Lord of the Flies by William Golding - 2631 Words

The English novelist William Golding often reflects on the common theme of man’s savagery and inability to avoid one’s evil and primitive nature. Man often tries to avoid this return to a basic state just like the boys in Lord of the Flies: â€Å"Weve got to have rules and obey them. After all, were not savages. Were English, and the English are best at everything† (40). One cannot escape the inevitable however as seen in Golding’s next novel, The Inheritors: â€Å"They killed Nil and threw her into the water. And the old woman. They have taken Liku and the new one† (114). Here, the Neanderthals in this story reflect on the violent and primeval deaths of innocent people, illustrating the savagery the newcomers exhibit. Golding’s final novel, Pincher Martin again proves man’s inability to resist his downfall: Which one do you think would suit Christopher? (16). Here the mask in question symbolizes greed, another contributing factor to h umanity’s degeneration. Mans destined rise to power or ultimate achievement of virtue, combined with the inescapable fall from grace is a significant aspect of many of Golding’s works. He proves repeatedly there is actually a hidden darkness residing within us all. His comparisons with Biblical figures paint a perfect canvas illustrating this predetermined downfall. Through his writings, Golding symbolizes the ultimate decline of human decency in different manners, ranging from a description of man in his most primitive state to the internalShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies By William Golding869 Words   |  4 PagesLord of the Flies Psychology Sometimes people wear fake personas like a cloak over their shoulders, used to hide what is really underneath. This harsh reality is witnessed in William Golding’s classic Lord of the Flies, a novel that is famous for not only its sickening plot, but also for the emotional breakdowns all of its characters experience. These issues are akin to those shown in certain real-world psychological experiments. A summary of Golding’s Lord of the Flies, combined with the evidenceRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies By William Golding1347 Words   |  6 Pages The theme of The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, is the reason society is flawed is because people are flawed. Although Piggy is knowledgeable, he has many flaws including his laziness and physical inabilities. Ralph is an authority seeker. He sets rules and laws, yet does little to enforce them. Ralph wants to be the ruler, without doing the work to enforce his laws. Jack is persistent. He is rude, harsh and violent in or der to get what he wants. He wants to be supreme. Piggy’s flaws areRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1123 Words   |  5 PagesIn the novel Lord of The Flies by William Golding, the characters Ralph, Piggy, and Jack represent important World War II leaders Franklin Roosevelt, Adolf Hitler, and Winston Churchill. Golding, who had served in World War II, was well aware of the savagery created, and used it to base his book on. Ralph represents Franklin Roosevelt , Jack represents Adolf Hitler, and Piggy represents Winston Churchill. Ralph being of the novel’s main protagonist is important in the outcome of the story becauseRead MoreThe Lord Of The Flies By William Golding1065 Words   |  5 PagesThe Lord of the Flies Essay The Lord of the Flies written by William Golding and published on September 17, 1954 is a story told about a group of stranded boys and their fight for survival against the wilderness and themselves. In this story many signs of symbolism are used by Golding to point out certain aspects of society that Golding thought strongly of. This story on first read may just seem to be a survival- esque piece of literature but, on a deeper look one can find Golding’s true motiveRead MoreLord of The Flies by William Golding619 Words   |  2 PagesGovernments are no different; they fight for power just like the rest of us do. They just do it on a much bigger scale. Qualities from Oligarchy, Totalitarianism, Democracy, Dictatorship, and Anarchy governments are used in several parts of Lord of The Flies that represent different characters and different situations. An Oligarchy is a small group of people having control of a country or organization. A Totalitarianism government is a form of government that permits no individual freedom and thatRead MoreThe Lord of the Flies by William Golding1306 Words   |  5 PagesIn The Lord of the Flies, William Golding creates a microcosm that appears to be a utopia after he discharged from the British Royal Navy following World War II. After an emergency landing, Golding places a diverse group of boys on the island that soon turns out to be anything but utopia. The island the boys are on turns out to be an allegorical dystopia with inadequate conditions (Bryfonski 22). The boys reject all lessons they learned from their prior British society, and they turn towards theirRead MoreLord of the Flies by William Golding932 Words   |  4 Pagesdiscussing two particular themes from a novel called Lord of the Flies by William Golding. Lord of the Flies was written in 1954 after World War II. Ruler of the Flies is a purposeful anecdote about something that many readers can’t really describe. Individuals cant choose precisely what. Its either about the inalienable underhanded of man, or mental battle, or religion, or personal inclination, or the creators emotions on war; however William Golding was in the Navy throughout World War II, or perhapsRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding1383 Words   |  6 PagesAccording to Lord of the Flies is still a Blueprint for Savagery by Eleanor Learmonth and Jenny Tabakoff, the words â€Å"I’m afraid. Of us† first appeared in Golding’s novel 60 years ago. Lord of the Flies by William Golding follows a group of schoolboys trapped on an island after a plane crash during a world war. At the beginning, they celebrate as the y have total autonomy as there are no adults around. They attempt to establish a civilization but when order collapses, they go on a journey from civilizationRead MoreLord of the Flies, by William Golding1055 Words   |  5 Pages In William Goldings Lord of the Flies a group of English school boys crash land onto an uninhabited island somewhere in the Mid Atlantic ocean. Ralph, the protagonist and also the elected leader, tries to maintain peace and avoid any calamity on the island. However, Jack is neither willing to contribute nor listen because he is jealous of Ralph and has a sickening obsession with killing boars. Ralph has some good traits that help him maintain peace and balance for a period of time. He is charismaticRead MoreLord Of The Flies By William Golding Essay1475 Words   |  6 Pages Outline Introduction Short intro for Lord of the Flies Short intro on Gangs The bullying and group mentality demonstrated in gangs has resemblances to the characters in Lord of the Flies. II. Bullying/Group mentality Gangs Drugs/Loyalty B. Lord of the flies Jack kills the pig/Jack and Ralph fight III. Effects B. Lord of the flies Jack killing the pig aftermath Violence IV. Conclusion Gangs are considered a group of people that have a common link together

Nutrition is Right for Everyone Essays - 1391 Words

Food is a necessary part of life. Animals, plants and other organisms take in food substances and process the nutrients within their bodies. Without food humans lose energy, concentration, and control of their bodies. While plants don’t have many options when it comes to food, humans have so many options that it is sometimes hard to make good healthy decisions when it comes to nutrition. In order to receive proper nutrition, it is important for children to receive three healthy and balanced meals a day. While most parents insist upon their child eating breakfast in the morning and a healthy dinner at night, parents cannot control what their child eats at school. There are so many choices in school cafeterias that some children may†¦show more content†¦Some schools do accept parent volunteers to be cafeteria aids, but these volunteers are so busy making sure the kids don’t taunt each other or make a mess with their food that there is little time to actuall y see what the kids are eating. Lunch periods are very short and kids are ushered through the lunch lines as quickly as possible. It is very difficult to make healthy choices when there is so little time to think about what one is putting on their plate. This pertains to junk food, but it also pertains to the regular entrà ©e. When given the choice between to green things, jell-o and broccoli, a child won’t consider which item is better for them. They will just grab the first one that they set their eyes on. Treats that are not part of the school meal may tempt some children, but they don’t tempt all children. An article in Mothering magazine states that, â€Å"Many adults assume that kids prefer junk food to healthy food† (Andre, 31). However, researchers disagree. A recent study performed at Harvard School of Public Health reveals that children who were served a standard school lunch left more food on their plates than children who were fed nutritious lunches (Andre, 31). This study proves that children were more inclined to eat all of their balanced meals and cared less about wasting their traditional school meals. Children can notice the difference between fresh foods and precooked or reheated meals. Nutritious hot lunches areShow MoreRelatedThe Basics of Nutrition1764 Words   |  7 PagesRunning Head: GETTING TO THE BASICS Nutrition Health Nutrition is the study of the processes involved in the acquisition of substances, called nutrients, needed by a living organism to survive and grow (Healia, 2009). The body of the organism cannot produce these nutrients on its own and must thus be ingested from outside sources in sufficient amounts. Essential nutrients must be ingested on a daily basis from the diet so that the body can perform normal functions on a daily basis. They areRead MoreWork Experience Research Paper914 Words   |  4 PagesWhat prior work experience do you have in this field? After I graduated in 2007, I went right into child nutrition, so I did a lot with WIC (a federally operated Women, Infants and Children program) and I also did consulting as well, specifically for children with autism. I did different meal planning and things like that, but my whole career pretty much has been child nutrition, and that is what my passion is. What made you say yes to taking a job in Blythe? It was fortunate accident--- I wasRead MoreThe National Lunch Program1342 Words   |  6 Pagesabout school lunches may not know the facts and the guidelines that food and nutrition departments need to follow when cooking for students. Thus, it is important that the lunches served to students are nutritious and healthy for them so that they can perform their best in class and are able to grow to be healthy adults. School lunches that follow the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) guidelines encourage proper nutrition for students because they contain numerous fruits and vegetables, whole grainsRead MoreHuman Rights And Social Justice1735 Words   |  7 PagesAmerica,† 2016). This makes the job of social workers difficult because it is very devastating to watch children go hungry. In our group presentation, the main topic we chose that relates to human rights and social justice is, child hunger, my paper will be focused on the contributions I presented. Human rights/ social justice issue: As developing social work professionals, the National Association of Social Workers (2016) discusses that; we are established through social change in order to ensure thatRead MoreThe Proper Nutrition1699 Words   |  7 PagesThe Proper Nutrition Many people across the globe are fascinated by showy commercials about losing weight. Often, these commercials guarantee that their customers will lose up to ten pounds in less than a week from using a fancy gizmo gadget workout machine. Some offer their viewers a diet plan that consists of little foods that make most people binge by the end of the program. The viewers are drawn to these commercials because they’ll believe what anyone says on television, and most of the timeRead MoreAmericans Are Expecting More From Everything, Whether It1199 Words   |  5 Pagesbegin tackling the obesity problem in America, we must educate everyone on the proper nutrition and healthy food choices. The United States Department of Agriculture has revised the food pyramid in 2011 and replaced it with the MyPlate initiative (United State Department of Agriculture, 2011). The MyPlate program allows you to input your age, weight, height, gender together with physical activity level to design a food program that is right for your BMI to support your current weight. It not only breaksRead MorePublic Health Nutrition ( Phn )1700 Words   |  7 PagesPublic health Nutrition (PHN) is the promotion and maintenance of nutrition related to health and well-being of populations via the organised efforts and informed choices of society (Hughes et al, 2012). Public health nutrition focuses on solving nutrition related problems, however focusing on developing interventions in the population; it also draws upon the principles of health promotion (Caraher and Coveney, 2004). Landman, Buttriss and Margetts (1998) outlines public health nutrition in focusingRead MoreThe Nutrition Improvement Of Childhood Obesity And China, Calls For Quick And Effective Interventions Essay1436 Words   |  6 Pagesto improve dietary patterns in children’s lives. The Chinese government has decided to take action and started by changing policies and creating programs that can tackle this disease. In the Nutrition Improvement Work manager approach approved by the Chinese government, nutrition interventions include nutrition education, and guidance (Huijun Fengying, 2013). In 2009, National fitness model regulations increased the physical activity in the country (Huijun Fengying, 2013). Government programsRead MoreNutrition For Kids : Nutrition1704 Words   |  7 Pagesbody weight or 2-3 liters per day† (healthyeating.sfgate.com). Good nutrition means getting the right amount of nutrients from healthy foods in the right combinations. Knowing about nutrition and making smart choices about the foods you eat can help you achieve good health. Good health avoids obesity and a great number of illnesses. Nutrition for Kids Nutrition is very important for everyone, but especially for kids. Nutrition is directly linked to all aspects of their growth and development. ItRead MoreThe Chemical Building Blocks And Nutrition1274 Words   |  6 Pagesthe most is the chemical building blocks and nutrition. Nutrition can be defined as nourishment and the process of selecting, preparing foods and getting those foods into our bodies then use them as raw materials for growth and development, vitamins, minerals and fuel for energy that would keep our bodies functioning in a proper way. Chemical building blocks of life are basic components for natural and organic synthesis that are necessary in our nutrition. They can be identified as chemical groups

Night Creature Blue Moon Chapter 29 Free Essays

string(19) " out of the woods\." As I was leaving, a pile of books on the counter caught my eye. Since they were the shape and size of textbooks and Tina did not strike me as the textbook type, I was curious. College algebra, biology, and intro to Indian studies. We will write a custom essay sample on Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 29 or any similar topic only for you Order Now Before I even opened her notebook and peeked at the course list, I knew. Tina had been in Cadotte’s class. How was that for a coincidence? I spent the rest of my shift driving around, handling the usual. Speeding, reckless driving, bloody bar fight – all in a night’s work. I could deal with them in my sleep, which was lucky, since I was pretty damn distracted. Memories swirled though my mind, little things and big, followed by questions. By the time I got off and went home, I was a mess. Had I been screwing a werewolf? Thank goodness we’d used protection. I certainly didn’t want any puppies – or would that be cubs? On my way up the stairs to my apartment I started to giggle; then I couldn’t stop. I passed my landlord, Mr. Murphy. Still snickering, I nodded in lieu of hello. â€Å"What’s so funny?† He smiled along with me. â€Å"Puppies,† I managed between desperate attempts to catch my breath. His smile disappeared immediately. â€Å"You know there are no dogs allowed in this building.† I couldn’t help it; I erupted with laughter. Waving good-bye, I escaped into my apartment. This was all just too ridiculous. Once inside, however, I sobered. As much as I hated the concept of woo-woo, I couldn’t deny that something weird was going on in Miniwa. Only fools ignored the evidence, and I liked to think of myself as one step above a fool, at the very least. I sat down and listed all that I knew to be true. Karen Larson bitten by a wolf. Loses her mind and rips out the throat of her principal. Despite her having her brains blown out, both she and the principal disappear. The evidence gathered from the scene of the Larson accident vanishes from the evidence room of the Miniwa police station. Someone breaks into Cadotte’s office and ransacks the place, taking nothing. Mel Gerard bitten. Rabies vaccine administered. Dies of as yet undetermined causes, with strange changes in the body. Tina Wilson turns up missing. But the key to her apartment is found next to a wolf bonfire in the woods. I watch the shadow of a man become the shadow of a wolf on the wall of a cave. Sitting back, I chewed my lip and examined the evidence, none of which made much sense. However, when I combined facts and fantasy a clearer picture emerged. Obviously Clyde had not used silver on Karen Larson. Hence her ability and that of her principal to get up and walk out of the morgue. Or perhaps her change had merely been delayed as Mandenauer had predicted and she’d run out of the place on all fours. The disappearance of the evidence from the police station indicated the involvement of the department. But who? The ransacking of Cadotte’s office led me to believe someone had been searching for the totem. But why had they been searching there? Again, police involvement was indicated – unless someone was following me. Also a possibility. If I believed Mandenauer’s claim that the rabies vaccine had killed Mel, then there could be something to his theory of lycanthropy. If Mel had had rabies, he should have been cured, not killed. If I believed Mandenauer that far, why not go the entire way and buy into a Nazi werewolf army? I wouldn’t put it past them. So who was a werewolf and who wasn’t? It was impossible to tell, unless I shot everyone with silver. I wasn’t willing to do that. Yet. Sunlight filled the room. I should be in bed, but 1 wasn’t the least bit tired. I got out of my uniform and into my swimming suit. Then I tossed what passed as a purse for me – a small plastic makeup case sans makeup, with just enough room for a few personal necessities, my keys and my ID – into a gym bag along with a towel, some water, my gun of course, the totem – I wasn’t letting the thing out of my sight – and headed for my pond. I needed the exercise. I needed the release. I needed the peace of my own special place just to think. Theoretically I should be safe – it was broad daylight. Half an hour later as I swam back and forth, back and forth, across the pond I pondered some more. Who could I trust? Mandenauer said no one, but he could be nuts for all I knew. I certainly didn’t trust him. No more than I trusted Cadotte. Closing my eyes, I remembered the big, sleek black wolf I’d encountered the first night I’d hunted with Man-denauer. The way the animal had moved reminded me of Cadotte. Or maybe it was the other way around. I swam until my head stopped spinning, pushing myself until all I could think about was the next stroke, the next kick. The sun was warm first on my back, then on my face. Peace settled into my soul. This was what I had come here for. When I couldn’t drag myself any farther, I crawled out of the water and sat on the bank, trailing my toes along the surface. The sounds of nature surrounded me – bees buzzing, birds twittering. A frog splashed into the pond on the far side. A fish flipped its tail in the center. I rooted around in my bag for my water, tilted my head, drank. And the forest went silent. I swallowed what was left in my mouth, but my tongue was still dry. I lowered my head, and my eyes scanned the tree line just as he stepped out of the woods. You read "Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 29" in category "Essay examples" He was as naked as he’d been the first time I’d seen him. As he walked across the meadow separating us, the birds started to sing again. A crow swooped nearly down to his head, then up to the treetops. He didn’t notice. His gaze was focused on me. I watched him walk and was reminded again of the wolf. Loose hips, long strides. I frowned with a sudden memory. His hip. The night I’d met him he’d had a nasty bruise there. Again I experienced the mythical click in my head of a puzzle piece. I’d forgotten about the bruise, since it bore no relationship to anything. Unless you considered a wolf could become a man. And what if that wolf had just been tapped by the bumper of a great big SUV? Would the man then bear the bruise? Keeping my eyes on Cadotte, I let my hand slide over to my gun. He stopped several feet away. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked. â€Å"Don’t you want to see me?† â€Å"I’m seeing quite a bit of you. Where’re your clothes?† He glanced down, blinked as if he was as surprised to see all of him as I was. â€Å"I was working out.† â€Å"You work out in the buff?† â€Å"Don’t you?† I swept my free hand down my body to indicate my perfectly modest one-piece swimming suit. â€Å"Obviously not.† He shrugged. â€Å"I was practicing my tai chi.† The ripple of lean muscle beneath his skin, the shine of the sun across his belly, his shoulders, his hair, was making me forget I should probably shoot him. â€Å"Was that what you were doing the night we met?† â€Å"Of course.† How convenient. Too bad I wasn’t buying it. â€Å"You were practicing at four in the morning?† â€Å"I couldn’t sleep.† Because he’d been chasing – something – through the woods and been hit by a car. â€Å"How did you know where I was?† â€Å"I didn’t. I called.† He looked away as if embarrassed. â€Å"All your numbers. When you didn’t answer I thought you might be here. So I walked over.† I glanced at the trees, gauged the direction and distance. â€Å"You walked five miles naked?† â€Å"For you I’d walk a hundred.† I snorted. He was acting strange – too nervous and shy for Ca-dotte. What was the matter with him? Was I right in my assumption? And if so, what was I going to do about it? He didn’t give me a chance to think. Suddenly he was moving toward me and my gun was pointed at his chest. He froze, lifted his eyes from the barrel to my face. â€Å"Jessie?† â€Å"Are you a werewolf, Cadotte?† His eyes widened. He was either very good at feigning surprise or truly surprised. â€Å"Yesterday you called me insane for suggesting there were such things in the world. Today you accuse me of being one. Tough day at the office, dear?† Now that was more like him. I smiled. â€Å"You have no idea.† â€Å"Want to tell me about it?† â€Å"Want to answer my question?† â€Å"Why in hell would I tell you about them if I were one of them?† â€Å"That’s not an answer. That’s another question.† Cadotte and Mandenauer had more in common than I would have thought. He sighed, â€Å"I am not a werewolf.† â€Å"Like you’d tell me if you were.† â€Å"Good point.† He flicked a finger at the gun. â€Å"Now what?† â€Å"I could shoot you and see if you die.† â€Å"I’ll take Door Number Two.† I wanted to laugh. I wanted to put down the gun and make love in the sun. I wanted to believe that the only man who’d ever made me scream and writhe and want him over and over and over again wasn’t a werewolf – so I did. He must have seen surrender in my face, because he began to walk toward me again. I lowered the gun. He threw back his head, howled like a wolf, and charged. I was so shocked I just sat there, expecting to die. He did a cannonball into the pond and drenched me. I waited for his head to surface. Instead, something wound around my ankle and yanked. My shriek became a gurgle as I sucked pond water. He could have drowned me. He could have done anything and I couldn’t have stopped him. My gun was on the bank. I was at his mercy. I didn’t mind. Before we even surfaced his mouth was on mine, the heat a contrast to the coolness of the water. His tongue tickled my lips. We broke past the surface and into the sun. I tore my mouth free and breathed deeply. He took the opportunity to run his lips down my neck and lick the water from the tops of my breasts. Near the middle he could stand; I could not. But he held my head above water with his hands at my waist. â€Å"What’s with the howl?† I demanded. â€Å"Wolf clan.† He shrugged. â€Å"I do it sometimes for fun.† â€Å"Fun. Right.† His idea of fun and mine were worlds apart. â€Å"Do you ever swim in the nude?† he asked. â€Å"Never.† â€Å"Wanna try?† He didn’t give me a chance to answer, just slipped the straps off my shoulders and yanked. The suit stuck at my hips. â€Å"Not as easy as it looks, huh?† He shrugged and gave another mighty tug. Suddenly my swimming suit was gone. Really gone. â€Å"Hey! Give that back!† â€Å"Sorry, lost it.† I blinked. â€Å"You mean – â€Å" â€Å"Yep. Bottom of the pond. Good riddance.† â€Å"That’s my favorite suit.† â€Å"No offense, but it’s butt ugly.† â€Å"That’s because my butt’s ugly. The suit covered it nicely.† His hands slid from my hips to my ass. â€Å"Your butt isn’t ugly. There isn’t anything ugly about you. I’m going to buy you a new suit. One that suits you.† He smiled. â€Å"I’m glad you amuse yourself.† â€Å"Me, too.† He lifted, then plunged into me in one smooth thrust. I squeaked in surprise and clutched his shoulders. â€Å"Wait, wait.† But he was rocking against me, not pulling out, just rocking. Slow, deep, pushing against a part of me so rarely touched before. There was something I had to do, but I couldn’t think. â€Å"That’s it,† he murmured against my breasts. Soft kisses, gentle licks, and a tiny, soft nibble on the nipple. â€Å"That’s it.† â€Å"Puppies,† I muttered, and shoved him away with all my strength. I had no delusions that he couldn’t keep me right where he wanted me. He was stronger than I was. But he let me go. â€Å"Puppies? Is that some new form of curse word?† â€Å"Uh. Yeah. I’m trying to cut down.† He reached for me again and I slid out of his reach. â€Å"What’s the matter, Jessie? You can’t actually think I’m a werewolf. You don’t believe in them, remember?† He was right. I didn’t believe in woo-woo. There was another explanation for all that had happened, everything I’d seen. If I kept on searching, I’d find it. The world was black-and-white. Had to be. I didn’t know how to deal with it any other way. While I’d been thinking, he’d gotten close again. Damn, he was fast – by land and by sea. His hand slid around my waist and he pulled me to him. â€Å"Talk to me.† He nuzzled my neck, took a bit of my skin into his mouth, and sucked. His erection pressed against me. My legs widened, wrapped around his hips. Damn, I was doing it again. â€Å"Protection,† I managed. â€Å"I don’t have anything with me and I can bet you don’t, either.† He cursed and the word wasn’t puppies. Our foreheads touched as he sighed. â€Å"Sorry. I’ve never been irresponsible. Not once. But you make me crazy, Jessie. I see you and all I can think about is being inside of you.† As if to prove the point, his penis shifted and pulsed against me. I groaned. His hands clenched at my hips, and I tensed, prepared to get physical if he tried anything again without a condom. He’d never had sex without one, and neither had I, which took care of one worry. Puppies aside. Luckily all he did was lift me out of the water and onto the bank. The slight breeze played along my wet, naked skin and I shivered. I groped for my towel, but his hand wrapped around my wrist. â€Å"Not yet.† His fingers tightened. He wasn’t hurting me, but I let the towel go. I sat on the bank. He stood in the water. His mouth was level with my hips, which gave me an interesting idea. â€Å"Lie back,† he murmured. Huh, great minds do think alike. How to cite Night Creature: Blue Moon Chapter 29, Essay examples

Prime Duty of the Government Is to Serve free essay sample

The dining area is more than just an area to place the  tables and chair. It should be inviting, warm and cozy, a place where the family enjoys sitting together. Think back to your childhood. Chances are, mealtimes stand out in your memory. The family sits together, eats, and talks. If you dont want everyone to just eat and run, strive to make this place as inviting as possible. Here are some tips. Seating All too often we come across sleek  dining room chairs  with little or no padding.Although these may look good depending on the rest of the decor, they are not the most comfortable. If you like to linger over a meal with your loved ones, ensure that the seats are as comfortable as can be, with plenty of padding. If the dining table is placed in the corner of a room, consider placing sofa-bench style seating on the wall-side of the table. We will write a custom essay sample on Prime Duty of the Government Is to Serve or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You could have comfortable chairs on the other side. Candles Eat by candlelight! You dont need to spend a fortune replenishing candles. Take a tall glass, fill it up with water, and float a tea-light on the top.Light this every night. A single tea-light burns for around four hours, so it should last you three or four nights. You could lower the lights and truly enjoy the experience and reduce electricity costs. Place a  dimmer  switch on the lights. Keep a tall candlestand on the center of the table to hold straight, elegant candles. Light these when entertaining. Flowers A vase of flowers looks charming. Ensure it doesnt occupy too much space, and you dont need to remove it when serving the food or when seated at the table.Also, remember that the flowers should not prevent people on the table from seeing each other. Tablecloth Stay clear from  plastic tablecloths, no matter how practical they are! If your children spill when they eat and want to avoid staining wooden polish, invest in a table with a  glass tabletop. Alternatively, use a regular cloth tablecloth. Anything simple, which you can subject to regular wear and tear, will do. Keep the fancy tablecloths for entertaining. When purchasing tableware, dont pick up anything that catches your fancy.Try to co-ordinate the items. This is easy to ensure when you are decorating your home from scratch. If you already have a crockery set that you use on a daily basis, pick up a couple of tablecloths to match this crockery. Pick up a separate tablecloth to go with your expensive crockery that you plan to use only when entertaining. In any case, whether to use a tablecloth or not is entirely up to you. If you table is very attractive by itself, skip the tablecloth entirely. But if your table is stained or otherwise in poor condition, cover it up.Mats Always use  placemats  though. A table is not completely set without mats. If you are using  cloth napkins, it is a good idea to starch them. Sideboard If you have the space in your dining room, invest in a sideboard. You can store your crockery, cutlery,  placemats, napkins and tablecloths here, so when you are  setting the table, everything will be easily within reach. In addition, you can always keep valuable crockery, like silverware, in your sideboard under  lock and key.

Variations in the skeletal systems of two early ty Essays

Variations in the skeletal systems of two early types of human are illustrated in this diagram. To begin with the upper half of the body, australopithecus afarensis had a much broader chest and waist than homo erectus, giving it a rounder appearance. The former had much longer arms and larger hands, which would have been useful for climbing trees. As for the lower half of the body, we can see that homo erectus had proportionately longer legs and larger hip, knee and ankle joints. The feet of homo erectus were also smaller and more arched, with shorter toes. These differences meant that homo erectus was better suited to long-distance running . Overall, australopithecus afarensis had a heavier body and much longer arms, while homo erectus was slimmer and had more developed joints. In conclusion, we can see significant changes in the development of early humans from the diagram. Homo erectus is more similar to contemporary human beings with its long legs and arched feet. The physical differences are clearly related to differences in the lifestyles of tree climbers and endurance runners.

To what extent did the American publics reaction to the Vie essays

To what extent did the American publics reaction to the Vie essays To what extent did the American publics reaction to the Vietnam War shape its course? It is the course of the war that shaped the American peoples reaction and not the reaction of the American people that affected the course of the war. American publics reaction may have played a small part in shaping the course of the war, as the president could not escalate without public support. Increasing criticism within the administration and congress it self, anti war reports of the media and the cost of the war were all issues that caused the anti war feeling. However all these issues were generated from the war itself. The Tet Offensive and the My Lai Massacre amongst many other events showed to everyone back at home, the point where things start to go wrong in a war(Michael Herr). The weaknesses of the Americans in the Vietnam War greatly contributed to their failure. These failures were gradually shaping the course of the war and thus the growth of anti war feeling in the administration and the congress and the general public who saw number of dead soldiers being brought back. Therefore it was not just the publics reaction that shaped the course of the war. The Vietnam War itself was enough proof that was needed to show that the war wasnt going well as the Americans had hoped. The Tet Offensive that occurred in January 1968 had shown that US intelligence officials had failed to notice clear warnings. It had also decreased their confidence. This event occurred on the Tet festival that is the equivalent of Christmas, New Year and Easter. It is when Hanoi launched an unprecedented offensive against South Vietnam (Vivienne Sanders). The aim of this was to cause the collapse of Saigon government. The attack came very unexpectedly, shocking Saigon, Washington and the US public. Communists seemed to move with such impunity and so effectively that it took 11,000 American and ARVN troops thr...

The Role of Religious Beliefs in Promoting Social Conflict and War Research Paper

The Role of Religious Beliefs in Promoting Social Conflict and War - Research Paper Example The paper at hand analyzes how it happens and what often results in social conflicts as well as wars. Few religions or other such systems of beliefs cling on to their creeds and â€Å"dogmas,† without the slightest â€Å"compromise† with anything or anyone (Brahm n.pag). Religious dogmas play a major role in promoting conflicts. Almost every â€Å"religion† has different elements of â€Å"faith† systems which are meant to be â€Å"accepted† by its people, no matter what. Therefore, these people always tend to have an â€Å"extremist† approach and this acts as the root cause to all the problems (Brahm). According to Brahm, such type of people hold their religious views as the supreme one and have no respect for another religion or other people and this often â€Å"contributes† in arousing antagonism. Eric Brahm further says that this â€Å"escalates† the conflicts and brings in harmful consequences for all. The measures of â€Å"evangelism† with wrong approaches entail â€Å"conflicts† and persecutions. â€Å"Reli gious nationalism† is another element which one should not overlook (Brahm). Here, the national issues are articulated with the religion of the nation, which will entail in negative impacts more than positive ones (Brahm). Communalism is closely attached to this view. Communalism is a phenomenon, which comprises of various extremist approaches that are harmful both for the society as well as people. The every day havocs caused by communalism are evident from the news all around the world, where people follow communalism. Communalists say that a specific religious group have commonality with respect to their other socio-political needs too. This further creates sects and religion thus creates division among people. Such divisions, to a certain extent are considered good, as is the case for providing an identity for different people. However, when the identity issue crosses its bounds, antagonism rises and all types of complexities start to originate.

Recession and Depression Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Recession and Depression - Term Paper Example In times of recession, gross domestic product is negative and this is accompanied by a decrease in investment, and an increase in rates of unemployment (Schumpeter,1939). Recession normally occurs for a short period of time. Hansen (1941) noted that high rates of unemployment are witnessed during recession. His argument is that during this period, a large proportion of the population is unable to secure jobs. The reason behind this is a decline in profits made by firms and this hinders expansion thus fewer job opportunities. As a result, there are low living standards and individuals are faced with difficulties when it comes to catering for their basic needs. Poor standards of living are in most cases witnessed by those who depend on wages and salaries. Lack of employment cause insecurity and this discourages investors from risking their money by investing in any kind of a business. Due to the high rates of inflation during recession, there is reduction in investments. This is primar ily because firms fear to set up investments because of the depreciating value of the currency. In the earlier stages of recession, there is a fall in productivity then productivity will increase as firms that are weaker close. Low investments by business firms mean a reduction in the amount of revenue from taxation of the businesses and individuals who could have been employed by investors. Government income will therefore reduce remarkably and there will be fewer funds to cater for the government expenditure. High interest rates during recession serve to discourage borrowing from banks. This will reduce the amount of money in circulation; inflation will therefore reduce. Recession causes a decline in the gross domestic product and this results to a decline in exports since the amount of goods being produced in the country is low. Recession erodes the confidence of consumers reducing the consumption rate. As a result, the recovery period will be lengthened. This occurs during sever e recession periods. There are also increased individual and corporate debts. The prices of assets such as homes and financial assets also reduce significantly. There is an increase in the amount of government debts during recession. This is caused by a reduction in the amount of government revenue from taxation. Recession forces governments to borrow money from lending agencies such as the international monetary fund. The amounts of funds being generated from within the country are not sufficient to finance the activities of government institutions. Low productivity during the early stages of inflation will cause a reduction in the amount of products that are available for supply. This will lead to high demand for products and therefore prices will go up. Consumers will be forced to spend an extra amount of money to purchase goods. High prices may lead to inability to afford necessities. Business people will hoard goods causing scarcity of commodities in the market. In times of rec ession, there is high prevalence of inflation and as a result people will reduce the amount of money they spend on leisure and they will start saving more money than they are use to saving. People are forced to increase their budgets and spend more on commodities due to the high cost of living. The end of recession is marked by a decline in the rates of unemployment. At the end of this

Laboratory Informstion System for Academic Medical Center Coursework

Laboratory Informstion System for Academic Medical Center - Coursework Example pag). Also, it is more convenient to use considering the speed and the volume of data available in the system (Robinson n. pag). Lastly, it facilitates more efficient project management: a single service provider gives more detailed, responsive, and coordinated action in times of system errors or even, in the regular maintenance of the system. B. An example of a fully integrated solution is the HNA Millenium  ®, a system built to automate electronic medical record, patient care ordering, review of resident orders, closed-loop medication management, health information management, and access management (Krishna 18). For its laboratory system component, it seeks to reduce the average turn-around time for laboratory and radiology reports (â€Å"The Gemini Project† 117). Diagnostic results are expected to be made available to the physician within seconds after verification. Another example of an integrated solution is Matrix’s Tafnit ERP system, a comprehensive solution fo r laboratory functions. It installs the â€Å"Autolab† LIS that is used to issue referrals and obtain data for billing (â€Å"Assuta Medical Centers† n. pag). ... pag). Scenario 2 Detailed Requirements Document i. Stakeholders The most essential initiative in an organization is to provide the needs of its stakeholders--for without them [stakeholders], an organization works as good as nothing. Incorporating radiology images into the Personal Health Record System would further advance this initiative and is expected to benefit various stakeholders. Below is the list of the prospective stakeholders with their corresponding needs: 1. Patients- More than anyone else, they are the ones who would want timely and easy access to services. Remarkably, patients today have low levels of tolerance for delayed or lost reports and films. Patients’ minimum expectation [that needs to be served] is to receive quickly generated, readily available, and reliable radiological reports (Thrall). 2. Referring physicians- As much as possible, physicians would like to have timely access to patient information. For decades, film handling and delivery systems for h ard-copy reports have frustrated physicians because of these systems’ inefficiency and poor reliability (Thrall). 3. Hospitals- Primarily confronted with severe cost-cutting pressures, hospitals seek to find cost-cutting measures: lowering the average lengths of stay, cutting the length of care-process cycle, as well as eliminating some unnecessary inpatient days. Interestingly, hospitals are eyeing on the radiology department to achieve the aforementioned objectives (Thrall). 4. Radiologists- Similar to physicians, these key stakeholders are also confronted with unreliable and inefficient hard-copy film management systems. A more improved infrastructure for practice-support and implementation of systems is vital for their tasks (Thrall). ii.

Foundations For Safeguarding Children Children And Young People Essay

Foundations For Safeguarding Children Children And Young People Essay In this assignment I will cover what safe guarding means and what legislations have been put into place to support children young people and families. I will also discuss the different types of abuse that children can be affected by. I will also relate to different theories that are linked to child abuse. Safeguarding children legislation and procedures was put into place to avoid child abuse. . Safeguarding is a multi-disciplinary team that work together to reduce the risk of children who dont receive basic child protection, safeguarding aims to prevent the lack of childrens health and development.it also safeguards children from maltreatment and ensures children have a safe, effective environment at home. The safeguarding legislation was bought into place in order to protect children from getting abused. The legislation protects children from the following, Protecting children from mistreatment Preventing impairment of childrens health and development Ensures children are growing up in conditions with provision of safe an effective care. The following means that every child should have the above in order for them fulfil everything they want. On the other hand not all children have the opportunity as they get abused and neglected. 16% of children (1 in 6) experience serious maltreatment by parents, of whom one third experience more than one type of maltreatment. Cawson (2002). This quote shows that not all children have a good life as they are mistreated by parents. There are numerous types of child abuse physical, emotional, sexual and neglect. Physical harm is when an adult intentionally harms a child is physical abuse. This can include hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, and slapping. Emotional abuse takes place through verbal cruelty for example continuous verbal attacks sexual abuse is when a child is forced in sexual activity they may not want do. The Persistent failure to meet a childs basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the childs health or development. Neglect is when the childs needs are not met for example adequate foods, water, shelter. If these needs are not persistently met children are being neglected. Abraham Maslow also states that the physiological needs to be met in order for a child to move to the next stage of the hierarchy. Child abuse is seen differently within the broad frame work there are different types of action, or inactions that could be measured abusive in their consequences for children. What others may consider as child abuse you may not consider as abuse. Children with repeated, hard to explain, injuries can be affected very seriously. The impact it has on children can be physical, psychological, behavioural and societal consequences. For example damage to a childs growing brain, can obligate to psychological effects such as cognitive delays and emotional difficulties. Child abuse affects a child in many ways as it has a major affect in their life and results in affecting their emotional feelings. There are many theories that link to why child abuse or neglect could take place in a childs life. One of the theories which could link to child abuse could be attachment this is where the child seeks attention from the mother the things this could involve would be crying, or any other way of attraction. Statistics show that Approximately 50,500 children in the UK are known to be at risk of abuse right now. This has been identified by the NSPCC. Research indicates that this is around 50,500 get neglected or abused. http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/statistics/prevalence_and_incidence_of_child_abuse_and_neglect_wda48740.html 10/11/2012 After the victoria climbe incident and baby p the government has put a lot of legislations in place in order for them to tackle child abuse, as child abuse has become very common. Below are a few of the legislations which i will look at in depth, Safeguarding Children 2008 Children Act 2004 Every Child Matters 2003 Common Assessment Framework 2006/7 Working Together To Safeguard Children 2007 These legislations are used by all practitioners to work together and ensure every child is safe and loved for. Safeguarding has to be met by all practitioners to prevent any child from abuse or neglect. On the other hand there is a difference between safe guarding as child protection. Child protection is when multi agencies are obligatory to keep the children when they are at harm and to safeguard them. The following people can take action school teachers, school nurse, if it is not an education setting then police, social services and other organisations such as the NSPCC can take responsibility. Safeguarding children is very important in all settings to ensure children are in a safe environment. When working with children all staff have to undertake a CRB check to guarantee that all staff have a clear history and have no offences. If CRB checks are not carried out children could be at risk. All schools have safeguarding procedures in place in order for all the children to be in a safe environment. The common assessment framework was introduced after Lord Laming was appointed in April 2001 to chair a self-governing constitutional Investigation into the circumstances leading to and surrounding the death of Victoria Climbià ©. Victoria had been physically ill-treated by her great aunt Victoria and suffered many injuries. The common assessment framework was put into place in order to assess all children and young people to support earlier intervention, to develop communication amongst practitioners. The reason why victorias case was not dealt with appropriately was because agencies were not working together. This would not result now as all agencies work together and work as multi-disciplinary teams. This will benefit practitioner as well as keep the child. On the other hand the CAF has its positives and negatives. As they share information it is easier for practitioners to resolve the problem quickly. The CAF is to be used for children who have additional needs in one or more of three areas: Their development and growth Extra learning requirements Family and environmental problems and any precise needs of the parent/ carer. Working together to safeguard children was also put in place after the death of victoria Climbià ©. This legislation focuses on all settings to work together to safeguard children. It also allows families and children to access services that are available to them if they need any help or support. ECM stands for Every Child Matters. Its a green paper which means that it is not yet legislation and hasnt become a white paper. The reason for ECM is to get rid of inequality and improve the life of children that arent well off. This green paper is a follow on from the paper that Laming produced after Victoria Climbies death. Cheminais (2008) writes that there are five outcomes for Every Child Matters. These are be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing. By being healthy the child should be physically, emotionally and mentally well. They should have a healthy was of living. An example of this would be eating healthy and exercising. It is not only the childs responsibility to keep themselves healthy but also their parents and anyone that works with them. Staying safe is about being safe from bullying or any harm and injury. This also means having a steady home environment. To enjoy and achieve is to have fun whilst learning and not be doing something that makes them feel uncomfortable, rather be doing something that makes them happy. Making a positive contribution is to be supportive of others but also to have your own opinions. To have confidence and have a positive attitude on the outlook of life. Economics is to do with finance and money. The child should be supported by parents and their home should not have a low income. The child should also be able to have access to good materials and be prepared to work and go in to higher education if they want. Throughout all these five outcomes the child should be supported and guided with the help of parents and other people that care for the child. However this puts more pressure on teachers as they have to take more responsibility. Some teachers do say that their job is to teach the children and not be another parent type figure to them. The role of the teacher is to realise when a child is uncomfortable and to find out why. To notice any abuse or neglect. Practitioners should work with other agencies and share information so that the issue at hand can be dealt with. Teachers must observe the way children play. Smith (2008, p50) writes about the signs of recognising child abuse and neglect. The signs can be the child using toys to act out sexual experiences, drawings of abuse, being afraid of a person or not wanting to go home. The child might develop aggressive behaviour or the opposite, hostile, withdrawn behaviour. They also might have bruising or unexplained injuries and when asked, the child might give a shaky answer or tell a lie. The parent may also lie when brought in to discuss the child. Disguised compliance is another way the parents might make the services and teachers think that things are getting better or are resolved. They will go along with what the authorities say and after a while return to how it was before. The parent or parents only do this as a way of putting up and act. There are techniques in which disclosures of abuse must be dealt with and responded to. Dare and ODonovan (2000) write that when a child discloses in you, you must be calm about it. You shouldnt be shocked or keep asking the child what happened. This will only make them not want to say anything. You must reassure them but also let them know that what they have told you cant be kept confidential. The named member of staff must be told about what has been disclosed in you. The practitioner must know how to record information and where it is kept. The practitioner must also keep in control of their emotions. They will have to deal with parents and the child. Kids First (2009, online) describe how to make a report when calling the social services. Basic details must be given such as the name, age and address of the child as well as their parent or guardians name. The state of the child, for example if any abuse has taken place and if there are injuries. Where the child is being kept whil e the report is being made and if possible say if any harmful substances or objects are being kept at the childs home or anything that could put the child at risk. The points that were in the introduction have been discusses as well as being expanded on. There have been references throughout from both books and online to support the points that were made in this assignment. References Safeguarding Online http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/caf parliament.uk. 2003. House of Commons. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmhealth/570/570.pdf. [Accessed 10 November 12]. Medical news today. 2012. What Is Child Abuse? What Is Child Neglect?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/241532.php. [Accessed 11 November 12]. Melinda Smith and Jeanne Segal,. 2012. HelpGuide. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm. [Accessed 07 November 12]. Neglect quote Books Damien Fitzgerald, (2007). Working Together in Childrens Services. 1 Edition. Routledge Jennie Lindon, (2003). Child Protection.2nd Edition. Hodder Education. Barbara Lindon, (2003). Contemporary Child Care Policy and Practice. Edition. Palgrave

Pollution Essay examples -- essays research papers

Pollution has become a major issue over the years because it contaminates the Earth’s environment and affects human health. While some environmental pollution is a result of natural causes such as volcanic eruptions, most is caused by human activities. The increase of various types of pollution has made cancer pollutant more prevalent among the people, raising the risk of getting cancer. After being exposed to theses pollutants, the effects may be immediate or delayed. Some of the delayed effects, due to the exposure, can go unnoticed for many years. Another major issue that pollution creates is the tremendous cost for preventing and cleaning it up. However, we can not regulate the pollutants to the extent where there are no more possible threats. The most we can do is to minimize the effects of the potential risks, which we may encounter as a society. We can approach this matter by conducting different types of test from animal studies and epidemiological studies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To regulate pollution, we first have to have an idea of what type of effects it will have on the general population and then determine the acceptable amount of exposure level. Since the specific risk here is that the individual will get cancer, after being exposed to a pollutant, possibly leading to their death, we have to consider a few factors such as age, sex, and their health status. Depending on how old the person is, if they are relatively young then he or she may not be affected by the pollutant because their immune system can probably fight off the pathogens. Gender can also make a difference, since males and females have different biological anatomies, thus the pollutant may be resistant to females but not the males or vice versa. Finally, the health status of a person also has to be considered. If a person is healthy and fit then maybe age might not matter and it will decrease their potential threat from the pollutant. After all of these factors are take n into account we have to regulate the carcinogenic pollutant and determine an acceptable level of risk. To determine what the effects are after an individual has been exposed to this pollutant and gets cancer, we can perform animals or epidemiological studies. Even though the animal studies will not be deterministic since we are not using human subjects to collect the data, it will give us an idea on how a... ... an acceptable exposure level; again this can not be done without some degree of subjectivity. As a result, I believe that an appropriate exposure level to cancer, due to this pollutant, should be one in a million. This is acceptable because every one person out of a million that is affected by this pollutant can get treated and cared for. By setting it at this level I think that there it would eliminate the shortage problems at hospital or at any care centers when providing treatments to the infected people. Thus, everyone who gets cancer from this pollutant will have the opportunity to take care of themselves and not have to worry about the lack of resources.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Everyone takes risk in particularly in everything they do. The best thing to do is minimize the effects of the risks as much as possible. The cancer causing pollutant in this case can be regulated by using some type of preventive measures. Without being oblivious about the moral issues, we have to set certain risks and exposure level of the pollutant. I set my risks and exposure level after determining several issues and came to conclusion after what I thought was the most optimal conditions.

Compare and Contrast the Presentation of Family Relationships Essay

‘Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit’ (OANTOF) by Jeanette Winterson, and ‘Behind the Scenes at the Museum’ (BTSATM) by Kate Atkinson both highlight the fundamentality of families and the dissatisfaction experienced between these seemingly strained relationships. Both protagonists of the two books feel a sense of unacceptance due to a variety of reasons involving suppression of desire – caused by family members; however this secret yearning also reveals itself through the characters experiences as the two novels progress. Both novels share one main theme – the quest for identity – not only for the main characters, but also for their mothers. Ruby Lennox, the protagonist of BTSATM is a quirky, complex character who relates the events of her life and those of her dysfunctional family with equal parts of humour and passion – starting with her conception in York, England, in 1959: â€Å"I exist! â€Å"(p. 9) Atkinson centres the novel on the idea of the conventional ‘nuclear family’, which is almost ahead of her time as this concept wasn’t in place at the time it was written, however she illustrates this through mother-daughter relationships and also explores this family unity first with her depiction of marriage. She presents this concept in generally unfavourable terms, her writing shows us how marriage has evolved from women in the Victorian era marrying for primarily social and economic reasons to the more liberated views of the 1960’s. Atkinson uses the character of Alice to provide an example of a lower middle-class woman in the 1800’s marrying for security thus no longer having to work, rather than love. Alice’s choice was simple in its restrictions: â€Å"to go on teaching (which she loathed) or accept Frederick’s offer of marriage† (p. 32) Her purpose of marriage thus becomes ironic: She marries believing she would escape the one thing she loathed, but thus traps herself in years of unhappiness with a man she does not even like; â€Å"not a day passes when Alice doesn’t imagine what life would be like if she hadn’t married Frederick Barker† (p. 33). Unmarried women are spinsters, therefore frowned upon by society. Neither Rachel, whose marriage to Fredericks was merely out of justification of acceptance in society, nor Alice, find any kind of fulfilment from their marriages to Frederick Barker as â€Å"a sullen drunk with an insatiable appetite for gambling† (p. 33) Similar experiences happen to the women of the next two generations. Nell’s fear of being a spinster encourages her to marry Frank, the only eligible man left after the war, and resigns herself to a similar life to that of Alice’s, one of dissatisfaction and ‘second best’. This settling for substandard simplicity rather than following dreams seems to become a prominent theme for the women of the book; this is thus reiterated with Bunty: She marries George after being abandoned by her fianci ; â€Å"She wasn’t entirely sure about this, but, with the war now drawing to a close, the possibilities were beginning to fade† (p. 108). Bunty’s marriage was thus, to the reader, predictable to fail as it follows the same unfulfilling course of antipathy and adultery as the previous generations. Both Nell and Bunty are pressured into marriage by social expectations of the time. It is only in the liberation of the1960’s, when Ruby’s generation begins to see love rather than social acceptance as the primary motive for marriage; this new idea ultimately highlights the fairy tale like quality of the new reasons behind matrimony. Ruby illustrates this illusive expectation of romanticism in marriage and how damaging these unrealistic expectations can be. Ruby marries â€Å"a beautiful boy with green eyes and black hair† (p. 335) However, these romantic ideas end in â€Å"some truly wretched years† (p. 358). Atkinson presents to us a picture of marriage through the ages that shows how a woman originally gave up her passions for a marriage of acceptance and convenience in society, to one of Ruby’s idea of true love, however ultimately all marriage is predetermined, and is thus harmful to all women – This is due to previous generations being so unsuccessful. This can be compared with Jeanette’s mother’s motivations for marriage in OANTOF as a way of progressing further in the church rather than love itself, however she secretly desires Pastor Spratt. The want for and lack of maternal love between Nell and Bunty leads on to the central point of the novel, the relationship between Bunty and her youngest daughter, Ruby. The social restrictions of the 1950’s leave Bunty feeling a sense of imprisonment to survive within the domestic expertise as a wife and mother; â€Å"a slave to housework† and she’s â€Å"chained to the cooker† (p. 44). Bunty, trapped in a role she does not wish to have, dreams about â€Å"What it would be like if her entire family was wiped out and she could start again† (p. 14); this thought to any mother would seem totally unacceptable, she obviously loves her children, however due to her own relationship with her mother, she is incapable of expressing this love. Bunty begrudges her daughters because they have entrapped her in an unsatisfactory life, this view is similarly held by Ruby, however she dislikes Bunty as a mother due to the romanticised notion of fairy godmother like figures that society enforced upon little girls. Ruby represents her mother as a monster, almost leaving the reader unsympathetic and ignorant to Bunty’s pressures, however this highlights the reality of conventionality within mother-daughter relationships. Although Ruby may try to leave the reader disliking Bunty, it actually creates the opposite feeling as many mothers themselves reading the book will relate to Bunty’s situation as it is very normal and there is fascination and empathy behind the reader’s view of Bunty. This can be compared with Jeanette’s mother in OANTOF as they are both similar in respect of their individual struggles. Jeanette’s mother actively seeks out combat with others. She feels delighted when she is able to sing hymns to irritate the next-door neighbors. While Jeanette’s mother relishes religious fighting, other indication of her hypocrisy stands out in the novel – for example her picture of her â€Å"old flame† yet she condemns lesbianism. This fight against the world is similar to Bunty’s however a contrast could be distinguished as Bunty does not have the strength or confidence to broadcast her struggles or deploy any mechanism to help her, due to her social unacceptance if she did so. We feel sympathy for Bunty, even thought Ruby outwardly wants the reader to see her flaws, we know she is not living the life she wishes to lead and has only married for functionality, whereas this contrasts the view we have on Jeanette’s mother as she is made a mockery of. Both Ruby and Jeanette feel a sense of rejection from their mothers. For Ruby this is due to her and her family stopping Bunty living the life she wished for, but also due to the belief of causing Pearls death. For Jeanette this is because of her mother’s fight with her homosexuality rather than her daughter herself, which has cursed her mother’s plan for Jeanette to be a servant to God – For Jeanette’s mother, Jeanette is merely a tool for filling expectations of the church – thus when she leaves, she leaves acceptance also. Both mother’s and daughters share a similarity which makes their unacceptance ironic – Bunty in that she was never accepted by her mother â€Å"stuck right in the middle†(p. 94), and Jeanette’s mother by the fact she had a lesbian encounter herself. This can be compared with Jeanette’s and her mother’s relationship. Although there are obvious difficulties in Jeanette and her mother’s relationship, Jeanette learns much from her mother and her mother’s role in the church. Jeanette is similar to her mother in the sense that she learnt to be an outspoken and strong person, important in dealing with and defending her sexuality. Although she has broken away from her mother’s faith Jeanette has inherited her mother’s strength of conviction on pursuing happiness and what she believes is right.

Free Essays on The Magic Of The Theater

Art as music, plays, or poetry, is a language, not as syntax or structure, but it can be communitive at a visceral level. Art may be defined in many ways. For instance, â€Å"Art is the creation of beautiful or thought-provoking works, in painting, music, or writing. Art is beautiful or thought-provoking works produced through creative activity. Art is a branch or category of art, especially one of the visual arts. Art is the skill and technique involved in producing visual representations. Art is the study of a branch of the visual arts.† [4] The theatre is a paradigm way of viewing the world. One’s world incorporates ones’ psyche and spirit. The theatre is an ever-changing process, it an end- product. Theatre is art, which is a reflection of pleasure- it can be communicated at an instinctive level. One can feel its emotional pull, and thereby, have a true understanding of the one’s conflict or vulnerability. The aesthetic distance of the theater allows the audience to be consumed with the action. It allows the audience to be a part of the foretelling story, as though they are a character in the play. Aesthetic distance allows the audience to feel the appreciation of the collaboration of the artist. It deals with the visual aspects as well as the psychological experience. Phenomenologically, theatre is an experienced event. It allows a person, the most basic, and fundamental agent, an understanding of an experience. Influences to aesthetic distance are the types of genre of the play. For instance, a comedy maintains distance, thereby, allowing the audience to engage an objective involvement, which is a direct, presentational acting style. On the other hand, tragedies reduce the distance from the audience, thereby, maintaining a subjective perspective, an engagement of the heart, which is a indirect, representational acting style. Theatre represents a certain way of performing something or stylization. In ... Free Essays on The Magic Of The Theater Free Essays on The Magic Of The Theater Art as music, plays, or poetry, is a language, not as syntax or structure, but it can be communitive at a visceral level. Art may be defined in many ways. For instance, â€Å"Art is the creation of beautiful or thought-provoking works, in painting, music, or writing. Art is beautiful or thought-provoking works produced through creative activity. Art is a branch or category of art, especially one of the visual arts. Art is the skill and technique involved in producing visual representations. Art is the study of a branch of the visual arts.† [4] The theatre is a paradigm way of viewing the world. One’s world incorporates ones’ psyche and spirit. The theatre is an ever-changing process, it an end- product. Theatre is art, which is a reflection of pleasure- it can be communicated at an instinctive level. One can feel its emotional pull, and thereby, have a true understanding of the one’s conflict or vulnerability. The aesthetic distance of the theater allows the audience to be consumed with the action. It allows the audience to be a part of the foretelling story, as though they are a character in the play. Aesthetic distance allows the audience to feel the appreciation of the collaboration of the artist. It deals with the visual aspects as well as the psychological experience. Phenomenologically, theatre is an experienced event. It allows a person, the most basic, and fundamental agent, an understanding of an experience. Influences to aesthetic distance are the types of genre of the play. For instance, a comedy maintains distance, thereby, allowing the audience to engage an objective involvement, which is a direct, presentational acting style. On the other hand, tragedies reduce the distance from the audience, thereby, maintaining a subjective perspective, an engagement of the heart, which is a indirect, representational acting style. Theatre represents a certain way of performing something or stylization. In ...

The Effects of Abuse essays

The Effects of Abuse essays There is no substitute for blood. Volunteer donors are the only source of blood for patients in need of lifesaving transfusions. Donating blood is a safe, simple way to make a difference for people in your community. In this way, each blood donation provided by a donor can help to save several people's lives. The Blood Donor Benefit ProgramThe Blood Donor Benefit Program is one of the ways that LifeSouth Community Blood Centers gives back to our donors and donor groups. Under this program, LifeSouth helps defray the cost of blood components for patients covered under our plan. When a patient covered by our plan receives a blood transfusion, LifeSouth pays for the non-insured portion of the 'processing fee' (covers cost of recruiting, drawing, testing, storing and distributing the blood) that is charged to the patient for all units of blood components. LifeSouth's coverage extends to transfusions at any hospital in the United States. For more information on the Blood Donor Benefit Program, please call your local branch of LifeSouth Community Blood Centers. Find details and contact information on your local branch at Regions and Donor Centers. Donating blood is believed to aid the rejuvenation of red blood cells and can help reduce the risk of heart disease, especially in men. It also helps to control blood iron levels, which is important for older men. There may be a little sting when the needle is inserted, but there should be no pain during the donation. Donors are served refreshments and encouraged to stay in the donor chair for a short time after donating. Occasional light-headedness may occur, especially if a donor leaves the chair before having a short rest, or uses alcohol or tobacco products soon after the donation. Giving blood is one of the best gifts you can give to another human being. But, you may not know that it's good for you too. Not only will you feel good knowing you'v ...

High end wedding Business Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

High end wedding Business Plan - Assignment Example The proposed business is unique in terms of meeting the needs of its clients. The proposed business firmly ensures to provide unwavering attention to its clients. The proposed business further focuses on the needs and expectations of the clients and work according to the requirements of the clients so that highest level of customer satisfaction is provided. The services of the proposed business include weddings, honeymoons, receptions, anniversary, wedding hair makeup, special event make up, musicians, entertainers and budget planning. The proposed business aims at providing the best service to each time to the clients of Houston, Texas. The objective of the proposed business is to provide top class services to clients whether it is wedding, anniversary or any other special events in order to make the experience of the clients pleasurable and memorable. Thus, the proposed business is committed towards offering services that are specially tailored according to the needs of respective couples and their families. In order to achieve the broad objectives of the proposed business, special attention will be focused upon the quality and timeliness of the services offered to the clients. The proposed business will thus, ensure that services are promptly and efficiently offered in accordance with the needs and expectations of the clients. ... The wedding industry in the United States can be recognized as an important industry that has a major impact on almost 100 other industries. The portion of contribution made by the wedding industry to the national economy is constantly increasing. Over the last few decades, the industry has witnessed significant growth in the country. However, the recent economic crisis situation in the US has dramatically influenced the growth rate of the industry. It is expected that the wedding industry in the coming years will again be able to touch new heights with rising revenue. Nonetheless, it is firmly advocated that the proposed business is required to formulate and implement suitable strategies in order to efficiently meet the rising demands of the customers. It has been ascertained that despite the recessionary situation, there has been slight increase in the number of couples getting married. It has been projected that this increasing pattern will continue in the coming years thereby pro viding significant opportunity for the wedding industry to earn and expand the proposed business. At the same time, it has been observed that the guest attending the wedding has also affected by the recession which has caused a slight reduction in their numbers. However, it is estimated that in the future years the figure shall improve. The spending of couples is also estimated to increase in the coming years. During the year 2011, it had been reported that there was slight positive shift of 1% in the total spending made by the customers in the wedding industry of the USA. At the same time, it has been ascertained that the couples in the recent times are inclined towards planed weddings as well as more couples are observed to prefer outdoor ceremonies rather than indoor

FSAs Role towards the Collapse of Global Financial Services Industry Essay

FSAs Role towards the Collapse of Global Financial Services Industry - Essay Example It resulted in the failure of the key businesses, downturn in the economic activity directing to the 2008-12 global recessions and the decline in the consumer wealth. During this period economies globally slowed, as international trade declined and credit tightened. The explanation of the financial crisis is that hasty loans in the form of mortgages were made to people who do not have any possibility of paying them back. These loans were enclosed up into exotic financial products that were specified with high ratings by credit rating agencies, and were sold to investors thus looking for high yields at low risk. When default on the mortgages began to grow in large numbers, it led to unexpected losses on the products. A chain of bankruptcies, government providing emergency credit lines, balance sheet write downs, insurance and nationalisation of several institutions followed. Investors were inattentive in their understanding of what they were actually purchasing and sub-prime borrowers were insincere in taking out loans that they should have known they could not finally meet the repayments on. The crash reveals a quick drying up of liquidity following a huge expansion in credit issued to consumers and financial institutions in a number of countries. The investors have suffered harsh experiences with currency attacks and collapses, thereby negatively affecting the balance sheet of their financial institutions and corporations due to high degree of liability dollarization, therefore deepening the crisis further. Enormously disruptive to economic development and growth, in emerging market economies, these experiences have made policy makers aware of the massive cost that they have to bear by participating in the financial globalization process. By the middle of 2007, over dependence on market forces without proper regulatory systems and mechanisms in place to govern the globalization process led to emergence of huge cracks intimidating the stability of world economy on the two fronts: global financial crisis and the sharp increase of the primary commodity prices. The commodities have registered a sharp rise in prices in 2007, with extreme volatility. The increased prices of commodity hit the world when most Western economies were making effort to get away from recession and a sharp economic downturn amidst the credit crunch that had engrossed the financial institution and markets in the Western Europe and United States. There was a huge fear that the on-going financial crisis may turn into global depression of the 21st century. However, Central banks and governments responded with monetary policy expansion, unprecedented fiscal stimulus and institutional bailouts. Having lost room for additional interest rate cuts like a monetary policy instrument, most of the Central banks have engaged in hostile quantitative easing, through purchasing commercial securities and government bonds and generating an asset in the central bank account against which bank lending can be continued. By increasing money supply through this channel, it is expected to re-establish confidence in financial markets and institutions and unlock frozen credit lines. This paper will focus on the role of UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) for the reform of financial markets in the UK. It will lead to the build-up of the UK economy and the international economy. Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on UK Economy The effect of the financial crisis is on both the commercial and residential property markets in the UK. Over the first half of 2008, the economic activity in the UK had slowed down, thereby reaching at decline stage by the end of second quarter. Initially the government investment has provided some stimulus but

Community Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Community - Essay Example I attended a conference organized by the California State University, Northridge to address the issue of women empowerment in Latin America. The Conference was held on 12th December 2011, with powerful women attending, including Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton. One of the objectives of the conference was to show that despite the negative prejudices placed on women, there are those who have conquered that belief and succeeded in their daily undertakings. Women’s great contributions to the community were greatly acknowledged, especially those realized in hospitals, schools, and institutions that support the poor. In the conference, it was noted that economic inequalities as well as legal and political structures play a vital role in worsening the overall empowerment of women. In her speech, Oprah Winfrey stated that inheritance laws and cultural practices discriminate and undermine women in several fields (Ellison 233). For example, in some of the Latin American communities, girls inherit half as much as their brothers, while mothers get less than what their children get; and if children pass away, mothers inherit less than fathers do. Such cultural practices deny women key resources that can help them emerge as successful people in the society. The conference was organized in a way that, the day was divided into shorter sessions and evening sessions where the real objective of giving the techniques to be used by women to conquer the social prejudices were addressed by the speakers. The audience did not consist of women alone, but men as well, since the whole community has a role to play in the empowerment of women. The conference seemed extremely lively as everyone participated wholly in his or her own way. Some questionnaires were passed around in the conference concerning women issues, and the audience ware so positive in answering. Participants

Virtue ethics Essay Example for Free

Virtue ethics Essay Virtue ethics belongs to the branch of philosophy called ethics. Virtue ethics is also a sub branch of normative ethics and it contrasts with disteleology because normative ethics is more concerned about characteristics of a person rather than the moral duties and laws they must abide, so Natural Moral Law, Kantian ethics and Divine Command are usually dismissed by Virtue Ethics. This ethical theory also contrasts with consequentialism e. g. Utilitarianism which is more focused on results and outcomes. Virtue ethics was first introduces by Plato and was further developed by Aristotle. Virtue ethics is based on the focus of characteristics, also known as virtues. This means the good character traits an individual has- and the opposite of a virtue (a vice) which are the negatives traits of an individual. Virtue ethics can be seen as an anti-theory because it is not concerned about the theory aspect but rather it is about the practice of it. In other words Virtue ethics focuses upon what kind of human being you ought to be rather than the actions of a human being. Plato, in his book â€Å"Republic†, focused on justices and further on argues that, with his beliefs about the soul, that there is a virtue connected to such part of the soul. These different parts of the soul, are called imperative and it is divided into three parts, with a virtue connected to it. These virtues are the cardinal virtues; thus reason and wisdom are one, the human spirit performing well is paired with courage and destiny which is paired with temperance or otherwise known as moderation (self-control). If we have all these virtues we can obtain justice, the fourth virtue. According to Plato, justice is an important virtue because it balances out the interrelationship between the parts of the soul. There is justice when reason rules over spirit and desires. Wisdom is the knowledge of Forms especially the knowledge of the Form of God, having to know what goodness is itself. The forms are the fixed, unities and unchanging concepts that are ultimately real. This type of thinking presupposes both anthropological dualism and ontological dualism. The problems with Plato is that he has based his argument on a questionable metaphysic cleansing that we cannot prove something we have little to no experience to. The concept about the soul and the priparte are criticised because there is no empirical evidence to support it, it is only logic and reason. A fortiori is the criticism of the preparative soul because there is no solid empirical evidence to support it. Furthermore there is no evidence to support the claim that there are forms, again it is only a concept based on reasoning. Lace Wing presents the argument that even if ontology accepted Virtue Ethics, then it is unclear what the practical implications are. If Virtue Ethics is an anti-ethical theory then to how would you practice it? What would you do afterwards? How would knowing these virtues and forms affect you? In the hope of rescuing Virtue Ethics, Aristotle (Plato’s student) delivers his interpretation of this ethical theory. Aristotle does not necessarily agree into Plato’s metaphysic, epistemology or ontology but he does agree with Plato that reason is vital to virtue’s. This is because human’s are rational animals and agrees that virtue’s are vital to human flourishing otherwise known as â€Å"eudsimonia†. Unlike Plato, Aristotle believes that there are only two kinds of virtues; intellectual virtues and moral virtues.

Homeless Americans Essay -- essays research papers fc

In our current time of economic prosperity in the United States, many people are enjoying greater wealth, higher earnings, and profitable investments. Unemployment rates are reported to be low, and wages high. Yet there is still an extraordinary amount of homeless people living in the United States. In an article entitled â€Å"The Criminalization of Homelessness† Celine-Marie Pascale tries to convey how the homeless are being treated unfairly by society. Criminalization might be a little too strong a word to apply to the punishment of homeless people, but Pascale is trying to make a statement about the homeless situation in the United States today. I would like to take a closer look at this article and examine the points she is trying to make. Pascale begins her article by stating that many U.S. cities are enacting laws which would punish homeless individuals for doing things many ‘ordinary’ people do all the time. For instance, loitering or sleeping in public (320). She states that the California Homeless and Housing Coalition estimates that there are around a million homeless people in California alone. Eight self governed cities in southern California and at least one city in northern California passed anti-sleeping laws, says Pascale (320). Another law in the city of San Francisco states that it is â€Å"illegal to linger for more than 60 seconds within 30 feet of an automatic teller in use† (321). The city of San Francisco spent a lot of time and money to arrest 15 people for begging in 1993 and Pascale alleges that there are several other major cities in the U.S. with similar laws (321). According to Pascale, Berkeley uses trespassing laws and loitering laws to keep people off the sidewalks and away from places like parks and laundromats. And in Santa Cruz you can be arrested for sitting on a sidewalk, sleeping outside, or even sleeping in a car (321). Pascale asserts that the reason for these laws is to protect the businesses located around these areas. She also says that â€Å"no one wants to run a guantlet of panhandlers to get to a boutique or step over people sleeping on the sidewalk to buy a cappuccino† (321). And for that reason, most business owners think it reflects badly on them if there are homeless people loitering or sleeping in front of their store (321). Pascale points out that, in general, most people believe that it is the individual’s fault tha... ... people who can’t seem to handle life’s challenges turn to crime just so they can go to prison because prison is an easy way out for them. You get free housing and free food for as long as you are there. Although this is not the case in many situations, there are some who would find this arrangement appealing. In â€Å"The Criminalization of Homelessness,† Pascale does a fair job of showing her audience that homeless people are not being treated very well. She informs us of the problem by giving cited statistics and specific examples, but she could have included more details to make her point stronger. Webster’s dictionary defines a criminal as someone who is found guilty of a serious offense by violating the law. Homelessness is far from a serious offense, and it is far from being treated as a serious offense. But she is right that we need to change the way we handle the homeless. In my opinion, Pascale’s article was more of an informative essay on the laws of some cities than a serious article about the problem in this nation concerning homelessness. Works Cited Begrens, Laurence; Rosen, Leonard J. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. New York, Longman, 2000. 320-322.

Elasticity :: Economics, Price

Introduction Elasticity is one of the most important theories in economics and it is a measure of responsiveness (Baker, 2006)i. There are mainly two types of elasticity, the elasticity of demand which includes price elasticity of demand, income elasticity of demand, and cross elasticity of demand as well as elasticity of supply (McConnell, Brue, & Flynn, 2009)ii. The degree to which a demand or supply curve reacts to a change in price is the curve's elasticity (Lingham, 2009)iii. Elasticity varies among products because some products may be more essential to the consumer. Consumer Price elasticity plays an important role in the lives of consumers. The price elasticity of demand is the sensitivity of the demand for a product when its price changes (McConnell, Brue, & Flynn, 2009)iv. Cafes like Panera Bread refuses payments from customers and politely asked them instead to â€Å"take what you need, and leave your fair share† (Strom & Gay, 2010)v, resulting in more people getting goods like food at a fair price that they are willing to pay. Based on the income elasticity of demand, consumers can get a better and healthier life as they will buy things with better quality as their income rises. People will go to Italiannies for pizza and not to Pizza Hut as Italiannies offers a better, tastier, healthier and wider variety of choices, even when it is more expensive. With cross elasticity of demand, consumers can get the same quality product at a cheaper price as the rivalry between substitute goods will result in price reduction or improved quality. Consumers get to travel by MAS Airlines at a cheaper price as the rivalry between MAS and other airline companies has caused its price reduction (Gunasegaran, 2011)vi. Consumers with a low budget can also buy what they need. Consumers can get more value from a package offer when buying complementary goods as they â€Å"go together†, for example: McDonald's McValue Lunch which comprises of a burger, fries, and soft drink, all for only RM5.95 onwards (My Food Fetish, 2009)vii. With this, consumers can get convenience when buying certain products. Business Elasticity is also prominent to businesses. The price elasticity of demand is very important for companies to determine the price of their products and their total sales and revenue. Newell showed that by cutting the price of the Left 4 Dead game in half to $25 during a Valve promotion, its sales increased by 3000 percent (Irwin, 2009)viii.

Globalisation in Terms of Social and Economic Trends

Globalisation is not a single phenomenon. It has become a catch-all concept to describe a range of trends and forces changing the social and economic structures of the world. Globalisation may be defined as ‘becoming or making world-wide†, but it has also been referred to as Westernisation. Globalisation as argued by Professor Ruud Lubbers, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands, is considered to have a number of distinct elements to it, which include Economic, Technological, Political, Cultural and Environmental. Economically, greater world integration or globalisation has been greatly encouraged since the Second World War, with the introduction of free trade agreements such as GATT (General Agreement on Tariff†s and Trade). Additionally, regional trade agreements have also been developed, which have included ‘single markets† established by the European Community and NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement). Technologically, the IT revolution has provided a massive improvements in our ability to store and manipulate data using ever more powerful computers. More important however, is the communication abilities of these computers. The Communications Revolution has resulted in the ‘shrinking† of the world. Politically, it was not until the collapse of the former Soviet Block in the late 1980†³s and the general acceptance of the free market (deregulation) and democracy, coupled with the emergence of the ‘Tiger† economies of the Pacific Rim, that the term globalisation has taken on true significance. Culturally, there has been a spreading of Westernisation, or perhaps more accurately Americanisation through the media of films, television and music. Following the Second World War, the USA fearing the rise of communism, actively encouraged and subsidised the world-wide distribution of films effectively advertising (if only subliminally) the benefits of capitalism and the American Dream. As a consequence to the dilution of cultures, France for example has since introduced legislation requiring radio stations to play a minimum of 40% of music originating from or sung in French. Environmental problems are increasingly becoming global problems. Therefore, countries are no longer able to look at environmental issues in isolation. This has been dramatically illustrated for example by the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, the depletion of the ozone layer and acid rain over Scandinavia. Countries now need to act collectively (as per the Rio Conference) for there to be any chance of reversing or just slowing the damage being caused to the environment. Globalisation of the economy has not been based purely on free trade but also on the free movement of capital. This has promoted direct foreign investments from one country into another (e.g. massive Japanese investment into the EU, especially the UK) which has had a strong influence on the globalisation of the national economies. As an economic phenomenon, globalisation has resulted in a shift away from a world of distinct national economies to a global economy in which production is distributed internationally and finance is able to flow freely and instantly between countries. Multinational businesses have vast economic powers, whilst institutional investors and financial gurus such as George Soros are capable of influencing the currency rates, economic policies, and interest rates of individual nation states (e.g. September 1992, the UK was forced to leave the European Exchange Rate Mechanism). The framework of rules within which economic activity takes place is increasingly defined within the international framework of organisations such as the WTO (World Trade Organisation), the IMF (International Monetary Fund), the World Bank, the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and G7-8 summits, together with the regional trading blocks such as the European Union and NAFTA. Globalisation is arguably both a cause and a consequence of the information revolution. It is driven by dramatic improvements in telecommunications, exponential increases in computing power coupled with lower costs, and the development of electronic communications and information networks such as the Internet. These communications technologies are helping to overcome the barriers of physical distance. Communities of various types, including NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) which include international interest groups like Amnesty International or Greenpeace, as well as business and labour organisations, now function across national borders. Greenpeace is a prime example: the Shell Brent Spar case illustrated the ability of such internationally organised interest groups to successfully exert commercial and political pressure in multiple countries simultaneously. In turn, social policies affecting individual citizens are becoming more sensitive to international influences, especially when highlighted by the global news media. While globalisation is transferring numerous decisions to the international arena, political and constitutional reforms in many countries involve attempts to decentralise decision-making from central government to more regionally autonomous authorities to cater for a sense of ‘local† identity (e.g. new Labour polices on devolution for Scotland and Wales). These trends appear contradictory, but in practice they are causing the development of new multi-level policy systems. Consequently, borders are becoming increasingly difficult for governments to define and maintain. Therefore, national governments are being forced to redefine their roles, responsibilities and policy relationships. In the same way, multinational companies will find that they will not only have to deal with global trends but also the local laws and customs of their intended markets and manufacturing centres. Globalisation has raised fears that the sovereignty of nation states is being undermined. If sovereignty can be defined as the ability to exercise control without outside interference, then nation states are clearly experiencing diminishing sovereignty. Governments must recognise and work on the assumption that most issues they are required to deal with are affected by or will affect to some extent the international competitiveness of the country. Governments' own responses to globalisation or the search for joint solutions to global problems have further effects upon sovereignty. Participation in international organisations or the adoption of international agreements puts limits on policy options available to governments. This may even require modifications to long-standing domestic policies and practices. Interdependence is narrowing the degree of domestic policy independence. Unilateral action may not be the most effective way to achieve policy goals. For example, the exploitation of resources such as fisheries would inevitably result in the severe depletion, if not destruction, of common stocks (European Common Fisheries Policy) . Many other important policy goals cannot be met by governments acting alone. In combating environmental problems and international crime etc, the interests of individual nations, therefore, may only be protected by collective action. The competition for international investment encouraged by the activities and mobility of multinational enterprises means that most traditional domestic policies such as education and training, taxation, social protection, economic regulation and labour legislation have become international. Even a nation's domestic management policy is a matter of great concern to its trading rivals, because this will ultimately affect a country†s efficiency and consequently its competitiveness. Government policies must increasingly be made more consistent with or competitive against those of their main trading rivals. This was highlighted by Britain†s decision to opt out of the Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty. Monetary and fiscal policy decisions can no longer be taken on the basis of exclusively domestic considerations. Currently more than 10 times the amount of finance needed to support the current volume of world trade, is traded daily on the world currency markets. This means that 90 per cent of that activity could be seen as pure currency speculation. This is far in excess of what central banks can hope to influence through their own interventions, especially in the absence of any joint action. In recent years, the Labour Party in the UK, after four successive election defeats has gradually moved its economic policy broadly in line with that of the current Government. This may be seen as an attempt to gain credibility with the UK electorate but perhaps most importantly, to gain credibility with the International Money Markets which will have the opportunity of voting with their funds! The improvement of communications this century from sailing ship to satellite has contributed directly to the globalisation of the world†s economies and political systems. Technological globalisation of Information Technology has moved across cultural and physical barriers, effectively eliminating the capacity of countries (however draconian) to isolate themselves from the world outside. Despite this, Iran has recently banned the use of satellite television, but control will be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve because the information revolution which has also provided e-mail and the Internet has democratised information. It may seem nonsensical for the need to obtain a visa to physically visit someone to whom you are able to talk to electronically on a daily basis. The result is that free speech and civil liberties are becoming increasingly international. Borders will no longer act as boundaries, especially with respect to information (IT has effectively eliminated the capacity of countries to keep out foreign influences, good or bad) and the flow of finance and crime. Therefore, numerous problems can only be tackled in collaboration with other countries. Ultimately, the goal of globalisation is to achieve a world economy reaping the benefits of additional trade and, consequently, mutual dependency (no two countries with a MacDonalds franchise have ever gone to war with each other!), therefore creating more jobs and prosperity for the participating countries. However, some such as Martin Khor, an economist and director of the NGO Third World Network, believe that free trade within a global market will polarise the poorer countries from the richer nations still further. According to some estimates, the industrialised countries, which make up 20% of the GATT membership, will gain 70% of the additional income arising from the implementation of the Uruguay Round of GATT. The globalisation of trade finance and information is perhaps the tip of the globalisation iceberg. The challenge to governments may be made more acute by a host of other internationalisation†s under-way, which include areas such as crime and population movement (economic refugees). Even if it is considered by some to be less than desirable, the increasing globalisation of the world seems unavoidable. In the long term, little may be gained by nation states resisting the impacts of globalisation, which may ultimately prove to be ineffective and counter-productive. To conclude, the ever-improving technology and consequently communications available to businesses, have enabled the creation of a global economy of production and finance, enabling industry to make use of territorial divisions, playing one country or trade-block off against another to maximise subsidies, savings in taxes, avoidance of anti-pollution regulations and guarantees of political stability and favour. With this, a new political structure is emerging with national sovereignty being an ever-looser concept (illustrated by the gradual and continuing integration of individual nation states into the European Union), which is contributing to the emergence of a phenomenon described by Robert Cox as ‘macro-regionalism†. He considers there to be three macro-regions in the making: Europe based on the European Union; an Eastern Asian sphere centred around Japan; and a North American sphere centred around the USA and looking to embrace Latin America. Perhaps the emergence of these macro-regions is part of a natural evolution towards a truly global state?