Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Shugo Daimyo Muromachi Period. Japan in the Muromachi Age Essay

Shugo Daimyo Muromachi Period. Japan in the Muromachi Age - Essay Example The central component in this period was Heian duration that was later followed by war-oriented governments. Despite these changes, the government of the people continued but authority was vested on military Daimyo class. The medieval period is the most significant period in the history of Japan. The Kamakura period lasted between 1185 and 1333. This was the origin of the class rule system. However, civil affairs arbitration was the authority of the imperial court. After the defeat of Taira, the Yorimoto established family capital on the eastern side of Kamakura. Yoritomo was bestowed with the name Shogun. Moreover, clan disputes were rife at this period especially the Hogen and Heiji disturbance. Kamakura period was because of defeat of Taira family at the civil war. Yoritomo goals were on solid defense of the administration and for this purpose established the Shugo. Shugo administrative area was province and acted as military governors. They played oversight role though they also collected taxes. This form of administration lasted until the later days of 19th century. Shugo later transformed into Daimyo, whose significance was felt throughout the 15th century1. Some Japanese at this period possessed warrior qualities while majority engaged in farming activities. The other most important event in Japanese history was change in government structure. Government was warrior like in nature and acquired enormous amount of wealth. Shugo incorporated culture in their military rule. Art was prominent in this period while religion was Buddhism. The Buddhist teachers taught culture to all people. This lasted for a long period before the advents of Christianity. Monks were also essential in the military rule as chief advisors. Moreover, they influenced traditional values of this culture and activities of Shugo contemporaries. In medieval age, bows and horses were used for military purpose. Samurai were always ready for any battle and were highly focused and disciplined as taught by Yabusame. Initially, warrior society was based on family lineage and gifts, mostly land, was given to Samurai who served as Shugo. This meant that the vassal continued to serve lordship in their lifetime. This period was characterized with forming of alliances between warriors to guarantee source of livelihood. There was also reward for winning alliance and eminence was acquired. There was no family respect or recognition in a battle and in fact, one had to kill a family member if it was necessary to ensure sustenance of authority. Moreover, Shugo shifted allegiance and Daimyo were based on outcomes of the battle. In the last decades of 13th century, Kamakura came under crossfire. Mongol invaded them though they were unsuccessful due to heavy wind. The second invasion saw the neglect of the warrior. Ultimately, financial problems coupled Kamakura government and were faced by an invasion that they were unable to resist. Imperial authority was weakened but emperor legacy was maintained. Rivalry existed between the north represented by Samurai family and south led by emperor. This rivalry took close half a century. Finally, Ashikaga established unity between these two rival groups. The Muromachi existed from 1336 to 1573 and this period was characterized by social disorders, conflict, and uprisings. This characterized second period of Japanese history. This period is known as Muromachi or Ashikaga. Cities were continuously destroyed due to these occurrences. The dominant thing was Shoguns power based on coalition of Shugo who controlled land and powers in the province. As a result, these warriors became wealthy and feudal system, Daimyo was established. Success of establishment of

Monday, October 28, 2019

Information for Soap Notes Essay Example for Free

Information for Soap Notes Essay Associate Level Material Case Study Information for SOAP Notes Read the following three patient visits. Rewrite the information using correct medical terminology. The visits below are written in layman’s terms and do not use the correct medical terminology. Re-write the information in medical terms for the charts. You must determine where the information is to be placed in the SOAP note. Patient One – Chapter Six 22-year-old African American female 140/60 BP 99 F Pulse is 38 Breathing is 22 per minute Patient states she is not on any medicine at the time Patient states her reason for the visit is she is having severe back pain for 5 days now Past has been told she has sickle cell anemia Physician tells patient they are going to draw blood and give her IV with fluids. Physician states the IV will contain something for the pain Blood work showed white blood cells 4300, hemoglobin 13. 1 g/dL, hematocrit 39. 9%, platelets 162,000, segs 65. 9, lymphs 27, monos 3. 4 Physician observes patient is alert Physician finds that head, ears, eyes, nose, and throat are okay Physician determines the patient is having a sickle cell crisis Physician finds that the patient has numbness in hands and feet Patient states she just has not been feeling well lately She reports â€Å"I do not test my levels daily with that machine it hurts so I just base my levels on how well I feel† Physician observes that the patient has some discoloration of her skin Physician sees that the head, eyes, ears, nose and throat are okay Physician hears that the heart sounds good, nothing sounds off Physician wants patient to come to the office in 1 month Physician tells patient to start using the machine to test her blood and record the results and bring with her to next visit

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Euthanasia, Rodriguez, and Canadian Law on Assisted Suicide Essay examp

Euthanasia, or assisted suicide, stands as one of the most important debates in contemporary moral philosophy. By definition, euthanasia is the act of intentionally killing or permitting the death of a hopelessly sick or injured individual, in a relatively painless way, for reasons of mercy. The controversy surrounding this unresolved issue seems to be fuelled by popular, albeit problematic, belief that while the passivity of permitting an individual to die is morally acceptable, the act of killing is not. While modern politics is not quick to support euthanasia on a moral or ethical level, many theorists are fascinated by the topic from a legal perspective. In the article "Assisted Suicide, Ethics and the Law", for example, Eike-Henner Kluge utilises the case of Sue Rodriguez to demonstrate the ethically ignorant and discriminatory position of Canadian law regarding assisted suicide. Rodriguez’ 1993 claim to legal assisted suicide created what could be the most important and high profile court case to date regarding euthanasia in Canada. Ms. Rodriguez suffered from a rare form of ALS that would drastically shorten her life expectancy, and gradually rob her of the abilities to walk, move her body at will, and eat and breathe without mechanical assistance. Knowing that her mind would remain alert, yet trapped in the casing of an obsolete body, Rodriguez voluntarily decided to avoid such an unsatisfactory end, lacking in dignity, by requesting active physician-assisted suicide (euthanasia) in a manner of her own choosing, as she would be unable to end her own life at the moment she desired. Rodriguez claimed that ending her life was her right, as any law does not prohibit it, and that it also included the right to assistance ... ...stitutionalisation of discrimination is unacceptable, and thus we must support assistance of an otherwise-impossible suicide act in special cases. Whether it is the general discomfort of considering the preferable circumstances of one’s own demise, or the concept of being willingly and intentionally killed, the euthanasia issue remains one that is, although important, uncomfortable at best. The questions remain, however, as to the circumstances under which euthanasia should be legalised: Are only persons with fatal diseases eligible? With psychological illnesses? Will age restrict who eligibility? Who will decide how much pain one must experience in order to be assisted in suicide? Until these and other answers are realised in social, religious and ethical contexts, euthanasia will continue to proliferate through international political and moral debate forums.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Employs Typical Features of the Gothic Trad

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Employs Typical Features of the Gothic Tradition One of the most important aspects of any Gothic novel is setting. Mary Shelly's Frankenstein is an innovative and disturbing work that weaves a tale of passion, misery, dread, and remorse. Some would argue that Frankenstein is a classic Gothic novel. By a classically Gothic novel it is meant that the story employs a traditionally scary theme. This could include such things as dark and dreary castles set in isolated surroundings replete with dungeons. Supernatural beings such as ghosts and living dead may be included in the twisted, thrilling, unveiling tale. The novel does contain many Gothic characteristics in a sense that it does explore the uses of dark dreary basements, where the monstrous creature is made. Frankenstein is not set in a dull and dreary basement but you could say that where Frankenstein worked on his creation to be a gloomy dreary room. There is a struggle between good and evil throughout the story, an example of this is seen in Victor Frank enstein and his monster. We also get a lot of suspense around the person who is next to be murdered or die. An example of this is before Elizabeth dies when Victor Frankenstein is anticipating his own death. The Author of Frankenstein the novel Mary Shelly had a very unfortunate childhood. Death reeked all around her throughout her life. Her mother died giving birth to Mary and ever since Mary had blamed herself for the death of her mother and this is one of the many factors of her life that can be related to the novel disturbing story line. Her sister and her son William perished before her in along line of illness and disease. Chapter five starts with p... ...entence also hints at what is to happen to Elizabeth as later on in the novel she is killed by the monster on there wedding night and in the sentence Mary Shelly has used the alliteration of "folds of the funnel" to emphasise the element of horror. Such descriptive words as shroud, grave-worms and corpse all create a sense of reality. They are harsh and produce internal horror. In all I think that Frankenstein can be classed as classically gothic novel. It contains continuous references to typically gothic features. Such scenes as the creation of the creature and the frequently occurring deaths all help to analyse the novel. The novel contains internal and external horror that is cleverly used to make the novel more exciting and satisfying. Works Cited Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Bedford Press, 1992.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Art is Art Essay

What is considered art has been a controversial question for many years in history and today. There are various forms and types of art. Because art is very complex and diverse, it is viewed and conceptualized in many different ways. Nancy G. Heller states even though a type of artwork is hard to understand, it’s considered art, and artwork that people don’t understand shouldn’t be disregarded from other types of art. She feels as though people shouldn’t be intimidated by artwork that’s hard to understand and her main goal is to try to help people feel more comfortable around art they don’t understand. Picasso believes that all art needs to be an original in order to be considerably successful. He states that nature and art are completely different things. Picasso explains that art is a lie that allows us to realize the truth. And finally, John Berger speaks about publicity being a form of art, and how it uses art to manipulate people into buy ing what is publicized. Berger says publicity ads have a way of working because ads focus on the future, which people are attracted to more than the present. Each of these authors have different opinions on how art is viewed and conceived, however they unite from similar points in their views. All art is art, and shouldn’t be dismissed. In â€Å"’Statement to Marius De Zayas,’ 1923,† Picasso states that art has to convince people of its truthfulness. In his article, Picasso defends the art of cubism.—because cubism, like many other types of art, is not understood yet by most people. However, cubism isn’t any different from a type of art someone likes and understands—it shares the same principles or elements as any/ all other types of art. Picasso elaborates on his claims by giving the reader an example of him reading an English book. He says that reading a book doesn’t make sense to him, yet it doesn’t mean that the English language doesn’t exist. He states that no one should be responsible for him not being able to understand what he doesn’t know much about. Picasso believes that an individual shouldn’t say a type of art isn’t art only because they don’t understand it. The individual should, instead, try to understand it, and if he/ she still doesn’t consider it to be an art, the individual should claim to just dislike that specific type of art. Picasso and Heller both agree that art is art and that it shouldn’t be questioned. Nancy G. Heller’s book, â€Å"Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: a Guide to Understanding and Enjoying  Modern Art† starts with the author’s experience making a pizza in Texas. From her experience, she concluded that painting is like a pizza. Just as many people have a variety of taste in pizza that they prefer, when people look at art, they have certain preferences in art as well. Some people usually completely dismiss certain groups of art, saying its not art at all. Heller defends artists who are victims of these cruel remarks by saying, â€Å"anything anyone says is art should be in fact be regarded as art† (Heller 10). All art should not only be regarded as art, but art also is a lie that uncovers the truth. In Heller’s article, one of her examples shows Rosa Bonheur’s painting â€Å"’The Horse Fair’ (1853).† This painting is very realistic like a photograph. On the contrary, the painting is just very convincing. Bonheur’s painting of the galloping horses lie to the viewer, because the horses aren’t actually galloping in front of the viewer. However, it helps the viewer recognize the truth from the artist’s lies. All art lies, which help the viewer, uncover the truth. Nature and art aren’t the same. Only something real can be natural. Picasso agrees with Heller by saying, â€Å"nature and art, being two different things, cannot be the same thing. Through art, we express our conception of what nature is not† (Picasso par. 5). Picasso states that art needs to be an original idea—otherwise it is useless. An artwork being orig inal allows the viewer to notice the truth. He suggests that art isn’t actually what the artwork portrays. â€Å"Art is not truth. Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth† (Picasso par. 3). Although paintings aren’t real, it can symbolize something that is real. In â€Å"Ways of Seeing† by John Berger, the author talks about all art (publicity ads or paintings) must be convincing to the viewer. â€Å"Publicity begins by working on a natural appetite for pleasure. But it cannot offer the real object of pleasure and there is no convincing substituted for pleasure in that pleasure’s own terms. The more convincingly publicity conveys the pleasure of bathing in a warm, distant sea, the more the spectator-buyer will become aware that he is hundreds of miles away from that sea and the more remote the chance of bathing in it will seem to him† (Berger 132). The author gives an example of how publicity ads work by suggesting if a publicity ad was to show the pleasures of bathing in a warm  and distant sea, the viewer (or buyer) will realize that he is many miles away from the sea that the ad is portraying, and the chance of bathing in that sea will seem far to him. If the viewers aren’t convinced from art, whether it’s a publicity ad or a painting, that artwork is not successful. If a viewer thinks that the representation of whatever the ad is trying to sell is intangible, the viewer will be less convinced. John Berger and Picasso share the same beliefs that art should live in the present. Since there is constant exposure of publicity ads, Berger believes that ads live in the present. Publicity ads are located almost anywhere in this world. From magazines and TVs to buses and billboards, ads are everywhere. Publicity ads are not only constantly around a person’s surroundings, but also are always updated and/ or renewed. Although Berger talks about publicity ads living in the moment, they never represent the present time. Picasso similarly states, if a painting is looked at and appreciated by the viewer, it’s alive, living in the present. Picasso’s work has been echoed in his own idea. All of his work â€Å"was made for the present and with the hope that it will always remain in the present† (Picasso par. 11). Picasso gives an example of the Greek and Egyptian art. He proclaims that Greek and Egyptian art is more alive today than it was when the artwork as cre ated. People are intrigued about how the artwork was made back then, and that alone keeps the early Greek and Egyptian artwork alive in the present. All authors have common beliefs on how art should be viewed and conceived. Art is art and it shouldn’t be questioned. If art is hard to understand, it shouldn’t be dismissed as not art†¦ it should categorized as a type of art an individual dislikes. Furthermore, paintings don’t tell the truth; however it is filled with lies that help an individual recognize the truth through the painting being convincing. And lastly, an artwork lives in the present time—even if the artwork was made in the past. Work Cited Berger, John. Ways Of Seeing. London: Penguin Book, 1977. Print. Heller, Nancy G. Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: a Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2002. Print. Picasso, Pablo. â€Å"Statement to Marius de Zayas.† The Arts. NY, May 1923. Translation approved by Picasso. Web. 18 September 2012. .

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Free Essays on Role Models

Gucci, Prada, Tommy, Nautica, Polo, Benzes and Lexus are all the things that you need to be role models for the youth of today in America; not brains but beauty, not values or morals but valued. Today in America there aren’t many positive role models for the youth known as Generation X. Role models for today’s youth consists of rappers, actors/actresses, and even the young man who hangs out on the street corner all day and sells drugs. Everyone predicted that this generation of youth would be doomed with the exception of few; thanks to Mrs. Rosa Gibbings, my teacher, an significant positive influence and role model in my life I am one of the exceptional few. First, Mrs. R. Gibbings was my second and third grade teacher, she was supposed to retire but agreed that she would stay if she could teach her second grade class in third grade. I still see her and get advice from her today. She helped shape and mold me into the positive, responsible, and confident individual I am today. She would praise my work and tell me what I could do to make it better. She always challenged me and never let me take the easy route. She saw the intelligence and dug deep to get the best out of me at every thing I did; she helped build the determination to succeed attitude that I carry today. Another way Mrs. Gibbings influenced me was with her disciplinary tactics. She let me know that it was all right to have fun and goof around but at certain times and places. She also made me fell that it was all right not to have millions of dollars and still be proud and confidant. Also she taught me to never put anyone else down or laugh at their ignorance to certain things but to teach them and help them to be better. She taught me to take the positive things in my environment and use them and stay away from the negative and learn from all my mistakes. She took no mess from anyone and always pushed me to be my best. To conclude, yes there are m... Free Essays on Role Models Free Essays on Role Models Gucci, Prada, Tommy, Nautica, Polo, Benzes and Lexus are all the things that you need to be role models for the youth of today in America; not brains but beauty, not values or morals but valued. Today in America there aren’t many positive role models for the youth known as Generation X. Role models for today’s youth consists of rappers, actors/actresses, and even the young man who hangs out on the street corner all day and sells drugs. Everyone predicted that this generation of youth would be doomed with the exception of few; thanks to Mrs. Rosa Gibbings, my teacher, an significant positive influence and role model in my life I am one of the exceptional few. First, Mrs. R. Gibbings was my second and third grade teacher, she was supposed to retire but agreed that she would stay if she could teach her second grade class in third grade. I still see her and get advice from her today. She helped shape and mold me into the positive, responsible, and confident individual I am today. She would praise my work and tell me what I could do to make it better. She always challenged me and never let me take the easy route. She saw the intelligence and dug deep to get the best out of me at every thing I did; she helped build the determination to succeed attitude that I carry today. Another way Mrs. Gibbings influenced me was with her disciplinary tactics. She let me know that it was all right to have fun and goof around but at certain times and places. She also made me fell that it was all right not to have millions of dollars and still be proud and confidant. Also she taught me to never put anyone else down or laugh at their ignorance to certain things but to teach them and help them to be better. She taught me to take the positive things in my environment and use them and stay away from the negative and learn from all my mistakes. She took no mess from anyone and always pushed me to be my best. To conclude, yes there are m...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Piccasso

, that the painting could do all the talking needed. In October of 1901, Picasso painted beggars, very poor women who had children, blind men, harlequins, crazy people, and social outcasts. Picasso did this as a social protest. In the winter, he paints a portrait called Autoportrait. This portrait is a painting of him during the blue period. He depicts himself as unhappy, there isn’t a smile on his face, an... Free Essays on Piccasso Free Essays on Piccasso SUBJECT: Pablo Picasso Pablo Picasso’s Blue Period 1901, before moving to Madrid Pablo Picasso was staying in Mlaga with his friend Casagemas at his family’s house. He outraged his family while staying there by staying out late, not dressing properly, visiting brothels, and ignoring his family members that the two were not allowed to stay with the family. Pablo Picasso’s friend Carlos Casagemas passed away after committing suicide in front of friends at the Cafà © de l'Hippodrome because of the failure with his girlfriend Germaine. Picasso finds out about the death of his friend while in Madrid. During his time in Madrid, Picasso paints the people that surround him while sitting on the street corners. Picasso starts using pastels and paints to depict the different classes of the people. When he would use the harlequins and the poorest class of society, as models he mostly used blacks and whites to portray the harshness of their lives. When he would paint the high-class people, he would use softer tones and seductiv e colors. At this point of his life, he was just starting to reach his blue period (pre-blue period). Picasso moved back to Paris and that’s where he went into his blue period. It was after the visit to the women’s prison in Paris that turned him to use primarily blue. Picasso said, â€Å"It was thinking about Casagemas ... that got me started painting in blue.† Picasso’s wanted his paintings to be primarily political. He believed that the art explained pain and sadness without using words, that the painting could do all the talking needed. In October of 1901, Picasso painted beggars, very poor women who had children, blind men, harlequins, crazy people, and social outcasts. Picasso did this as a social protest. In the winter, he paints a portrait called Autoportrait. This portrait is a painting of him during the blue period. He depicts himself as unhappy, there isn’t a smile on his face, an...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Not all hybrids have electric motors and batteries

Not all hybrids have electric motors and batteries When it comes to transportation, hybridization is not new. Hybrid cars and trucks that combine an electric motor with a gasoline engine date back to the turn of the 20th century. Hybrid diesel-electric locomotives have been in operation for years, and in the 1970s, small numbers of diesel-electric buses began to appear. On a smaller scale, a moped is a hybrid - it combines the power of a gasoline engine with the pedal power of the rider. So, any vehicle that combines two or more sources of power is considered a hybrid vehicle (HV). Today, when hybrid and vehicle are used together - think Toyota Prius, Ford Fusion Hybrid or Honda Civic Hybrid - that vehicle, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, is a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV). Each of these vehicles combine an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor that receives electricity from a battery pack. Today’s gasoline- and diesel electric hybrid systems are very complex, high-tech wonders in design and operation. Components include controllers, generators, converters, inverters, regenerative braking and, of course, a battery pack - either nickel-metal hydride or lithium ion. HEVs offer benefits that their conventional gasoline or diesel counterparts do not have - increased fuel economy and fewer harmful emissions coming out the tailpipe. But to achieve the same results not all hybrid vehicles require electric motors and batteries. Here’s a look at three alternative hybrid systems. One is now employed in big trucks and could find its way into cars, one is likely to appear in a 2016 BMW and the third could be on the road in three years. Hydraulic - Not Just For The Big Dogs Last August I featured an article about a hydraulic hybrid system that has made its way into big diesel refuse trucks, the ones that come around once a week and pick up our trash. On a good day, a garbage hauler will eke out 4 to 5 mpg. Then there are all those icky, nasty pollutants pouring out of the exhaust stacks. But thanks to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), yes, those same government folks who monitor environmental laws and fuel mileage testing, a hydraulic hybrid system they pioneered increases fuel economy in the big rigs by as much as 33 percent and reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) by 40 percent. The principal of the hydraulic system is similar to a HEV. It recovers a portion of the energy normally lost as heat by the vehicle’s brakes. But instead of a battery pack, a hydraulic system uses pistons to capture the wasted energy by compressing nitrogen gas stored in a tank, called an accumulator. When the driver lets off the accelerator pedal, the wheels drive a hydraulic pump that pumps hydraulic fluid to compress the nitrogen gas and slows the truck down. When the driver accelerates, the nitrogen is allowed to expand and pushes a piston in a cylinder filled with hydraulic fluid. This action assists the diesel engine in turning the rear wheels. The hydraulic system performs remarkably well on the big dog trucks, but what about light duty trucks or passenger cars? The Center For Compact and Efficient Fluid Power (CCEFP), a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota is working on that. The center’s â€Å"Generation 2† vehicle - a Ford F-150 pickup - utilizes a custom-built continuously variable power split hydraulic transmission. It is complemented with hydraulic accumulators to enable hybrid operation. To be competitive, the system must demonstrate advantages over BEVs. Design specifications for the vehicle include: vibration and harshness comparable to a passenger vehicle; a 0 to 60 mph time of 8 seconds; climb a grade of 8 percent; emissions that meet California standards; and the big one, fuel economy of 70 mpg under the federal drive cycles. Steaming Along Twin brothers Francis and Freelan Stanley, inventors of the Stanley Steamer, would likely approve of BMW’s innovative use of the same principal that worked to power their steam engine cars more than 100 years ago to improve the efficiency in modern vehicles. Called Turbosteamer, this system uses wasted heat energy from an engine’s wasted exhaust gases to contribute power to the automobile. This steam assist system starts with a heat exchanger located between the engine and the catalyst that turns water into steam. The pressurized steam is then carried to what is essentially a small steam engine. A second, smaller steam engine produces a little more mechanical energy. I began following this technology in 2005 when BMW said the two steam engines combined generated 14 horsepower and 15 pounds-feet of torque on a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. Additionally, fuel economy improved by 15 percent in overall driving. The automaker also said it intended to make the Turbosteamer ready for volume production in a number of its vehicles within a decade. Well, it’s 10 years later, will it see production? Since then, researchers and engineers focused on reducing the size of the components and making the system simpler to improve dynamics. They came up with an innovative expansion turbine based on the principle of the impulse turbine. The system is now smaller, costs less and the developers say fuel consumption is reduced by up to 10 percent during highway driving. While the Turbosteamer can’t compare its greenness to the BMW i3 all-electric car, a 10 percent improvement in fuel economy for an â€Å"Ultimate Driving Machine† is nothing to sneeze at. It’s possible a Turbosteamer equipped BMW vehicle will be introduced next year. Not Just A Bunch Of Hot Air The idea that compressed air could power a viable zero emissions car has been pursued for years by many respected engineers. In 2000, there was much ado about a new compressed air, zero pollution vehicle from French inventor and Formula One engine builder, Guy Nà ¨gre. His company, Motor Development International (MDI), rolled out an urban-sized car, taxi, pickup and van that were powered by an air engine. Instead of those tiny, tiny explosions of gasoline and oxygen pushing the pistons up and down, like in a normal internal combustion engine, the all-aluminum four-cylinder air engine used compressed air for the job. A hybrid version, using a small gasoline engine to power an onboard compressor for a constant supply of compressed air, was claimed to be able to travel from Los Angeles to New York on just one tank of gas. In 2007 MDI signed an agreement with Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile manufacturer to produce air cars in 2008, followed by the hybrid version in 2009. No cars were produced. That’s perhaps one of the reasons compressed air-powered cars have been the butt of jokes among the green car community. Today, the number of jokes has diminished. That’s the result of Peugeot’s introduction of the 208 HYbrid Air 2L Prototype at the 2014 Paris Auto in October. (Full Review). It employs a compressed air tank that turns a hydraulic motor for additional power or zero emissions city driving rather than a battery for the same functions. Like a BEV, during normal driving the car is powered by the gasoline engine. Compressed air is called upon for additional power when passing or traversing a hill. In this situation, power from both the engine and hydraulic motor are directed to the front wheels via an epicyclic transmission, similar to the planetary gear set transmission used by the Toyota Prius. In city driving, where less power is needed and emissions-free driving is the priority, rather than power provided by a battery, the compressed air alone motivates the car. The compressed air tank is recharged when braking or by using part of the energy developed by the three-cylinder gasoline engine to compress the air. During the Pairs Show, Peugeot said if another large auto manufacturer would buy into the technology to enable production in enough numbers to assure manufacturing affordability, the HYbrid Air could be on the market in three or so years. Two reports from Europe are suggesting, without naming the car company, that Peugeot has found an interested partner. Last Word It’s not certain that any of these three alternative hybrid systems will be available in production vehicles, and if they are, what kind of an impact they will have in the marketplace. What is clear is, electricity in the drivetrain isn’t the only way to hybridize a vehicle.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Is there a relation between age and income Speech or Presentation

Is there a relation between age and income - Speech or Presentation Example Politicians and the media often include age as a factor when taking about income inequalities. Differences in wealth between old and young people are even greater than the differences witnessed when it comes to income. For example studies show that households headed by person who is over 65 years have more than 15 times as much wealth as compared to households held by persons below 35 years of age (Bowles and Herbert, 75). Age differences is just one of the many reasons that explains the reason behind insinuations about wealth and income that are thrown around in politics and in the media are often remote from reality. The statistics about the differences between age and income are almost perpetually about abstract income brackets. Additionally, a lot of statistical studies that follow specific individuals throughout their lives often reach diametrically conflicting conclusions from the conclusions attained by statistical studies that follow income brackets for a long period of time. A study undertaken by university of Michigan indicated that many of the working people who were in the bottom 20% of income earners in the year 1975 were also in the top 40% at some point in the year 1991. Of those in the bottom quartile in 1975, only 5% were still glued there come the year 1991 while 29% of them were now in the top quartile. This study tries to analyze the relationship between income and age and tries to explain the trend that exists between age and income. The question will be guided by the following research question: what is the relationship between income and age from the year 1974-2011 (Gray et.al, 76). Studies that have been carried out to determine the relationship between age and income have resulted in a general result that income is positively related to the age of an individual. The studies have generalized a sample to a population. Assumptions are vital concept of empirical

Friday, October 18, 2019

Ehret.Marcia and Creation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ehret.Marcia and Creation - Essay Example There could be two major audiences. First, we are told that God used the pronoun ‘us’ in saying â€Å"Let us create man in our own image†. The first audience therefore were the supposedly accomplishes (Angels and Jesus) with whom God created the universe and humankind. The second audience however is the people ‘They’ were creating. It was to be a living legacy to enable humankind know his roots and origin. There are 2 accts of creation in Genesis because there were two classes of creatures (Breeden, 2011). First, the universe and secondly humankind. God grouped His creation into these groups and the latter was to have dominion over the former. It is for the reason of such groupings that there are different accounts. Breeden T. ‘Two Different Creation Accounts in Genesis 1 & 2? Or Two Complementary  Accounts?’ http://siriusknotts.wordpress.com/2011/03/20/two-different-creation-accounts-in-genesis-1-2-or-two-complementary-accounts/ . 2011. Web. July 4,

Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words - 2

Human Rights - Essay Example (Fenwick, H.; â€Å"Civil Liberties and Human Rights†; 2007). The answer lies in the fact that Section 3 of the Human Rights Act, as also many other sections, hedges its bets by saying that, â€Å"so far as it is possible to do so†, primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Convention’s rights. For instance, Section 12 of the Human Rights Act emphasises the role of courts in defending the right to freedom of expression, and states that this Section applies if a court is considering â€Å"whether to grant any relief which, if granted, might affect exercise of the Convention right to freedom of expression†. (Coppel, J; â€Å"Human Rights Act 1998: Enforcing the European Convention on Human Rights in Domestic Courts†; 1999) Moreover, it is considered unlawful for a court to act in a manner contrary to a Convention right â€Å"unless obliged to act in such a way by a provision of primary legislation†. (www.highbeam.com/doc/IP3-77629772.html). (www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts 1998/ukpga/19980042_en_1) Incidentally, discretionary increase in police powers has landed the UK Government at least once in the soup. Article 15 of the Convention states in Para 1 that â€Å"in times of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation, any contracting party may take measures derogating from its obligations under the Convention to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such measures are not inconsistent with its other obligations under international law†. However, in the case of Brogan and others v United Kingdom (1988; II EHRR 117) four persons were arrested on the suspicion that they were provisional members of the IRA, and detained under Section 12 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1984.They were released after four-to-six days. They claimed that Britain had violated several parts of the Article 5 of the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Implications of Dan Slobins Statements on Second Language Essay

The Implications of Dan Slobins Statements on Second Language Acquisition - Essay Example The Implications of Dan Slobin’s Statements on Second Language Acquisition Language is essential in being able to communicate properly and communication is essential to societal life, where a person needs to be able to understand and be understood by other people in order to survive. Thus, the study of language acquisition and development in children is well-covered as many delve into the process in order to help teachers and parents to promote a healthier and more successful language development in children in order for them to be well-equipped to live in the world. And with the diversity of language comes the need not only to fluently speak one language, but to also learn a second, or even a third, language. Immigration and inter-racial marriages are two very common happenings in the 22nd Century. Gone were the days when immigrants were treated like outcasts and racial discrimination was considered normal. Today, anyone can choose to migrate to another country in order to find a better life. Because of the phenomenon of immigration wherein a country is made more diverse and multicultural, it is but inevitable for inter-racial marriages to flourish. Because of these two factors combined and the subsequent success of international and multinational corporations, schools have felt it necessary to equip their students with the knowledge of a foreign language. In fact, â€Å"the number of people in the United States who speak more than one language has doubled to almost 50 million during the past 20 years†.

Impact of Magazines on their Readers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Impact of Magazines on their Readers - Article Example However what is currently the case has never been like the one which used to be so in the 19th century. The press of modern times relies more on placing the advertisements rather than giving the readers something to read about. In other words, it is more interested in propagating advertisements than the news and reports on which the readers are focused. There is now an aspect of compromise when it comes to putting a news report and the magazine editor thinks of placing an advertisement on the specified place for the report so that he could earn more and bring more revenues for his magazine. This means that the unethical attitudes are pretty much apparent in the whole contexts of press and these need to be adjusted in a manner which could balance the benefits as well as make the news reports and analyzes visible in between the pages of the magazine. The media has always been used as a tool to educate and stimulate the audience's minds. The hype and controversy surrounding the Terri Schiavo euthanasia case is an ideal example of how language can influence the emotions and consciousness of ordinary people. The terminology used and the method of citing opinions basically created the controversy which turned into one of the biggest ethical discussions of our times. Similarly, throughout the Suffragette movement (1920's), the conservatives and the liberals used newspapers/magazines and pamphlets to circulate their views on the right for women to vote. What was primarily a case of simple human rights became a war of words and media manipulation. Constant exhortation of the word "mother" and "life-giver" in the newspaper issued by Christabel Pankhurst, The Suffragette, gave their requests a tinge of blackmail. During the early 1950's, newspapers, magazines and radio had created such an atmosphere of fear and suspicion over the suppose d communist activities taking place within the United States, that Senator Joseph McCarthy's sometimes far-fetched accusation of subversive activities against certain public figures were taken seriously. His ability further, to maneuver public opinion using words like, "Un-American", "subversive" and "unpatriotic" further deepened the masses mistrust, giving him carte blanche to prosecute anybody he considered guilty of communist leanings. During the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's also, the use of periodicals to promote the viewpoints of both the black community and the white was profound. Language played an important part in the struggle for emancipation. The difference though was in the approach of the two great leaders of the African American movement, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Where the former hoped to persuade the government to relent, Malcolm X was more vocal against white people, terming them as 'evil'. This battle of ideas within the Black faction itself cau sed great confusion to the Caucasian community. Supporters of Civil Rights themselves were not overtly sure where to stand on the issue. Moving on, David Gaunlett presented his own 'Ten Things Wrong with the Media Effects Model' in which he suggests that media does not necessarily have any direct effect on the lives of the people to which the media is generally addressed and in the related settings,

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Implications of Dan Slobins Statements on Second Language Essay

The Implications of Dan Slobins Statements on Second Language Acquisition - Essay Example The Implications of Dan Slobin’s Statements on Second Language Acquisition Language is essential in being able to communicate properly and communication is essential to societal life, where a person needs to be able to understand and be understood by other people in order to survive. Thus, the study of language acquisition and development in children is well-covered as many delve into the process in order to help teachers and parents to promote a healthier and more successful language development in children in order for them to be well-equipped to live in the world. And with the diversity of language comes the need not only to fluently speak one language, but to also learn a second, or even a third, language. Immigration and inter-racial marriages are two very common happenings in the 22nd Century. Gone were the days when immigrants were treated like outcasts and racial discrimination was considered normal. Today, anyone can choose to migrate to another country in order to find a better life. Because of the phenomenon of immigration wherein a country is made more diverse and multicultural, it is but inevitable for inter-racial marriages to flourish. Because of these two factors combined and the subsequent success of international and multinational corporations, schools have felt it necessary to equip their students with the knowledge of a foreign language. In fact, â€Å"the number of people in the United States who speak more than one language has doubled to almost 50 million during the past 20 years†.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING CHANNEL Essay

SOCIAL MEDIA AS AN EFFECTIVE MARKETING CHANNEL - Essay Example 53). It is also playing a key role in the overall community building. There are many types of social media that help people communicate with each other and develop business relationships. However, social media mainly refers to the social networking websites that play a dynamic role in the personal and professional lives of people. Some of the main business benefits of using social media include provision of an effective marketing platform, ability to reach large audiences, and improved customer service. In this paper, we will discuss the value of social networking websites for advertising, customer service, and as a community building tool. The paper will also include a discussion on the value of social media as an effective marketing tool. 2. Social Media as an Effective Marketing Channel Social networking websites are playing a valuable role as effective marketing channels for all types of companies whether large, small, or medium-sized (Kelly 2013). With the advent of the social m edia as an effective network for marketing and advertising, companies started using social networking websites for achieving better response, as well as to provide customer service through enhanced level of interaction with the customers of the company (Richardson, Gosnay and Carroll 2010, p. 58). â€Å"The main goal of social media marketing is to ensure high participation of target audience in campaigns and content shared by the company† (Rajarammohan 2012). It is imperative for a company y to know the needs and demands of the customers for the provision of best products and services. Managers use a range of tools to gather required information because without the information of customers’ requirements, it is not possible for a company to deliver customer value properly. Social media marketing helps managers and concerned employees in contacting the customers of the company directly to know their requirements and preferences. Today, many small and large companies for m manufacturing and retail industries are focusing of the use social media marketing to customize their products in accordance with the customers’ preferences, as well as to deliver their message in a more effective and conventional way to the target audience. Social media marketing refers to marketing using social networking websites and other forms of social media (Weinberg 2009, p. 4). Gone are the days when people used to visit products’ dealers and companies personally to know the functionalities and specifications of their required products. Today, most of the people use internet and related media to get all information about the products that they want to buy. For example, the number of people using online portals and websites for shopping is increasing with every passing day. The reason is that they do not need to waste their precious time going to markets and collecting information about different products. Today, internet has become the biggest and the most c onvenient marketplace where trading occurs in the same way as it occurs traditionally. The role of internet in this regard is evident from the fact that some popular social media websites, such as, Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook receive millions of clicks every day regarding product information (Rajarammohan 2012). The role of Youtube seems to be on the top in this regard as millions of people use this website to gather information about different products and services. For example, if a person aims to buy a new mobile phone of a particular company, he/she is most likely to open Youtube and see different videos related to that mobile phone. This is the reason why almost all major brands

Cartoon Channels Essay Example for Free

Cartoon Channels Essay With the advent of satellite broadcasting technology during the mid 1970’s it became possible for Television networks to air their programs all over the world. By the 1980’s, Television established itself as a powerful medium of communication and new strategies were devised by television companies to stay ahead in the game. One such strategy was the development of programmes that targeted specific sections of the community. A few of the television channels decided to focus on children and began developing programmes that would appeal to them. It was to leverage this niche market that channels like Cartoon Network came into existence. It was launched in October 1992 in the US by one of the world’s leading media companies, Turner Broadcasting System. It offered animation programmes from TBS’s extensive library of more than 10,000 Warner Bros, Hanna-Barbera and MGM cartoons. Over the next few years the channel launched in different parts of the globe showing not only their famous cartoons, but also developing original shows. Cartoon Network entered India in October 1995, sharing airtime with Turner Network Television (TNT). As the pioneer in the Indian cartoon and animation market, Cartoon Network quickly gained popularity and had a huge fan base in the metropolitan cities. When Cartoon Network entered India, there were no established players and it was not very difficult for the Network to entrench itself in the minds of the children and register itself as a channel synonymous with cartoons. It established itself very quickly as a major player in the Indian satellite Television market and became a household name. In the 1990’s the entry of other leading children’s channels like Kermit and Nickelodeon created intense competition and Cartoon Network had to rethink their strategy to stay ahead in the game in the Indian cartoon market. The strategy that it worked out was the emphasis on ‘localization’. It localized the content by dubbing its cartoons first in Hindi to appeal to the Hindi-speaking audiences and then taking its localization efforts further it introduced Tamil-dubbed shows in 2000. The first dubbed programme was ‘Toon Tamasha’ and very soon it started offering localized versions of its popular cartoons. Localization is the key to success in television programming. Localizing the content to suit the needs and tastes of the audiences is the key to garner more viewership and television rating points. When Cartoon Network introduced Tamil-dubbed shows, Kathy McClaure, Vice President Programming, Turner Network, Asia, said, â€Å"The bringing in of Tamil-dubbed cartoons is to further reinforce Cartoon Network’s commitment to bring localized programming. † Some of cartoon shows that were dubbed in Hindi and Tamil were Scooby Doo, Flintstones, Swat Kats, The Mask, The Addam’s Family, Johnny Quest and Captain Planet. On account of its growing popularity it started its 24-hour non-stop service in July 2001. The 24-hour service was part of the channels global strategic mission to place cartoons and animation in level with general entertainment that appealed not just to the children but to the adults also. Today the appeal of cartoon network is not just to children between 4 and 14 years, but also to the teenagers and adults who constitute 30 to 40% of the channel’s viewership. Cartoon Network in India is the most popular cartoon dedicated television channel in India. Chutti TV was launched on April 19, 2007 and is a 24-hour Tamil language television channel owned by the Sun Network. It is Sun TV Network’s first ever television channel for kids. The target audiences are children aged between 3 and 14. It is a free-to-air channel available on most local cable television networks. It broadcasts cartoon shows of foreign countries and networks translated into Tamil. Some of the famous and most popular shows are Jackie Chan, He-Man, Astro Boy, Avatar, Dora the Explorer, Bob Morane, Lucky Luke, Spider Man, Bumba and Danny amp; Daddy. Disney XD or Disney Channel is another famous cartoon channel and it telecasts cartoons like The Donald Duck Show, Dennis and Gnasher and television shows like Shararat Karishma Ka Karishma, Shaka Laka Boom Boom and many more. The Donald Duck Show is based on the typical Mickey Mouse Series and there are other shows like Chip and Dale, The Rescue Rangers and Dennis the Menance. POGO is a cable and satellite television channel created by Turner Broadcsting, a unit of Time Warner for India, which primarily shows animated programming. It was launched in January 2004 as a children’s entertainment hannel like its sister channel Cartoon Network and its primary target audience is children aged 3+ to young adults aged up to 40. Pogo airs in multiple languages in India. The channel carries a number of popular animated shows as well as live action shows. Turner produces exclusive shows for Pogo under the brand name Pogo Originals. The Music Art and Dance show M. A. D. is India’s No. 1 do-it-yourself show. A super-hit 2D animated series is ‘Chhota Bheem’ which won the Best Animated TV series award at the ‘Golden Cursor Awards 2009 held in Mumbai. Chhota Bheem is produced by Green Gold Animation, Hyderabad.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Functionalist conflict and symbolic perspectives on education

Functionalist conflict and symbolic perspectives on education The basis of todays theoretical perspectives provides sociologists with a philosophical position for asking certain kinds of questions about society and the people that occupy it. The three primary perspectives are functionalist, conflict, and interactionist. These three theories are very relative to education and the whole learning process. These different perspectives allow sociologists the ability to explain how society influences people and their actions. Each perspective uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior. The functionalist perspective, also known as functionalism, states that each aspect of society is interdependent and contributes to societys functioning as a whole. The government, or state, provides education for the children of the family, which in turn pays taxes on which the state depends to keep itself running. The family is dependent upon the school to help children grow up to have good jobs so that they can raise and support their own families. With this being said, the children become law-abiding and taxpaying citizens, who in turn support the state. The parts of society produce order, stability, and productivity. If something goes wrong, the parts of society then must adapt to recapture a new order, stability, and productivity. For example, the financial recession we are in right now, with the high rates of unemployment and inflation, social programs and their budgets are usually cut back because funding isnt available. Families end up having to cut back on their spending an d budget as well just to make ends meet. Functionalists believe that society is held together by social consensus and work together to achieve what is best for society as a whole. The functionalist perspective was popular during the 1940s and 1950s among American sociologist. American functionalists focused on discovering the functions of human behavior and European functionalists focused on explaining the inner workings of social order. Sociologist Robert Merton, who was born in 1910, divided human functions into two different types: manifest functions are those that are intentional and obvious and latent functions are those that are unintentional and not obvious. For example, my manifest function of attending my church is to worship, receive the word, and help children, but my latent function may be to help those children learn to discern religious and personal views. Manifest functions are apparent, while the latent functions have a more sociological approach. A sociological approach in functionalism is the consideration of the relationship between the functions of smaller parts and the functions of the whole. Functionalism has received criticism for neglecting the negative functions of something such as abuse. Critics claim that the perspective justifies the status quo and complacency on the part of societys members. Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise. Karl Marxs writings on class struggles sparked the conflict perspective. The conflict perspective presents society in a different light than do the functionalist and symbolic interactionist perspectives. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. Unlike functionalists who defend the status quo, avoid social change, and believe people cooperate to effect social order, conflict theorists challenge the status quo, encourage social change, and believe rich and powerful people force social order on the poor and the less fortunate. American sociologists in the 1940s and 1950s generally ignored the conflict perspective in favor of the functionalist, the 1960s saw American sociologists gain interest in conflict theory. They also expanded Marxs idea that the key conflict in society was strictly economic. Today, conflict theorists find social conflict between any groups in which the potential for inequality exists such as race, gender, religion, political views, and economic stance, etc. Conflict theorists note that unequal groups usually have conflicting values and agendas, causing them to compete against one another. This constant competition between groups forms the basis for the ever-changing nature of society. Critics of the conflict perspective point out its negative view of society. The theory attributes humanitarian efforts, altruism, democracy, civil rights, and other positive aspects of society to capitalistic designs to control the masses, not to inherent interests in preserving society and social order. The symbolic interactionist perspective, directs sociologists to consider the symbols and details of everyday life, what these symbols mean, and how people interact with each other. Although symbolic interactionist perspective traces its origins to Max Webers assertion that individuals act according to their interpretation of the meaning of their world, the American philosopher George H. Mead (1863-1931) introduced this perspective to American sociology in the 1920s. According to the symbolic interactionist perspective, people attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols. Verbal conversations, in which spoken words serve as the predominant symbols, make this subjective interpretation very evident. The words have a certain meaning for the sender, and, during effective communication, they hopefully have the same meaning for the receiver. Words are not static things; they require intention and interpretation. Conversation is an interaction of symbols between individuals who constantly interpret the world around them. Of course, anything can serve as a symbol as long as it refers to something beyond itself. Written music serves as an example. The black dots and lines become more than just marks on the page; they refer to notes organized in such a way to make music. Symbolic interactionists give serious thought to how people act, and then seek to determine what meanings individuals assign to their own actions and symbols. Applying symbolic interactionist perspective to the American institution of marriage, symbols may include wedding bands, vows of life-long commitment, a white bridal dress, a wedding cake, a Church ceremony, and flowers and music. American society attaches general meanings to these symbols, but individuals also maintain their own perceptions of what these and other symbols mean. For example, one of the spouses may see their circular wedding rings as symbolizing everlasting love, while the other may see them as a financial expense. Critics claim that the symbolic interactionist perspective neglects the macro level of social interpretation or the big picture. In other words, symbolic interactionists may miss the larger issues of society by focusing too closely on the trees or the size of the diamond in the wedding ring rather than the forest or the quality of the marriage. The perspective also receives criticism for slighting the influence of social forces and institutions on individual interactions. All of these perspectives have valid points as well as constructive criticism that holds value. The one perspective that sticks out to me is the conflict perspective; to me this perspective is real. I think being able to identify the many things that are wrong with our society today, makes the blows less painful when something goes wrong. The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted, and ever-changing nature of society. With this being said the conflict perspective can also be viewed in a positive light. Someone learning about this perspective their eyes could be opened up to many different issues that they might not necessarily experience.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

The Causes of Teen Pregnancy, Violence, and Drug Abuse Essay -- Exposi

The Causes of Teen Pregnancy, Violence, and Drug Abuse The headlines proclaimed the controversial news: race, poverty, and single-parents were NOT the irrevocable harbingers of drug abuse, teen pregnancy, and violence. Instead, researchers were claiming that behaviors that parents and teens could influence -- such as problems at school and the amount of time spent "hanging out with friends" and the type of friends they chose -- could predict trouble. Some cynics speculated that this was a right-wing conspiracy to justify abolishing federal programs for the poor. Some assumed that the media, always keen for a "dog bites man" story, had oversimplified research results to get a newsworthy sound bite. On the other hand, some youth advocates welcomed the idea that impoverished minority youth with single parents didn't necessarily have three strikes against them. This study, "The Effects of Race/Ethnicity, Income, and Family Structure on Adolescent Risk Behaviors", by Robert Blum, MD. has important implications for all parents and adults who work with youth. The study examines the extent to which race and ethnicity (white, black, or Hispanics), income (6 categories, ranging from $10,000 or less to $61,000 or more), and single-parent homes (i.e., family structure) predict several specific problem behaviors among middle school students and among high school students: - Smoking - Alcohol consumption - Suicidal thoughts or attempts - Weapon-related violence - Ever had sexual intercourse (yes/no) These were measured as a continuous range of behaviors, except for sexual intercourse. The results show that race, income, and family structure each influence many of these problem behaviors. I... ... statistics, you will realize that a white teen from a middle-class two-parent family is almost as likely to get into trouble (or stay out of trouble) as a Black or Hispanic teen from a poor single-parent home. This report should encourage parents of disadvantaged minority students, and the teachers and other adults who work with them, because it indicates some important influences that can be modified to help these children. On the other hand, it provides a real wake-up call for white, suburban families who think their children are immune from serious problems. And, it helps explain why substance abuse and tragic violence can occur even in seemingly safe, middle class communities. Source Cited Blum, Robert, MD. "The Effects of Race/Ethnicity, Income, and Family Structure on Adolescent Risk Behaviors" American Journal of Public Health December 2000.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Cartoon Violence, Has it gone too Far Essay -- essays papers

Cartoon Violence, Has it gone too Far Aggression. Killing. Revenge. Sound like the latest Scream movie or Keanu Reeves thriller? You may be surprised to hear that this describes the average Saturday morning cartoon. One of the most surprising facts is that the level of violence during Saturday morning cartoons is higher than the level of violence during prime time. There are 3 to 5 violent acts per hour in prime time, versus 20 to 25 acts per hour on Saturday morning (Gerbner,1). Violence on television in general is damaging to society. But the specific targeting of the younger population through the use of cartoons to show violence is destructive and in no way helping to profit the upcoming generation. Violence in cartoons is harmful to children in many ways. Desensitizing children, increasing aggressiveness, and increasing their fear of becoming victims in real life, are all accredited to violence on television. â€Å"Myriad studies show that television violence affect children by desensitizing children to the horror of violence, teaching them to accept violence as a solution to problems, teaching them to imitate the violence they see on the television and leading them to identify with characters seen on television (and thus imitate the characters they identify with) (Parenthood Web).† The amount of violence in television programming is obviously directly related to the amount of violence witnessed by children. The more of a role that television plays in the daily activities the more of a role violence will influence that child. In 1985 alone, 85% of all television programming contained violence, with 92.1% of cartoons aired containing violence. These cartoons generally contain one violent act every three minutes ... ... and go straight to fighting. Children are becoming more desensitized, more aggressive and more afraid with the huge influx of violence on the glowing television set in all of our homes. Clearly, the children watching television all over the world are learning to embrace violence, often the wrong solution to any problem. Violence in television should not be banned, however, the frequency of the violence in television shows, especially cartoons aimed at kids, should be cut down significantly. Bibliography: Work Cited 1. Chen, Walter. http://interact.uoregon.edu/MediaLit/FA/MLArticleFolder/kalin.html, 2000. 2. Gerbner, George. http://www.4children.org/news/1- 97vtch.htm, 1999. 3. Liebert and Sprafkin. Violence in the Media. New York: Basic Books, 1990. pages 115-120. 4. The Parenthood Web. http://www.4children.org/news/1-97vtch.htm, 2001.

Friday, October 11, 2019

How to ‘save’ Ghana from Petrodollars?

Introduction Resources haven’t always been linked to wealth, as the management of resources in a country is always subjected to politicking. Ghana’s resources have been recently discovered, thus space for maneuver regarding how to make the best out of the natural supplies is given to the government. What is known so far is that â€Å"oil discoveries in many countries have led to the erosion of democratic processes and insitutional structures† (Van Gyampo, 2011: 49). In other words, wealth generation does not equal resource abundance, and, by any means, an increase in the standard of living of the entire population. Moreover, the Ghanian exampe is illustrative on account of the government increasing its opacity. This can result in higher level of corruption and social unrest, as an inequality in the wealth distribution can generate social pressure. Countries with abundant resources and weak political systems are prone to having an authoritarian government or to face social disruption. The pre-oil Ghana was â€Å"praised for its steady progress toward democratic consolidation† (Gyimah-Boadi & Prempeh, 2012: 94), with five elections being held under democratic principles, and autonomy being guaranteed to key institutions such as universities, mass-media, etc. Economically speaking, Ghana has an estimated influx of Petrodollars of about USD 1 billion (Kapela, 2009) per year, which constitues a great potential for development. This should be the focus of further research on the impact of oil discovery on Ghana, as development plans have the potential of generating economic wealth in a sustainable manner. The main question is ‘how to generate wealth from resource abundance, and how to invest Petrodollars in something sustainable for Ghana?’ Research proposal The paper should focus on oil industry as a generator of wealth in Ghana, and try to tackle ways in which this could be made possible. Classically, transforming oil money in wealth is done through infrastructure development. What is more, the type of infrastructure that has to be developed differs from country to country. Nonetheless, even if infrastructure of any type is built, this doesn’t automatically create sustainability (Wood, 2007). This is caused by the contextuality determined by political and social factors. Of particular importance is to note that Ghana’s democracy is fundamentally different than other African counterparts dependent on oil exportation, with a political system that has developed into a relatively stable one. This creates a fertile ground for sustainability projects. First, the disseration should focus on researching and outlining the modes in which the Ghanian government can use the influx of Petrodollars to enhance development, despite other bad examples in the region. Here are some areas of development that can attract funding from oil industry. a) start-ups: Economic growth is striclty related to entrepreneurship. Can Ghanian government find a way to foster a capitalistic climate that can potentially generate wealth b) infrastructure development: When we talk about infrastructure, we think about motorways construction, airport connectivity, etc. In fact, developing countries struggle to finalize those projects and often find that the expected positive externalities are overwhelmed by the negative ones. Roads can prove to be good connectors between two cities, but don’t generate wealth per se. A type of infrastructure with positive outcomes is IT infrastructure. c) education: Sustainability is about creating a long-lasting positive effect over the next generations. Education is an important node of the wealth-creation network. The main concern is whether Ghana has the political will to use oil money for projects that can create wealth organically. Therefore, the thesis should approach the topic of Petrodollars and how Ghana can be the first positive example of good resource management in Africa. This would relate oil industry to the broader picture of wealth creation and development. How to tackle the research topic? The methodological apparatus that should be employed here is diverse, however discretion is advisable. First of all, an extensive literature review on Ghana’s oil industry should be done in order to understand the underpinnings of the ‘newly created economy’. Second, the literature review should seek to understand the political system and how this was altered by the resource profusion. A comparative approach should be used here, especially a comparison between Ghana and Nigeria regarding institutional redesign in the light of resource abundance. Second, there are more ways in which the study can be developed. a) an empirical analysis of economic indicators that measure wealth and economic growth post and ante the oil discovery. This can take the form of an econometrical analysis that should test the correlation between Petrodollars cahsflows and development. The most accessible option is to run a multiple regression having as the dependent variables the economic growth, standard of living, and income inequality, and independent variables, revenues from oil indsutry, tax revenues, etc. Two patterns can arise. First, a positive correlation between the formers and the latters, thus the Ghanian government can be rendered as a good example of ‘oil revenues manager’. Second, a negative correlation can be found, confiriming the theory of fragiles democracy falling apart because of resource abundance. In any case, the assumptions made should be supported by a rigorous theoretical framework. b) a fieldwork approach using structured interviews with local entrepreneurs that have benefit ed from or were disadvatanged by the emergence of the oil industry. If this approach is taken, a good guide can be provided by Hart (2007). This method can provide rich data about the micro implications of oil industry in Ghana and can allow for ground-up theoretical development. Conclusions and recommendations The discovery of the oil field in Ghana is still recent, thus not a lot of academic writing has focused on it. There are still many areas left unexplored, some of them presented above. The recommendation is to focus on oil industry as an agent of change that has the power, in the right hands, to drive economic growth and wealth creation. Also, Ghana is a particular example in Africa, therefore careful attention should be given to details such as political stability and institutional systems. The author should rely, if possible, on local access to information, and use the local language to bring to light some new information that otherwise would be impossible to discover. The recommended design of the research is a grounded theory approach, where the author will attempt to use a mix of secondary data analysis (e.g. Official documents, public discourses of government regarding oil industry, etc.) and structured interviews with local entrepreneurs. References Van Gyampo, R.E. (2011), Saving Ghana from Its Oil: A critical Assessment of Preparations so Far Made, Africa Today, vol. 57, no. 4, pp. 48-69; Gyimah-Boadi, E., Kwasi Prempeh, H. (2012), Oil, Politics, and Ghana’s Democracy, Journal of Democracy, bol. 23, no. 3, pp. 94-108; Hart, K. (2007), Small-scale entrepreneurs in Ghana and development planning, The Journal of Development Studies, vol. 6, no. 4 Kapela, J.M. (2009), Ghana’s new oil: cause for jubilation of prelude to the resource curse, Master’s project, Duke University Wood, T. (2007), The Natural Wealth of Nations: Transformation of Oil- and Gas-Producing Economies, Cisco White Paper, 2007

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Define and discuss what is hearsay, what is not hearsay, and some common exceptions to the hearsay rule

Hearsay is a testimony given in which the witness does not directly hear or experience what he or she is giving testimony to. In that case, the testimony being declared is hearsay because what is being asserted was not experienced first hand by the declarant, and therefore cannot really testify if it happened or not because the information came from someone else. This brings complications because the original or first-hand witness is not present in the court, and thus, cannot be cross-examined, or thoroughly scrutinized. For this reason, hearsay is generally unaccepted as evidence in the US court system, especially in criminal cases.But as with all rules, there are exemptions to it as well. There are instances when hearsay is the only way to present a certain piece of evidence. For example, if the original witness has passed away, then presenting hearsay testimony is the only available course of action. In this case, the court must consider the hearsay evidence Some common exemptions are dying declarations or a statement made while the person is dying; declarations against interest or when the person testifies to something that may cause some negative effect on the witness. . How has the Crawford vs. Washington case impacted the admissibility of hearsay evidence in criminal trials? The case of Crawford vs. Washington is a landmark court decision which necessitated the need redraw the rules guiding the use of hearsay evidence. The Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Washington Supreme Court and upheld the decision of the Washington Court of Appeals to reverse Michael Crawford’s conviction for assault and attempted murder against Kenneth Lee.The case revolved around whether Susan’s recorded statements in the police station would be admissible as evidence against her husband. Under court rules, spouses are not allowed to testify against their partner, without the express permission of the suspect, or if the spouse is the complainant in the c ase. In Crawford vs. Washington, the plaintiff presented the court with Susan Crawford’s testimony in front of the police; the defense argued that this evidence cannot be accepted because Michael, the suspect, cannot confront the testimony because Susan, as his spouse, cannot stand witness in his trial.The court denied the defense’s petition and accepted Susan’s recorded statement made to the police where she said that Kenneth was not holding a weapon at that time. This testimony shattered the defense’s not guilty plea by virtue of self-defense, and Michael was convicted of the crime. The element of hearsay in this case lies in the fact that Susan’s recorded testimony is presented by the police, and Susan cannot be presented in court to corroborate or refute the statement because as Michael’s wife, she cannot do so.In this case, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction because Michael’s right to confront the witnesses testifying ag ainst him was denied. Based on this, the Supreme Court decided to strike out Susan’s recorded statement, and thus, there was insufficient evidence to convict Michael, and he was exonerated. 3. Discuss some of the situations where the exclusionary rule does not apply, despite the commission of some constitutional violation by the government. The Exclusionary Rule holds that any evidence that is gathered through unlawful or unconstitutional means will not hold in any criminal trial.Particularly, any evidence that is gathered through self-incrimination under duress or ignorance, and unlawful searches and seizures will not be recognized by any criminal court in the United States. The Exclusionary Rule is one of the principal ways to enforce a system of checks and balances within the US court system. This prevents any abuse or misuse from taking place. This rule is the reason why police are mandated by law to inform suspects of their Miranda Rights, especially when they will be de tained and interrogated.If the Miranda warning was not explicitly given, then any statements made during the ensuing interrogation will not be considered by the court. Of course there are exclusions to the Exclusionary Rule as well. The Exclusionary Rule is very specific only in so far as establishing the guilt or innocence of the suspect is concerned. This evidence can still be presented in order to question the reliability or honesty of the defendant’s testimony. Another exclusion is called the inevitable discovery doctrine.This doctrine argues that there are some pieces of evidence, gathered though an unlawful search, that would have eventually been discovered by elements of the law in the normal course of their investigation. This assumption maintains that the evidence would have been found; and that it is only a matter of time before it is discovered. There are also many cases wherein the exclusionary law may be challenged, depending on the circumstances that led to the unlawful search. 4. Discuss the Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination and some of the various situations where it does not apply.The Fifth Amendment ensures the privilege of an accused to refuse to answer questions that might further incriminate or be used against him. This right can be invoked at any given time; during investigation, up until the final deliberation of the case. The Fifth Amendment can only be invoked during a direct questioning or interrogation. This right against self-incrimination protects the individual from saying something that might further damage his or her case. There are cases when the individual may choose to disclose what he or she knows about a particular case in exchange for immunity.The government often uses this to bait the â€Å"bigger fishes†, for example in a criminal ring or network. In order to gather valuable information that would lead to more indictments, law enforcers offer immunity against criminal persecution. They ma y also be entered into the witness protection program to ensure the witnesses and their families’ safety. 5. Discuss the four major tests that govern the admissibility of confessions in criminal trials. The Fifth Amendment prevents and protects suspects from making self-incriminating statements, and because of this, the US courts do not accept confessions at face value.Before accepting confessions as evidence in a court case, it must pass a four-pronged test made to establish if the confession was indeed given voluntarily; without threat or coercion of any kind. The first test asks whether the statement was given voluntarily or not. This establishes the circumstances surrounding the act of confession. The second determines if the confession was given in spite of being given the Miranda warning. This means that the confession was given in full deliberation, and acceptance of the consequences of his confession.The third test finds out if any sort of waiver was issued by the sus pect. Finally, the fourth determines if the waiver, if there is one, is clear and unambiguous, without any room for double meaning or misinterpretation. In this case, a waiver refers to a document or a recorded statement that certifies that the suspect is relinquishing his/her legal rights and is giving a full confession. However, this waiver presupposes a thorough understanding of one’s rights before these rights can actually be waived. If the suspect is not capable of such discernment, then the confession might be disputed. . How do some of the rules of evidence limit or even frustrate â€Å"the search for the truth? † Discuss the operation of these rules and their impact on â€Å"justice. †The basic prerequisite of any case is being able to present enough evidence to determine if the suspect is guilty beyond reasonable doubt. If the evidence fails to show guilt beyond reasonable doubt, then the suspect should be acquitted. In a criminal case, the prosecutor h as the burden of proof; meaning that the defense is not required to present any evidence if the prosecutor failed to make their case in the first place.As such, being able to present material evidence is important for â€Å"justice†. The problem is that sometimes, the rules governing the admissibility of evidence prevents the truth from coming out, and impairs the fair disposal of justice. However, it is a fair trade. The rules of evidence ensure that the rights of the accused are protected, even as the rights of the innocent are upheld. It is not foolproof, but it is the best arrangement that can be made under the circumstances; a compromise to balance the rights of everyone involved.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Food Supply and Environmental Issues Research Paper

Food Supply and Environmental Issues - Research Paper Example According to past trends, there have been plans of increasing food production in order to counter the increasing consumption rates. Despite the existence of such plans, the consumption rates have often surpassed the production rates (World Centric, 2013). This explains why there are people succumbing to hunger in the developing world. Moreover, the globe lives under the threat of food insecurity because of the changes in climate and diminishing resources. It is a fact that the population will increase immensely in the next thirty years if population growth rates persist. The current seven billion people are likely to increase to about 9 billion in three decades (Diouf, 2010). The world faces challenges in feeding the current population, but must exhibit preparedness to feed an extra two billion people. Such increase will likely cause more strain in the agricultural and fishing sector in order to cater for the rising need. Moreover, with people adopting different lifestyles, the world will likely need more fish and animal livestock (Diouf, 2010). These animals and fish will require feed and this only increases the need. Food is not the only need because population will present a higher energy need for the globe. In order to ensure a level of security in the future, application of new techniques in agriculture to increase yield and combat climate change has been the way for most of the nations. The new techniques include the adoption of new farming methods, search for better seed varieties and improved animal breeds. For some time, conventional breeding seemed to offer a promise for the future but not anymore. There are new problems that challenge the new techniques adopted. Pesticides and insecticides that were once effective are no longer efficient with the increasing resistance from pests (Vidal, 2012). Moreover, stretching the agricultural sector presents its limits because of the potential environmental effects. Therefore, the discovery of better biotechnological methods has been the focus of many scientists in the recent past. Although genetically modified organisms (GMOs) present a glimpse of hope for the future, the politics and criticisms behind them only serve to prove that the worl d needs a better solution. Although the use of GMOs can assure the globe of food security to a certain level, they present new challenges as well, and scientists are still figuring out what they can do to ensure safety (Vidal, 2012). However, these still provide the world with fortified foods presenting a new capacity for agriculture to provide a balanced diet to its ever growing and needy population. Many have urged that green technology will present a better solution (Woody, 2012). The technology comes with handy benefits because it can provide good yields while conserving the environment as well. Although it comes with multiple benefits, it is expensive for the local farmer doing it at small scale. Moreover, the adverse climatic changes that have resulted because of over-exploitation of the

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Mergers and Acquisitions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mergers and Acquisitions - Essay Example Man has always tried to conquer the unconquerable and do the undo able this is the same factor that drives the companies into the abyss of the unknown (Allan and Michael, 2010). In a bid to outdo and outsmart the competitors and get the upper hand of strategic advantages, companies cannibalise other companies or in some cases form understanding relationship. It is done either through merger and acquisition where one company either devours another one or decides to merge together and form a new entity (Andrews and Smith, 2006). A significant number of these mergers and acquisitions either goes smoothly whether the companies emerge victorious and successful in the process, while in other case the deal fails to get through, and the companies suffer massive financial damages (Debbage, 2004). a) Increased globalisation across the world has increased the number of across borders mergers and acquisitions around the world. The authors of the article named 'Dubious Logic of Global Mega-Merger s’, argue that most of the time the megamergers that take place, does not substantiate into something extra ordinary, as was thought to be. The article represents how the mega companies are still living under the shadows of the age old theory of the capitalists (Benner and Sandstrom, 2012). Most of the mighty and strong companies in and around the world strongly believe that the prevalence of one can only be guaranteed, if the prevalence of the others can be weakened. For example most of the big companies resort to constant and innumerable number of mergers and acquisitions in order to stay big and strong. The mergers and acquisitions have increased transfer of knowledge, transfer of resources, transfer of economy and even transfer of culture (Caoello and Gillesaie, 2003). This have helped to bridge the gap between the nations, between the companies and the between the various industrial sectors as well. So it can be argued that globalisation has led to concentration of compa nies (Chiefele, 2012). As companies engage in innumerable cases of mergers and acquisitions the length and breadth of the industry begins to get shortened. Thus slowly the industry begins to shrink and thus there remains only limited number of players. These players happen to call the shots. This argument is favoured by various researchers. Although the authors Cravens (2010) state that in reality there is no cause and effect relationship between globalisation and mergers and acquisitions. In fact globalisations after the World War II has lead to decreased concentration in certain industrial sectors. Companies engage in engage in merger and acquisition to take advantage of the economy of scale. Apart from that the other advantages are transfer of technical know-how, sharing of intellectual resources and other strategic advantages (Xu, 2000). The authors are right in their view that the history of merger and acquisitions is strewn with numerous failures but close review of the failur es will indicate that the failures were partly due to the management incompetency (David, James and Arthur, 2011). Due to incompetency, the management of the acquiring companies could not evaluate the exact economic value and the subsequent risks. Despite the fact that the history of mergers and acquisitions are riddled with innumerable failures but there are various successes stories also. The following table

Monday, October 7, 2019

Case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Case - Essay Example Through the bill of sale, Riley transferred to Thelma one-half undivided interest in seven units of the property. Through the assignment, Riley also assigned one-half undivided interest in the lease property. This interest included the right of survivorship in favor of Thelma for the other half interest held by Riley. The consideration for both of these agreements was $1.00. The two separated and Thelma went to court seeking to end their domestic partnership as well as enforce the two agreements. According to Riley, the two agreements lacked consideration. On the other hand, Thelma argued that their pending engagement and the amount that she had deposited into their joint account was sufficient consideration for the enforcement of both agreements. The trial court upheld the agreement and divided the property in accordance with the sale agreement as well as the assignment. Riley was not satisfied with the decision of the trial court and went to the Court of Appeal of Tennessee to appeal against the decision of the trial court. Reasons: the court looked at the two agreements and examined them to check whether the four elements that a valid contract should fulfill were present. These four elements are offer, acceptance, consideration and intention to enter into a legally binding contract. The court in looking at the element of consideration, ruled that it was adequate. In a contract, consideration need adequate but sufficient. The court stated that consideration however small is sufficient consideration. It is the responsibility of the seller to seek Consideration is the element that distinguishes a gift from a sale and in this circumstance; the court held that the detriment suffered by the defendant in this case does not have to be equal to the responsibility that is assumed. So long as there was no fraud in passing the interests, the court could

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Water Pollution in Orlando Florida Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Water Pollution in Orlando Florida - Coursework Example Orlando has failed to control water pollution to the extent that the federal government had to intervene. Orlando has many water catchment areas but there have been recent concerns over the level of effluents that are finding their way into the lakes and rivers. For instance, Lake Lawne was put on alert after a residential sanitary system blocked leading to sewage overflow that ended up into the lake. Although there were intervention measures, the lake was already polluted. Indeed a lake alert was issued and public warned not to use the water until the issue was resolved. Lake Okeechobee has been in the public limelight for uncontrolled pollution. Effluents from large farms and ranches find its way into the lake thereby causing water pollution. These are just some of the examples. However, the water pollution through improper effluent management seems to be escalating. The primary causes of water pollution stemming from the failure the of effluent management by waste management depar tments and most importantly failure of industries and farming sector to manage their waste. This is a case of lack of human values and environmental ethics. For instance, ranches and dairy firms should observe environmental ethics and take precautionary measures to ensure that their effluents do not end up in the water catchment areas. They should all respect human values and observe environmental ethics even when it means cutting down their profits to do so. This way Orlando will be an environmentally conscious city.

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Employability Skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Employability Skills - Essay Example The responsibilities of a hotel concierge, as highlighted by Baker (2012), can be summarized into three main categories: meeting and educating the guests; handling bookings and important reservations; and facilitating the troubleshooting of problems and issues. Firstly, since a hotel concierge serves as an important and effective brand ambassador of the hotel business, he is expected to be able to communicate clearly, concisely, and courteously to the guests. In this regard, he must possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills by being friendly, dependable, and helpful toward the guests. In addition to this, a hotel concierge must also educate the guests on the available facilities and services rendered. He also shares pertinent information to the guests such as travel routes, available tours, outing schedules, and transportation availabilities. He may also offer some recommendations about the city’s points of interest, best restaurants, shopping hubs, and nightclu bs (Mead, 2012). Secondly, a hotel concierge handles the reservation to important events. He helps not only in the obtaining of tickets, but also in the setting and booking of appointments. Because of this responsibility, a hotel concierge must be in-the-know of crucial city happenings. He must have strong personal and professional networks in various fields—art, fashion, theater, and sports. All of these make a hotel concierge capable of answering all inquiries of guests (McDonald, 2010). Lastly, a hotel concierge must know how to facilitate the troubleshooting of certain problems and issues. When a guest loses his wallet or when he needs special dry-cleaning services, a hotel concierge must be ready to attend to these needs and emergencies (Mead, 2012). Thus, he must be quick and results-driven when solving the issues of hotel guests. Such as skill can only be enhanced by having an organized database of information and internal connections. Figure 1: Summary of Skills and V alues of a Hotel Concierge LO1.2 Setting Objectives Having discussed the skills and values needed to be a hotel concierge, it is now vital to establish a plan on how I can attain these objectives. In this regard, I intend to focus on my key strengths and areas of improvement to gain a better understanding of myself. My key strengths are encapsulated by my values both as a person and as a student: (1) my willingness to learn; and (2) my strong interpersonal skills. Firstly, my willingness to learn is best exhibited in my penchant for discovering new things in life which form part of my hobbies and interests. Being updated in the current trends in digital technology, mass media, and pop culture can help cultivate my knowledge on significant political, economic, social, and technological events. This is important as it equips me with a wider and deeper perspective about society and people. Secondly, my strong interpersonal skills also form part of my key strengths. This is exhibited by my ability to work with people with varying attitudes and working styles, as well as to communicate effectively and clearly to them. This skill is honed by my participation in various school organizations. Through this, I can claim that I display high emotional quotient or E.Q. On the other hand,

Friday, October 4, 2019

Geof is the only genuine caring character in the play Essay Example for Free

Geof is the only genuine caring character in the play Essay Geof is the only genuine caring character in the play; the others are totally selfish and self centred. Discuss this statement. From the beginning of the play we can see Jo is the main character, she is highly independent and self reliant this is obvious from one of the opening pages were Jos mum Helen states children owe their parents these little attentions to which Jo replies with I dont owe you a thing. This shows Jo sees her relationship with her mother as strained, she feels she has brought herself up and not really had her mother their to support her. She has learnt to rely on herself and not trust her mother. When Jo becomes pregnant with a black boy form the navy, who leaves her pregnant Jo reacts badly because she is so independent and used to looking after herself. Geof (Jos gay friend) offers her a shoulder to turn to and she turns on him Im not planning big plans for this baby or dreaming big dreams. You Know what happens when you do things like that. The baby will be born dead or daft! She feels she has let herself down and been promiscuous, however the sailor boy was offering her marriage and love before he left, she felt in a safe relationship and that was why she slept with him. But Jo just sees that shes made the same mistakes her mother made when she had her at a young age. Most expectant mothers dont have this negative attitude towards their unborn child however I feel its because she thinks she may let the child down like her mother let her down. Jimmy the black boy from the navy who got Jo pregnant gave the impression of a kind and genuine character who did honestly love Jo until he left. In my opinion he loved her and did intend to return for her but got scared of the prejudice he would face if he did return. He said to Jo about her mother finding out about their engagement Shell see a coloured boy. He obviously felt his race was going to be an issue in their relationship and how it was perceived and was worried about it. Jo however did know Jimmy was in the navy and even said to him on one occasion I might as well be naughty while Ive got the chance. Ill probably never see you again I know it. So I believe deep down Jo knew there was a chance she wouldnt be seeing him again. In my opinion Helen did love her daughter she just didnt know how to treat her, maybe it was because she had her at a young age? She seems to think she should treat her daughter like a friend, she even encourages her underage daughter to drink You dont smell it, you drink it! I think the only way Helen knew to make her daughter love her was the way she made men love her, by getting her drunk. Helen did want her daughter to make something of her life I feel. She encouraged her to draw, saying her drawings were very good Have you ever thought of going to a proper art school and getting proper training? But I think the main reason she wanted Jo to make something of herself was so she could sponge of her. Helen says to Jo When you start earning you can start moaning. In my opinion shes saying to Jo you make some money and get us somewhere nicer. Shes not taken the task upon herself to find her and her daughter somewhere nice to live shes going to wait for her daughter to did it for them. Not a typical loving mother and daughter relationship, Helen is reliant on her daughter Jo. Helen is in my opinion lazy with regard to her relationship with her daughter. She is constantly asking her daughter to do stuff around the house Pass me that bottle Have we got any aspirins left Jo? Here is another example of Helen being reliant on her daughter. She also becomes strangely jealous of Jos gay friend Geof. She is constantly rude to him Oh shut up Geof Sling your hook I believe she is jealous of his strong bond with Jo. She feels jealous of their close relationship and doesnt like him around as she feels inadequate compared to him. Jo maintains through out the play that she wants to be rid of her mother as soon as I get a full-time job, Im leaving Helen and starting up with a room somewhere so for Helen to know theres someone in her life she wants there, that person being Geof it must make her feel less important. Even for Helen who shows no real care for her Jo to know that her own daughter feels like that must be difficult. I think part of her feels she should have a close loving relationship with Jo I just dont think she knows how to or more importantly can be bothered. Peter, Helens latest fling who becomes her husband comes across as a decent sort of guy at first, however he is sleazy Helen you look utterly fantastic Got your blue garters on? He does turn nasty towards the end when their marriage isnt going so well Look at Helen, isnt she a game old bird? Worn out on the beat but shes still got a few good strokes left. and I dragged you out of the gutter once , If you want to go back there its all the same to me. The way he speaks down to Helen are reminiscent of his character, he believes himself to be above everyone else, better looking, better dressed, better educated, a real snob. Geof takes a mothering role in Jos life, which I dont think she always appreciates. Ill buy you one for Christmas. If you ask nice Ill buy you two. Ill stay here and clear this place up a bit and make you a proper meal. I think Jo actually likes having a figure to look after her but I think she finds it difficult sometimes as shes not used to it, shes used to fending for herself. Why dont you leave me alone? I think that all this shows that despite Jos though exterior she does want looking after and companionship, especially from her mother even though she denies it, as that is what Geof is doing for her, being a substitute mother. Geof , a single gay man was evicted from his flat by his landlady because she caught him with another man. In those days being a sexually active gay man was frowned upon so he was probably quite ashamed about the reason for his eviction and that is why he tries to hide it from Jo. When she asks has your landlady thrown you out? Geof replies Dont be silly, but later tells her the truth. Geof also agrees to move in with Jo, taking on the responsibilities of looking after a Jo and her baby. Also when Jo tells him her baby will be black he is extremely accepting and doesnt seem to care. In my opinion this is due to the prejudice he has faced about being gay. Another time his kind and compassionate character is seen is when he tries to get Jo and Helen talking again despite Jo telling him exactly what her mother is like he still persists and tries to build bridges in their relationship with them and get Helen to help out with the baby. Your mother should know, do you have her address? When he meets Helen though he is struck by how rude and uncaring she is and sticks up for Jo telling Helen. If Id known you were going to bully her like this Id have never asked you to come! Here he shows true loyalty for Jo by sticking up for her. In my opinion Geof is a very lonely young man he didnt seem to have any other friends besides Jo in the play, other than young man he was found in his flat with but in his own words he didnt really know the guy . We cant really be sure of his past because the play doesnt mention it but I feel hes faced a lot of prejudice about his sexuality and perhaps that is why he so understands Jo. He doesnt seem to have any family, and I think he was trying to make Jo and the baby into a surrogate family for himself. I feel he was the nicest character in the book but he did become quite irritating as he was too nice all of the time. All the other characters had floors and attributes that made them lovable or unlovable. Geof however, was just quite bland. Helen for instance was an interesting character because she was so unpredictable, she could have a new boyfriend at any moment, or get drunk and do something ridiculous. Goef on the other hand was predictable but provided the rock of the story. He was Mr. Reliable that Jo could turn to he wasnt an interesting character like Helen but was a vital part of the play.