But once she’d don it- the insolence, twice over- to glory in it, laughing, mocking us to our face with what she’d done† (Sophocles 1154). He considers Antigone’s act an insult to the king without considering that she wants to give her brother the proper burial to honor him as prince. That explains why he was so harsh in his verdict to execute her by starvation. Antigone knows that she is doing what’s right and she surrenders to her destiny to be killed. On the other hand she seems to refuse to be killed by Creon, that’s why she killed herself as if she considers killing herself more honor than Creon kills her. The final obstacle that faces Antigone is her lover, Haemon, who was Creon’s son and who was very sad that he’s going to lose his pride. Antigone thinks about her lover. She doesn’t want to die and leave him because she loves him so much. She is between two difficult decisions. One of them is if she decides to step on what she believes in and forget about her honored brother to stay with her lover, the other decision is to leave her lover and to die for what she believes in. Antigone doesn’t think about her happiness; she rather dies because of what she believes in than stays with Haemon. She overcomes this obstacle by deciding to kill herself. Haemon, on the other hand, was used by Gods to punish Creon for his acts. He was not convinced with his father’s actions. Haemon states, â€Å"I see my father offending justice-wrong† (Sophocles 1161). He continues his conversation asking â€Å"Protect your rights? When you trample down the honors of the gods?† (Sophocles 1611). Haemon realizes the fact that his father doesn’t realize, is that he dishonors the gods. Haemon wants to explain to Creon that no matter what happened don’t disobey or disrespect the gods. Another thing Haemon realizes that Creon doesn’t realize that there is more powerful force than Creon’s force which is the gods force. Creon thinks that he has the ultimate power and authority that’s why he can’t see Haemon point of view. Haemon goes to Antigone’s grave and he couldn’t see her kills herself in the front of him, so he kills himself. In the play, Antigone faces a lot of obstacles, and she overcomes them all. She doesn’t give up, and once she feels that the king’s authority will bring her down, she decides to take her own life rather than the injustice system does. She is determining to do what she feels is right, no matter what the laws of the kingdom says. She is motivating by her obligations towards her family, and by her personal beliefs. She first faces her sister who is against her from the beginning, because she is afraid of Creon’s decrees. Antigone excuses her sister from burying her brother with her. Second obstacle Antigone faces is the rigorous king, Creon, who gives his strict orders that whoever bury Polynices will die. Antigone doesn’t care about Creon’s decrees; she knows the consequences will be the death penalty, but she stands bravely in front of Creon. The final obstacle Antigone faces is her lover who is so in love with her and he can’t see her dieing. Antigone also can’t see her lover cries and she can’t leave him as well. This is the most difficult obstacle that faces Antigone. Finally she kills herself when she finds that it’s more honor to kill herself than Creon kills her. Antigone knows that she will die for what she did. She put what she believes in before her and sacrifices her own life to do what’s right.

Custom Written Essays: A Comparison of Hamlets Gertrude and Ophelia

A  Comparison of Gertrude and Ophelia  of Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚   Gertrude and Ophelia occupy the leading roles for females in the Shakespearean drama Hamlet. As women they share many things in common: attitudes from others, shallow or simple minds and outlooks, etc. This essay will delve into the various facets of what they hold in common.    John Dover Wilson explains in What Happens in Hamlet how the prince holds both of the women in disgust:    The exclamation â€Å"Frailty thy name is woman!† in the first soliloquy, we come to feel later, embraces Ophelia as well as Gertrude, while in the bedroom scene he as good as taxes his mother with destroying his capacity for affection, when he accuses her of    such an act That blurs the grace and blush of modesty, Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose From the fir forehead of an innocent love And sets a blister there.    Moreover, it is clear that in the tirades of the nunnery scene he is thinking almost as much of his mother as of Ophelia (101).    Hamlet’s disgust for his mother is so great that it even â€Å"envelops and exceeds her† (Elliot 25). In the closet scene he attacks her with â€Å"the indulgence of an obsessive passion† (Knight 70). Such aggressiveness is contrary to the natural direction of both Ophelia and Gertrude. They are both â€Å"tender of heart,† and â€Å"to Hamlet, Ophelia is no better than another Gertrude† (Bevington 9). Both are motivated by love and a desire for quiet familial harmony among the members of their courtly society in Elsinore. At the first social function in the play, Gertrude advises out of love:    Dear Hamlet, cast thy nighted color off, And let thine eye look like a friend on Denmark. Do not for ever... .... â€Å"Hamlet and His Problems.† Selected Essays. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World, Inc., 1950. Rpt. in Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet. Ed. David Bevington. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.    Kermode, Frank. â€Å"Hamlet.† The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Knight, L.C. â€Å"An Approach to Hamlet.† Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet. Ed. David Bevington. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968. Rpt. from An Approach to Hamlet. Stanford, CT: Stanford University Press, 1961.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html No line nos.    Wilson, John Dover. What Happens in Hamlet. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999.      

Mahatma Gandhi Biography Speech Essay

â€Å"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind†. This is a quote said by Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian revolutionary and religious leader who used his religious power for political and social reform and was the main force behind the second-largest nation in the world’s struggle for independence. Gandhi was born on October 2nd 1869 in Probandar, India. Him and his family lived in a self-sufficient residential community and only ate simple vegetarian food and undertook long fasts. He was the fourth child in the family and often had it the worse when it came to his education for his parents wanted him to follow in his father’s footsteps of becoming a lawyer. He eventually became a lawyer and trained in law in London and was employed in South America during the revolution from British control in India. At the age of 15 he married his wife Kasturba and had 4 children named Hirlal, Manilal, Ramdas, and Devdas. It was at this age that Mahatma first helped protest excessive land-tax and discrimination on the poorer people of India. What made him different from other protesters was that he created the concept of Satyagraha which is a nonviolent way of protesting injustices. He also spent 20 years of his life in South Africa fighting discrimination. He is also majorly known for leading the Indians in the Dandi Salt March of 1930 challenging the British-imposed salt tax. For many of his nonviolent protest though, he and many of his followers were often imprisoned in both South Africa and India. But weirdly enough, even after getting arrested many times, he never reacted in any violent ways for his vision of a free India was based off religion and pluralism. He was often described by many Indians as â€Å"The Father of The Nation†. On August 15th 1947, India attained independence after a great political and social struggle. Mahatma had achieved his goal but only enjoyed it for a short period of time. Mahatma Gandhi died on January 30th 1948, at the age of 78 in New Delhi after being assassinated by Nathuram Gadse. However, Mahatma’s legacy still continues for he inspired many movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. I decided to choose Mahatma Gandhi for my biography speech because he had a dramatic influence on the Indian Independence movement and achieved it in all nonviolent ways while never giving in to the evil that so many people do today.

“Globalisation is a good thing” to what extent do you agree with this statement? Essay

Globalisation is the growth to a global or worldwide scale. It is the increase of trade around the world, especially by large companies producing and trading goods in many different countries. When available goods and services, or social and cultural influences, gradually become similar in all parts of the world. Examples of globalisation are Companies such as Toyota, a Japanese company that has become globalised and is now a worldwide company. Another example is Nike which was originated in Beaverton, Oregon, United States and is now a worldwide company. MEDC’s and LEDC’s are linked through trade. The poorer countries produce and import products and merchandise to MEDC’s at a very low salary. Primark is an example of trading with other countries for unfair prices. From the clothes being made and brought many different countries have been involved Many other clothes companies to this as well. This is known as world trade system and can often be described as unfair for some. China is located in Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam, in the Northern hemisphere. China’s climate is Humid, sticky, dry and hot. Some major crops that are grown in China are rice, wheat, corn, soybeans and tuber crops. China has an extremely high population, just over 1.3 billion people with a birth rate of 12.17 births/1000. Its capital city is Beijing. One of it’s most famous landmarks is the great wall of chine, which is one of the seven wonders of the world. In recent years China has changed and developed rapidly especially economically. It is now the fourth largest economy in the world. A lot of Asian countries are now known as â€Å"newly industrialising countries†. This means that a country whose level of economic development ranks it somewhere between the developing and first-world classifications. These countries have moved away from an agriculture-based economy and into a more industrialized, urban economy, with higher and more technology. Globalisation is a good thing for china as it helps bring in higher profits as the products are kept extremely low as they do not need to pay people a high salary to make them. TNC’s have chosen to locate in china because employers are able to pay a lot less for a job than in the UK or a lot of other countries.†¨ Consumers in the UK and the rest of the developed world benefit from Chinese goods as to produce them in China rather than in the UK and then import them is a lot cheaper than to produce them in the UK as the minimum wage is a lot lower. Workers in China think globalisation is a good thing as it means employment and jobs for them, otherwise they would unemployed and couldn’t earn anything at all. This is why today most products have labelled on them â€Å"Made in China†. Globalisation is a bad thing for China as most of the time all globalization really does is make the rich richer and the poor poorer. In most LEDC’s standards of living are dropping further behind the richest countries. The gap in incomes between the 20% of the richest and the poorest countries has grown from 30 to 1 in 1960 to 82 to 1 in 1995. The increasing interdependence of countries in a globalised world makes them more vulnerable to economic problems like the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990’s. Many environmentalists are against globalisation because it causes a lot of transporting of exporting and importing products which cause pollution. Another reason why globalisation is a bad thing for china is that the national culture and languages can be eroded and destroyed by the modern globalised culture. China is helped a lot by globalisation as it provides many jobs which brings in money, but it is also a bad thing as it is making the difference between rich and poor a lot greater. Personally I think that globalisation is a good thing for China and helps them a lot as without it China would not make as much money as it does currently and China would not be the same country and would not be as developed either.

Tianamen Square Essays - Language, Communication Design, Writer

Tianamen Square Essays - Language, Communication Design, Writer Tianamen Square Tiananmen Square is where thousands of Chinese people gathered to try to overthrow the Chinese government. Every writer there witnessed and viewed this event in his or her own way. The writers different versions contradicted so much the audience had every reason to be confused over what really happened. The goal of these writers was to persuade the audience to see this event the way the writer saw it. This event in history can show readers how one event that happened only one way, can be told in many different ways. The Beijing Review interviewed a Chinese Military Official, naturally his story will favor the Chinese government. The leaders of the revolt were referred to as bad people; these bad people were accused of influencing the students and viewers to shamefully overthrow the government. This official also said that their losses were great because of the good mingling with the bad, this caused a mass state of confusion resulting in personal loss. He then made it look like the government assault on the people was necessary, and this showed the integrity of the peoples army. A writer for the New York Times wrote from a neutral perspective. This writer didnt take a side or judge either group. The writer just gave a story from what he or she eye witnessed. This version was descriptive and filled with facts. The writer also explains why the revolt was taking place. Compare Contrast 2 The Military Official sided with the government, and the New York Times Writer was neutral. The Official labeled people the Times writer did not. The Official used his opinions in his version. The Times writer used facts to demonstrate his or her eye witnessed account. Both writers wrote about things they saw during the event to prove a point, like when the tank drivers were forced from safety by fire then beaten when they would evacuate. After all the versions were viewed the audience couldnt help but be confused over this event. Every different writer told the story of this event his or her way. Some of the writers took sides others stayed neutral. Reading different versions of a story can confuse the reader and misguide him of her from the truth. The reader must always realize what he or she is reading can be misleading.

Class Representations essays

Class Representations essays Class is a way of life. Class structure is just what you live by. It is an accepted way of how we live. Some people live their lives by planning for the future, while others are worried about what they are going to do about paying their landlords. People are looked upon as poor class, middle class, and upper class. Each person in society knows where he or she stands in terms of how much money they have. This ideal is shown everywhere in life. Take for example a couple of friends. These friends have known each other for a very long time. They know each other so well that they know how well off they are or how the other is living paycheck by paycheck. Society has always shown off the high class in magazines, movies, and television. They are shown to be important; how everyone should be like. For example, Entertainment Tonight and Extra are shows on television that only feature stories on rich celebrities. These people are raised on a pedestal; put into the limelight and are shown as what everyone wants to be. It is portrayed as the best way you can live your life. Society shockingly accepts this and society admires this ideal of becoming someone that is rich. Culture in the U.S. is all about materialism and its rating of how cool someone is by how much material possession one has. Being low class and poor is looked down upon and discriminated against in society. Another example is the stereotypical name, F.O.B. This is widely used among Asians to describe a poor person freshly off the boat. People that are labeled F.O.B. are considered low class and not cool. ...

Using Haber and Estar for Spanish Compound Past Tenses

Using Haber and Estar for Spanish Compound Past Tenses Spanish students usually learn fairly early in their coursework that Spanish has two simple past tenses, the preterite and the imperfect. However, these two past tenses arent the only past tenses available. Auxiliary verbs can also be used to form perfect and progressive, also known as continuous, tenses, some of which refer to the past. Present Perfect Despite its name, the present perfect tense refers to past actions. It is formed by using the present tense of haber followed by the past participle and is the rough equivalent of the same tense in English. Thus He estudiado - he is the first-person indicative singular form of haber, and estudiado is the past participle of estudiar - would usually be translated as I have studied, where studied is the past participle of to study. In general, the present perfect tense is used to discuss actions that took place in the past but still have relevance to the present or are continuing up to the present. Note, however, that the present perfect tense of Spanish doesnt always coincide exactly with that of English; in some cases, the tense in Spanish may be translated to the English using the simple past. And there are regional variations in the tenses as well; especially in Spain, for example, it is common to use the present perfect for very recent events. Nunca he conocido a nadie como tà º. (I have never met someone like you.) ¿Cul es el mejor CD que has comprado? (What is the best CD you have purchased?)Hemos sufrido una pà ©rdida irreparable. (We have suffered an irreparable loss.)Bolivia y Nicaragua han pedido que el Consejo de Seguridad sea convocado de urgencia. (Bolivia and Nicaragua have asked that the Security Council be convened in emergency session.)Hace una hora ha nacido mi sobrina. (An hour ago, my niece was born. In some regions, the preterite would be preferred: Hace una hora nacià ³ mi sobrina.)Hoy he visto algo raro. (Today I saw something unusual.) Past Perfect Also known as the pluperfect, the past perfect tense is formed by using the imperfect form of haber followed by the past participle. Its uses generally coincide with the past perfect of English, formed by using had and the past participle. The distinction in meaning with the present perfect is that in the pluperfect the verbs action is completed and clearly distinct from the present. Yo habà ­a entendido los conceptos del curso, pero no los habà ­a aplicado. (I had understood the concepts of the course, but I had not applied them.)A medio kilà ³metro de distancia se encontraron otros cuatro cuerpos masculinos, que hasta el momento no habà ­an sido identificados. (A half kilometer away four other male bodies were found, which until that moment had not been identified.)Habà ­amos luchado durante tres aà ±os defendiendo la Repà ºblica. (We had fought for three years defending the Republic.)Mi padre habà ­a tenido una vida dura, pero llena de triunfos. (My father had had a hard life, but one full of triumphs.) Preterite Perfect The preterite perfect, sometimes known as the pretà ©rito anterior, is rarely used today except for literary effect; you are unlikely to hear it in everyday speech. It most often follows a time expression (such as cuando or despuà ©s que) and is formed by using the preterite of haber followed by past participle. It is usually translated to English the same way as the past perfect. Cuando el nià ±o se hubo dormido, el cura me pidià ³ permiso para dejarme. (When the boy had fallen asleep, the priest asked me for permission to leave me.)Tan pronto hubo escuchado aquellas palabras, salià ³ corriendo hacia la plaza. (As soon as he had heard those words, he left running toward the plaza.) Preterite Progressive The preterite progressive or preterite continuous is formed by using the preterite form of estar before the gerund. It is the equivalent of the was/were verb -ing construction in English but is used much less frequently. The Spanish preterite progressive often suggests that an action takes place or is repeated over an extended period of time. Este fin de semana pasado estuve andando por las calles de Oslo. (This past weekend I was walking through the streets of Oslo.)Estuve leyendo todos sus mensajes.  (I was reading all your messages.)Estuvimos muriendo de frà ­o. (We were dying of cold.) Imperfect Progressive The imperfect progressive (or imperfect continuous) is similar in meaning to the preterite progressive and is somewhat more common. It also is usually the equivalent of the was/were verb -ing construction in English. The imperfect progressive often suggests the ongoing nature of an action, while the preterite subjunctive suggests that it had an end. In practice, however, the distinction is a subtle one; all the example sentences with the preterite progressive could have been said in the imperfect progressive with little if any translatable difference in meaning. Un dà ­a antes del examen estuve estudiando con mi amigo. (One day before the test I was studying with my friend.)El actor estaba comiendo saludable como siempre. (The actor was eating healthfully as always.) Past Perfect Progressive Tenses Combine the gerund with the present perfect or pluperfect tense of estar (or of to be in English), and you end up with the past perfect progressive tenses. Their usage in the two languages is similar. Present indicative of haber estado gerund is the equivalent of have/has been gerund and imperfect of haber estado gerund is the equivalent of had been gerund. The present perfect progressive can refer to continuing actions that may be taking place up to the present:  ¿Cà ³mo se sabe si alguien ha estado usando marihuana? (How do you know if someone has been using marijuana?)He estado pensando en ti.  (I have been thinking about you.)Mam y yo hemos estado hablando del futuro.  (Mom and I have been talking about the future.) The pluperfect progressive tense, in contrast, generally refers to continuing actions that are completed (or, if still occurring, are no longer relevant): Andrea habà ­a estado hablando con Pablo todo el dà ­a.  (Andrea had been talking with Pablo all day.)Habà ­amos estado buscando una casa en Madrid. (We had been looking for a house in Madrid.)Habà ­an estado viviendo allà ­ mucho antes de que los espaà ±oles llegaran.  (They had been living there long before the Spaniards arrived.)

What will be the effect on stakeholders of the proposed change in fees Dissertation

What will be the effect on stakeholders of the proposed change in fees and funding for UK undergraduate degrees - Dissertation Example Since the second half of 2010, dramatic changes have occurred in higher education (HE) policies in the United Kingdom (UK). Although recent policy reforms in higher education have not been totally unexpected, their impact has far-reaching consequences to various stakeholders. With the expansion of HE happening in most OECD countries, there has been increasing shift towards relying on fees from students and the increase in contingency student loans (Greenaway and Haynes, 2003). Government has realised the budgetary implications, and looked for solutions in countries like the United States (US) where HE is considered an individual investment. Thus, when Lord Browne pushed forward his ‘recommendations for sustainable funding for higher education’, the coalition government accepted almost all proposals (Secured Loans, UK 2010). Central to these is that the government must cease making HE part of the state’s welfare (Secured Loans UK, 2010). Trade unions lament that fu nding cuts in HE will have serious impact on the education of the students (BBC, 2010). They predict that as many as 200,000 students will miss out on higher education. Administrators also fear that quality of education will suffer, especially for taught courses in comparison with research-based universities (BBC, 2011). Question one is therefore, with all these points highlighted, why is government pushing for such policy reforms?

Understand the roles of health disciplines Essay

Understand the roles of health disciplines - Essay Example Interdisciplinary approach refers to a combination of a number of technologies, professions, departments in industry or business. It is a model favored and used to solve some of the complex problems in the modern society. In health care the approach has seen an improvement of patient satisfaction, reduction in costs and morbidity (Allen and Nora, 2006). It also enhances relationships between various professionals in addition to overall satisfaction of the employees. Nevertheless there are a number of challenges including administrative constraints, lack of leadership etc but these difficulties cannot last a life time as efforts to try and educate the people early enough would effectively address these challenges. In order to solve some of the complex problems in the society there have been attempts to forge relationship between the various disciplines (Fleming, 2009). In the past, knowledge was perceived as whole but soon various disciplines started to gain individuality with each claiming to have a particular set of requirements, language and rules. However with time the various professions realize the importance of cooperation primarily to tackle complex problems and situations in the society. A multidisciplinary approach is whereby several disciplines are involved in solving societal problems. The individual disciplines do not lose their distinctiveness. One discipline known as the root discipline incorporates other disciplines to solve a problem. This means perspectives being shared are meant for the service of the root discipline (McGregor, 2004). On the other hand interdisciplinary approach allows for interaction between two or more disciplines. In this approach knowledge is transferre d between disciplines as the group share assumptions and approaches for a better understanding of a problem. The end result is getting solutions to complex problems in society and the enhancement of views and perspectives of the various

BHS 499 (Senior Capstone Project) Module 1 CBT Essay

BHS 499 (Senior Capstone Project) Module 1 CBT - Essay Example According to Brennan, Leape & Laird in 1991 and cited by the World Health Organization (2004), a Harvard study reported that 4% of patients encountered some kind of harm in the hospital while about 70% of cases of adverse events led to short-lived disability among patients and 14% of such incidents resulted lead to death The Institute of Medicine or IOM added that annually, "medical errors" reached about 44 000 and 98 000 in hospitals of the USA. Ehsani, Jackson, and Duckett (2006) reported that in Australia alone, an estimated direct costs related to managing adverse patient cases reach up to more than $2 billion per annum. This concerns are very significant because globally, safety and better health of individuals are their basic inherent rights that healthcare institutions must effectively deliver to them. organization (Estes Park Institute, 2008), inappropriate conduct can never be tolerated and continuously being improved. Hindle, Braithwaite and Ledema (2005) emphasized that fatigue, carelessness or lack of knowledge are common factors that resulted care providers to create errors. Although majority of errors are less likely due to behavior but are widely the consequence of underlying factors which are considered as barriers to effective teamwork. Bender (2000) argues also that poor communications among many patients, health care givers and hospital management lead to errors. Gui, Shiew, Bidlake, Cheruvu, Subak-Sharpe, and Fiennes (1999) added that ineffective communication between general practitioners and hospital in some cases often lead to patient safety problems.Finally, adequate reimbursement from insurance carriers is very essential in the healthcare industry as this help manage client's health care expenses and prevent major financial burdens if and when, illness or injury occur. But, millions of citizens' medical coverage is not enough or have no health insurance. Some have lost their insurance coverage or just let it lapse the moment they leave their jobs; while others have very limited knowledge that if they can't afford the cost of private insurance, they may avail of certain financial assistance from government programs. These are some of the issues confronted by many individuals and require further attention. Problem Identification 3 REFERENCES Bender, N. (2000). Action to improve patient safety: "safety" prone health care systems. Ambulatory Outreach, Spring, 6-13. Ehsani, J.P., Jackson, T, and Duckett, S.J. (2006) The incidence and cost of adverse events in Victorian hospitals. Medical Journal of Australia 2006; 184(11): 551-555. Estes Park Institute (2008) The top issues in health care 2008. A Report from Estes Park Institute Englewood, CO 80151. Gross, W.A. (2003) Virginia health insurance guide for consumers. State Corporation Commission's Bureau of Insurance. Richmond, VA 23218. Gui, G., Cheruvu, C., Subak-Sharpe, I., Shiew, M., Bidlake, L., & Fiennes, A. (1999). Communication betwe

Insurance regulation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 8250 words

Insurance regulation - Essay Example - Broadly speaking, ‘insolvency’ means inability to pay creditors.1 However, depending on the context, this colloquial usage may refer to any one of the several related concepts.2 To clarify definitional matters and to set out common terminology, it is necessary to distinguish between (1) balance sheet insolvency; (2) cash flow insolvency (or financial distress); (3) economic failure (or economic distress); (4) liquidation; (5) reorganization; and (6) insolvency proceedings or bankruptcy. This is an accounting concept signifying that the book value of a firm’s assets is less than its liabilities. It should be distinguished from so called ‘cash-flow’ insolvency, in which case a firm is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. Such inability may be inferred from the fact that a company has failed to pay, on demand, a debt which is due. Financial economists commonly use the expression ‘financial distress’ to refer to the condition experienced by a firm which is having difficulty in paying its creditors. Although there are some terminological differences between authors, the phrase is often used to refer to the condition of a firm which is in substantial default on its debt obligations. To a far greater extent than the balance sheet test of insolvency, financial distress is dependent on the structure of the repayments under outstanding debt obligations, and the nature of the assets available to satisfy them. Illiquid assets and large repayments may mean that a firm which is solvent in a balance sheet sense cannot pay its debts as they fall due. Conversely, a firm which has significant growth opportunities and debt repayments spread over a number of years may be insolvent in a balance sheet sense, but nonetheless be able to pay its debt as they fall due. Solvency should be distinguished from economic viability. Insolvency is concerned with the relationship between a firm’s assets or cash flows, and the amount of debt in

Statistics Assignment Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment - Statistics Project Example But this is violated. So only the unspecified data is not included. Since the Chi square observed value is greater than the expected value with probability of significance 0.000, we reject our null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis and conclude that the location of melanoma sites is dependent on gender. The linear relationship is not significant since the F value in the ANOVA table shows that the probability of significance is 0.441>0.05 and the F value is less than 1. This is the clear evidence to show that the predictive linear relationship between the two variables at 5% significance level is not a predictive linear relationship. More over the t statistic value for the regression coefficient is 0.81 with probability of significance 0.441 which is also another parallel evidence. Since it is one tailed and the average Post BST is significantly higher than the average Pre BST, we observe that there is a highly significant difference (increase) between pre BST and post BST. The post BST shows a significant increase in the mean milk production at 5% level of significance. The Z observed value is 51.5/13.859=3.72., For one tailed test, the critical value of Z at 1% level is 2.33. Since the Z observed value of 3.72 is greater than the Z critical value of 2.33 at 1% level, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the control group’s reaction time is significantly lower than the phone group while driving. The less reaction time the better is the

Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Critical Review - Essay Example Mike and Scott, the main characters in this film, are deviant individuals in the society. Viewers cannot emulate their behaviors, for instance. Besides being drug addicts, Mike and Scott earn their money through prostitution that is an immoral act in the society. The Scene at the cafe shows young and desperate male prostitutes willing to engage in sex with strangers to earn money. The scene emphasizes on the dominance of homosexuality in the society. Bob appears at the Hotel scene for the first time in film and display unacceptable characters such as drug abuse, theft, and planning robbery. Gus Van Sant’s film is a story of two friends, Mike and Scott, leading their lives on the streets and engaging in homosexual prostitution. The film is not open-minded about homosexuality in society. The film does not command influence to transform individuals political sensitivity. Instead, it majorly focuses on societal vices such as prostitution, homosexuality, and drug abuse. Canby, Vincent. â€Å"Movie Review: My Own Private Idaho (1991).† The New York Times. September 27, 1991. Web. October 15, 2014. Accessed from,

Statistics Assignment Project Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assignment - Statistics Project Example But this is violated. So only the unspecified data is not included. Since the Chi square observed value is greater than the expected value with probability of significance 0.000, we reject our null hypothesis and accept the alternative hypothesis and conclude that the location of melanoma sites is dependent on gender. The linear relationship is not significant since the F value in the ANOVA table shows that the probability of significance is 0.441>0.05 and the F value is less than 1. This is the clear evidence to show that the predictive linear relationship between the two variables at 5% significance level is not a predictive linear relationship. More over the t statistic value for the regression coefficient is 0.81 with probability of significance 0.441 which is also another parallel evidence. Since it is one tailed and the average Post BST is significantly higher than the average Pre BST, we observe that there is a highly significant difference (increase) between pre BST and post BST. The post BST shows a significant increase in the mean milk production at 5% level of significance. The Z observed value is 51.5/13.859=3.72., For one tailed test, the critical value of Z at 1% level is 2.33. Since the Z observed value of 3.72 is greater than the Z critical value of 2.33 at 1% level, we reject the null hypothesis and conclude that the control group’s reaction time is significantly lower than the phone group while driving. The less reaction time the better is the

Discussion Board Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 6

Discussion Board - Coursework Example It will therefore favor the company when it comes to competition in the market. The emergence six stigma and its Continued popularity goes to show that it is more dependable compared to older method such as the TQM. While the quality in productivity is an important factor when it comes to success in a business, I feel that proper leadership in the business is also essential. According to the Biblical Integration, wise leadership is effective in promoting better performance in any business. The leaders have the power to guide a business in the right direction and one of the ways in which this can be achieved is through wise leadership. Wise leadership involves the use of wise words. This is supported by (Pulakanam 2012) who provides sufficient research on the impact of six stigma process. Proper leadership combined with the six stigma process will facilitate progress in an organization and facilitate coordination in the organization. There is also the correlation of proper leadership in (Ecclesiastes 9:10, NLT) which encourages wisdom in management. Chiarini, A. (2011). Japanese total quality control, TQM, demings system of profound knowledge, BPR, lean and six sigma. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, 2(4), 332-355. Retrieved from http://p2048-www.liberty.edu.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.liberty.edu:2048/docview/906073091?accountid=12085 Pulakanam, V. (2012). Costs and savings of six sigma programs: An empirical study. The Quality Management Journal, 19(4), 39-54. Retrieved from

Trend of Agencification

Trend of Agencification Introduction In the almost 800 years since the promulgation of the Magna Carta, there are a number of events in English constitutional history that would serve as useful points of commencement in the consideration of agencification and the related elements engaged by the title question. The present paper will commence the examination of the issues with reference to the well known 1976 commentary of Lord Hailsham concerning the governance of post World War II Britain as that provided by means of an elective dictatorship. The accuracy of this observation is considered in the context of both the creation and the extension of the role of state agencies in modern society. Agencification is next considered from the perspective of the basic purposes of government. Agencies are often regarded as the vehicles through which the real work of government is conducted; the notion that agencies are broadly perceived by ordinary citizens as the true face of modern government is also critically explored. In this context, a number of concepts that are closely connected to the overarching principles of governance are also discussed, including: governance as concept that is interchangeable with regulation; the rise of the contemporary Regulation State; agencies and their intended independence from policy making and political considerations; accountability. Specific attention is directed to the notion of regulation as a means of providing structure to society generally, as well as the role played by agencies in the regulation of internal government processes. The paper concludes with an examination of agencification and its particular constitutional challenges; the impact of the Constitutional Reform Act and the current debate concerning the desirability of a British Bill of Rights is also assessed in this context. It is noted that while the present paper has a British agencification focus, the sources relied upon to support the propositions developed here are drawn from a broad range of British and international commentators. For the purposes of the following analysis, agencification is defined as the delegation of decision making power and institutional autonomy to public bodies. Alternatively, any government decision to utilise or create state agencies or any other entity established by government to further any type of public policy object will form a part of the agencification process. As is noted below through the examples tendered for consideration, the formulation of a definition of agencification is relatively easy; understanding all of the parameters within which such entities now function in modern government structures is difficult. The definition of agencification in turn engages a number of related concepts; of special importance are regulation, autonomy, accountability, and credibility. Regulation has a range of possible meanings in an agencification context. At its narrowest definition, regulation means formulating authoritative sets of rules and establishing autonomous public agencies to monitor the relevant rules and to promote their public compliance. In its broadest meaning, regulation may refer to any form of state intervention designed to steer a society towards a particular public goal. In modern governance, the concept extends to how to regulate the regulators, the mechanics of managing intra-government systems and relations between agencies. Autonomy in the present context is the degree of supervision that is exercised by a central government branch or ministry over an agency or other publicly constituted body. Autonomy must also be considered in contrast to the real or presumed independence of the agency in question; as is discussed below in the context of the UK Food Standards Agency, the relationship between the agency to government, the public at large and the host of possible third party interests at stake make this dynamic very intricate. Accountability is a term that has a strong political connotation that also carries administrative overtones from the agencification perspective. As is further discussed below, the autonomous and semi-autonomous modern regulatory agencies have accountability not in vertical directions, but horizontally to the government at which they stand arms length, and the public to whom their efforts are intended to be directed. The distinction between agency accountability and ministerial accountability must be emphasised. Ministers of the Crown are responsible for the proper functioning of their respective portfolios; a failure to discharge those duties in accordance with the terms of office will often carry personal and political consequences for the minister and the governing party. A breach of duty on the part of the operation of a publicly constituted agency has only indirect consequences for the minister whose portfolio includes the works carried out by the agency in question. Credibility is a concept that is frequently considered in the agencification process. There is broad support in the academic literature for the proposition that an independent and properly structured agency is more inherently credible than a government ministry that is vulnerable to the pressures of political expediency. This support is countered by the observation that an agency may risk being influenced unduly by its client groups in the execution of its duties. Agencification and Elective Dictatorship In 1976 the former Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailsham, offered a commentary on the state of British governance. He suggested that parliamentary supremacy, a foundation of the unwritten English constitution, had been turned on its head the government now controls Parliament, and not the constitutionally accepted reverse proposition that Parliament was supreme. Lord Hailsham further stated that the power inherent in the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty had been exclusively directed to the continuous enlargement and expansion of the scale and range of government itself. The checks and balances presumed by Englands constitutional structure were perceived by Lord Hailsham as no longer functioning ands seemingly abandoned for an exercise of governmental power that continuously expanded, subject to no external controls. We live in an elective dictatorship, absolute in theory, if hitherto thought tolerable in practice. This conclusion as stated by Lord Hailsham has been selected as the point of commencement to the present agencification analysis because it permits a consideration of the reasons why agencies and other public entities have risen to particular prominence in British governance. The relationship between agencies and the broader perception of what government is and what it represents to the public is an important one. Further, a careful examination of the role of agencies permits a critical evaluation of whether the negative elements of big government and executive dominance as referenced by Lord Hailsham in 1976 are counter-balanced by the effectiveness of current government endorsed agency structures as essential to effective and desirable modern governance. Agencification underlying factors Government agencies and the extension of the modern welfare state are well understood as companion concepts. As a general proposition, as the state expands its role in the lives of its citizens to provide greater assurances of societal welfare, the state must create extensions of itself to deal with citizen demand and the regulation of activities across the broad spectrum of society. In this sense, agencification is organic agencies have grown in their influence upon the life of an ordinary citizen in proportion to the desire of government to extend the range of its services. In theory, this extension has occurred with the support of the public as evidenced through its democratic processes in electing governments that enact such programmes. It is plain that agencification has not occurred in Britain (or any other Anglo-American jurisdiction) in accordance with a true master plan. A common observation is that government agencies tend to have very diverse functions and have not developed in a coherent fashion there is a lack of consistency in their legal status, organisation, funding and degree of autonomy. The lack of apparent order may be offset to a degree by the assertion that agencies are cost efficient, more nimble and more responsive to the public needs than traditional government departments by virtue of their structure. The legislative role (both actual and theoretical) of a Member of Parliament is well defined in the understanding of the average citizen; the true extent of the powers and influence of a particular board, tribunal, or agency is often not so clear to even an informed citizen. As Banner noted, modern government is anything but monolithic. The proliferation of state agencies has made government organisation very difficult to penetrate. Banner suggests that the decisional processes have become more opaque for ordinary citizens who long for transparency. In this context, two issues may be usefully considered. The first is the agency as a remedy, a key player in restoring public confidence in government where a systemic failure in a particular government service has been identified. A prominent example, the creation of the Food Standards Agency in the wake of the BSE (mad cow) outbreak and the subsequent political crisis in 1996, is examined below. A further example of the agency as a tool to rebuild a particular institution in the public eye is the revamped Judicial Appointments Committee (JAC). The JAC, a creature of the Constitutional Reform Act, 2005, is intended to render the appointment of judges and certain tribunal members transparent, removing the process beyond the influence of government patronage. The second issue to be considered is that of the agency as the true public face of modern government. The typical citizen may not completely understand the nature and extent of a particular agency powers, but there is no question that agencies exert the greatest regulatory influence over day to day life. Regulation of both society and internal government function cannot exist without agencies; agencification has taken on ever increasing importance for these reasons. The Regulation State The Regulation State is the term of art commonly employed by academics to describe the modern relationship between government agencies and the public they are intended to serve. It is contended that the traditional welfare state was constituted on a command and control model, where public ownership and nationalization of certain public resources was encouraged. In the welfare state model, responsibility for decision making is somewhat more centralized; regulatory, operating, and policy making functions were relatively integrated. The Regulation State is a flatter, more horizontal government model than that of the welfare state. It usually seeks to advance different government goals, chiefly those of economic efficiency, the promotion of competition, and consumer protection.21In essence, the Regulation State marks the crucial demarcation point between direct and indirect governance, where autonomous agencies and single purpose government organisations are essential to overall government function. It is the organisation and regulation of the government apparatus itself that drives the Regulation State forward. Regulatory agencies operate in their assigned sphere through the exercise of delegated powers. It has been noted that many regulatory agencies have features that are both the product of a statute (The Judicial Appointments Committee noted earlier is such an example), as well as elements of an incorporated entity. This particular structure creates a regulatory body that is neither directly elected by the public nor is it directly accountable to Parliament. These free standing agencies are therefore potentially accountable to a range of government and public bodies where the relationships are circular, and not linear or hierarchical. It is in this context that a key strength of the agency as opposed to the centralized power inherent in the former welfare state model is revealed. Agencies constructed to advance a single public policy or designed to deal with a single issue can, at least in theory, acquire agency specific knowledge and operational expertise to function efficiently. If one were to coin a mantra to attach to the agencification that supports the Regulation State, it might be Better regulatory performance and efficiency without impacting adversely upon either democratic principles or political control. Agencification at work BSE and the Food Standards Agency The mad cow scare that first shocked the British public in 1986 was a public scandal that continued to resonate in 1997 and beyond. Revelations were made in 1997 concerning the degree of knowledge that certain government officials may have possessed at the time of the initial outbreak concerning the severity of the risks posed by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) to human health. The James Report and other specialized investigations were undertaken to determine how to best prevent a similar animal disease outbreak. As a result, the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) was created by act of Parliament. In a parallel development, the Council of Europe established a similar body, the European Food Standards Agency. It is not the fact of the mad cow scare and the resulting political crisis that is central to the present analysis. It is the governmental mandate that has been provided to the FSA that is instructive on a number of fronts; the principles of agency independence and accountability discussed earlier in this paper are of particular relevance. The FSA reflects a movement in the regulation of all aspects of food production that mirrors the trend away from the order-command centralized structure of welfare state styled government to a broadly based system of risk regulation in food. However, what the BSE scare illustrated was that risk management was not the entire public concern. The James report identified a broad based lack of public confidence in British food production that emanated from the BSE scare. The FSA was created to regulate the production of British food from plough to plate. However, the public health mandate driven by the BSE crisis was accompanied by agricultural industry concerns regarding the feared decline of this aspect of the British economy. The FSA was plainly tasked to deal with two different issues within one agency framework. This duality raises the important question of whether the FSA is truly independent if there exists the prospect that in regulating one aspect of its mandate (public health) it may hinder the other (British agriculture). It is contended that the FSAs overly broad responsibilities run counter to the effective, single issue styled bodies that are a hallmark of modern agencification. Constitutional challenges Lord Hailshams criticism of British government in 1976 remains one that bears consideration in the agencification era. It is contended that there is a public perception that government is now amorphous, a construction with seemingly infinite tentacles influencing all aspects of modern life, yet not subject to the direct control of any one institution. Government may be seen as an entity that exists for itself, as opposed to clearly articulated public purposes and objectives, no matter how its roles are stated by its members. Recent developments concerning constitutional reform, including the ongoing debate concerning the implementation of a British Bill of Rights also bear upon the role played by agencification in modern government. The proponents of wholesale constitutional reform that include a written Bill of Rights seek to ensure that a balance is struck between the emphasis on individual rights that has been featured in English jurisprudence in the wake of the Human Rights Act and the increasing influence of European Human Rights Convention case law, and an appreciation by every citizen of a corresponding set of individual responsibilities. It is submitted that the merits of a written Bill of Rights make for an interesting academic debate. It is equally plain that in the devolutionary system that is inherent to agencification, the primary concern of the ordinary citizen is for good and effective governance a Bill of Rights has little effect on how that fundamental aspect of citizenship is achieved. A final brief observation a Bill of Rights that is intended to forge a linkage between citizen and modern government is misconceived. The diverse governmental mechanisms that have been spawned by agencification require a different approach. As agencies continue to be created to address specific societal interests, government will continue to become more indirect. The appreciation of the appropriate rights held by individual citizens that may properly coexist in this diffuse governmental structure cannot be cast in stone. An unwritten constitution remains the most effective companion to agencificationdriven governance.

Evaluation of Journal Article Involving Cross Cultural Perception of Eu

Evaluation of Journal Article I. Introduction The essay is about to evaluate the journal written by Coen Heijes and express my personal interpretation of the article. The essay was divided into five sections. First of all, I would briefly outline the topic of the article and introduce the findings made by the author. Secondly, I would analyze the theory and literature review by evaluating the main theoretical framework. Then research design and methods would be discussed, followed by the findings and conclusions given by the author. Finally, personal implications would be delivered. In my opinion, take power dynamics into account while analyzing the perception across-cultural is a beneficial supplement to the dimensional approach which is limited in doing research on international management. Despite lacking of empirical research on relations between cross-cultural perception and power asymmetry in organizations, this paper could be a significant reference on further research. II. Description of the paper being evaluated In this paper, the author delivered a research about cross cultural perception and power dynamic across changing organizational and national contexts in Curacao and the Netherlands. The essay is divided into seven parts. First of all, the author pointed out that more and more researchers found they should go beyond standard cultural dimensions of Hofstede when analyzing the national cultures because culture is not so much fixed, cohesive and systematic concept but more dynamic and co-created. Therefore, the author expanded on the interactions between culture and power and discussed the role of power and power differences in cross-cultural perception. Second, methodological triangulation was used al... ...ice organizations in the IRS and the police in the Netherlands and Curaà §ao. The results of the research findings were just the reflection within the public services organizations and it cannot indicate that similar conclusions would be drawn up in business organizations. Besides, the study lacks some empirical data on the relation between cross-cultural perception and power asymmetry in organizations. Furthermore, this study paper made me think about another case of the UK and HONG KONG, since the impact on the cross-cultural perception would be more complex not just considering the power dynamics and power imbalance due to the western social system background based on Chinese culture. In all, I benefited from the power dynamics influence study on cross-cultural perception and it would be a good learning example for me to carry out research in the future .

The New York Crystal Palace Essay -- Architecture History

Missing image The New York Crystal Palace: The End of an Era So bursts a bubble rather noteworthy in the annals of New York. To be accurate, the bubble burst some years ago, and this catastrophe merely annihilates the apparatus that generated it. -George Templeton Strong It is unfortunate that the wonderful lithographs in our collection which depict the burning of the New York Crystal Palace are not in this online exhibition. They include a color lithograph by Currier & Ives which truly captures the excitement and confusion of that fateful night. However, the bird's eye view of the New York Crystal Palace exhibited here does justice to this amazing structure. The lithograph by Frank Leslie shows the extensive use of glass panes for which both the London and New York Crystal Palaces were given their names. It also shows the throngs of people that must have visited the New York Crystal Palace during the Exhibition, even though they were not numerous enough to make the building profitable for investors. The lithograph duplicated on this web site is about 20 x 13 inches. One is able to see the details much more clearly by viewing the original itself. As opposed to those lithographs which showed only a building with no background and no people, this image shows not only the city behind the Palace, but also the city within the Palace. In the background, one can see the various modes of transportation that visitors must have used to get to the Exhibition. The railroad runs across the top of the image, with a train in the upper left. Sailboats and steamboats move along the river, and horse-drawn carriages pull up to the front gates, unloading passengers into the crowd. The buildings behind the Palace fade away, but t... ...nd 2,000 people were in the building, but they were all evacuated in time by a heroic fire department that put saving life ahead of saving merchandise. Having been constructed almost entirely of iron and glass, with only a little wood near its base, and having been called "fireproof" at the time of its construction, the Palace faced the same sort of irony which the "unsinkable" Titanic faced in 1912. The enormous building burnt to the ground in less than half an hour. The building itself, though no longer standing, remains one of America's first and most interesting examples of glass and iron architecture. The exhibits of industrial and artistic objects, whether huge steam-powered machines, intricately decorated home furnishings, or marble statues, attested to the high degree of invention and skill that characterized the artistic expressions of ante-bellum culture.

Gross Domestic Product and the United States Essay

Gross domestic product, or GDP as it is commonly referred to as, is a popular economic means for measuring how large a country or area’s economy is. Though coming up the an actual calculation for the full breadth of a country’s economic prowess is difficult and quite involved, this is one way of determining that for the basis of comparison with other countries. In general, this is a system that takes the total amount of all of the goods and services that are rendered in a country during a given time frame and combines them to create the final number. Though the actual calculation is much more complicated than that rudimentary explanation, the basic premise behind gross domestic product can be explained in that elementary fashion. There are many different calculations that go into determining the gross domestic product of the United States in 2006. According to statistics provided by the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the number that was calculated for the U. S. GDP in 2006 was estimated at $13. 06 trillion (CIA). That number was calculated based on a number of factors, all of which will be discussed below. One aspect that goes into helping create the gross domestic product figure is the consumption function. To be succinct, this is the number that indicates widespread consumer spending in the United States. According to information produced by the economics department at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, the consumption function is, â€Å"The relationship between the level of income in an economy and the amount households plan to spend on consumption, other things constant† (Baylor). It is calculated as a part of the GDP listed above. According to statistics put out by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in the United States, the total consumer consumption during 2006 was $9. 2 trillion (BEA). Another aspect of gross domestic product that is calculated is the government function. This is the amount of consumption that the government accounts for in accordance to the GDP statistics. According to the 2006 GDP report put out by the BEA, the government function was $2. 2 trillion during 2006 (BEA). That amount is ultimately added in with the rest of the expenditures of the nation in order to come up with the final gross domestic product number. The investment function is another thing that goes into the calculation of gross domestic product. According to the same information put forth by Baylor University, the investment function is, â€Å"The relationship between the amount businesses plan to invest and the level of income in the economy, other things constant† (Baylor). The United States economy has seen this number fluctuate quite a bit during the last few years. In 2007, it has been down in compared to previous years. It contributed to the 2006 gross domestic product statistic with a number of $2. 2 trillion, according to the BEA (BEA). That number is a strong one when compared to other years for the U. S. economy. Gross domestic product also takes into account how much the U. S. economy exports during the year. Though there are lots of different calculations that go into coming up with the net export function, one final calculation is given by the BEA report for 2006. Net exports during 2006 totaled negative $762 billion (BEA). The current economic trend has this number heading further down, as it was lower than the previous three years. This number means that the U. S. is importing far more goods than it is exporting, a signal that manufacturing in the United States is heading the way of the dinosaur. That number should continue to sink, as the U. S. makes more trade relationships with countries and imports more and more goods in the near future. On the whole, the U. S. economy is producing a fair amount of products and services. The balance that exists between the payments and the level of commerce seem to be steady. As such, the economy has grown to a huge size that looks to only be getting bigger as more and more American companies expand their capabilities both in the U. S. and abroad. The economy has some problems, but size is not one of them. The production of services and products in America is strong when compared to the amount of expenditures, although consumer debt is threatening to eat up the surplus. When it comes to gross domestic product growth, there are a number of different factors that can power a move forward. Depending upon the nation and the time in which GDP is being measured, quite a few variables could force the growth of the economy. For example, the third quarter 2007 numbers for the American economy showed very strong economic growth. In fact, the gross domestic product grew by an annual rate of 4. 9% during that third quarter, up substantially over both the first and second quarter time periods. According to a news release from the BEA entitled, Gross Domestic Product: Third Quarter 2007 (Preliminary), â€Å"he increase in real GDP in the third quarter primarily reflected positive contributions from exports, personal consumption expenditures (PCE), private inventory investment, equipment and software, federal government spending, nonresidential structures, and state and local government spending that were partly offset by a negative contribution from residential fixed investment† (BEA). The report went on to say that the growth in GDP during the quarter was somewhat stifled by an increase in imports, which obviously account for a negative calculation in the GDP equation. On a more personal level, there are quite a few things that individuals can do to both help themselves out and help the American economy continue its growth. These things are outlined below. The first and foremost thing that Americans can do in order to help grow the U. S. GDP is to be more productive. Since the economy grows on the basis of how much of services and products are produced, any bump in productivity on an individual level will lead to further production for big businesses and small businesses alike. This is true for people who work for a large corporation, as well as those who might own their own business. Individuals can only do so much in improving the GDP, so it takes a collective effort in increased productivity to raise the number a substantial amount. In addition to that, people being smarter with their money will help the gross domestic product rise. Consumer expenditures hurt the gross domestic product and people that waste their money paying credit finance fees are not doing anything to help themselves. Smarter saving plans and investment planning can help individuals grow their money and help businesses produce more on a national level. At the root of those things is an increase in work ethic for individual workers. If people begin to take work and their financial future more seriously, then they can better produce. Since an increase in work ethic has a direct correlation to the increase in production, gross domestic product is benefited by an increase in the American work ethic. Education is helping to boost the GDP, as well. The American people are a highly educated group, when compared to other areas around the world. Education gives a person the power to operate in a business setting and help his or her company grow their production. Since a focus has been put on education in the Untied States, the gross domestic product has seen significant growth. A byproduct of education is most certainly entrepreneurialism. With more and more individuals getting higher education and learning the necessary skills to start their own business, there exists a larger number of Americans who are willing to work for themselves. If they apply a strong work ethic to go along with their education and their new found entrepreneurial nature, they can single handedly improve the American gross domestic product. Aside from what individuals can do to help improve the gross domestic product, the federal government has a lot of control over what happens with the GDP. A single decision on a monetary policy can change the way that the U. S. economy operates during the coming year and can help stimulate the economy into more production. Likewise, a fault economic policy can serve to impede the progress of economic growth. A 2000 article in AllBusiness worries about this. In his article, Tao Zha writes, â€Å"When the federal open market committee (FOMC) began raising interest rates in June 1999 to forestall inflationary pressures, concern mounted that monetary policy moves might slow the pace of economic growth, undoing the employment gains minorities and other disadvantaged groups made during the 1990s† (Zha). As such, the federal government has to protect its own interests in how it decides to shape economic policies for the future. International policy can also influence GDP growth. Because so much of the economy’s growth depends on how much it can produce and export, the government has to be careful not to break any ties with international governments. In addition, the U. S. government must always take great care not to disrupt any relationships that the nation has with countries that provide things that the American people have to have. One example of this is with oil, as American policy is shaped to not disrupt any working relationships with countries that provide oil. Other economic decisions can have similar impacts on the gross domestic product and its subsequent growth. In order to continue the positive growth that the GDP has seen in recent years, Americans simply need to keep doing what they have been doing. Strong trends in education and an upswing in work ethic are good signs for economic growth. In addition, more measures have to be taken to keep unemployment rates low, as the more people that are working, the more production companies can have. In addition to boosting education on a basic level, the federal government should do more to promote financial education among all of its citizens. A general public that makes better decisions with its money is one that will help promote economic growth for the future. In closing, the gross domestic product of the United States is growing at a rate that one might expect at this point in time. With more and more businesses popping up because more people are going to college than ever before, the federal government just has to insure that they do not do anything to screw up the progress. Americans are people that like to work and they strive for productivity. Those factors alone will lead to continued growth of the GDP in the United States. Works Cited Baylor University. Chapter 9: Components of Aggregate Expenditure. http://business. baylor. edu/Tom_Kelly/2307ch9. htm Bureau of Economic Analysis. Gross Domestic Product: Third Quarter (Preliminary). 29 November 2007. http://www. bea. gov/newsreleases/national/gdp/gdpnewsrelease. htm Bureau of Economic Analysis. Gross Domestic Product Report: 2002-2006.

Grandma’s House Essay

My favourite topographic point to be when I was turning up was my Grandma’s House. Some of my most precious memories of my childhood were created at that place. The minute I would walk in the door and see Grandma and Grandpa sitting in their duplicate brown corduroy reclining chairs. any concerns or jobs would travel from my head. All that mattered from that point on was that I was at Grandma’s. Grandma’s house was located on about 20 estates on South Military Rd. . in Winlock. WA. It was the cutest small two narrative white house on her route. On a good twenty-four hours you could see it from a twosome stat mis off because it had a bright. ruddy Sn roof. It was at Grandma’s house where our whole household would come together on Christmas twenty-four hours to hang out with household. portion in a delightful banquet. and unfastened nowadayss. It was normally entire pandemonium. while grownups where seeking to acquire dinner ready. The kids were traveling br ainsick teasing everyone until they were eventually allowed to open nowadayss. The nowadayss. to look at. were nil you would believe a adult female with as many old ages of wrapping experience would look like. It did non count how many nowadayss each one of us got. Grandma managed to acquire everything wrapped in one large bundle with normally two different sorts of wrapping paper because she would run out and utilize whatever she had on manus. Heaven forbid she should blow wrapping paper. Once the mayhem of present gap was done. we would all sit down to a fantastic Meleagris gallopavo dinner. My favourite portion of dinner was my Grandma’s paste gravy. It was made with existent bacon lubricating oil. flour. and a mixture of milk and H2O. Just thought of it makes my mouth H2O. Although Grandma was non the best cook. I still crave her cookery to this twenty-four hours. Summers at Grandma’s were every bit memorable. These were much more particular times with merely the cousins and Grandma and Grandpa. My cousins and I would pass hours up the stairs in my pa and aunt’s old sleeping rooms playing frock up and feigning like we were the parents and re-arranging our â€Å"houses. † The babe doll I ever used. while we played house. was one that had been passed down for many coevalss. His name was Mr. Peabody ; the hapless thing had his fingers chewed off and balls taken out of his caput. nil particular by any agencies. but I loved him. I still have him to this twenty-four hours. When it was nice out. we liked to play out in the barn. There was so much old material out at that place that they had collected over the old ages. It was a gold mine for kids with nil to make and a superb imaginativeness. My most graphic memory of the barn was a hot summer twenty-four hours in 1980. My two cousins and I were playing kitchen in the barn. There was an old portable two burner stove that I decided needed to be moved. As I picked it up. I started to trip on something. so I instantly let travel of the range. The minute it slammed down. 100s of bees’ flew out of there and headed heterosexual for me. Within seconds. before I could even respond. I was covered from caput to toe with bees. I screamed and ran madly out of there. towards the forepart of the house. Grandma heard my shrieks and comes running out to see what the commotion was all approximately. Equally shortly as she got to me. she started rending off my apparels and hitting me with them seeking to acquire the bees away. This twenty-four hours was besides memorable because it was the first twenty-four hours I wore my new preparation bandeau. At the clip. I did non cognize which was worse. the hurting from the 100s of bee stings I had received. or the embarrassment of standing in the front pace. stripped down to my panties and new preparation bandeau. With all the fantastic memories I had turning up all I could of all time conceive of was to someday populate at that place. That twenty-four hours came much sooner than I could hold of all time imagined. In 1992 my Grandma was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. It was a really hard clip cognizing that there is no remedy and holding no thought how much clip will be left with the stone of your household. Grandma’s house became even more particular. In January of 1993 my Grandpa passed off. At the same clip. I found out I was pregnant with my first kid. In June of the same twelvemonth. we lost Grandma besides. Although it was a truly unsmooth twelvemonth. it made things easier cognizing that when my boy was born I was traveling to be conveying him place. to Grandma’s house.

Christianity in the Philippines

The Philippines proudly boasts to be the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86% of the population is Roman Catholic, 6% belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2% belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations. In addition to the Christian majority, there is a vigorous 4% Muslim minority, concentrated on the southern islands of Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan. Scattered in isolated mountainous regions, the remaining 2% follow non-Western, indigenous beliefs and practices. The Chinese minority, although statistically insignificant, has been culturally influential in influencing Filipino Catholicism with many of the beliefs and practices of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism (Miller, Religion in the Philippines) Politically speaking, laws in the country give all Filipinos the right to choose their own religion based to what their faith believes accordingly. Filipinos choose Christianity as their religion. Why is it so? Christianity is the name given to that definite system of religious belief and practice which was taught by Jesus Christ in the country of Palestine, during the reign of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, and was promulgated, after its Founder's death, for the acceptance of the whole world, by certain chosen men among His followers. At present, it is the largest religion not only in the Philippines but also in the world with approximately almost two billion people believing. It is difficult to trace the origin of such religion especially when we know that it has already given a great impact to many Filipinos all over the country. Many are devoted doing unbelievable things just to prove their faith. Even our politics is having such controversy with the Church at some points in our lives. The aim of this research paper is to find out how Christianity spread in the Philippines knowing how great its impact is to us. As you go further reading, you will know the effects it had brought and their results to the Filipino race.

Management and Control of Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Management and Control of Corporation - Essay Example Moreover, Romano (1998, 2359) states that although ‘both the states and the federal government regulate securities transactions, the current regulatory arrangements are a far cry from competitive federalism; the federal securities regime, consisting of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, applies to all publicly traded firms and is a mandatory system of disclosure regulation, bolstered by antifraud provisions; while the federal laws do not preempt all state regulation, states cannot lower the regulatory standards applicable to firms covered by the federal regime because its requirements are mandatory; they have also been prevented from raising regulatory standards on some occasions’. Moreover, in the summer of 2002, Congress ‘passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2) in response to a barrage of corporate governance crises and flagging investor confidence in the securities markets’ (Song, 2003, 257). Â  The historical background of the Securities legislation in the U.S. (included the proxy rules) can be rooted in 1929. To a more analytical description of the main events related with their establishment, Burk (1992, 23) stated that ‘investment bankers in the 1920 s were driven by a desire to gain influence over others and to make huge fortunes off their influence; all of them were not, of course, but enough was to set the tone; they took advantage of the mass market for securities, created to sell war bonds during the First World War, by peddling corporate securities of questionable value at artifically high prices; The result was not a permanent prosperity, as some predicted, but a crash, which saw stock prices lose ninety percent of their value over the course of three years, and an economic depression, which lasted for the better part of a decade’. Â  

Contrasts between Sanders's definition of pornography with the Supreme Essay

Contrasts between Sanders's definition of pornography with the Supreme court's definition - Essay Example On the other hand, the opponents have stood firm to criticize it with the argument that freedom of expression is limited and is not guaranteed on aspects that ruin people’s morality. Some feminists have also criticised it on grounds of propagating gender violence and stereotyping. Sanders’ definition of pornography is vastly different from the Supreme Court’s definition.   Sanders defines pornography as turning of the human body into a commodity that can be sold and be used in transactions like other goods in the market. He further mentions that the act separates the body from the self (Sanders105). The definition of obscenity according to the United States laws emanates from Hicklin standard that was later embraced by the Supreme Court. In the case, Rosen versus United States, it became apparent that the Supreme Court had adopted the definition of obscenity to comprise any material that has potential to corrupt minds that are open to such immoral influences, i t further bound the individual whose hands the material may be found (Blue 79). The law depicted some inconsistencies with Sanders’ definition. The test was found inappropriate and the Supreme Court had to adopt the Roth test for obscenity. The Roth test was a slight milestone to the definition of pornography. Despite the effort, no harmony is evident with the sanders’ definition. ... The Supreme Court has no concrete definition of pornography since it does not have a law that limits on its own. However, the justice system has adopted the law of obscenity. This law leaves many gray areas that provide an enabling environment for pornography in the society. Justice Stewart is well remembered for his stand on obscenity when he reckoned that â€Å"I know it when I see it† (Blue 80). This brings much controversy since different individuals will exhibit different opinions, therefore lacking a standardised way of dealing with such crimes. Pornography issues have been dealt with a lot of disparity. Sander makes it clear that the act of engaging in trade with human bodies has no bounds. In 1968, the Supreme Court suspended the viewing of sexual content by children but upheld their viewing by adults. In a landmark ruling made in the case of Butler versus Michigan in1957, it was established that the adults should not be stooped too low and be categorised similarly as children ( National Academies 6). This type of variable obscenity creates not only amoral crisis but also a constitutional crisis, since the bill of rights gives an equal regard for all citizens. The major setback to such a ruling is the inability to distinguish the consumer of the sexual content given that children can access the same media that is used by adults. The thoughts raised by Sanders in his definition can be universally accepted. This is because they encourage morality, respect for human rights and dignity as well as the need to protect self from being tarnished by the shameful acts of pornography. In real terms, the focus of the supreme on promoting responsible social behaviour is limited and very inconsistent. The fact that the Supreme Court has a leeway to

Optional Technologies Adopted in the Construction of Building Elements Essay

Optional Technologies Adopted in the Construction of Building Elements - Essay Example Design professionals significant role in the quality of the built environment cannot be denied. Buildings in the contemporary world are a complex undertaking that require many different skills and materials. In this regard, the capabilities of the engineers and architects on the integrated design team are critical for the overall success of the design. In order to carry out the design and propose various alternatives, some background data is often required. This is usually with reference to the location of the proposed project and its various jurisdictions. The design process is then guided onwards by the knowledge of such project information. It is based on this that the relevant safety factors can be applied in the design so that the proposed methods and constructional technologies are safe and appropriate (EMMITT, BARRY & GORSE, 2010, p. 14). With the layout plan given for a proposed four-storey commercial building, with its components and the boundary conditions, different optional building technologies can be used to come up with the most appropriate designs. The building elements considered are as follows: Basements in commercial buildings are in most cases constructed to serve as foundations for the superstructure of the building, and in others to increase its utility to provide space that can be used by occupants of the building (FLEMING, 2005, p. 33). When adequately and properly constructed, they can be used for the following purposes: The intended use of the basement must be determined first before any design decisions are made. This will also have an impact on the quality of the basement. The level of performance of the basement areas is to be determined from the onset of construction to help in cost estimations and the material choice for the basement and its surrounding features.

International Law & Humanitarian Issues Assignment

International Law & Humanitarian Issues - Assignment Example Some of the laws like the Antarctic treaty have so far been abided to by different nations. But the biggest challenge has been turning these international agreements, protocols into legally bidding laws has been difficult (Doyle,  2004). The reason behind the lukewarm reception of these laws if because invasive state of these agreements and approach towards a respectable common heritage. Issues like environmental protection through laws have been approached by conventions or declarations. These conventions have not been effective since they deal with establishment of framework on dealing with many of these pertinent issues. Conventions are not aimed coming up with substantive goals. Therefore, they have not been able to come up with results that could lead to formation of legal agreements. As a result, some countries have been hesitant in agreeing to the convention and protocols (Dunoff,  2010). Question 2 It is a known fact that the world belongs to mankind and it is this reason that the people argue that international laws interfere with. However, it is not right for international law to trump all property claims all over the world. This is because each nation is recognized in International laws on their sovereignty. The UN charter which forms the basis for all international laws respects peace and human rights. Therefore, the right to ownership of property forms part of the human rights. Moreover, the recognition of sovereignty of any state by the UN charter affirms the right to ownership of property by any person (Westra, 2007). It is only in rare cases that the UN charter and international laws trump up ownership of property by individuals or states. Conflicts over ownership of land, islands or territorial boundaries in the sea are resolved by use of international laws. These laws are supposed to protect and restore human rights and therefore these laws should not trump up ownership of land. For instance, the conflict over ownership of Abyei region in Sudan or the Mindanao Islands between Japan and China are being solved using international laws (Martin, 2006). Question 3 The regime of innocent passage tends to benefit countries which use the routes through shallows regions like straits. In most cases it is the coastal nation that tends to benefit from the regime of innocent passage. This is because this state or nation has the right to decide on the issue of regime of innocent passage. While on the other hand nations or people with interests in different sections tend to be harmed from the regime of safe passage (Dunoff,  2010). For instance, the long standing conflict over the Gibraltar islands as clearly shown the benefit of regime of passage to nations where their internal waters are also locations for passage. Nations with commercial or political interests can be harmed by the law of regime passage. For instance, trading or war vessels with intentions of conducting work in regions where other nations determine passage are usually harmed. The UN article 2(4) does apply in the case of regime of passage especially in regions like straits where other nations have jurisdiction other than passage (Westra, 2007). This is because unlike the high seas where sovereignty cannot be applied as is the case of regime of passage. Question 4 The question of who should be vested with governance due to the conflicts and problem facing the world is quite difficult. However, in my view I think that political leaders are best suited for making decisions in consultations with experts. Political

Uncertainty reduction theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Uncertainty reduction theory - Essay Example lationship has been made certain and they seem to be engaging in verbal discussion probably disclosing information about self and reciprocating each other’s feelings based on how they are looking at each other. The film the Twilight is about a young man who is a vampire and a young lady who are schoolmates. The man distances himself from others and does not consider himself likeable to anyone. The young woman however sees something different in him that she likes and hence tries to find out more about him as well as seek courage and opportunity to be close to him. The Twilight is the best film to explain the concept of uncertainty reduction theory. Bella observes Edward from a far in the cafeteria trying to figure him out and wanting to know about him and why he seems mysterious. This is the passive strategy phase where there is simply observation of the person in an environment that seems natural. Bella goes further and starts asking fellow students about Edward in a bid to find out more about him and this is the active strategy phase. The fact that they take the class is an added advantage to the fact finding mission. Finally the opportunity to talk to him comes when Edward is made Bella’s Biology partners and they get to talk. This is the interactive strategy phase of the theory (Littlejohn and Foss 52). The talk reduces the uncertainties Bella had about Edward as she gets to know him better through verbal output as they talk and non-verbal warmth as either party shows signs of willingness to be more than lab partners. They self-disclose information about each other while communicating and they start reciprocating their feelings towards each other once the liking and similarity phase has passed and they have formed a relation even though it has its own share of complications (Knapp and Vangelisti, 64). The uncertainty reduction theory has helped explain my relationship with my best friend fort the last four years. I saw her when she moved into my

Good and Evil Essay Example for Free

Good and Evil Essay There are many different viewpoints on what is right and wrong and ethically and morally correct. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and Jon Stuart Mill (1806-1873), both considered to be two of the best philosophers of all time, had different views on how one should live the Good Life. John Stuart Mill’s theory was called Utilitarianism and Kant’s theory, the Categorical Imperative. Immanuel Kant believed that it was more important for a person to have moral values than to be intelligent, funny, or to have any other talents or traits of the human mind or body. He believed of course that it was good to have these talents but that â€Å"moral worth† was invaluable. Kant expressed, â€Å"to act morally is to act from no other motive than the motive of doing what is right† (Sommers Sommers, 2010, p. 230). Kant believed that morality was not just about the results or effect of an action but the will behind the action. He believed that our actions must come from a sense of Duty, not because we care for or love one another but because it is our Duty to â€Å"respect the Moral Law† (p. 246). Judging the importance of a decision based on whether or not it was following a rule or set of rules is called deontological ethics. He believed that it was not the consequences of the action which were important but the person’s motive carrying out the said action. Many disagree with Kant saying that we must have a foundation to start from, a reason such as love or concern to do what is morally correct. John Stuart Mill believed that our actions must promote happiness to all involved, not just the person doing the action for it to be morally correct. Mill endorsed the â€Å"principle of utility† thus that actions are correct if they produce happiness and wrong if resulting in the opposite of happiness. Mill’s version of the Golden Rule is â€Å"To do as you would be done by, and to love your neighbor as yourself† (p. 211). Mill defended Utilitarianism saying that the result and consequences of the action, to produce happiness that is, would make the said action correct. This is called the Greatest Happiness Principle. Utilitarianism is not based on the happiness or satisfaction of one individual but of the whole mass or group of people involved, â€Å"the welfare of all citizens† (Rachels Rachels, 2012, p. 101). Casablanca In the movie Casablanca, the main character, Rick Blaine believed in living the Good Life just like John Stuart Mill. He also was concerned with the consequences of action. Rick also seemed to be like Kant in that he had a strong sense of duty professionally. Rick had a duty to himself, which he made clear on many occasions, but also had a duty to his acquaintances and patrons of his cabaret’. Rick made decisions to promote happiness, like Mill, but his decisions were based on selfish reasons. If others were happy he would make more money. Rick could have been considered a Utilitarian because he made decisions many times to put the happiness of the group ahead of the happiness of one individual, hence the second proposition of Classical Utilitarianism; â€Å"An action’s consequences matter only insofar as they involve the greater or lesser happiness of individual’s† (Rachels Rachels, p. 110, para. 1). In the beginning, Rick made the decision to let the police take Ugarte into custody so as not to disrupt the rest of the patrons. He also did it to make himself happy so that he would not have any problems with the authorities, so his establishment would run smoother, and also so he would be able to have the exit visas that Ugarte had given him to hold onto. In the beginning Rick was only concerned with his own happiness and he states this early on when he said, â€Å"I stick my neck out for nobody. † But, as the story progresses it seems that Rick started to make decisions to benefit others, not just him. When a young woman approached him and told him her story of wanting to get to America he rigged the game to benefit her and her husband so that they would have the money to buy their passes. This would benefit both the man and woman, make him appear good, benefit his acquaintance who sold the visas, and in-turn would probably come back to benefit him again. As stated earlier, Kant believed that one should have a moral obligation to do what is right and that it comes from a person’s pure sense of duty not from any emotion. Kant strictly â€Å"denied that emotions could have any foundation for morality† at all and that we should actually â€Å"discipline our feelings by reason† (Betzler, 2008, p. 308). Kant actually believed that it is an obligation and it is required to do what is morally right. This is how Rick appeared to be throughout until he came into contact with his old love, Ilsa. Ilsa seemed to bring out the best in him. When he realized how much he really cared for Ilsa and loved her, he only wanted to see her happy even if it was not with him. In the end he made a decision for the greater good of all involved instead of just himself. He helped Ilsa and her husband leave Casablanca even though he knew he would get into trouble. Rick showed his real sense of moral value when he did this. Another character that also showed his morality was Captain Renault. He helped Rick many times and recognized his good intentions towards others at the end of the movie. It appeared as if Captain Renault was impressed by Rick putting Ilsa and Victor Laszlo first even though it meant he would not have her anymore. Captain Renault covered for Rick in the end so that Rick would not be arrested. Captain Renault also showed that he was looking out for the benefit of the group not just one person when he did this. So, who is to say what makes an action right or wrong? Does the action have to be backed by a sense of duty or should it be driven by love and compassion for others? Is it not only the consequence of the action that matters? If good comes from the action and the action comes from the heart, thus is it not good? Kant believed that â€Å"love and compassion should not be allowed to cooperate in the performance of Duty† (p. 247). Cannot Duty, love, compassion, and friendship work together to make a decision right and justified with the end result being happiness? References Betzler, M. (2008). Kant’s ethics of virtue. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN: 9783110177282 Rachels, J. Rachels, S. (2012). The elements of moral philosophy (7th ed. ). New York, New York: McGraw Hill Sommers, C. H. Sommers, F. (2010). Vice and virtue in everyday life: Introductory reading in ethics (8th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth