Road Pricing is Inefficient but Fair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Road Pricing is Inefficient but Fair - Essay Example Introducing marginal cost pricing in the London transport sector does not guarantee an efficient outcome when there are externalities or distortions in other (related) sectors in the economy, which are not priced according to marginal cost. Marginal cost pricing has proved difficult to implement in the UK. Such form of pricing would require highly differentiated pricing systems in time and space, which would be expensive to provide and confusing to drivers [7]. From these factors, it is clear that first-best pricing is not very relevant from a practical perspective.A second-best charge can be defined as the optimal road charge when the true optimum (first best charge) is unavailable due to constraints on policy choice. The theory of second best says that a policy that would be optimal without such constraints may not be second-best optimal if other policies are constrained. Unfortunately, this also poses problems. In order to compute a second-best road charge, a fair amount of inform ation is still required, including marginal congestion costs and the exact tax constraints [5].The problem of traffic congestion in London still remains and a solution is required. There is an externality that creates an imperfection in an already imperfect market. A similar problem arises with environmental pollution. We will look at the London Congestion Charging Scheme and its proposed extension as its test-example. We find that the welfare gains from a congestion charge depend crucially on the location. of where the charge applies and charge level and our results are only valid for the set of boundaries that have been proposed by Transport for London (TfL). If the model we use covered a different area, traffic flows and times savings would be different. The political economy of such decisions is not always guided by any efficiency principles, but rather by political forces and lobbies. The final result will be the combination of different pressure and political groups and this m ay or may

Bus 642 Week 2 Assignment Essay Example for Free

Bus 642 Week 2 Assignment Essay Chapter 2 #1 (1/1) a What are the most prudent decisions she can make about her responsibilities to herself and others? The most prudent decision she can make about her responsibilities to herself and others would be to turn it in to the airline. Using information out of the proposal would result in her dismissal because she would be in violation of her firm’s Business Conduct Guidelines. b What are the implications of those decisions even if there is no violation of law or regulation? The implications of those decision even if there is no violation of law or regulation would result in her being unethical by taking credit for work she did not complete. Chapter 6 #1-5 (.5/.5) 1Distinguish between the following: a Exploratory and formal studies. â€Å"The immediate purpose of exploration is usually to develop hypotheses or questions for further research† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011 p. 140). â€Å"The goal of a formal research design is to test the hypotheses or answer the research questions posed† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011 p. 140). b Experimental and ex post facto research designs. â€Å"Experimental design is appropriate when one wishes to discover whether certain variables produce effects in other variables† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011 p. 141). â€Å"Ex post facto research design can only report what has happened or what is happening† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011 p. 141). c Descriptive and causal studies. Descriptive is finding out who, what, when, where or how much? Casual-explanatory is finding out why/how a variable causes change in another variable. â€Å"A causal-predictive study attempts to predict an effect on one variable by manipulating another variable while holding all other variables constant† (Cooper and Schindler, 2011 p. 141). 2 Establishing causality is difficult, whether conclusions have been derived inductively or deductively. Source? (1/1.5) Explain and elaborate!!! a Explain and elaborate on the implications of this statement. The relationships between variables are not apparent but what is clear are the possible outcomes. b Why is ascribing causality more difficult when conclusions have been reached through induction? The conclusion of extra information may be simply one reason of an observed fact. c Correlation does not imply causation. Illustrate this point with examples from business. The better a company goods and services are the more a company can offer its consumers. Low employee morale produces low employee productivity. 3 Using yourself as the subject, give an example of each of the following asymmetrical relationships: (.5/.5) a Stimulus-response When I’m called on in a meeting to respond to question my mouth gets dry and I start to stutter. b Property-disposition I am one of few females in my family without children and I am sensitive when comments are made about my biological clock ticking. c Disposition-behavior I am excited about changes at my company and as a result I am willing to go the extra mile to meet an upcoming deadline. d Property-behavior My parents taught me to treat everyone fairly and now I demonstrate fairness in all that I do. 4 Why not use more control variables rather than depend on randomization as the means of controlling extraneous variables? Randomization allows the influence of the extraneous variables to equalize and control variables confound a casual relationship. Source? (.5/.5) 5 Researchers seek causal relationships by either experimental or ex post facto research designs. (.5/1) a In what ways are these two approaches similar? These two approaches are similar in dependent and independent variables. Also They both determine time order relationships. They both attemp to eliminate the confounding effects of other variables on the IV-DV relationship. b In what ways are they different? Experimental design allows manipulation of variables and ex post facto research does not. Basically with ex post facto research it is what it is and there’s no manipulation. Chapter 4 #7 Wrong question! Should be Chap 14#7 How can MindWriter’s existing database of service complaints be used to accumulate service problem information in advance of the proposed research? What information should be sought? It depends on the degree of information found in the existing database. Information that should be sought is the service centers past issues and the service center’s responses to the issues. (0/1) References BUS 642 (1st ed). McGraw-Hill Create. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781121130166/

Uncle Toms Cabin :: American America History

Uncle Tom's Cabin Uncle Tom's Cabin is one of the most famous and popular pieces of Civil War literature. It was drawn from selected pieces of a real life memoir done by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Uncle Tom's Cabin was a book that drew many people into the fight over the institution of slavery. Northerners hailed the book saying it exposed the truth, while southern slaveholders and plantation owners claimed that it had many falsehoods in it. President Lincoln, when he met Stowe called her, "the little lady who started this big war." Originally planned for a series of short essays for the National Era (an abolitionist newspaper) in 1851-1852, Stowe gathered so much information, that is was too large for newspaper print, and was published originally by the Boston publishing company Jewett. Immediately it became a hot seller, with northerners and southerners alike. It sold more copies than any other piece of literature, with the exception of the Bible and soon Stowe was touring the United States and Europe to speak against slavery. Many argued that there were false reports in what she wrote because the slave owners were portrayed as heartless devilish men, and the slaves were portrayed as their victims. These were mostly Southern slave owners who believed they treated their slaves well and the slaves were happy. To respond to this, Stowe published A Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin a year later, in 1853, to provide documentation of the truth upon which her novel is based. Uncle Tom's Cabin tells a story of adversity in the struggle for freedom, a look into human cruelty as well as human compassion, and one man's loyalty to those he is indentured to. It is set in a period just before the Civil War; during the time when the black people of America were not citizens, but property and had no rights. In the south during this time, the blacks were forced to work hard labor on plantations and were required to live in small dorms outside of their owner's homes. However, the novel is more than just a narrative of slaves, but of human emotion rising up in the face of adversity. It is a story of the fight for freedom, and an account of the history of America. The author brings out the humanity in the slaves, and describes the great injustices that took place during the time.

Three in the Middle: the Experience of Making Change

Micro Switch, founded in 1937 and acquired by Honeywell Inc. in 1950, is a division that has long been known as an innovative industry leader in switches, sensors and manual controls. During the transition from electro-mechanical to electronic and solid state, Micro Switch enlisted the assistance of 49 year Honeywell employee to maintain their competitive edge within an ever changing market. With an internal shake up intended to preserve the organization’s reputation, as well as improve their downward decline, middle managers are left to ponder if â€Å"something had gone wrong, or as this the way a successful change was supposed to feel† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 194, para. 1). Case Summary and Problem Definition Economic issues began arising during the switch from electro-mechanical to electronic and solid state during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. The apparent regression was in full force by 1985 and it took two years of plummeting for Micro Switch to enlist the help of Ramon â€Å"Ray† Alvarez in 1897. Alvarez had created a significant track record for himself and thus reinforced this decision. He had not only been a Honeywell employee for 49 years, but also a history of turning around two other Honeywell divisions. Alvarez developed a three year plan to not only reignite Micro Switch’s competitive edge, but to also facilitate performance excellence. Despite his reputation for being psychologically intimidating, Alvarez was able to move cautiously enough in the beginning to gain support from senior managers, but did not necessarily set the tone for factory workers and lower level employees. In this three year plan, Alvarez devised three different strategies to go about achieving this mission. First was to create a mission statement as well as a new vision: â€Å"growth through quality solutions to customer needs† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 194, para 3). Second, was to establish a scrupulous annual strategic planning process that allowed Micro Switch to become more competitive, quicker to respond, and monetarily savvy. Third was the development of APEX, Achieve Performance Excellence, a model that would not only act as the focal point of this change, but would allow Alvarez to continue to fine tune Micro Switch’s strategies during later years. In its first year APEX was intended to encourage nearly 4,000 employees that the change was an urgent matter, and increasingly more necessary than ever before. APEX focused on giving employees specific ways to strive for quality and distinction by creating an employee suggestion system, as well as awards for employees that met performance objectives. Quality and performance was the heart of this transition and by 1990, APEX became much more sophisticated. The Building Block Councils was developed during this time and was comprised of an arrangement of committees and councils. Their primary objective was to encourage division wide involvement in a variety of strategic areas by creating six councils that implemented new standards to their designated area. These areas were the customer satisfaction council, quality council, goals council, awareness council, training council, and recognition council. Upon reading the observations of three high level managers who also served as chairs on many of the new councils, it becomes evident that the plan brought forth by Ray Alvarez in fact had many short comings. The first three year plan focused on symptoms not actual problem and according to Rick Rowe, another Micro Switch director, â€Å"the easy changes had already been made. Now the company had to tackle deeply ingrained behaviors and processes which were holding the division back from reaching its goals† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 200). Alvarez in many ways, did not focus on separating immediate symptoms from the actual underlying problems. Focusing on symptoms may achieve more approval in the beginning, but this will begin to dissipate once people realize that the basic core problem never went away. As indicated above, Alvarez did an exceptional job announcing the change, implementing APEX, and encouraging division wide involvement through Building Block Councils. That being said, the Building Block Councils focused around middle and higher level managers, not lower level employees, and thus lower level employees were not immediately included in the process. This would later change as Deb Massof, a new director brought on by Alvarez and often seen as an outsider, tirelessly attempted to encourage employee involvement. Massof’s initial utcasting was the symptom of an underlying culture clash problem that should have been dealt with right away. When trying to have meetings to get employees involved in the strategic planning process, Massof asserts that she just got blank stares from employees. Lower level employees should have been informed that some things were going to change; according to Massof’s account, it appears as though no one ever actually told them they w ould be doing away with the top down approach. This may have been hindrance in this situation. If this change had been formally communicated, just by some employees hearing this, their involvement and productivity may have increased significantly. Due to the fact that prior to Alvarez, Micro Switch operated under a top-down bureaucratic management structure, and he should have considered that Micro Switch had likely attracted employees that had not only accepted this, but became increasingly comfortable with that approach, as well. However, they did not anticipate this, and this led to a great deal of resistance to the change itself. Massof has indicated that she was eventually successful in developing cross functional business teams, but states that initially thinking independently was exceptionally unusual for nearly all of the employees and most of them couldn’t even comprehend why they were being pressed to do so. Communication of expectations and really communication in general could have improved the efficiency of this situation vastly and could have got lower level employees on board a lot quicker. Case and point, Massof stated that in July of 1990, her unit completed their second strategic plan with no complaining, and brought a â€Å"new level of skill and detail to the task† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 202, para. 3). In addition to this, they were also able to establish benchmarks during their second strategic plan. Measurability is an essential aspect of the change process and yet Ellis Stewart, another Micro Switch director, indicated that his team felt as though they were not able to see any of their progress despite their efforts. What we need is some growth to take advantage of all the work we’ve done† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 204, para. 2). Due to the fact that Stewart’s business unit had not established any benchmarks, short term goals, or measurability to illustrate short term wins, they had trouble maintaining motivation and upholding morale. The next underlying problem is the lack of direction. According to Massof, â€Å"I do think people want to change. They do want to do good. But they’re real frustrated at not knowing what to change† (Leban, Stone, 2008, pg. 200). Without actually saying it, Massof illustrated that there really was not a fruitful plan set in place, let alone one that included employees in the planning stages. Alvarez did a wonderful job creating a sense of urgency with Micro Switch directors, establishing a vision, and goals. The fundamental problem lied not within the â€Å"why† part, the â€Å"why† part was clearly understood. Rather, the main issue is that lower level employees were not steered in the right direction and obviously were not an integral part of the change process as they didn’t even understand what they needed to change. Starting with why is of course important, but the â€Å"what† aspect, arguably just as important if not more, is what actually sets people in the right direction. The next core problem is that the change implemented was not small and manageable. During Massof first 18 months with Micro Switch her highest priority in her business unit was â€Å"making up for fifteen years of no investment and no new products†¦ to compensate for years of neglect; and to start drawing people into both the revitalization process and daily operations in ways they had never done before† (Leban, Stone, 2008, pg. 01). This is hardly what one would consider a small manageable change; Massof’s business unit didn’t even understand their own customers anymore. In addition, there was no use of a project manager or consultants to help them with market research, and thus no one to keep them on track and remind of what the goal actually was. Trying to gain support for the culture shift was a large problem during the change process, and although Alvarez often encouraged autonomy, this was not always the case. The new and improved Micro Switch was expected to perform with a sense of urgency and thus work was expected to be not only that of high quality, but done as quickly as possible. Ellis Stewart, head of Building Block Council on Training, swiftly and efficiently developed a new employee training program known as APEX College, and was reprimanded for â€Å"acting without authorization. † For change to be successful it is imperative there are no wavering expectations and mixed signals being sent and authority must be given with responsibility. Review Alternative Courses of Action, Make Recommendations, and Implement Listed previously in the section above, are ten evident problems and in this section, each problem will be lumped together based on similar underlying issues into five categories, reiterated and then recommendations will be made. 1. The initial focus was placed on symptoms not problems. Changes were not small and manageable. Lack of project manager, etc. Focusing on underlying problems is a crucial step in the change process. Many organizations, who aim to change aspects of their business whether it is internally or externally, tend to focus on the symptoms because of their obviousness. Although as stated previously, tending to symptoms may gain more initial acceptance and approval, the change will fall short in the end as the realization that nothing actually changed, sets in. My recommendation is to dig deep and not look for a â€Å"band-aid† solution, but rather one that tackles deep rooted issues. I also think in this situation, bringing in outside assistance would be increasingly prudent. Analysts, project managers, and other like professionals generally have the ability to point out core, fundamental issues that have either been ignored or simply not accepted by the organization. Meaning that, many organizations suffer from certain issues that become the big elephant in the room that no one talks about, or it’s an elephant that only lower level employees see, but cannot point out due to the organization’s management style. In the case at hand, it seems as though nearly all of Micro Switch employees didn’t even realize many of the issues because they weren’t expected to, and thus because no one questioned it, it was never brought to anyone’s attention. This is precisely why I feel an outsider, who is actually hired and contracted to provide a service that points the underlying problems out would be extremely useful. . Communication was poor and employees were not told the culture was going to change. Employees were not actually an integral part of the change process, despite announcements stating otherwise. The tone of the change process was set, but employees had no direction. (What should be changed what shouldn’t). Lack of Clear Expectations. Communication is essential in many areas of life, and businesses are certainly not the exception. A successful change requires buy-in from staff, and this includes all differing levels of employees understanding their roles. In this case, my first recommendation would be to inform employees of how Micro Switch used to operate, very top down. By Alvarez simply assuming that employees knew that Micro Switch had previously operated under a Theory X type of management structure, he set a number of the employees within the organization up to fail before they could succeed. In some instances, this can be helpful, but in business when time is of the essence and truly invaluable, the stumble that occurred could have been prevented. The next step would be to illustrate what the new Micro Switch structure would look like. This is what is used to be, this what we’re changing, and these are the expectations, type of deal. Now, these things are important notions to communicate, but role understanding is where Micro Switch actually began to see a lot of issues. If employees do not understand what they need to be changing, what their roles are, and what the expectations are, then the change cannot be implemented. Lastly, this should all be communicated verbally, and in writing. Each employee should receive a packet of information and be briefed over and over again about the upcoming changes. After it is made exceptionally clear, each employee should sign a waiver of sorts, indicating that they understand not only why the change is taking place, but more importantly, what their role is in the process, what is going to change, and what the expectations are related to their own job duties. Delegating tasks to help employees during this process is crucial, and therefore communication does not need to be administered by just one individual. Having a plan and communicating that plan would help Micro Switch in terms of efficiency and gaining approval at a quicker rate. 3. Resistance to the culture change imposed was not anticipated in advance. Massof indicated that Micro Switch was in a time warp and their extreme resistant to change was deeply ingrained in Micro Switch’s culture. Resistance in contrast, to the previous issue listed above, is something that should have been assumed. In this case, my recommendation again, begins with communication. Considering the employees’ perspective and asking them until face to face is a question that should be tackled initially to help develop a plan to fill in perception gaps. Resistance is not always a bad thing and in the case at hand, anticipating this could have helped Alvarez really communicate what was going to be changed, thus making the implementation process a lot smoother. After this, tracking perception is vital and although Alvarez attempted to have employee feedback system, it did function in an efficient manner. Not a great deal of information was give about the system, which leads me to believe that it was not very thought out. Resistance can be caused by a lack of understanding, not necessarily disapproval and this proved to be true in this case. 4. Lack of measurability. In any change, measurability is a key factor. My recommendation would be to create project goals and use the scorecard approach. Alvarez did a great job dealing with education, but only dealt with part of the performance aspects. The development of APEX should just be starting point, but how will Micro Switch know if it’s successful if it’s not measured and tested. I would also implement short term goals to prevent loss in momentum, as stated by Ellis previously, employees at all levels need to see growth. This is illustrated through measurability. 5. Lack of authority with responsibility Successful change must be driven by support from top management, involve employees and project managers. I would begin by using a combination of Change Theories E and O thus accepting the paradox between hard side of change and the soft side change. Alvarez left a lot of gaps in his plan, and most his plan involved the softer, internal side of the organization. This issue ties a lot into communication, clear guidelines, and concise expectations; however, it is still important mention on its own due to the account given earlier by Stewart. Follow-up and Evaluate In order to evaluate this process, I would focus primarily on the balanced scorecard approach. This strategic management system enables organizations to focus on their vision, strategy and their measurement. Balanced scorecards also offer a structure for communicating how employees are expected to execute the strategy. Micro Switch employees at various levels felt they had nothing to show for their work. This technique could have cleared up a lot of confusion during the Micro Switch change and increased their efficiency exponentially. In addition to the clarity provided, this system would also illustrate their progress in tangible terms. This process includes four different areas of measurement, financial, customer, internal operations, and learning and growth. Therefore, this measurement system should satisfy the needs of employees at various levels and shareholders well, because as its title indicates, it’s well balanced. This approach indicates that although financial measurements are of extreme importance, they cannot take the place of intangible assets. Following the guidelines of the balanced scorecard approach from this point, I would make the strategy explicit, choose the measures, define and refine, and deal with people. Once these have been established, the work needs to be divided up into two interfaces, differentiation and integration. Differentiation refers to the degree of similarity or difference represented by the design of the work units†¦the way an organization coordinates the work across work-units is the integration† (Lenan, Stone, 2008, pg. 66). Conclusion Although Alvarez did implement some great ideas during the beginning of his time at Micro Switch, the shakeup led many middle managers to ponder if something had gone wrong. In the end, it’s not necessarily that anything implemented had gone array, but rather that there were many gaps in the planning that needed to be filled in. Initially, this wasn’t as evident but as excitement began to dissipate and employees struggled to understand what their new roles were within the organization, the holes in the plan became clearly evident. Developing APEX set Micro Switch on the right track, but left a lot to be desired with the way things were handled (or not handled) internally. By merely adding communication, a project manager, goals, and measurements, Micro Switch employees at various levels would have likely felt a lot more optimistic with the end result.

Aol time warner

The merger between the AOL and Time Warner is most certainly a challenging undertaking. To mix a traditional culture existing at Time Warner as ‘old’ company with the flexibility of the ‘new’ AOL culture was both risky and promising.The merger promised Time Warner entrance into the new digital markets where it lacked expertise and created synergies to consider. As a leader in interactive services and owner of powerful Web brands, AOL could deliver performance in areas that promised the greatest growth in the years to come. At the same time, Time Warner with its large asset base created a climate in which AOL would have resources for the realization of the most ambitious projects and undertakings.The choices vary depending on the degree of freedom companies want to have in their operations. On the one hand, AOL and Time Warner could remain to function as two separate entities, undivided by controversies. In this case, the merged company would only engage in c ost-saving and some cross-marketing strategies to increase the profits of shareholders.On the contrary, the company can choose to undertake a massive cultural overhaul in order to blend the two parts closer together. This choice is extremely risky as the two cultures represent different poles of managerial culture.In my opinion, the first choice is the most rational as both companies would need time to understand what they are dealing with. Previously functioning as part of either AOL or Time Warner, the two executive teams have elaborated their own approaches and positions, and bringing those closer together would be difficult.Both companies would thus have more time to study each other’s business models and learn the best aspects of culture and business practices. The restructuring has to be carried out proportionately to the size of both companies, or, alternatively, inclusion of executives from each company on the board could be equal. In this way, the merger would respec t both cultures and give them time to adjust to each other. Â  

Pontrelli Recycling Project Plan Outline Essay Example

Pontrelli Recycling Project Plan Outline Essay Example Pontrelli Recycling Project Plan Outline Paper Pontrelli Recycling Project Plan Outline Paper This document summarizes the proposed process for implementing the Pontrelli Recycling, Inc. Mission Statement. Isaac Ross will conduct it The project stages will be executed with the following: I. Conduct Market Research 1. Focus Groups (Will recycling produce a positive NPV? ) 2. Cost/Benefit Analysis 3. Gather Information on Recycling (Internal/External) II. Broaden Recycling Capabilities 1. 1 Year Analysis of Company systems 2. Identify other areas that can have recycling implemented 3. Conduct Key Supervisor Workshop III. Conduct Financial Analysis 1. NPV’s conducted continuously 2. Established procedures for IRR’s 3. Conduct Cost Behavior analysis quarterly IV. Focus on the Mission Statement 1. Throughout the Project 2. Recycling mission must still â€Å"Increase value and provide a fair return†¦Ã¢â‚¬  3. Quarterly Town Hall Meetings with Shareholder of the project 4. Monthly Meeting with Stakeholder Pontrelli Planning Activities Pontrelli has a well-established mission statement for the company as a whole; they will need a more focused one, or a strategy statement for the current project concerning recycling. To piggyback from the current mission statement and adding a line concerning, â€Å"To focus on recycling within the company, conduct business with those who take recycling as a high priority and identifying new avenues to take the company involving recycling, while†¦(Insert the mission statement). † Next, we identify the values of the project obviously; the primary value would a care for being a good corporate citizen. Whether the company is considering recycling for public image or the culture of the company truly is involved is immaterial. As long as any project taken up meets the company’s values and gives benefit to the shareholders, then it can be considered a successful project. We will need to look at the company internally as well as the external associates and perceptions to determine an appropriate analysis. Conducting a SWOT will help us to determine the areas the company needs to focus on. This will allow the company to evaluate the project execution by keeping the direction on the straight and narrow path. The goal ultimately is to provide added value to the company through good PR, but cutting costs through recycling and identifying wasteful practices. This will produce increase efficiency throughout, helping to alter the culture of the company to one aligned with the company’s goals. The outline above clearly states the objectives in a broad manner, allowing us to move on to a planning phase where we will hash out the specifics of each step. During the planning phase, an implementation plan will be decided upon and the initiation of the project can begin. The project, having the activities planned out can begin.

Free Essays on Johann Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest composers in Western musical history. More than 1,000 of his compositions survive. Some examples are the Art of Fugue, Brandenburg Concerti, the Goldberg Variations for Harpsichord, the Mass in B-Minor, the motets, the Easter and Christmas oratorios, Toccata in F Major, French Suite No 5, Fugue in G Major, Fugue in G Minor ("The Great"), St. Matthew Passion, and Jesu Der Du Meine Seele. He came from a family of musicians. There were over 53 musicians in his family over a period of 300 years. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21, 1685. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a talented violinist, and taught his son the basic skills for string playing; another relation, the organist at Eisenach's most important church, instructed the young boy on the organ. In 1695 his parents died and he was only 10 years old. He went to go stay with his older brother, Johann Christoph, who was a professional organist at Ohrdruf. Johann Christoph was a professional organist, and continued his younger brother's education on that instrument, as well as on the harpsichord. After several years in this arrangement, Johann Sebastian won a scholarship to study in Luneberg, Northern Germany, and so left his brother's tutelage. A master of several instruments while still in his teens, Johann Sebastian first found employment at the age of 18 as a "lackey and violinist" in a court orchestra in Weimar; soon after, he took the job of organist at a church in Arnstadt. Here, as in later posts, his perfectionist tendencies and high expectations of other musicians - for example, the church choir - rubbed his colleagues the wrong way, and he was embroiled in a number of hot disputes during his short tenure. In 1707, at the age of 22, Bach became fed up with the lousy musical standards of Arnstadt (and the working conditions) and moved on to another organist job, this time at the St. Blasius Church i... Free Essays on Johann Bach Free Essays on Johann Bach Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the greatest composers in Western musical history. More than 1,000 of his compositions survive. Some examples are the Art of Fugue, Brandenburg Concerti, the Goldberg Variations for Harpsichord, the Mass in B-Minor, the motets, the Easter and Christmas oratorios, Toccata in F Major, French Suite No 5, Fugue in G Major, Fugue in G Minor ("The Great"), St. Matthew Passion, and Jesu Der Du Meine Seele. He came from a family of musicians. There were over 53 musicians in his family over a period of 300 years. Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany on March 21, 1685. His father, Johann Ambrosius Bach, was a talented violinist, and taught his son the basic skills for string playing; another relation, the organist at Eisenach's most important church, instructed the young boy on the organ. In 1695 his parents died and he was only 10 years old. He went to go stay with his older brother, Johann Christoph, who was a professional organist at Ohrdruf. Johann Christoph was a professional organist, and continued his younger brother's education on that instrument, as well as on the harpsichord. After several years in this arrangement, Johann Sebastian won a scholarship to study in Luneberg, Northern Germany, and so left his brother's tutelage. A master of several instruments while still in his teens, Johann Sebastian first found employment at the age of 18 as a "lackey and violinist" in a court orchestra in Weimar; soon after, he took the job of organist at a church in Arnstadt. Here, as in later posts, his perfectionist tendencies and high expectations of other musicians - for example, the church choir - rubbed his colleagues the wrong way, and he was embroiled in a number of hot disputes during his short tenure. In 1707, at the age of 22, Bach became fed up with the lousy musical standards of Arnstadt (and the working conditions) and moved on to another organist job, this time at the St. Blasius Church i...

The Battle to Save the Ozone Layer - CFC Hazards

The Battle to Save the Ozone Layer - CFC Hazards Ozone depletion is a crucial environmental problem on Earth. The growing concern over CFC production and the hole in the ozone layer is causing alarm among scientists and citizens. A battle has ensued to protect Earths ozone layer. In the war to save the ozone layer, and you may be at risk. The enemy is far, far away. 93 million miles away to be exact. It is the sun. Each day the Sun is a vicious warrior constantly bombarding and attacking our earth with harmful Ultra Violet radiation (UV). Earth has a shield to protect against this constant bombardment of harmful UV radiation. It is the ozone layer. The Ozone Layer is Earths Protector Ozone is a gas that is constantly formed and reformed in our atmosphere. With the chemical formula O3, it is our defense against the Sun. Without the ozone layer, our Earth would become a barren wasteland on which little to no life could exist. UV radiation causes a host of problems for plants, animals, and humans including dangerous melanoma cancers. Watch a short video clip on the ozone layer as it provides protection to Earth from harmful solar radiation. (27 seconds, MPEG-1, 3 MB) Ozone Destruction is Not All Bad. Ozone is supposed to break up in the atmosphere. The reactions taking place high in our atmosphere are a part of a complex cycle. Here, another video clip shows a close-up view of ozone molecules absorbing solar radiation. Notice the incoming radiation breaks apart ozone molecules to form O2. These O2 molecules are later rejoined to form ozone again. (29 seconds, MPEG-1, 3 MB) Is There Really a Hole in the Ozone? The ozone layer exists in a layer of the atmosphere known as the stratosphere. The stratosphere is directly above the layer that we live in known as the troposphere. The stratosphere is approximately 10-50 kilometers above the Earths surface. The diagram below shows a high concentration of ozone particles at about 35-40 km in altitude. But the ozone layer has a hole in it!†¦or does it? Although commonly nicknamed a hole, the ozone layer is a gas and cannot technically have a hole in it. Try punching the air in front of you. Does it leave a â€Å"hole†? No. But ozone CAN be severely depleted in our atmosphere. The air around the Antarctic is severely depleted of atmospheric ozone. This is said to be the Antarctic Ozone Hole. How is the Ozone Hole Measured? The measurement of the ozone hole is made using something called a Dobson Unit. Technically speaking, â€Å"One Dobson Unit is the number of molecules of ozone that would be required to create a layer of pure ozone 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and a pressure of 1 atmosphere†. Lets make some sense of that definition... Normally, the air has an ozone measurement of 300 Dobson Units. This is equivalent to a layer of ozone 3mm (.12 inches) thick over the entire earth. A good example is the height of two pennies stacked together. The ozone hole is more like the thickness of one dime or 220 Dobson Units! If the level of ozone drops below 220 Dobson Units, it is considered to be a part of the depleted area or â€Å"hole†. Causes for the Ozone Hole Once in the stratosphere, UV radiation break apart the CFC molecules into dangerous chlorine compounds which are known Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS). The chlorine literally slams into the ozone and breaks it apart. In the atmosphere a single chlorine atom can break apart ozone molecules again and again and again. Watch the video clip showing the break-up of ozone molecules by chlorine atoms.(55 seconds, MPEG-1, 7 MB) Have CFCs Been Banned? The Montreal Protocol in 1987 was an international commitment to reduce and eliminate the use of CFCs. The treaty was later amended to ban CFC production after 1995. As part of Title VI of the Clean Air Act, all Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) were monitored and conditions were set forth for their use. Initially, the amendments were to phase out ODS production by the year 2000, but it was later decided to accelerate the phase out to 1995. Will we win the war? References: OzoneWatch at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center The Environmental Protection Agency

Law in business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Law in business - Essay Example ich has resulted in the claimant suffering a heavy loss in his life and career as well and this can be described as negligence to a greater extent since the injury caused to Geoff could have been avoided if the defendant has not been neglecting his duties. The other employee Peters, who injures a workmate while in the process of playing jokes with neighbours, has done something a reasonable man should not do during working time which can be referred to as an act of gross negligence. This scenario broadly falls under the tort law and is specifically an act of negligence. In attempting to fully analyse the given case study, it is imperative to highlight and explain the tort law and negligence in brief as a way of gaining a clear understanding of the applicability of the laws to the case. A tort law can be described as a civil wrong not arising from a contract and in the case of negligence, one should owe due consideration to one’s neighbour (Capiro Industries vs. Dickman 1990). Negligence can be described as the act of doing something a reasonable man would not do and a plaintiff must prove that the defendant owes a duty of care Donoghue V. Stevenson (1932). It is of paramount importance for the plaintiff to be able to prove that a duty of care has been breached in order to win the claim that the subsequent injury after the action of the defendant could have been avoided in the event that he would have acted within reasonable limits. Indeed, research has shown that there have been some developments in the area of negligence meant to prove the existence of day care duty. Under the case of Capiro Industries vs. Dickman (1990), the following conditions should be taken into consideration which include; foreseeability, proximity as well as reasonability. In some cases it may not always follow that a duty of care exists but common sense ought to prevail to avoid an otherwise serious injury to another person. Some situations are foreseeable before a person embarks on a

Network Operating Systems and Security BEng Assignment

Network Operating Systems and Security BEng - Assignment Example In the context of network security definition, it consists of concerns related to network communication privacy, confidentiality of data over the network, accessing unauthorized classified data, access to prohibited network domains and utilizing Internet for concealed communication (Network Security. 2007). The security predictions that were published in an article for the year 2010 incorporates new advanced threats named as advanced persistent threats (APT), Cyber war escalates, VoIP attacks, Perimeter shrinks and harden, social networking sites, malware, DLP for intellectual property protection and malware as a service (MaaS) (Watchguard Unveils Top 10 Security Predictions for 2011. 2011). In order to protect the computer network, organizations emphasize on implementing hardware and software application as well as a security policy. This policy is followed by constructing a security policy document that defines rules and procedures. A typical security policy is constructed on a set of rules that defines authorization and access of network resources of an organization (, what is security policy? definition and meaning).The aim of implementing these security policies is to establish rules and procedures for improper use of network services. Moreover, the objective is to create a framework that will assist in identification and prevention of unauthorized access of network services (, Network Security Policy). Network security issues can lead to many different aspects. For example, if the server containing customer data is breached, organization will lose its credibility and trust among the customer and that will result in business loss. Similarly, if a critical system is hacked by internal or external sources, organization’s financial data along with goals and objectives can be revealed to other competitors. In order to eliminate the threats including unauthorized access, viruses, Trojans, malware and malicious codes, a security policy document is require d. The document will provide a consistent framework to secure the integrity of the network along with eliminating risk abided by security threats and vulnerabilities. 2 Risk Assessment Risk assessment is a process to evaluate risks associated with threats and vulnerabilities to the network. Three factors will be considered in this scenario i.e. Assets, Threats and Security Priority Identification. 2.1 Assets The identification of information assets is vital before conducting risk assessment. Information assets are defined as the entities that hold organization data. A good definition is available on ‘www.ibm.com’ which states it as, â€Å"information assets are specific to your business functions and business strategies, they may be contained within broad categories such as contractual and legislative compliance, those needing virus prevention, those critical to business recovery following security compromises, etc.† The information assets for an organization wil l be technology assets, data asset, service asset and people asset. In case of educational establishment the assets that need to be prioritized are: file space server, Linux web server, finance server, student database and email server. 2.2 Threats Threats are defined as

Nat Turner's Trial Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Nat Turner's Trial - Case Study Example Second, Nat Turner also answered did not feel so during the same arraignment date when he was read another charge for insurrection. Third, African Americans were considered the personal property of their purchasers and thus were curtailed of this basic rights as a free man or woman. Fourth, Nat Turner for knew that the only way to atone for his encouraging fellow African Americans to kill innocent men, women and children in their sleep was to accept the verdict of the court which would be hanging. Fifth, Nat Turner felt that he was given a fair trial under the white -favoring laws during the 1830s. First, Nat Turner answered that he did not feel so when asked whether he was not guilty of the case masterminding the murder of innocent white men, women, children including infants. He was arraigned in August 22, 1831. Some of the fifty five people murdered were Joseph Travers, his wife and their three children, Mrs. Elizabeth Turner, Hartwell Prebles, Sarah Newsome, Mrs. P Reese and her son William, Trajan Doyle and others. Some of Nat Turner's fellow African American co-conspirators that were also found guilty and sentenced by the same August 1831 court were Daniel who was owned by Richard Porter, Moses who was the property of J.T. Barrow, Nathan who was owned by Benj. Blunt's estate, Davy who was owned by Elizabeth Turner, Curtis and Stephen who were owned by Thomas Ridley and others. For, Nat Turner felt that his group overstepped their instructions from him by killing innocent women and children. Rightfully, Nat Turner answered that he did not feel so when asked whether he was not guilty of the case masterminding the murder of innocent white men, women, children including infants(Greenberg, 1996; p. 25-50). Second, Nat Turner also answered did not feel so during the same arraignment date when he was read another charge for insurrection. It was against the law to rise up and disobey their masters. Similarly, people today have to follow the laws of the land or else they will meted the corresponding penalties, fines, prison terms or even death. For, Nat Turner felt that rising against their White American owners was his mission on earth. Nat Turner felt that he was destined to curve a name for himself in American history by being the leader who tried to free the African Americans from the tyranny and hard life of the White Americans during his younger days. Clearly, Nat Turner also answered did not f eel so during the same arraignment date when he was read another charge for insurrection(Campbell, 1970, p. 20-35).Third, African Americans were considered the personal property of their purchasers and thus were curtailed of their basic rights as a free man or woman. The slaves did not have a ny freedom because they were forcibly kidnapped from Africa and sold as personal property to the white Americans. Today, the African Americans are free because the Northerners of Union forces defeated the Southerners or Confederate forces. Come to think of it, Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson and the boxer Muhammad Ali would still be slaves today had the Southerners run over the Northern forces. Ironically, the

The cold war in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The cold war in Europe - Essay Example At this time, Russia attempts to pursue its own plans of attacking Finland at the far north. The cold proves to be a big problem to him because his troops are under-prepared for the arctic winter that awaits them. In addition to this, Russia’s leadership in this campain is poor, and even though they manage to win, they suffered losses, and their pride was humbled. In 1941, Germany launched one of the biggest military invasions ever undertaken, he calls it, Barbarossa. Hitler’s plan is to take and also hold a line located eastward of Moscow. The Russians are caught unaware by this strategic move on the part of the third Reich’s cunning leader. Germany gained a lot through this campaign, and it even managed to gather prisoners of war, but later died. This move on the part of Germany angered the Russians, and they were resolved to destroy the third Reich. Some people have wondered, ‘at what year did the Germans reach the point of no return at the eastern front ’? When we take a look back at history, we can observe the actions that took place at the eastern front 1942, between Germany and Russia. â€Å"Germany renewed its attacks on Russia, this time concentrating its attacks on Southern Russia, capturing the Crimea and Sevastopol after a siege. This was one of the few times their huge barrage gun, Big Bertha, was ever called into use.

Variety Xian Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Variety Xian Experience - Essay Example It is safe to state that faith is the bedrock of Christianity as a religion. "As a system of faith, Christianity manifests 'faith' in all the various meanings that this term has acquired in the history of religion: as loyalty to the divine, based on the prior loyalty of the divine to the world and to humanity; as the confidence that God is trustworthy in truth and love; as dependence on the Father of Jesus Christ, who is the source of all good in this life and in the life to come; as the commitment to direct thought and action in accordance with the divine word and will; and as the affirmation that certain events and declarations, as given by divine revelation, are a reliable index to that will and word. It is the last of those meanings that provides a basis for describing in an epitome what it is that Christianity believes, teaches, and confesses. It is all about having faith in God," (Pelikan 2005). Prayer is the door that opens unto a storehouse of treasures. Even Jesus Christ ope nly confessed that, "ask and it will be given you; seek and you find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened," (cf. Matthew 7:7-8). Th... Confessions, II, 2). Therese Elizabeth enthused about the sweetness and the wonder of the divine guidance she received from God (cf. J.M.J.T, p.14). No better way to summarize the magnanimity of God's consolations towards mankind than in these words of Kempis: " Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling place for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within'. His peace great and His intimacy wonderful indeed," (cf. Imitation, II, p.208). Certainly, from these primary experiences, it could be noted that the individuals who have realized the importance of prayer naturally make it easier for people back then up until the present time to actually be able handle life challenges successfully. Being the main channel of communication between God and his faithful followers, prayer plays a great role on the process by which true Christian s are able to create a fine relationship between them and the God that they worship. It is undeniable that prayer indeed plays a huge role within the development of the belief and faith that Christians put upon God. SINCE earliest times men have felt the need to pray to God. Realizing their own insignificance and inability to reach him without help, they have invented numerous "aids" to prayer. Some persons use prayer books. They read prayers that have been written for various occasions, hoping that these will help them to gain God's favor. Others pray to saints, asking them to intercede with God in their behalf. Another common practice is that of memorizing prayers and using a rosary to keep track of how many times these are said. However, even some religious leaders in churches that use these aids consider them

Volunteer assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Volunteer - Assignment Example volunteers to have a chance to give back, one can see too that it is not just the hungry and the unemployed that are being served here, but that those who serve are also getting so much in return. What I personally got from this experience is something that is very hard to quantify and to put into words, and I suspect that for every volunteer it is different too. What I can say for myself is that this experience opened my eyes to the reality of poverty, how it is sometimes beyond the personal capacity of a person to prevent, that it is something that can hit anybody at any time. Looking at the mix of people who were served too, one can see that this is not just about food, it is also about being able to rely on something that is constant and nourishing, in a world that can be so unpredictable and dangerous, being out on the streets and unable to find work and the means to support oneself. Going to the soup kitchen, they can expect nourishment, and they can expect to have this repriev e from the randomness of their lives five days a week. It is a lifeline. On the other hand for volunteers this is also a kind of lifeline, something that is likewise constant and something that volunteers can rely on, as a kind of refuge too, in a way. People need this kind of avenue for giving back to New York as well (Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen). Looking at the people too, and hearing about some of their lives, what they have been through and what they are currently going through, I realize that sometimes life can hit you hard and there is sometimes no way to prepare for what is going to come next. This contextualizes the readings and discussions in class, in terms of bringing this subjective and personal perspective into homelessness and poverty. Reflecting further, I realize poverty in New York is something that can happen to me too, and that therefore I am really doing this work partly for myself. In normal times these kinds of thoughts and insights will not enter my mind, and it

Variety Xian Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Variety Xian Experience - Essay Example It is safe to state that faith is the bedrock of Christianity as a religion. "As a system of faith, Christianity manifests 'faith' in all the various meanings that this term has acquired in the history of religion: as loyalty to the divine, based on the prior loyalty of the divine to the world and to humanity; as the confidence that God is trustworthy in truth and love; as dependence on the Father of Jesus Christ, who is the source of all good in this life and in the life to come; as the commitment to direct thought and action in accordance with the divine word and will; and as the affirmation that certain events and declarations, as given by divine revelation, are a reliable index to that will and word. It is the last of those meanings that provides a basis for describing in an epitome what it is that Christianity believes, teaches, and confesses. It is all about having faith in God," (Pelikan 2005). Prayer is the door that opens unto a storehouse of treasures. Even Jesus Christ ope nly confessed that, "ask and it will be given you; seek and you find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened," (cf. Matthew 7:7-8). Th... Confessions, II, 2). Therese Elizabeth enthused about the sweetness and the wonder of the divine guidance she received from God (cf. J.M.J.T, p.14). No better way to summarize the magnanimity of God's consolations towards mankind than in these words of Kempis: " Christ will come to you offering His consolation, if you prepare a fit dwelling place for Him in your heart, whose beauty and glory, wherein He takes delight, are all from within'. His peace great and His intimacy wonderful indeed," (cf. Imitation, II, p.208). Certainly, from these primary experiences, it could be noted that the individuals who have realized the importance of prayer naturally make it easier for people back then up until the present time to actually be able handle life challenges successfully. Being the main channel of communication between God and his faithful followers, prayer plays a great role on the process by which true Christian s are able to create a fine relationship between them and the God that they worship. It is undeniable that prayer indeed plays a huge role within the development of the belief and faith that Christians put upon God. SINCE earliest times men have felt the need to pray to God. Realizing their own insignificance and inability to reach him without help, they have invented numerous "aids" to prayer. Some persons use prayer books. They read prayers that have been written for various occasions, hoping that these will help them to gain God's favor. Others pray to saints, asking them to intercede with God in their behalf. Another common practice is that of memorizing prayers and using a rosary to keep track of how many times these are said. However, even some religious leaders in churches that use these aids consider them

Tikopia of Melanesia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tikopia of Melanesia - Research Paper Example CONCLUSION: A summary of key points 1.0 Introduction: Tikopia of Melanesia Tikopia of Melanesia is known to have gone through so many changes in society. The ‘Ticopia’ was an expression that the people of Solomon Islands used to make themselves distinctive from other people from neighboring islands, as a result forming the Tikopia community. From the past decade to the present, the communities’ culture remains unchanged, thus, portraying an interesting deal of information to be learnt about their way of life and work. Agriculture is their main means of subsistence, the tropical climate favoring the people to get good agricultural produce. They can be referred to as the emerging agriculturalists or horticulturalists. The Tikopia live on the island of Tikopia, which is in the Southwestern Pacific Ocean. From about half a century ago, the population of the Tikopia had grown dramatically, a factor that caused anxiety and concern among its leaders, there was the fear o f food shortages. As a result of this, they had to look for a solution on ways to control population growth. The community practiced some zero population measures which included warfare, sea voyaging and celibacy. These reduced their population and it is a good example of a reproduction policy (Nowak & Laid, 2010). This will form the basis of discussion in this paper. Thesis Statement: The Tikopia are a cultural group with unique kinship and reproductive practices aimed at promoting their idea of zero population growth and changes in the society so as to ensure survivability. 1.1 Subsistence Practices: The Tikopia of Melanesia practice precise techniques of agriculture. They are mainly Horticulturalists who rely on water from the sea for planting their main diet, however, on few cases they substitute fishing as part of their diet. The community is located near a sea that provides a wide variety of fish including shell fish. The Tikopia normally look for dried swamps and clear forest s, which usually provides them with trade routes and markets. The community does practice an intensive system of agriculture which has features of a perm-culture. The agricultural practices of the community depend on the density of the population, in the thick populated areas, some people practice fishing and pig rearing while others practice forest gardening. The foods that they grow include coconut, vegetables and yams which thrive best in the tropical environment, therefore, high yields of great quantity of foods are achieved. The access that the group has over empty land gives them control over a lot of resources. The Tikopia also incorporate technology into their subsistence practices. This is by practicing flood control, irrigation and terraces. In addition to this, technology has assisted the community in building roads, bridges and ports. Technology also allows the community to have control over their production and distribution (Nowak & Laird, 2010). Â  In the Tikopia soci ety, it is mostly men who do all the hard work such as building fences, clearing forests and planting processes. The women prepare food and take care of children. Both men and women play key roles in their society’s subsistence practices. The community uses redistribution and exchange of balanced reciprocals to ensure that their goods and services are transported. Balanced reciprocals exchange refers to an agreement where there is return of an item, which is equivalent to another item or one with a greater value. Redistribution refers to a tribute, an individual’

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Example for Free

Analyse of the Two Key Moments Essay Just before this key moment starts, the guards takes Rebecca Nurse out of her cage, on its way to the place where people are hanged. She is astonished that John is confessing. The key moment starts with Proctor refusing to say that he saw Rebecca Nurse in the Devils company, or anybody else. Danforth demands that Proctor prove the purity of his soul by accusing others, but Hale advises that it is enough that he confesses himself. Parris agrees, but Danforth demands that Proctor should sign a document. Proctor says that he has confessed to God, and that is enough. He asks Danforth whether a good confession must be public. Proctor wishes to keep only his name, and Danforth thus refuses to accept his confession. Danforth orders Proctor to be hanged. Hale begs Elizabeth to plead with Proctor to sign a confession, but Elizabeth states that Proctor has his goodness now, and God forbid that she take it from him. The characters have turning points in the key moments, and I am going to discuss what happens to Hale, John Proctor and Danforth in this key moment. Hales beliefs in witchcraft changes, so does his faith in the law. In Act 4, he tells the accused witches to lie, to confess their supposed sins in order to save their own lives. This change of heart and hopelessness, makes Hale gain the audiences sympathy but not its respect, since he lacks the moral character of Rebecca Nurse or, and as it turns out at the end of Act 4, John Proctor. Although Hale recognises the evil of the witch trials, his response is not resistance but surrender. He thinks that survival is the highest good, even if it means helping oneself to injustice, which honourable and truly heroic characters can never accept. John Proctor changes himself and provides a final charge of the witch trials. Offered the opportunity to make a confession that he has seen the Devil, he almost surrenders, even signing a confession letter. His great pride and fear of public opinion drove him to hold his truth, adultery, from the court, but by the end of the play he is more concerned with his personal honesty than his public reputation. He still wants to save his name, but for a personal and religious view, rather than the publics reasons. Proctors refusal to provide a false confession is a true religious and personal determination. His confession would dishonour his friends who are convicted who are brave enough to die as support to the truth. Also it will dishonour himself, staining not just his public reputation, but also his soul. He then decides to change his mind and tells Danforth that he does not want to lie, this bringing him to heaven. He has now redeemed his sin. As Elizabeth says to end the play, responding to Hales plea that she convince Proctor to publicly confess: He have his goodness now. God forbid I take it from him! In this key moment Danforth shows that his greatest interest is to protect the reputation of the court when he prompts Proctor to sign a confession, thus preventing the response of his death. I think that Danforth has changed internally but not externally. I think he believes that the witchcraft is fake, but externally he is still a strict and craving for a good reputation. If he did believe people at the end of the play, then he would not convict John Proctor, but he did because it was to late then, and his reputation would be ruined, as he has convicted people before. It is a crucial moment for the audience because they think Proctor is a bad and not a honourable man when he signs the paper. It is dramatic irony, but not as much. The audience know that Proctor does not see the Devil, to save his life by confessing and showing you don not lie, he says he has been seeing the Devil. But he suddenly changes, he rips the piece of paper representing his confession, and explains that his name is more important, he wants to show he is a heroic man, so he says he never has see the Devil, which is true, and the audience see how he is a better man, and is going to die being an honourable and a heroic man. A crucible is a melting pot, where substances are heated to a high temperature to get rid of impurities. Miller is suggesting the play is like to purge by fire, a form of cleansing. This is a metaphor for spiritual improvements as the result of a confession being exerted. It is known as cleaning or cleansing yourself by confessing to seeing the Devil. There is many ways to explain the name of the book and here are some more: first witches supposedly boil potions in cauldrons and a synonym for cauldron is crucible. Secondly, it has a metaphorical meaning: the society of Salem is being heated and stirred in an attempt to remove the impurities and leave only the pure members of the society. One of the central themes of the play is the spiritual development of John Proctor. It is a powerful and complex play. All of the action takes place indoors and it is very black, simplistic and it emphasises the lifestyle of the people and it echoes the claustrophobic atmosphere of the play. The play focuses on ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. In the play Miller is discussing the forces of evil. In the attempt to cut out evil there is certainly a degree of irony. The irony in this play is that evil and tragedy actually occur from the actions of the unwise and over eager characters such as Danforth and Parris and to a certain extent Hale, who became responsible for deaths, misery and cruelty. Miller is suggesting that humans are vulnerable to evil and he aims to show that the evil generated in Salem was through a combination of circumstances for which no one person could be held entirely responsible but yet none were guilt free. The Crucible was based on real events and characters. The people of the 17th Century Salem, witchcraft were a very real and forceful threat. Many people were accused of being witches, and were tortured and executed. The discrimination of witches spread to a lot of places around the world. Witches thought to commit crimes have various proofs of a witch including the testimony of a fellow witch, the common belief or accusation of those who live with suspected witch, cursing followed by some mischief or the person disagrees with the person when questioned. Miller was interested in McCarthy trials in the 1940s/50s and made the book parallel to it, Salem witch trials of 1682. Miller may have oversimplified matters, in that while there were no actual witches in Salem, there were certainly Communists in 1950s America. However, one can argue that Millers concern in The Crucible is not with whether the accused actually are witches, but rather with the refusal of the court officials to believe that they are not. McCarthyism limits, which wronged many innocents and this parallel was felt strongly in Millers own time. In real life, at Millers time, Abigail Williams was 12 years old, but in the play she is 17, but why did he change the age? He did this to make Abigail Williams a better character to make her do all the mischievous things she does in the play. At the age of 17, you are mature and able to make an opinion, and act more like an adult, unlike a 12 year old where you are still to young to do things adults do. Danforth was not a real person, he was made up, but the wonderful thing about him is that he is made up of 3 characters. These three characters were the judges, but they would not be as dramatic and neither strong, unless there is one person who rules, making that character more remembered, and more important to the play.

The Ionic Column :: Art Columns Architecture History Essays

The Ionic Column Throughout history, art has become the main source for entertainment, enlightenment, and acknowledgement. It entertains those who are bored in the everyday life. It enlightens those who seek another world and those who seek beauty with wild imaginations. It acknowleges those who seek development in nature and their own world. From the cave drawings of Paleolithic art in Lascaux , to the Ancient Egyptian pyramids, and to the classical Greek sculptures, art is a never ending cycle of productions and reproductions passed on from one generation to the next, and from one culture to the next. Art throughout history plays an important role because it tells us about man's development in culture, language, and life. Everyday, the works of art from the past have been reproduced to inspire and attract. As a key strategic method to attract people, advertisement is the common benefactor for the reminesences of art throughout the periods, such as, the classical Greek Ionic columns. So there are ne w uses of older art works in many places, including magazines, newspapers, television, internet, and shopping malls. ( Prof. Smith lecture). In this essay, a trace of the Ionic column may be found from a page in The Wall Street Journal that may have distinctive similarities and differences in its physical usage and psychological meaning. A new usage of an old work of art is found in the Wall Street Journal which has words formed into the shape of an Ionic column in black and white, found in a classical Greek order. The newspaper was dated October 9, 1996 and the new use of this classical Greek order was found in the last page of section B12. This Ionic shaped column is big and long, considering the fact that the size of the newspaper is bigger than 11 by 17 inches. The image of the size in the new use column may have been to imitate the actual size of Greek column approximately of over 12 feet tall. (Refer to picture of 5 columns and the Wall Street Journal). This ionic column is so detailed by the formation of companies' name, letterings, showing distinctive characteristics from other classical Greek orders. It has fluted shaft and the capital was decorated with volutes or two pairs of scrolls with graceful curves joined by a thin abacus, which is a square block to support the entablature.

Jim Jones Essays -- Cult Suicide Essays Papers

Jim Jones The mass suicides, that took place under the influence of Reverend Jim Jones, can be explained from a sociological perspective. By looking at how the group dynamics played into the outcome one gets a better idea of the whys? of the massacre. The sociological explanation is but one way to explain this horrific event. It is , however, the only one explored in this essay for reasons of concision. At one level, the deaths at Jonestown can be viewed as the product of obedience, of people complying with the orders of a leader and reacting to the threat of force. In the Peoples Temple, whatever Jim Jones commanded, the members did. When he gathered the community at the pavilion and the poison was brought out, the populace was surrounded by armed guards who were trusted lieutenants of Jones. There are reports that some people did not drink voluntarily but had the poison forced down their throats or injected. While there were isolated acts of resistance and suggestions of opposition to the suicides, excerpts from a tape, recorded as the final ritual was being enacted, reveal that such dissent was quickly dismissed or shouted down. Jim Jones utilized the threat of severe punishment to impose the strict discipline and absolute devotion that he demanded, and he also took measures to eliminate those factors that might encourage resistance or rebellion among his followers. Research showed that the presence of a "disobedient" partner greatly reduced the extent o which most subjects in the Milgram situation (1965) obeyed the instructions to shock the person designated the "learner." Similarly, by including just one confederate who expressed an opinion different from the majority's, Asch (1955) showed that the subject would also agree far less, even when the "other dissenters" judgment was also incorrect and differed from the subjects. In the Peoples Temple, Jones tolerated no dissent, made sure that members had no allegiance more powerful than to himself, and tried to make the alternative of leaving the Temple an unthinkable option. Analyzing Jonestown in terms of obedience and the power of the situation can help to explain why the people acted as they did. Once the Peoples Temple had moved to Jonestown, there was little the members could do other than follow Jim Jones's dictates. They were comforted by an authority of absolute power. They were l... ...ons consistent with the ideology and policy are good. The individual conscience is not reliable. Under these conditions the individual expects humiliation, ostracism and punishment because of his inability to live up to the criteria and lives in a constant state of guilt and shame. Since the organization is the ultimate judge of good and evil, this guilt and shame is used to manipulate and control members. The organization becomes an authority without limit in the eyes of members and their power is nowhere more evident that in their capacity to "forgive". We live in a dangerous world, a world often caught in the midst of disastrous group dynamics. Cult leaders use their knowledge to bemire the minds of unsuspecting victims. Until, recently cult's were able to run freely in public without anything more than slight amusement at the dress or the ethereal spouting. There was a time in the not so distant past that cult members were allowed to approach anyone in a place as public as an airport to share their ‘beliefs' and their tainted language. They were allowed access to our children and to our minds. It has been a long time coming, but the world is finally catching on.

American reform movements of 1825-1850 Essay

In the period from 1825-1850, a majority of the reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals. However, some did so indirectly and unintentionally. The reform movements were spurred by the Second Great Awakening, which began in New England in the late 1790’s, and would eventually spread throughout the country. The Second GA differed from the First in that people were now believed to be able to choose whether or not to believe in God, as opposed to previous ideals based on calvinism and predestination. According to Charles G. Finney, the role of the church is to reform society. In 1834, he said, â€Å"When the churches are†¦awakened and reformed, the reformation and salvation of sinners will follow.† Finney had been influenced by Second Great Awakening ideals. He goes on to say that â€Å"drunkards, harlots, and infidels† would also be converted do to reform by the church. In this sense, the Second Great Awakening helped expand democratic ideals by bettering the moral standards of the common man. In 1835, Patrick Reason created an engraving depicting a black female slave in chains. Above her is the quote, â€Å"Am I not a woman and a sister† This reflects how the abolition and women’s movements often tied into one another. Both of these movements helped expand democratic ideals in that they desired increased rights (specifically suffrage) for minorities. However, women and blacks were simply trying to increase their own influence in society, and were not otherwise looking to expand democratic ideals for the benefit of everyone (Native Americans, Irish immigrants, etc.). The Grimke sisters (Angelina & Sarah) were southern abolitionists who also played a role in the Women’s Movement. Susan B. Anthony, a Quaker, and therefore opposed to slavery on moral grounds, also played a role in both movements. Anthony was a disciple of Eliizabeth Cady Stanton. Nativism was also an important reform movement of this time period. Nativism was the belief that only white Anglo-Saxon Protestants should be allowed suffrage and other rights. People believed this partly from fear of a  Catholic takeover, and partly because they did not want foreign immigrants competing with them for jobs. Samuel Morse was a key supporter of nativism. In his Imminent Dangers to the Free Institutions of the United States, written in 1835, he stated â€Å"that no foreigner who comes into the country after the law is passed shall ever be allowed the right of suffrage.† The law he referred to was a proposed law to replace the current Naturalization Law of the time. This movement did not seek to expand democratic ideals. Education reform was also an important movement of this period. Universal manhood suffrage created the need for education reform. The common laborer began to demand education for his children. This movement sought to expand democratic ideals in that more educated people meant more people would be able to be productive members of society. Emma Willard played a role in this movement as well as the Women’s Movement. She opened the Troy Female Seminary in 1821, which trained women to be members of the clergy. William H. McGuffey invented the â€Å"McGuffey Reader.† This was a standard reader that all children read based on their grade. In a passage from a McGuffey Reader from 1836, a poor young boy discusses how his parents are â€Å"very good to save some of their money in order that I may learn to read and write.† He is referring to tax-supported public schools, which were a result of the education reform movement. Alcohol abuse was becoming widespread throughout the early 1800’s. This was due in part to Elijah Craig’s invention of bourbon in 1789. Alcohol abuse led to decreased efficiency of labor, which was a problem for businessmen and consumers alike. The Temperance Movement began in an effort to end alcohol abuse. The American Temperance Society was formed in Boston in 1826, and urged people to give up alcohol. Neal Dow supported prohibition, and is considered the â€Å"Father of Prohibition.† He supported the Maine Law of 1851, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol. William Lloyd Garrison was an abolitionist who also supported temperance. An 1846 cartoon entitled â€Å"The Drunkards Progress. From The First Glass To The Grave† shows what a detrimental effect alcohol had on the life of the common laborer. The Temperance Movement sought to expand democratic ideals in that it protected the common man from himself. It improved the common man’s productivity as well as his well-being by discouraging him from the evils of alcohol. The Seneca Falls Convention of 1848 sought to expand democratic ideals more vigilently and radically than perhaps any other event of any movement. Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton both played important roles in the convention. They produced a â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments† which stated that â€Å"all men and women are created equal.† They also produced a resolution formally demanding women’s suffrage. In an excerpt from the Seneca Falls Declaration (August 2, 1848), Stanton states that the women are â€Å"assembled to protest against a form of government, existing without the consent of the governed–to declare our right to be free as man is free.† Here she refers to the government-by-social contract philosophy of John Locke. She goes on to declare that â€Å"strange as it may seem, we now demand our right to vote according to the declaration of the government under which we live.† Here she refers to the Declaration of Independence of 1776, which stated that â€Å"all men are created equal.† Dorothia Dix travelled over 60,000 miles touring asylums across America. Her journals would help spread the idea that crazy people were actually mentally ill, and did not simply choose to be crazy. Her work led to 15 new hospitals and improved conditions in current hospitals of the time. While she did not seek to expand democratic ideals, she did improve the conditions in asylums, which is an indirect increase in the rights of the mentally ill. In the period from 1825-1850, a majority of the reform movements in the United States sought to expand democratic ideals. However, some did so indirectly and unintentionally.

Reflecting on self an an entrepreuner

Introduction The first half of this report is written about one of the famous German entrepreneurs Klaus KobJoll. It will include personal, societal and environmental antecedent that influenced KobJolls' decisions during his life. In addition, his strengths and weaknesses will be determined and compared against my own ones. Second half of report will describe on what kind of venture I will do my Opportunity Analyses Report. It will include 5 key disciplines and 2 key personnel required to be source, as well as skills and competences needed for the start-up of the venture Background Information on Klaus KobJollBeing born on 13 June 1948, Klaus KobJoll is now one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Europe (Schindlerhof n. d. ). His business portfolio ranges from restaurants to hotel business. His entrepreneurial career began when he was 22 by opening a â€Å"Creperie rennaise† restaurant in Erlangen in 1970. From then on, he established several more restaurants and hotels in Erlangen and Nuremberg. 1 1984, he opened the most successful venture in his career, the â€Å"Landhotel Schindlerhof†. Schindlerhof has become one of the best hotels in Europe and won several awards.Klaus KobJoll himself sees business as something that is very personal and should be handled with care. He is the author of books, lectures, and articles on hotel management (CSA Celebrity Speakers n. d. ). In what ways Klaus KobJoll can be considered an entrepreneur? KobJoll is believed to be highly successful and rare entrepreneur. He deserved that status through his hard work and dedication to his ventures. The rigidly high standards that Klaus imposed on himself for running his business, earned him recognition and numerous accolades.Moreover, his unique way of dealing with mployees, giving them as much empowerment as they need to learn being independent, made his company one of the Germanys most productive places. His desire to grow and make Schindlerhof a better place broug ht the expansion of an originally 19-room hotel into a nearly 100-room hotel with $7mln turnover in 2012 (Wildberg, R 2013). He is also a member of German Hotel and restaurant Association and became first full member of the Swiss Hotelier's Association (CSA Celebrity Speakers n. d. ).Personal Influences of Klaus KobJoll The establishment of entrepreneurship is highly influenced by individual's personal raits and characteristics (Morrison, A, Rimmington, M ; Williams, C 1999). From that point of view, Timmons (cited in Morrison, A et al. 1999) suggests that leadership, along with commitment and determination are among desirable traits for an entrepreneur to possess. It can be seen that Klaus KobJoll is truly is an inspirational and motivational leader. He prompts his employees to be independent by empowering them to discover their individual talents.Klaus KobJoll sees his hotel â€Å"as a school in which they grow' (Wildberg, R 2013). In addition, being a leader Klaus KobJoll admits that every leader has a select group of qualities. He states that every man can be a manager, but not everyone can become a leader. He highlights several points such as self-confidence, need for achievement, and responsiveness to Those factors in turn correspond with entrepreneurial traits suggested by Schumpeter, McClelland, Baty and Chet et al. (cited in Morrison, A et al. 1999).

Reaction to Dante’s Inferno Essay

Reading Dante’s Inferno has been a challenge for me, especially at first when I didn’t understand some of the main themes Dante was trying to get across. My values are so different than those of Dante when it comes to the afterlife, it can be hard to read something that is so contradictory of my own beliefs. Once I understood that Dante was not being literal about the things he wrote in the Inferno it became a lot clearer to me that his main theme was that of controlling our own fate based on the choice we make to do the right thing or wrong thing. After I knew this, I realized that we really weren’t that different after all, because that idea appeals to me greatly. I first had to struggle to get past some of the obvious differences I feel about the afterlife, like the fact that I don’t believe in hell, in order for me to really appreciate the Inferno. Probably the main thing that happened to me that shaped my views about Christianity in general was when my cousin tried to scare me into becoming a Christian when I was about 8 years old. He convinced me that unless I started being an obedient Christian who prayed and went to church and read the bible regulary, I was going to be sentenced to a existence of burning in hell for eternity by God. That’s a lot to try deal with as a kid, especially if the person telling you this is someone that you look up to and have love and respect for. The older I got the more I resented not only my cousin for this, but that spread to all Christians in general. His approach was to make me believe in God as a sort of insurance policy so that I wouldn’t go to hell. After this experience I decided for myself that hell was quite possibly something that was made up by people to scare other people into believing what they wanted them to believe. I could not imagine that God would really want people to practice a religion out of fear, the idea just seemed a little out there for me. All my cousin accomplished in the end with me was to make me suspicious of any person who is Christian and anything that has to do with hell, and I don’t think that was his intention at all. I have since learned that not all Christians are like my cousin in their views and I’m generally quite accepting of anyone and their faith, as long  as they don’t try to pressure me into believing what they do. But to this day I still feel a little uneasy about anything that has to do with being punished by hell, so you can perhaps understand why it may have been a little hard for me to look past that in the Inferno. At first glance, the Inferno can just look like its just about people being punished cruely for the sins they have commited. But after a deeper look, it can be said that there is much more to it than just that. What really helped me be able to understand the Inferno a lot better was to understand that what Dante wrote about was not meant to be a literal interpretation of how he felt the afterlife was. He understood that it would be quite presumptuous of him to think that he could really know that. Whats important is to realize that Dante uses hell in this poem as a vehicle for expressing his views about the choices people make to either do good or do bad, and being liable for those choices. I definitely feel it is healthy to read things that vary from one’s own personal beliefs because it may bring up issues and ideas you hadn’t thought of before, possibly expanding your understanding of what you know thought you knew. It can help you learn and grow and not be stuck with certain views. Even if your values are not some how changed, I think it is still important to beable to go into something with an open mind and respect the difference of opinion. I do feel that after reading Dante’s Inferno that I have been given a new way to look at the decisions we make for ourselves in this life. Whether I believe in hell or not, I can completely appreciate this new perspective, and it makes me grateful that I was given the opportunity to read Dante’s Inferno.

Impact of Innovation on Economic Perfomance on Micro and Macro Level Essay

Impact of Innovation on Economic Perfomance on Micro and Macro Level - Essay Example This essay is one of the best examples of comprehensive theoretic analysis of the mechanism of the impact of technology changes on the competitiveness of a company or an entire economy of a country. The tighter and more competitive business environment is driving firms to innovate in order to maintain their existence as a market player. However, as more firms innovate, the struggle to maintain their share in the market in turn gets other firms to innovate, capturing everybody to be part of a complex economic cycle. A source of new technology is the society’s search for increased economic efficiency and a sincere desire to reduce the cost that it has to pay for the availability of goods. Whether the purpose of the technology is to improve its effective use of available natural resources or to increase or alter the supply of available resources, it has impacted what people buy (hence created new demand types), what they choose to do with their time (leading to new market for leisure events), what jobs are lost due to changes in the overall economic mix, and possibly the price of other goods that compete with the products, that were produced using new technology. Research, entrepreneurship, new start-ups, consolidation of businesses, interaction with other companies and financial markets create an environment that is conclusive to innovations. Novel trends in innovative activities are impacted by new technologies, modifications in the existing knowledge base, as well as changes in consumer needs.

Should Wells Fargo lose the latest DOJ lawsuit, Were they ethical in Research Paper

Should Wells Fargo lose the latest DOJ lawsuit, Were they ethical in there practices with the Mortgages - Research Paper Example Recently, the company has been facing a lawsuit that requires them to pay for damages, because of acting unethically toward offering substandard mortgage loans, which might have powered the financial crisis in the region (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012). This paper will examine the lawsuit, and if the company is justified in claiming they acted within their financial ethical boundaries. In October 2012, the Department of Justice was at the forefront in trying to prove that Wells Fargo & Co. acted unethically by providing shoddy mortgage deals to insurance programs in the U.S., hence; creating a loss of millions of dollars. An Act enacted in 1989 allows the government to sue any financial institution if the affected party is insured by the federal government. The Department of Housing and Urban Development in US is accusing Wells Fargo & Co. of offering shoddy loans to first-time buyers (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012). According to the Department of Housing, this was done with complete disregard a s to whether the parties being given loans had the ability to pay or not. The probability of Wells Fargo losing the lawsuit There is a likelihood that Wells Fargo & Co. might lose the lawsuit. This is because under the various laws that govern the operations and functions of financial institutions, the company may have gone against the law in their undertakings. The law of restrictions under the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act (FIRREA), is still a factor to consider, where the company is still liable for prosecution by the state even after the period that has elapsed. The company can also be prosecuted under the federal False Claims Act. The refusal of the banking institution to report the defective loans has played a vital role in the escalation of the financial crisis (Raindi & Timiraos, 2012), which still rocks the U.S. and countless other regions to this day. The company claims that since it was the only institution affected by its actions, there is n o possible reason why it should be prosecuted for unethical practices within the organization. This claim was thrown out of court as the judge presiding over the case indicated that even if the only party affected by such actions was the one under prosecution, it still had to face the charges leveled against it. It is the belief of countless individuals that the simple act of choosing not to report these defective loans meant that the company knew about the issues they faced, but did not bring them to the HUD’s attention. This is tantamount to fraud, according to the court, and that is probably why the company may lose the suit by the U.S. Department of Justice. It is unethical for any financial institution to hold out on information (Jennings, 2011), which may be done to save money and disregard the integrity of the organization they serve. The ethical nature of the company’s lending practices There were some unethical undertakings by the company during the lending of loans to people. It is the task and duty of a financial institution to properly vet the people it is meant to serve, especially when dealing with loans. This is so as to see the chances of the loans being paid by the parties offered loans. In the company’s case, they were sure that any failure by the parties to pay would be bailed out by the Federal Housing Administration, which often bailed out first time buyers (Raindi & Timira

LASA 1.The S'No Risk Program Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LASA 1.The S'No Risk Program - Case Study Example Prior to the S’no Risk Program, there was a traditional sale held in the fall season wherein a 10% discount was offered (Bell, 1994). Eventually, the program took hold and a combination of factors including a surge in the snowfall and customers being enticed by the relative lack of risk meant that sales grew, and distributors were pleased to carry Toro products, even leading to cases of depleted inventories. The program lasted one year and then an evaluation was conducted, and the recourse offered by the insurance company called for an adjusted premium of â€Å"around 8% of sales for the coming year† (Bell, 1994, 3). This is approximately a four-fold increase from the previous annual period, and so it may be quite alarming. The reason for the rate hike however, is apparently due to the fact that American Home offered too cheap a rate initially. In this case, Susan conduct an independent study that analyzed the historical data, with regard to payouts as proscribed by the S’no Risk Program, and realized that in 1983, there would have been payouts of approximately 19% of sales (Bell, 1994, 3). With this information in mind, it makes sense that the insurance firm would want a higher rate, as the trend for payouts was higher than the low premium offered in the first year of the program. Another cause for the increased premium in the following year may have been due to the increasing total number of snow equipment components sold from 81/82 to 82/83 (Exhibit 1). The customer viewed the advertisement and was able to see immediately that there was a chance at varying rates of snowfall for a savings, and in some cases an absolute refund with the prospect of also keeping the Toro machine from the purchase. In essence, the consumer would be receiving something for nothing, and obviously they are the benefactors and Toro loses out in this scenario. Rather than offering different tiers of savings, I would suggest that it would be more simple to offering one large refund if the snowfall was below some threshold. This would be easier from an administrative standpoint, and if the consumers would still be drawn to purchase from such a modified program, the payouts would likely be minimized, which would be a favorable outcome for the income balance sheet of Toro. The S’no Risk Program executed in 1983 was a success, but it should be understood that Toro had several factors that were aligned in their favour. Their objective was accomplished of increasing sales, which allowed them to improve the year-to-year standing of their company, as well as afford the relatively low insurance premium, which also was a positive for the insurance company. As stated in the case, in the seasons leading up to the creation of the program, there was a plummet in the average snowfall, which meant that the market for snow equipment was in retreat. Toro needed an initiative that would jump start consumers and boost the sales of the company, and the pos sibility of an arrangement with Home Assurance was a welcome idea, even though it was not absolutely risk-free. If the insurance rate were higher, as it was recommended that it should have been, then the net sales generated off the snow equipment, less the payouts would have been less justified. This assumption would be further supported if the related premiums were to increase for the next yearly period. Likewise, if there was little snowfall at all not only would the payouts drastically increase, but it raises the doubts if many would purchase a piece

Emphysema Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Emphysema - Research Paper Example According to National Institute of Health, NIH (2014), COPD encompasses varied lung diseases that include emphysema, chronic obstructive airways disease and chronic bronchitis. This paper focuses on emphysema, the main type of COPD as noted by Klaassen (2013). Emphysema is a type of chronic lung disease. It normally causes people to have breathing difficulties due to blowing out air being limited and majorly affects people between the ages of 45 and 60 (NIH, 2014). It is estimated that over 10 million people in America are likely to have emphysema with 2011 having had 4.7 million Americans diagnosed with the condition according to statistics from the American Lung Association (2013). Historically, men exhibit higher prevalence for emphysema than women, though the past five years has seen the prevalence in women increase by 63% while prevalence among men has decreased by 6%. Together with bronchitis, emphysema is ranked fourth among the leading causes of death in America, killing abou t 16,242 people every year. The pathogenesis of emphysema largely remains unclear. However, it has been generally accepted that emphysema occurs when delicate linings of air sacs which occur in the lungs get irreversibly damaged. It involves the inflammatory changes that occur in small airways accompanied by loss of small vessels and alveolar septal structures. This, according to NIH (2014), occurs due to gradual destruction of air sacs in the lungs making the patient slowly deprived of breath. There is also the postulate by Nici and ZuWallack (2012) that emphysema results from protease-antiprotease imbalance. For proper maintenance of lungs, there needs to be a delicate balance in the activity of protease and antiprotease. Interference with this balance results to lungs being destroyed or inappropriately repaired, eventually leading to emphysema. Additionally, the destruction of elastin fragments resulting