Nursing Reflection

Going back through previous experiences and tracing back the footsteps we have made allows us to reminisce about the good things that have happened in our lives. Somehow the undesirable memories would also seep in as they are part and parcel of our existence that we cannot do away with. This process gives us an opportunity to encounter past events that can necessarily aid us in the future. In the Nursing practice, reflection is a retrospective approach that evaluates historical processing of experiences that takes place in a structured form and is deemed highly essential (Eliis, Kenworthy and Gates, 2003, 156). In the clinical practice, this retrospective activity facilitates in the promotion of quality care. The art of reflection however in the nursing practice focus on self rather than on the situation as the care provider (Quinn, 2000, 252). The process is a reflective practice that is a cognitive act by which we are allowed to make sense of our thoughts and memories (Taylor, 2000, 43). This method therefore allows a practitioner to generate a complementary or alternative form of knowledge and a set of choices in the evaluation of the best course of action. It is a â€Å"deep learning† experience that reflects on our knowledge and theories and go beyond merely thinking about what we do but involves recalling what had occurred and analyzing the situation by interpreting important information recalled (Taylor, 2000, 4). In Nursing, the reflective process is aimed about our own practice (Taylor, 20000, 3); that nursing education and research cannot do without as a common practice in the learning mechanism in which we all engage in a regular basis (Slevin and Basford, 2000, 483). With a main purpose of enabling the practitioner to learn from experiences and increase clinical effectiveness, reflection is highly essential to the nursing practice. For this process to be effective, Johns has provided a guided reflection which employs different models of self-inquiry to enable a practitioner to realize desirable and effective practice (2002:3). Considering that this involves a cognitive and emotional component that is expressed through analysis, different models would aid us feel comfortable about the activity. John’s model can be used in preparation for or during clinical supervision and applicable to specific incidents rather than more general day to day issues and particularly applicable to those who prefer a structure approach (Ellis, Kenworthy and Gates, 155). Gibbs Model use term description rather than â€Å"a return to the entire experience† as a form of reflection is considered as a simpler method but one where a mentor or facilitator is likely needed(Davies, Bullman and Finlay, 2000, 84). Both models however in supervision practice can be used to facilitate clinical governance through the promotion of quality care where an exchange between two professionals employing this technique seeks to improve their practice (Watkins, Edwards and Gastrell, 2003, 266). To maximize the potential benefits of clinical supervision, nurses have to learn to be comfortable with this retrospective activity with the aid of Gibbs or John’s models depending on where one feels most comfortable working with (Ellis, Kenworthy and Gates, 156). Gibbs Model for reflection As a simple and easily attainable method, Gibbs model uses term description rather than a return to a previous experience (Davies, Bullman and Finlay, 84). In psychology and teaching, reflection facilitates as purposeful change and competencies such as psychological-mindedness and self-regulation (Clutterback and Lane, 2004, 196). Usually this process involves a mentor, teacher or supervisor working with a student at different stage while allowing for individuality. Although less specific than re-evaluating an experience; Gibbs in his cycle or reflection makes the action planning a more overt component of reflection (Davies, Bullman and Finlay, 84). Gibbs provides that in one’s own practice, an essential aspect of working as an autonomous practitioner involves a critical analysis of one’s role and responsibilities from a personal perspective (Gibbs, 1998,13). It is a process that requires others to become involved that encourages feedback and constructive comment to recognize your role and value in a health team (Humphris and Masterson, 2000, 77). John’s Model for reflection John’s model uses the concept of guided reflection to describe a structure supportive approach that helps the practitioner learn from their reflections and experiences (Quinn, 2000, 572). The approach involves the use of a model of structure reflection, one-on-one group supervision and the keeping of a reflective diary (Quinn, 572). The practice would aid the practitioner in learning from a reflection of their experiences. John’s model is more detailed as it provides a checklist of specific points necessary for reflection (Davies, Bullman and Finlay, 85). The only problem cited with John’s model if it imposes on a framework that is external to the practitioner leaving little scope for inclusion as cite by other theories. John’s model can be used in preparation and during clinical supervision consisting of 6 steps that is applicable t specific incidents rather than more generalized day to day issues facing the supervisee (Ellis, Kenworthy and Gates, 155). This model is highly attractive to those who prefer a structured approach but others may find this type more restricting (Ellis, Kenworthy and Gates, 156). Criticisms against the reflective process Reflection involves cognitive and emotional components that are expressed through analysis and to maximize the potential benefits of the clinical supervisor nurses have to learn to feel comfortable with this retrospective activity both during and in preparation for supervision sessions (Ellis, Kenworth and Gates, 157). This could be deemed time–consuming in an institution where time is often an important element in the delivery of care. A time for reflection can be done positively only when a situation or a need arises. This is probably why reflection method is considered a radical approach to nursing education and practice given the ample time training can afford (Slevin and Basford, 483). Yet reflection is valuable if done in partnership with someone else which led Davies et al to believe that the approach is quasi-therapeutic (Davies, Bullman and Finlay, 86). The principles have been transferred directly from client-centered psychotherapy and may trigger more powerful responses such as guilt and anxiety. Practitioners are therefore evaluated before they are given a chance to try this one out according to conservative studies. However with practice, it is assumed that a reflective process may not hold as much negative impact for the learned practitioner in an answer to the demands for a continuous review of a practice in a critical and analytical manner that support the reflective concept. The Value of Reflection for the Student Nurse As an essential component of scholarly practice, reflection, reflection is a method for generating a complementary alternative form of knowledge and theory (Humphris and Masterson, 2000:78).   Regardless of any negative criticism a reflective method may elicit from critics, I consider this to be a valuable tool. For the student, this is a process were one internally examines and explores an issue of concern triggered by an experience that clarifies the meaning of perspectives (Canham and Bennett, 2001, 185). The nursing practice has been surrounded by a world of silence and reflection is a way for nurses to reflect that is enhanced and introduced in the nursing curriculum (Guzzetta, 1998, 102). Often in the professional practice, nurses have encouraged silence among themselves in their health environment and setting while usually developing a shared professional voice with her team. Oftentimes, her relationship with the rest of the health team and other professionals faced difficult efforts because of the autonomy. The process of reflection allows one to air out her sentiments and ideas within her group or to a mentor or a supervisor during moments of reflection that could be produced as a shared voice for the team. Developing a habit of reflection is therefore a must for nursing education in order to uncover dimensions of experiences such as hidden and explicit meanings of behavior that can aid a student nurse in identifying her own perspective of the nursing practice that is highly useful in her entry to the profession (Guzzetta, 1998, 103). For a student in nursing, one must therefore develop a habit of reflection in order to uncover experiences and the meaning of behavior, values and thoughts that could readily prepare one for professional practice. It should be noted that the reflective process can helpfully aid in teamwork where one has the chance to relay sentiments after reflection of her past experience.Nursing education must therefore develop and evaluate innovative strategies to prepare nurses to meet the challenges of the rapidly changing health care system and for lifelong learning (Johns and Freshwater, 1998, 149). Reflection and reflective practice are currently receiving attention as a strategy yet little is known about the process of becoming a reflective thinker, how to teach skills needed for reflection, or the barriers and facilitators to becoming a reflective practitioner (Clutterback and Lane, 2004, 198). However a reflection process is worthy of study and practice that should initially be started and adapted as a core training for everyone wishing to professionally practice nursing as a positive way to analyze the development of reflective practice abilities. Bibliography Canham, Judith and Bennett, JoAnne, 2001, Mentoring in Community Nursing: Challenges and Opportunities, Blackwell, London, 2001. Clutterback, David and Lane,Gill, 2004, The Situational Mentor: An International Review of Competencies and Capabilities in Mentoring, GowerHouse, London. Davies, Celia, Bullman, Anne and Finlay, Linda, 2000, Changing Practice in Health and Social Care, Sage, London. Ellis, Roger, Kenworthy, Neil and Gates, Bob, 2003, Interpersonal Communication in Nursing: Theory and Practice, Elsevier Sciences, Orlando. Gibbs, Graham, 1998, Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods, Oxford, London. Guzzetta, Cathie, 1998,Essential Readings in Holistic Nursing, Jones Bartlett, Maryland. Humphris, Debra and Masterson, Abigail Masterson, 2000, Developing New Clinical Roles: A Guide for Health Professionals, Elsevier, Florida. Johns, Christopher, 2002, Guided Reflection: Research in Practice, Blackwell Publishing, Perth. Johns, Christopher and Freshwater, Dawn, 1998, Transforming Nursing Through Reflective Practice. Blackwell, Perth. Quinn,   Ã‚  Francis M. 2000, The Principles and Practice of Nurse Education, 4rth ed., Nelson Thorne, London. Slevin, Oliver and Basford, Lynn, 2003, Theory and Practice of Nursing: An Integrated Approach to Caring Practice, Nelson Thomas, London. Taylor Beverly, 2000, Reflective Practice: A guide for Nurses and Midwives, Allen and Unwin, St. Leonard. Watkins, Dianne, Edwards, Judy and Gastrell,Pam, 2003, Community Health Nursing: Frameworks for Practice, Elsevier Sciences, Orlando.            

A Summary Of Three Main Points You Gained

A manager is designated by an employer to make sure things are to run smooth, and are to always the visionaries the company hoped they would be. A leader on the other hand, is a visionary that uses there vision to exceed and bring forth the full potential Of their employees, and company. They are strategic thinkers asking questions of what there strength and weakness. They question on how they can use these strengths to improve weaknesses and if possible build upon what they are already good at.Leaders use strategic thinking to formulate and implement their mission, vision, and goals. They also build Consensus, meaning they â€Å"question the status quo. They challenge their own ND others' assumptions and encourage divergent points of view. (â€Å"Strategic Leadership: The Essential Skills†) Leaders do not rush they take there time to implement their plans at the perfect, precise moment. The ability to execute impeccably helps make there visions successful. Strategic Leadersh ip: The Essential Skills. (2013, January 1).Retrieved January 22, 201 5, from HTTPS:// hub. Org/2013/strategic-leadership-the-essential-skills 2. Your findings and connections that you make (What seems particularly true or sensible to you as you read, and why you think so? Does this article connect in any ways to: course lecture content and other readings in this course, prior knowledge? ) This article makes complete since. Feel that the article can connect to really anything in our lives: work, team sports, volunteering, school, kids, marriage and etc.Being a leader in notes our personal lives but in our careers is what makes us successful. This also helps us with accountability and improves things even when we may think is good enough. This is how we make ourselves and other to become better in life. This is also how I see our Hooch's. Hooch's have a â€Å"array of services effectively designed, aligned, integrated and continuously improved† (page, 71 ) They are a strategic foundation that sets decisions on its mission, vision, and values.This meaning that it has to continuously strategically thinking of ways to make care provided to patients better. Hooch's also have to have a way of consensus; this is how goals are met by everyone to a common ground to be successful. Implantation of plans for Hooch's must also like a leader be executed at the proper times. If plans are not executed at the proper time they can cause a upset or imbalance which could effect the over all goals of the HOC. White, K. , & Griffith, J. (2010). The Well-Managed Healthcare Organization.

Grievance Redressal System Essay

Broadly, a grievance can be defined as any discontent of dissatisfaction with any aspect of the organization. It can be real or imaginary, legitimate or ridiculous, rated or unvoiced, written or oral, it must be however, find expression in some form of the other. Discontent or dissatisfaction is not a grievance. They initially find expression in the form of a complaint. When a complaint remains unattended to and the employee concerned feels a sense of lack of justice and fair play, the dissatisfaction grows and assumes the status of grievance. Usually grievance relate to problems of interpretation of perceived non-fulfilment of one’s expectation from the organization. Aggrieved employees usually manifest defiant behaviour. The grievance procedure can be divided into two parts:- †¢ A formal grievance redressal process and †¢ An informal process of grievance handling All the employees of the Corporation fall under the broad purview of the grievance redressal system. Handling grievances There are three formal stages in which any grievance can be redressed. Each stage has a ‘form’ which is numbered according to whichever stage it belongs to. A grievance can be of any type ranging from problems regarding promotion to discharge and dismissal, and suspension but it is mandatory that the grievance should be work related and not personal. It is required that the grievance must fall under the following category to be considered one: 1. Amenities 2. Compensation 3. Conditions of work 4. Continuity of service 5. Disciplinary action . Fines 7. Leave 8. Medical benefits 9. Nature of job 10. Payments 11. Promotions 12. Safety environment 13. Super Annuation 14. Supersession 15. Transfers 16. Victimisation The list is indicative and not comprehensive. The apparent because or sources of grievances may always be the real ones. There is need for deeper analysis of the policies, procedures, practices, structures and personality dynamics in the organization to arrive at the real causes of grievances. Grievances stem from management policies and practices, particularly when they lack consistency, fair play and the desired level of flexibility. Grievances also may arise because of intra-personal problems of individual employees and union practices aimed at reinforcing and consolidating their bargaining, strength. The absence of proper two-way flow of communication can indeed be a fertile ground for breeding grievances. Individual or Collective (Group) Grievances The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines a grievance as a complaint of one or more workers with respect to wages and allowances, conditions of work and interpretation of service, condition covering such areas as overtime, leave, transfer, promotion, seniority, job assignment and termination of service. The National Commission on Labour observed that â€Å"complaints† affecting one or more individual workers in respect of their wage payments, overtime, leave, transfer, promotion seniority, work assignment and discharge would constitute grievances. It is important to make a distinction between individual grievances and group grievances. If the issue involved relate to one or a few individual employees, it needs to be handled through a grievance procedure, but when general issues with policy implications and wider interest are involved they become the subject matter for collective bargaining. Reasons for grievances Grievances occur for a variety of reasons: Economic Wage fixation, wage computation, overtime, bonus Employees feel they are getting less than what they ought to get Working Environment Poor working conditions, defective equipment and machinery, tools, materials. Supervision Disposition of the boss towards the employee perceived notions of favoritism, nepotism, bias etc. Work Group Strained relations or incompatibility with peers. Feeling of neglect, obstruction and victimisation. Work Organisation Rigid and unfair rules, too much less work responsibility, lack of recognition. Effects of Grievances Grievances can have several effects which are essentially adverse and counterproductive to organizational purposes. The adverse effects include: a. Loss of interest in work and consequent lack of moral and commitment b. Poor quality of production c. Low productivity d. Increase in wastage and costs e. Increase in employee turnover f. Increase in the incidence of accidents g. Indiscipline h. Unrest, etc. Do’s and Don’ts in Grievance Handling – Check Lists All the points are not applicable to every case, but if the supervisor is familiar with all of them and observe them in his handling of grievances, he will be prepared for almost any kind of case that may arise.

To Drink or Not To Drink Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

To Drink or Not To Drink - Assignment Example A person should have the capability to express their independent choice to drink, as long as they are aware of all the consequences. Where a person is informed about the consequences of taking alcohol and weighs them against their need to feel peer and general social acceptance, they are in a position to make autonomous decisions (Abaunza 1). The decision to consume alcohol should be considered as an authentic choice, rather than an independent one or simply a competent one. Although making an authentic choice does not guarantee that there will be good consequences, it does at least hint at an increase in the chances that an individual will experience better outcomes. Therefore, with regards to drinking, the choice should be encouraged and informed by a deeper acknowledgement of the relationships and situations that an individual finds him or herself. An individual cannot simply purport to make an independent choice on whether to take alcohol because it is not an impulsive one, especially because they are under social and peer influence (Abaunza 1). Whatever choice is made, they are meant to consider its consequences, whether good or bad. If the individual is to make their choice based on peer or social pressure, this is the environment they will be in for the rest of their lives. Therefore, the values and beliefs that t hey follow to gain social and peer acceptance will also guide future choices (Abaunza 1). In this case, despite the fact that decision-making is influenced by many factors with regards to drinking, the individual will be reliant on the same values and beliefs for the rest of his/her life. Making the decision on whether to drink is rarely a competent choice because consuming alcohol impairs an individual’s neuro-cognitive functioning (Abaunza 1). However, even though alcohol negates an individual’s ability to make an autonomous choice, invoking

Application of Revenue Management Practice in the Hotel Industry Essay

Application of Revenue Management Practice in the Hotel Industry - Essay Example Modern hotel revenue management brand varies extensively from that of more than two decades ago. Modification in the general handling of revenue management, inventory allocation, pricing strategy, use of information and channel management as concerns to revenue management tend to redefine the field. Similarly to how detailed past analysis might have a representation of the best pricing practice during the 1990s, apparently, the stock market-impacted algorithms exist in the cutting edge of modern pricing thought. Comparably, the highlighting on occupancy or average day to day rate, which might have dominion over revenue managers’ outlook over two decades ago has led to the dominance of revenue per available room i.e. RevPAR. Instances like this abound hence this article will endeavor to share all of the revenue management expertise with readers, in a series examining the modern revenue management’s best practices (Kimberley, Trevor & Juston 2008, p.12). Strategic Pricing Pricing tends to a feature of revenue management, which features a number of intriguing, as well as innovative developments recently. Whereas pricing has continued to be a significant driver having an effect on both occupancy, along with RevPAR, in the present environment surrounded by exceptional price transparency, rates have taken an even bigger role. Ascertaining the optimal rate to give to a potential customer tends to be one of the most significant concepts of revenue management. The basic fact that the appropriate rate- one that achieves the balance between replicating enough demand in maximizing occupancy, while at the same time, not deserting money on the table within the form of low down ADR turns out to be the key to a profitable revenue management strategy causing pricing perhaps the most significant concept of revenue management. Then how is a hotel capable of determining what the best rate has to be anytime? In the past, this would center on historical analysis, while , at the same time, computed by the application of a discount to a fixed rack rate. In this case, there is no achievement of the objectives of revenue management, and in a modern environment, they are incapable of providing a competitive advantage that is adequate; therefore, the best revenue managers, as well as revenue management systems are dependent on the stock market principles in the formulation of complex algorithms, which are capable of generating with exactness of the optimal rate. Apart from that, these systems tend to work perfectly in real time, thereby making subtle modifications at brief gaps of time in the maintenance of the best rate. Therefore, in this case, the two most excellent practices at work tend to be automation, as well as an advanced algorithmic tactic of pricing (Roy & Bob 2008, p.31). The Stock Market Pricing The rule of optimum pricing happens to be familiar to financial experts, especially those working with commodities. In the case of hotels, it turn s out to be a less familiar concept, yet there is no reason as to why this should be the case. High-performing hotels use a comprehensive system of revenue management, which sets prices on the basis of both historical considerations, as well as current market conditions, providing it twice the choice of pricing strategies that are more traditional. Subsequently, these systems happen to be a reflection of similar systems within the place at financial companies.  

Literature Review on War Correspondence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Literature Review on War Correspondence - Essay Example This is due to the agendas, styles and topics of news that female correspondents demonstrate; this is referred to by many scholars as ‘feminine’ news (Chambers et al, 2004: 2). Chambers et al (2004: 2) indicate that women’s reports â€Å"adopted a human-interest approach and were labelled as having a women’s angle†. Nevertheless, Akers (1988: 2) argued that male and female reporters write similar stories. Male correspondents also wrote ‘human interest’ stories. In the field of broadcasting, a growing number of women are being sent to war zones to cover conflicts so as to highlight the â€Å"drama of reporting in a market-driven profession† (Chambers et al, 2004: 197). For example, in 2011 Lara Logan was sexually assaulted in Cairo by violent mobs when she was conducting a live interview in front of the camera. Logan commented: â€Å"I was more afraid of being raped than shot† (quoted in Eagar, 2011). Manyon (2001: 16) sugge sts that the physical charms of Lara Logan are to her advantage, but these physical features would not help her when reporting in a war zone; professional skills (self-protection and journalistic skills) are the key advantages when doing reporting during a war. Therefore, there are some differences between female and male correspondents in terms of news writing style, gathering news and also in physiology in a war zone. The aim of the research is to investigate the difference of news writing styles (content) and news gathering between female and male war correspondents to do with war coverage. I will also explore the advantages and disadvantages of female correspondents on news writing and gathering news in war zones. I will explore the benefits and drawbacks of the female war correspondents so as to give a clear view for female correspondents to maximize their goodness and minimize their abuse and create higher quality reporting on war coverage. I will also make contributions for n ews agencies to hunt the appropriate journalists in a suitable place. Moreover, this also helps to the public to pay more attention to female war correspondents. In addition, the research is going to study the efforts of the media. Gender aspects play an important role in journalism studies, no matter whether from a positive or negative perspective. 2.2 Significance   Journalism should always be faithful and objective  when expressing the nature of delicate matters. However, can journalists and news editors really conduct news editing without becoming emotionally involved? Everyone has a different writing style that is unique to them. News writing by nature is very personalized. Journalism writing is related to character, race and gender factors. This research believes that journalism has been combined with ideology. Nowadays, post-modern feminists claim that women and men should be seen equally in all aspects of society. They that believe woman can take all kinds of responsibil ities that were usually taken by men. They also claim that the payment for work shall be same between men and women. However, in journalism there are some differences between men and women, particularly in news writing and news gathering procedures. This research retorts the viewpoint of the average post-modern female. For the literature review, I will give a brief introduction and background about the topic in general. Secondly, I will give a critical

Computer Numerical Control Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer Numerical Control - Essay Example End to end designs of the components have been highly developed and the computers have been widely used in their processes and this have included such things as computer language being widely incorporated within the systems that use computer numerical control (Krull, 40). In the production of Padlocks by the Tri-Cycle company the use of the computer numerical control has been assessed and the following results were seen. One of the benefits of the system was that it could be used continuously for twenty fours and this have ensured that the production of the products can be continued continuously without facing any disruptions and hindrances. This is very beneficial to the company because the company can enjoy customer faith because the company ensures that the products are available in the market throughout the year and can meet any kind of demand that could be necessary at any time (Reintjes, 120). It is also beneficial to the company because the company does not need to employ highly skilled personnel to operate the machines. This have ensured that the company does not need to spend a lot of its resources in employing highly skilled personnel and at the same time ensure that the production of the padlocks is continued and also keep the quality of the products high levels. This is very beneficial to the company because while saving on the consumer faith, they also benefit largely to the fact that the system ensures that the products are of high quality and hence very beneficial in the market outlook of the company (Reintjes, 123). When an improvement to the machines or to the product is necessary, the company does not need to do an overhaul of the entire system but only need to change the computer language. This ensures that the padlocks produced can be changed on their branding, size and type without having necessarily changed the entire system. This is very beneficial to the company because the company does not to spend a lot of resources when they need to change the outlook of the company's production system. The company also does not need to involve a lot of technical to change the system as semi-skilled workers can work on the changes that are required for the company to make the necessary changes that are required to change the company's products outlook (Krull, 40).

Steve Wozniak Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Steve Wozniak - Essay Example Wozniak remains unknown to many including some of the most loyal consumers of Apple products. Indeed, education goes hand in hand with technological innovations and advancing. This essay, thus, purposes to illuminate the impetus behind Wozniak’s innovation and relate it to educational attainments. Jobs started Apple Co. with Steve Wozniak in 1976. Wozniak provided his technical ability while Jobs brought his mesmerizing energy on the table to develop a powerful team. Wozniak showcased his first home-made Apple I computer at Homebrew Computer Club in Silicon Valley in 1976. Apple’s popularity took a sudden twist and rose exponentially following Jobs employment at the Byte Shop. Wozniak soon followed suit and released a computer that made Apple as a company overly popular. The talented engineer built Apple II single-handedly ensuring that every hardware and software component had its place. What is more, Wozniak did this while still delivering at his day job with his coll eague, Jobs, at Hewlett-Packard. Apple II went public in 1977 during a computer fair held in the West Coast. In the years that followed, Apple became a publicly listed company in the biggest IPO in 1956. Apple II redefined personal computers and introduced myriad ordinary people to extraordinary personal computers. The reason behind this success was the amazing design. An interview with Wozniak reveals the miraculous aspect of the engineer’s character (Ghosh 1). The teachers saw my smartness and encouraged me to read widely.  

Business Strategic Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business Strategic Report - Essay Example So this is a platform which helps them in their exposure to the real world. The report is understanding the strategy of P4CK and also look into the external environment of the packaging industry. PESTLE is a memory helper which in its extended structure means P for Political, E for Economic, S for Social, T for Technological, L for Legal and E for Environmental. It gives a million of perspective of the entire environment from numerous diverse edges that one needs to check and keep a track of while pondering on a certain thought/plan (Oldroyd, 2004). All the parts of this procedure are pivotal for any industry a business may be in. More than simply understanding the business, this structure speaks to one of the vertebras of the spine of strategic management that characterizes what an organization ought to do, as well as records for an associations objectives and the methodologies stringed to them. It might be thus, that the significance of each of the variables may be diverse to various types of businesses, yet it is basic to any procedure an organization needs to create that they lead the PESTLE analysis as it structures a substantially more complete form of the SWOT analysis. The UK has a statutory maker obligation administration for packaging. This places a lawful commitment on organizations which make or use packaging to guarantee that an extension of the packaging they put available is recouped and reused. To help individuals and associations capitalize on chances to spare cash by decreasing waste, the government has distributed the Waste Prevention Program for England. The expense of keeping up labourers may be affected by the change in future pay rates as it builds consistently. The National Minimum Wage rises consistently, has gone up from  £5.93 in 2010 to  £6.50 presently. Worldwide packaging deals are anticipated to climb by 3% in 2013 and develop at a yearly rate of 4% to 201 Because of the peril issue the more

1) What kind of political animal are you - Centrists 2) Federalist No Essay

1) What kind of political animal are you - Centrists 2) Federalist No. 10 and Federalist No. 51 - Essay Example Explaining the definition of the Centrist is necessary in order to discuss the type of political animal that best fits my political profile. Republicans, of course, are represented by the elephant while Democrats by the iconic donkey. As a moderate, the Centrist is more temperate, with values ranging in the middle of both sides of the most radical political values. If politics could be best compared to geography, the temperate Centrist might be represented by the kitten, an animal with the ability to bear its claws and scratch while also purring with a docile demeanor that is more submissive than aggressive. In Federalist 10, written during the birth period of the nation, the idea of establishing factions or allowing faction-style leadership to gain control is mentioned as a problem for society and for the political system and future growth of the country. The wiles of men, or their desire to build faction-style leadership without checks and balances, create the necessity to have multiple representatives in power to avoid faction-like control from maniacal groups or those who seek to build a country model based on tyrannical leadership or dictatorship. The remedy is acceptance of the Republic constitution with a moderated leadership fully representatives of multiple social views and political ambitions. This warns, basically, of the dangers of factions and creating a political system that could be overwhelmed by social and political angst over ideologies. Federalist 51 basically states the same thing, only more detailed regarding the problems posed when there are no checks and balances systems in government. To avoid these problems, creation of different political divisions, with different controls, avoids tyrannical leadership or faction leadership from corrupting the political machine. Further, the development of individual state powers, over that of the federal system, is a solution provided to ensure that

Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

Macroeconomics - Essay Example Checkable deposits in banks reduced in the period, but checkable deposits in thrift institutions increased. Hence, there was an increase in overall M1 level between the periods of one year from Nov 2010 to Nov 2011. In terms of M2, only M1 and saving deposits showed an increased. There was a fall in retail funds and small denomination of time deposits. But the increase in M1 and saving deposits was higher than the decrease in other components and hence M2 showed an increase over a period of one year from November 2010 to November 2011. a) There won’t be any change to M1 since both the currency in circulation and checking account are part of M1. Hence shifting money from one head to another won’t have any impact on the total size of M1 and it will remain unchanged. b) There won’t be any change to M1 since the money is simply being transferred from one head of the M1 to another. Since M1 is part of M2 and there isn’t any change to M1, therefore M1 and M2 both will remain unchanged. c) There won’t be any change to M2. Since the money has been transferred to M1 base, but since M1 is part of M2, there won’t be any change to M2. However, M1 will rise by the amount of purchases since the money has been converted from saving account to money and notes in circulation. d) When Fed buys Treasury bills from the banks its liabilities and assets accounts both are being reduced. Since Treasury Bills represents the money that the Fed owes to commercial banks, therefore the reduction in Treasury Bills or purchase of Treasury Bills by the Fed is going to reduce the bank’s liability. At the same time, the Fed will have to pay cash to commercials banks as a settlement for purchase of Treasury Bills and therefore there will be a reduction in Fed’s assets as well. Therefore both the assets and liabilities sides of the balance sheet will get affected

Industrial Development and Labor Movement Essay Example for Free

Industrial Development and Labor Movement Essay The answer is FALSE. The development of industrial development contributed to the rise of labor movement. The significant change that was caused by the industrial revolution – the increased efficiency of production through the use of machines – has caused the displacement and alienation of human workers as machines have taken over the production process. The industrial revolution is one of the most significant highlights for the development of human history. It was an advent for the most important technological changes and advancement which translated to increased production efficiency – producing the most number of goods at the least amount of costs. However, the rise of giant industries which made use of machines in production has caused human skilled workers to be displaced from their jobs. The automation of production has made human labor less appealing and less needed. The advent of the rise of machines has caused severe changes in production and labor, and consequently it has driven profound social changes and also driven the economy to be more production efficient with little help from human labor (Hooker). Consequently, the displacement of human laborers and their seemingly less involvement in the process of production have made them less powerful in voicing out their demands. The mechanized production system has made them less represented and less significant in the industry, thus, factory owners didn’t regard them as assets in the industry. This turn of events marked the era wherein laborers didn’t have the ability to speak of their work-related grievances, they lost the voice to call out for fair treatment. In contrast to the earlier times wherein the small employer-employee relationship was prevalent, the workers had the ability and chances to address their demands to their employers. However, the increased automation of production system has also caused the growth of enterprises and the owners hired skilled professionals to more efficiently manage the workers. As a result, there existed a larger gap between the owners and the laborers, making it harder for the laborers to communicate directly to the owner to express their grievances (The American Labor Movement). Moreover, during these times, the workers were forced to work longer hours, getting the most work from them though giving them the lowest wage possible. And because of the production automation, skilled laborers and craftsmen were less valued and the number of unskilled laborers has significantly increased. Thus, these instances, developments and the further impoverishment and unequal treatment for laborers have resulted to the emergence of labor unions that advocated to protect the rights and welfare of laborers. Labor unions became a prevalent action in protecting the common interests of laborers, particularly issues regarding wages and working conditions. These labor and trade unions served as collective organizations that represented the interests of the working class. Moreover, labor unions were sometimes looked upon as political wings campaigning for equitable treatment from employers and lobbying for the implementation of laws governing labor relations. These labor movements focused on issues related on rank-and-file movements, collective bargaining conflicts and organizing political campaigns. These efforts flickered the hopes for industry workers to attain increased political influence to be able to push legislations that shall benefit their cause, and deflect labor laws that were inefficient in protecting the rights of laborers (Turner, 2001). The rise of labor movement became more prevalent in the newly industrialized countries. This happened as global transformations became more influential and encompassing – for example, the â€Å"relocation of low-wage areas, automation and the increasing use of unregulated work arrangements† – all of which contributed to the strong urge of forming a strict and rigid framework of a union that shall defend workers against unfair treatment. (Silver)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Moreover, in addition to the animation of production, there is another aspect of industrial revolution that has hastened the rise of labor movement. The unfair labor practices rendered by industrialized nations towards less powerful and poor countries have made it more appealing for workers to organize a movement that was geared minimizing these effects. As the industry grew larger and more powerful, industrialized countries have sought for new markets and new sources of cheap labor, wherein they can yield the most production with labor-intensive processes, with the least amount of costs possible. They utilized the presence of satellite countries wherein they can extract from them the cheapest raw materials, and wherein they can impose to make use of the human capital as a source of cheap and intensive labor.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Therefore, the rise of labor movements was sponsored by the industrial development. This happened in such a way that, as the industry flourished and became automated, it resulted in harsh treatment and displacement of the workers. This unfair treatment led workers to form unions that shall represent them as a whole in addressing their grievances and sentiments. The development of labor movements were hastened by (1) need for social mobilization and institutional change; (2) need for significant representation by workers; (3) call for industry changes; and (4) economic and political protectionism.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The industry development happened in such a manner that it gave utter importance to machines and deliberately misappropriated the use of human skills in the course of production. It displaced the rights and abilities of craftsmen and haggardly made use of unskilled worker, as they offered cheap labor despite the intense labor work and long work hours. Consequently though, this instances and treatments have hastened the movements to revive the industry that is mindful of human existence and welfare.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, industry development, coupled with intense form of exploitation, mistreatment, alienation and displacement for workers have eventually led to the emergence of labor movements. References Hooker, Richard. The Industrial Revolution. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from, http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/ENLIGHT/INDUSTRY.HTM Silver, Beverly. Labor Movements from a Global Perspective. The American Labor Movement. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from, http://www.bookrags.com/research/the-american-labor-movement-dirl/ Turner, Lowell. (2001) Reviving the Labor Movement. School of Industrial and Labor Relations. Cornell University.

Risks of Engineered Nanoparticles for the Environment

Risks of Engineered Nanoparticles for the Environment Abstract: The objectives of this article are to: (1) investigate the current state of knowledge of the risks of engineered nanoparticles for the environment and human health, (2) estimate whether this knowledge is sufficient to facilitate their comprehensive and effective risk assessment and (3) provide recommendations on future research in the field of risk assessment of nanomaterials. In order to meet the objectives, the relevance of each of the four steps of the risk assessment methodology (i.e., hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment and risk characterization) was evaluated in the context of the current state of knowledge of the risks of nanomaterials, limitations were identified and recommendations were given on how to overcome them. Keywords: engineered nanoparticles; risk assessment; hazard identification; dose-response assessment; exposure assessment; risk characterization; environmental sustainability; human health Introduction Background In contrast to the small size of the nanoparticles, the scale of their application is tremendous. Nanotechnology influences virtually all industrial and public sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, transport, energy, materials, information and communication technologies. Both the potential benefits and the risks, associated with the application of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) have been largely debated in recent years. In contrast to the dominating optimistic projections that nanotechnology will bring significant technological development and well-being to society, it is considered that exposure to certain ENPs may cause environmental problems and/or do harm to human health. Since the early discussions about the risks of ENPs, the chemical risk assessment (CRA) has been put forward as the most relevant approach to understand, evaluate and quantify these risks. Currently, a variety of methodologies are being internationally discussed and evaluated with great vengeance with the idea that, in the near future, it will be possible to perform complete and scientifically sound risk assessment of ENPs. Objectives The objectives of this article are to: Investigate the current state of knowledge of the risks of ENPs for the environment and human health Estimate whether this knowledge is sufficient to facilitate comprehensive and effective risk assessment of ENPs Provide recommendations on future research in the field of risk assessment of ENPs Methodology This article is based on an extensive review of literature published in the period: January 1992- September 2009. The selected literature consisted mainly of scientific publications, but also books, information from conferences and patent data were used. Nanotechnology and Its Applications Nanotechnology and Nanoparticles Nanotechnology is a field of applied science and technology, dealing with the organization and control of matter on the nano-scale (i.e., between 1 and 100 nm) and the manufacturing of products and devices with dimensions, lying within this size range. A nanometer (nm), from the Greek nanos for dwarf, equals one billionth of a meter. Nanomaterials are all materials with sizes on the nano-scale in at least one of their dimensions [1], while nanoparticles are materials, nano-sized in at least two dimensions [2]. The nomenclature nanoparticles encompasses particles as well as fibrous materials and tubes, but it excludes materials, such as coatings, films and multilayers. Two types of nanoparticles (NPs) can be distinguished: (1) naturally occurring NPs (e.g., produced naturally in volcanoes, forest fires or as combustion by-products) and (2) engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), deliberately developed to be used in application (e.g., carbon black, fumed silica, titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron oxide (FOx), quantum dots (QDs), fullerenes, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), dendrimers). Naturally occurring NPs do NOT fall in the scope of this article. The paper encompasses only ENPs. The main reasons why materials, built of ENPs, have different optical, electrical, magnetic, chemical and mechanical properties from their bulk counterparts are that in this size-range quantum effects start to predominate and the surface-area-to-volume ratio (sa/vol) becomes very large [1]. The sa/vol of most materials increases gradually as their particles become smaller, which results in increased adsorption of the surrounding atoms and changes their properties and behavior. Once particles become small enough, they start to obey the quantum mechanical laws. Materials reduced to the nano-scale can suddenly show very different properties, compared to what they exhibit on the macro-scale, which enables unique applications. For example, opaque substances become transparent (copper); stable materials become combustible (aluminum); inert materials become catalysts (platinum); insulators become conductors (silicon); solids turn into liquids at room temperature (gold) [3]. Areas of Application Today, nanotechnology is available on the market for great variety of applications. Some examples are: cosmetics and sunscreens, water filtrations, glare filters, ink, stain-resistant clothing, more durable tennis balls, more lightweight tennis rackets, dressings for burns or injuries. [4]. Defining Hazard and Risk The term hazard has many definitions. This paper uses the definition of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which defines hazard as the inherent toxicity of a compound [5]. According to this definition, if a chemical substance has the property of being toxic, it is therefore hazardous. Any exposure to a hazardous substance may lead to adverse health effects in individuals or even death. EPA defines risk with respect to the above definition of hazard as a measure of the probability that damage to life, health, property, and/or the environment will occur as a result of a given hazard [5]. According to this definition, if the probability of an exposure to a hazardous material is high and the consequences for the health or environment are significant, then the risk is considered to be high. It is important to consider both the frequency of the event and the degree of the hazard to estimate risk [2]. Usually two categories of risk are distinguished in literature: known risks and potential risks. When the relation between a cause and an effect is established, we talk of known risks. The responsibility for such risks can generally be attributed. When the causal relationship is established, prevention is possible. When the relationship between a cause and damage is not well known, we talk of potential risks. In case of potential risks, it is unclear whether there is a danger, how significant the damage can be or what is the probability of its occurrence [2, after 6]. This situation is characterized by a state of suspicion (not awareness) and it is generally admitted that a precautionary approach can be applied in order to prevent potential damage [2, after 6]. The risks of ENPs for the environment and human health fail in the second category: potential risks. It is very important to assess the risks of hazardous agents. The likelihood that a hazardous substance will cause harm (the risk) is the determinant of how cautious one should be and what preventative or precautionary measures should be taken. Risk Assessment of ENPs Since the early debates about the potential hazards of ENPs, the risk assessment of chemicals (CRA) has been put forward as the most relevant approach to understand and quantify the related risks [7]. CRA is a process, in which scientific and regulatory principles are applied in a systematic fashion in order to describe the hazard, associated with the environmental and/or human exposure to chemical substances. It is defined as a process, intended to calculate or estimate the risk to a given target organism, system or (sub)population, including the identification of attendant uncertainties, following exposure to a particular agent, taking into account the inherent characteristics of the agent of concern, as well as the characteristics of the specific target system [8]. The CRA is a four-step process, consisting of: (1) hazard identification, (2) dose- response assessment, (3) exposure assessment and (4) risk characterization. Its main outcome is a statement of the probability that whe n humans or other environmental receptors (e.g., plants, animals) are exposed to a chemical agent, they will be harmed and to what degree. The CRA methodology is internationally recognized and employed by major actors, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), as well as by several European and U.S. agencies [9]. It is considered a valuable tool, very important for the regulation of chemicals. CRA is also a fundamental ingredient of the new European Union (EU) chemical regulation policy, known as Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH). In order to achieve the objectives of this study, the current state of knowledge of the risks of ENPs for the environment and human health were summarized and evaluated in relation to each of the four elements of the CRA framework, as more important scientific findings were highlighted and limitations were identified and discussed. Hazard Identification Hazard identification (HI) is defined as the identification of the adverse effects, which a substance has an inherent capacity to cause [10, after 11]. Until recently, much of the discussion about the environmental and health risks of ENPs was considered to be rather speculative than realistic. In the last few years, however, a number of experimental studies found that exposure to certain ENPs can lead to adverse health effects in living organisms. In 2007, Hansen et al. identified 428 studies reporting on toxicity of ENPs [12]. In these studies, adverse health effects of 965 tested ENPs of various chemical compositions were observed [12]. Current State of Knowledge The following sections shortly describe some of the most important scientific findings, relevant for HI of ENPs. Their purpose is to summarize the current state of knowledge of the hazards of ENPs, based on experimental studies. For simplification, the studies are divided into two categories in vivo and in vitro studies. In Vivo Studies Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) A study, performed by Lam et al. [13], demonstrated that single- walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are able to cause dose-dependent effects of interstitial inflammation and lesions in mice and rats (0- 0.5 mg kg-1 for 7 to 90 days). Warheit et al. [14] observed pulmonary grandulomas in rats after exposure to SWCNT soot (1 and 5 mg kg-1 for 24 hours to 3 months). In contrast to Lam et al. [13], however, the effects, observed by Warheit et al. [14] were not dependent on dose. Smith et al. [15] tested the ecotoxicity of SWCNTs, dissolved in sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and sonication on juvenile rainbow trout (0.1, 0.25 and 0.5 mg l-1 for 24 hours to 10 days) and they observed a dose-dependent rise in ventilation rate, gill pathologies (oedema, altered mucocytes, hyperplasia), and mucus secretion with SWCNT precipitation on the gill mucus. They also observed a significant dose- dependent decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), especially in the gill, brain and liver , which is an indication of oxidative stress. Multi- walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were shown by Carrero-Sanchez et al. [16], to exhibit acute toxicity in rats with LD90 of 5 mg kg-1. Long MWCNTs were shown by Poland et al. [17] to cause significant inflammation and tissue damage in mice, while shorter MWCNTs caused less inflammation, which suggests that CNT toxicity is influenced by the particle morphology. In addition, they concluded that water-soluble components of MWCNT do not produce strong inflammatory effects in mice. C60 Fullerenes Most studies on the toxicological effects of C60 fullerenes suggest that these materials tend to induce oxidative stress in living organisms [18-21]. Lai et al. [18] observed a significant increase in lipid peroxidation (LP) products (a sign of oxidative stress) after intravenous administration of 1 mg kg-1 C60 (OH)18 in male mongrel dogs. Oberdà ¶rster [19, 20] studied the effects of C60 fullerenes in the brain of juvenile largemouth bass and observed high LP levels (0.5 and 1 ppm for 48 h). Elevated LP was also observed by Zhu et al. [21] in the brain and gills of daphnia magna after exposure to hydroxylated C60 fullerenes (C60 (OH)24) and tetrahydrofuran (THF)- dissolved C60, as it was shown that THF did not contribute to the effect. Sayes et al. [22] detected an increase in the numbers of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)-recovered neutrophils (i.e., white blood cells) after intratracheal instillation of C60 and C60 (OH)24 in rats, 1 day after the exposure. They also observed a signi ficant increase in LP values 1 week after the exposure. Accute effects of functionalized C60 were also reported . Zhu et al. [21] estimated LC100 in fathead minnow after exposure to 0.5 ppm of THF-dissolved C60 for 6-18 hours. Chen et al. [23] observed a LD50 of 600 mg kg-1 polyalkylsulfonated C60 in female rats after intraperitoneal administration (0- 2500 mg kg-1 for up to 2 weeks). Oberdà ¶rster [24] tested uncoated, water soluble, colloidal C60 fullerenes and estimated a Daphnid 48-hour LC50 of 800 ppb. Metal and Metal Oxide ENPs Li et al. [25] found that metal ENPs induce more severe lung toxicity in mice than bulk particles from the same materials. Gordon et al. [26] tested the effects on humans of exposure to zinc (Zn) ENPs. After 2 hours of exposure to 5 mg m-3 of Zn ENPs, the exposed individuals started feeling sore throat, chest tightness, headache, fever and chills. Beckett et al. [27] repeated that test in three trials, 2 hours each, but at lower concentration (i.e., 500 ?g m-3), and found no indication of adverse effects. The latter two studies suggest that Zn ENPs toxicity is concentration- dependent and the most probable uptake path is through the respiratory system. A study of Sayes et al. [22] concluded that environmental exposure to Zn ENPs causes pulmonary (lung) inflammatory response in mice. Wang et al. [28] found that Zn ENPs can cause severe symptoms of lethargy, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of body weight and even death in mice when gastrointestinally administered, whereas they obser ved limited effect for micro- scale Zn at equal concentrations. Yang and Watts [29] tested the effect of Aluminium (Al) ENPs on the relative root growth (RRG) in Zea mays (corn), Glycine max (soybean), Brassica oleracea (cabbage), and Daucus carota (carrot). The study found that the ENPs significantly inhibited the growth of the plants after administration of 2 mg ml-1 for 24 h. Oberdà ¶rster [30] and Oberdà ¶rster et al. [31] observed that smaller TiO2 ENPs tend to cause more severe pulmonary damage in mice than larger particles. In addition, Warheit et al., [32] found that smaller silicon dioxide (SiO2) particles cause stronger lung inflammation in rats than larger ones. Wang et al., [33] noticed that the smaller the TiO2 particle size is, the greater the concentration in the liver of mice is. Bourrinet et al. [34] reported hypoactivity, ataxia, emesis, exophthalmos, salivation, lacrimation, discolored and mucoid feces, injected sclera, and yellow eyes in dogs after single-dose intravenous bolus administration of 20 and 200 mg kg-1 FeO ENPs and a significant increase in fetal skeletal malformations in rats and rabbits. In Vitro Studies Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) A number of cytotoxicity studies with SWCNTs were reported in the literature. Shvedova et al. [35] observed oxidative stress and cellular toxicity in human epidermal keratinocytes, after 2 to 18 hours exposure to unrefined (iron containing) SWCNTs in concentrations, ranging from 0.6 to 0.24 mg ml-1. Cui et al. [36] observed dose- and time- dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and a decrease in cell adhesive ability in human embryo kidney cells after exposure to SWCNTs in concentrations between 0.8 and 200 ?g ml-1. Sayes et al. [37] found that the surface functionalization of SWCNTs plays an important role in their cytotoxicity towards human dermal fibroblasts. Bottini et al. [38] noticed that MWCNTs were more cytotoxic when oxized towards Jurkat T leukemia cells, whereas Monteriro-Riviere et al. [39] observed a decrease of the viability of human osteoblastic lines and human epidermal keratinocytes after exposures to 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg ml-1 of MWCNTs for 1 to 48 hours. Kang et al. [40] compared the cytotoxicity of commercially obtained MWCNTs in bacterial systems before and after physicochemical modification and they observed highest toxicity when the nanotubes were uncapped, debundled, short, and dispersed in solution. Kang et al. [40] concluded that there is need for careful documentation of the physical and chemical characteristics of CNTs, when reporting their toxicity. C60 Fullerenes Adelman et al. [41] observed a reduction of the viability of bovine alveolar macrophages after exposure to sonicated C60 and increased levels of cytokine mediators of inflammation (i.e., IL-6, IL-8 and TNF), while Porter et al. [42] found that C60 and raw soot were not toxic towards bovine- and human alveolar macrophages. The reason behind the discrepancy between the results of Adelman et al. and Porter et al. can be attributed to the fact that they used very different methods. Porter et al. used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to image the distributions of the fullerenes within the macrophages, while Adelman et al. used a viability assay, based on metabolic activity as primary parameter. Studies on the effects of ENPs on alveolar macrophages are very important because the alveolar macrophages are the first line of cellular defense against respiratory pathogens [11, after 43]. Yamawaki Iwai [44] observed dose-dependent cytotoxicity of C60 (OH)24 (1- 100  µg ml-1 for 24 hours), resulting in decreased cell density and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in human umbilical vein endothelial cells cavity (a sign of increase in non-viable cell numbers). Rouse et al. [45] observed a dose-dependent decrease in the viability of human epidermeal keratinocytes after exposure to C60- phenylalanine, as no contribution to the effect was attributed to the phenylalanine groups. Quantum Dots (QDs) The toxicity of QDs was found to be influenced by several factors: (1) composition, (2) size, (3) surface charge and (4) coating of the QDs [7, 46- 48]. Jaiswal et al. [46] found that CdSe/ZnS QDs (i.e., CdSe QDs in a zinc sulfide (ZnS) matrix), coated with dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) had no effect on mammalian cells, while Hoshino et al. [47] reported adverse effects on mouse lymphocytes after exposure to CdSe/ZnS QDs, coated with albumin. In addition, Lovrà ­c et al. [48] observed that smaller (2.2  ± 0.1 nm), positively charged QDs exhibit stronger cytotoxicity than larger (5.2  ±0.1 nm), equally charged QDs under the same conditions. It was also found that the cytotoxicity of QDs is influenced by the exposure to light and by temperature [49, 50]. Green and Howman [49] observed 56% damaged DNA after exposure to CdSe/ZnS together with UV light versus only 29% after exposure to CdSe/Zn in the absence of UV light. Chang et al. [50] found that CdSe/CdS (i.e., CdSe QDs in a cadmium sulfide (CdS) matrix) were toxic to cancer cells at 37  ºC, but at 4  ºC they were not toxic at all. Metal and Metal Oxide ENPs Sayes et al. [51] found that anatase TiO2 ENPs are able to kill human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells at LC50 of 3.6 ?g ml-1, while Wang et al. [52] observed decrease in the viability of human lymphoblastoid cells due to exposure to TiO2 ENPs (0-130 ?g ml-1 for 6-48 h). Chen Mikecz [53] found that SiO2 ENPs do significantly inhibit replication and transcription in human epithelial HEp-2 cells (25 ?g ml-1 for 24 h). Muller et al. [54] observed that Fe3O4 ENPs, coated with dextran, decrease the viability of human monocyte macrophages. Alt et al. [55] found that nano-particulate silver (Ag) is an effective bactericide against S. epidermidis, while Baker et al. [56] noticed that it effectively kills E. coli bacteria too. Sayes et al. [57] observed an increase in the production of LDH levels (an indicator of inflammation) in immortalized rat lung epithelial cells after 1 hour exposure to Zn ENPs at 520 ?g cm-2. Limitations to Hazard Identification of ENPs It is very important to note that the vast majority of the reviewed studies demonstrate some degree of hazardous effects on the tested organisms. Toxicity has been reported for many ENPs, as shown in the previous sections, but for most of them further investigation and confirmation are needed before hazard can be identified. A lot of studies, relevant for HI, have been carried out with different ENPs, but most of them were obviously not meant to facilitate risk assessment; they use non- standardized tests, differing greatly from each other in regard to endpoints, tested species, methods of administration, dose ranges and exposure periods [7]. The lack of standardized testing results in non-reproducible results and makes the univocal HI of ENPs impossible. Another significant drawback for the HI of ENPs is the serious lack of characterization data, which makes it difficult to identify which physical and/or chemical characteristics (or combinations of characteristics) determine the hazards, documented in the (eco)toxicological studies [12, 58, 59]. Dose-Response Assessment Dose- response assessment (DRA) is defined as an estimation of the relationship between dose, or level of exposure to a substance, and the incidence and severity of an effect [10, after 11]. It is the process of characterizing the relationship between the dose of an agent, administered to or received by an individual, and the consequent adverse health effects. The Concept of Dose In toxicological studies a dose is the quantity of anything that may be received by or administered to an organism. The dose is normally measured in mass units (i.e., ?g, mg, g), as higher doses of the same compounds are expected to cause more severe adverse effects. DRA studies with ENPs, however, suggest that the toxicity of some ENPs is not mass-dependent, but influenced by other physico-chemical characteristics (e.g., surface area, chemical composition, particle morphology) [7, after 60]. Oberdà ¶rster et al. [61] and Stoeger et al. [62, 63] found that the toxicity of low-soluble ENPs was better described by their surface area than by their total mass [7, after 61, 62, 63]. Wittmaack [64, 65] suggested the number of particles as the most appropriate dose metrics, while Warheit et al. [66, 67] found that toxicity of some ENPs was associated with the number of their surface functional groups. Despite these findings, however, it is still largely unknown which properties influence the toxicity of most ENPs and this gap in knowledge is partly attributable to the fact that the tested ENPs are seldom well characterized. Characterization of ENPs Developing understanding about the physical and chemical properties of substances and materials is fundamental for their risk assessment [59]. Studying the standard properties (e.g., composition, structure, molecular weight, melting point, boiling point, vapor pressure, octanol-water partitioning coefficient, water solubility, activity, stability) is sufficient for the characterization of most chemical compounds. For ENPs, however, more profound investigation is needed and other properties, such as particle size distribution, sa/vol ratio, shape, electronic properties, surface characteristics, state of dispersion/agglomeration and conductivity need to be studied [5]. The high complexity and great diversity of ENPs, however, make their characterization very difficult [59]. As it can be inferred from the table above, most of the current research on the properties of ENPs is focused on the identification of metrics and associated methods for the measurement of ENPs and their properties. This type of research is fundamental in the sense that without reliable measurement methodology it would be impossible to develop good understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the ENPs. Only few comprehensive studies on the development of standard, well-characterised reference nanomaterials were published so far. To facilitate the appropriate interpretation of testing results, it is essential to select representative sets of ENPs, characterize them and share them among laboratories worldwide. Exposure Assessment Exposure assessment (EA) is defined as an estimation of the concentrations/doses to which human populations (i.e., workers, consumers and man exposed indirectly via the environment) or environmental compartments (aquatic environment, terrestrial environment and air) are or may be exposed. [10, after 11]. EA is a very important element in risk assessment of ENPs, since if no exposure to ENPs occur, it would be impossible that they cause any harm and there would be no risk at all. EA can be divided into three sub-areas: (1) occupational exposure assessment (OEA), (2) environmental exposure assessment (EEA) (including indirect human exposure from the environment) and (3) consumer exposure assessment (CEA). Environmental Exposure Assessment The environment may be exposed to ENPs during all stages of their life-cycles: raw material production, transport and storage, industrial use (incl. processing and/or trade), consumer use, waste disposal (incl. waste treatment, landfill and recovery) [11] (Figure 2.). A very important element of the EEA of ENPs is the study of their environmental fate. The fate of ENPs, released in the environment is determined by their mobility in the different media (i.e., soil, water, air), as well as by their potential to biodegrade or undergo chemical transformation. Environmental Fate of ENPs In order to determine the extent of environmental exposure to ENPs, it is necessary to understand their behavior in the environment. Until now, only a limited number of environmental fate studies with ENPs have been reported and the fundamental mechanisms behind their distribution are still not clearly understood (table 3). Fate of ENPs in Air The fate of ENPs in the air is determined by three main factors: (1) the duration of time particles remain airborne, (2) their interaction with other particles or molecules in the atmosphere and (3) the distance they are able to travel in the air [68]. The processes important to understand the dynamics of ENPs in the atmosphere are diffusion, agglomeration, wet and dry deposition and gravitational settling [68]. These processes are relatively well understood from studying the air-suspended ultrafine particles and that knowledge can be applied to ENPs as well [69]. In some cases, however, there can be considerable differences in behavior between ENPs and ultrafine particles, especially when the latter cannot agglomerate because they are coated [5]. With respect to the duration of time ENPs stay in the air, it is considered that they may follow the laws of gaseous diffusion [70]. The rate of diffusion is inversely proportional to the particle diameter and the rate of gravitational settling is proportional to it [70]. It is generally considered that particles in the nanoscale (d> 100nm) have shorter residence time in the air, compared to medium-sized particles (100nm> d> 2000nm), because they rapidly agglomerate into much larger particles and settle on the ground [71]. Here again ENPs with anti-agglomerate coatings make an exception and their residence time cannot be predicted [71]. It is considered that deposited ENPs are usually not likely to be re-suspended or re-aerosolized in the atmosphere [72, 70]. Many nano- sized particles are photoactive [72], but it is still unknown whether they are susceptible to photodegradation in the atmosphere. ENPs also show high absorption coefficients [69], and many of them can act as catalysts. However, no information is currently available on the interactions between ENPs and the chemicals they absorb, and how this interaction might influence atmospheric chemistry. Fate of ENPs in Water The fate of ENPs in water is determined by several factors: (1) aqueous solubility, (2) reactivity of the ENPs with the chemical environment and (3) their interaction with certain biological processes [5]. Because of their lower mass, ENPs generally settle more slowly to the bottom than larger particles of the same material [5]. However, due to their high surface-area-to-mass ratios, ENPs readily sorb to soil and sediment particles and consequently are more liable to removal from the water column [73]. Some ENPs might be subject to biotic and abiotic degradation, which can remove them from the water column as well. Abiotic degradation processes that may occur include hydrolysis and photocatalysis [72]. Near to the surface ENPs are exposed to sunlight. It is likely that light-induced photoreactions can account for the removal of certain ENPs and for changing the chemical properties of others [72]. In contrast to the removal processes mentioned above, some insoluble ENPs can be stabilized in aquatic environments. Hoon et al. [74] investigated the aqueous stability of MWCNTs in the presence of natural organic matter (NOM). MWCNTs were readily dispersed as an aqueous suspension and remained stable for over 1 month. Hoon et al. [74] found that NOM is more effective in stabilizing the MWCNTs in water than a solution of 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a commonly used surfactant to stabilize CNTs in the aqueous phase [74]. The C60 fullerenes were found to spontaneously form insoluble, dense aqueous colloids of nanocrystalline aggregates and remain in the aqueous phase for long periods [5]. Another known interaction, which can delay nanoparticle removal from the water column, is the absorption of humic acid. Sea surface microlayers, consisting of lipid-, carbohydrate- and protein-rich components along with naturally occurring colloids, made up of humic acid, may attach ENPs to their surfaces and transport them over long distances [75]. Fate of ENPs in Soil The behavior of ENPs in soil media can greatly vary, depending on the physical and chemical characteristics of the material. Some ENPs can strongly sorb to the soil particles and become completely inert and immobile [5]. On the other hand, if ENPs do not sorb to the soil matrix, they might show even greater mobility than larger particles, because their small size might allow them to travel easily through the pore spaces between the soil particles. The possibility to sorb to soil and the respective sorption strength of ENPs is influenced by their size, chemical composition and surface characteristics [5]. Studies by Zhang [76], Lecoanet and Wiesner [77] and Lecoanet at al. [78] showed considerable differences in mobility of some insoluble ENPs in porous media. The properties of the soil, such as porosity and grain size, further influence the mobility of the particles. Just like the mineral colloids, the mobility of ENPs, agglomerated in colloid-like structures might be strongly affected by electrical charge differences in soils and sediments [76]. Surface photoreactions might induce photochemical transformations on the soil surface [72]. Biodegradation and Chemical Transformation of ENPs In some cases, the biological processes in the environment can lead to the complete degradation of ENPs and sometimes they can only change their physical and/or chemical properties [5]. The mechanisms, which account for

Impact of Tourism on the Hula

Impact of Tourism on the Hula Introduction: The performances of Hula represent traditions, histories customs of Hawaiian Culture. The nature of tourism industry impacts on the art of Hula as the performance is represented. The representation of Hula is modified and reduced to meet tourists expectations.ÂÂ   When most tourists think about Hula, the first impression in their mind is the head moving Hula dancer doll which is placed on the dashboard of American cars. Hula is being performed knowing the knowledge and the interest level of the tourists about the Hawaiian culture. Traditional hula was performed by men and women together, however, now only female dancers perform on stage wearing coconut bras and grass skirts, therefore, the Tourist Art is a useful term to describe the representation of Hula at tourist venues in the Asia-Pacific region. (Brush, 2005) Hula is ancient Polynesian dance which is performed by chants bodily gestures. This dance form was developed by Polynesians who settled in the Hawaiian Islands. Hula has become the symbol of Hawaii and the culture of Hawaiian people. The hula is performed by both men and women but as per the claim of Hawaiians, it was only performed by the men. The Hula only represents the dance form of Hawaiians, all other Polynesian cultures have their own dance forms. For example, The Samoans dance form is called the sasa or lapalapa, the Maoris dance form is called haka, the Tongans dance form is called lakalaka and the Tahitians dance form is called aparima. There are many types of hula in the Hawaiian culture but two main types hulas Hula Auana and Hula Kahiko are more famous than the others. Hula Kahiko is an ancient form of hula which was performed by the Hawaiians wearing traditional costumes and signing ancient chants before western came to Hawaii. Hula Auana was developed with the involve ment of westerns in 19th 20th century. This art form was performed with the westerns outfits and musical instruments like guitar and drums. In the 19th century, with the influence of Christianity hula started disappearing and became a forgotten art. The hula was changed and recreated drastically in the beginning of 20th century and became a commodity performed for tourists, such as the Kodak Hula Show. The traditional hula was preserved by only a few practitioners in the community. (Lakainapali, 2004) The tourism industry developed in the mid of 19th century with the advancement in the aviation industry. And with the same new class of people called Tourist was born with the desire to explore the world and different culture. The hula was transformed into Tourist Art when it became a paid performance to entertain the tourists. The Royal Hawaiian hotel changed the performance of Hula to increase tourists interest into how and who can perform the Hula in front of the tourists. The normal tourist was looking to visit Hawaii in search of Island Life and how Authentic people live with nature and live their life. The tourists were visiting Hawaii to see the life before modernization. So the performances were recreated in order to increase interest level of the tourists which alienated locals and the local Hawaiian people started thinking that these performances are only designed for the tourists only and it created a negative impression. To the Hawaiian people the image of hula girl is de meaning. Tourists believe that the hula girl and represented hulas are Authentic Hawaiian. However, These performances are nothing but the adopted version of the original hula. Another reason for the hula modification was to manage and complete the hula representation on time and within the tourists time schedule. The tourists are visiting Hawaii for the limited period of time where they expect to know about Hawaiian life and culture as much as possible. As their time is divided among different activities they are going to do on the island, they have very limited time for the hula performance. The traditional hula was unnecessarily sexualized and made sensual, the movement of hips and legs in dance steps are seen as sexual by the visitors. As per the writer Molly Brush, till 1950s the hula was transformed totally into tourist commodity. In 1920s the hula was performed in the theaters in solos, this performance was performed by mainly local Hawaiian people in Hawaiian language and dances were allowed to have their original look which made hula authentic. However, in 1950s the hula was shifted to outdoor stage and was performed by a large number of dancers. They also added the Tahitian fire dance into the performance to increase the element of interest and entertainment. The hand movement and gestures were changed and by the time it was no longer preference of individuals, all the dancers had to move hips and hand gestures at the same time. Once the hotel started charging the tourist for the for the hula performance, it became the most profitable tourist attraction. The tourist from 1920s was not looking for entertainment; they were in search to know the culture. The tourists wanted to see every dance to perform hula as per their own creative ways and ideas.ÂÂ   However, now it was converted to solely entertainment. (Brush, 2005) On October 12, 1963, the theme park was opened in Oahu Hawaii with name of the Polynesian Cultural Center. The PPC was established by Mormon Church in forty acres of land with theater, gift shops, restaurants and the seven Polynesian villages representing the culture of different Polynesian islands such as Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga and Aotearoa. Each village was build with the different replicas of different islands demonstrating the crafts, daily customs and arts. The PCC claimed itself living museum and preserves and demonstrates and art and culture of Polynesia. (Purpose And History Of Polynesian Cultural Center) The center started charging tourists forty dollars and promised tourist to show the islands as they hoped the way it would be. However, these activities were performed by the Mormon Church College students who are pretending be real Polynesians and doing traditional activities in authentic native dresses. The PCC was started getting criticism from historians and anthropologists for earning revenue in the name of preserving culture and authenticity. As per the writer T. D. Webb, tourist art is the art which is recreated for the tourists and the purpose of this art to provide entertainment, souvenirs, and mementos to the tourists. The intention of producing a Tourist art to gain economic benefits and to increase business based on cultural tourism. The PCC and The Royal Hawaiian Hotel has produced this tourist art to create audiences which are the tourists and to earn revenue out of it. The article of Molly Brush was in brief about how hula was modified from 1920s to 1950s and how the changed tourists requirements changed the form of hula. The idea and definition given by T.D. Webb seem more comparable to the term tourist art.ÂÂ   (Webb, 1994) The authenticity means which is original, real and genuine. However, everyone has a different argument when it comes to authenticity in the tourism. It is very difficult to create cultural tourism which is suitable to all tourists needs. Authenticity is divided between two forms, product, and experience. The authenticity of the product can be easily measured such as crafts, carvings, and paintings which a tourist can buy in a physical form. And the other form of authenticity is experience, which is very crucial, this authenticity can be in form of plays, dances, and culture that tourist can see and feel. In the 19th century, when tourists interest increased in Hawaiian culture, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel started performances of hula as a commodity as a staged authenticity. Staged authenticity is when host organization recreates the form of a culture which is representing local culture, values, and lifestyle of the local people. Culture, values and traditions are valuable to local peopl e which are being ignored and beings less important against that tourist wants to see and would like to pay for. (Taylor, 2001) Conclusion: The commoditization of hula is the result of religious changes, modernizations and colonialism. And the Royal Hawaiian Hotel took the opportunity and changed hula performance into commodity. The most tourists visiting Hawaii are interested in Hawaii Culture and would like to know the authentic culture of Hawaiian people. The regular tourist and Hawaiian people, who are leaving in Hawaii from many years, are disappointed that the hula is being forgotten art and they are unable to see authenticity. Many native Hawaiian believes that its very important for tourists to respect Hawaiian culture and for the same the tourists should experience the real native Hawaiian culture. Tourism plays very important role in recreating the way tourists will know the new culture and different people. Its a responsibility of people who are involved in tourism business to present correct way of cultural tourism. They might claim that tourism has increased visitors in Hawaii and its beneficial for the econ omy of Hawaii, however these businesses had only created jobs in Hawaii as Waiters and Maids. The performance of hula can be impressive even without sexualized costumes.

The Semiotics of Covers :: Books Reading Essays

The Semiotics of Covers I'm going to buy a book today - but not a school book, a real book - a bestseller. I walk past the harmonica man standing outside of the Brown Office Building, clamping my ears shut against the discordant melodies he's spewing out at me. I enter the Brown Bookstore - my Mecca, my Graceland. I strut past the tables near the door and walk toward the bestseller wall, my being allthewhile bombarded by hardcovers seeking my wandering eyes. Howard Stern in drag screams out at me from the left, something about Colin Powell and a journey crys out from the right. Wishing not to be manipulated into buying an expensive book, I squint my eyes and keep on walking, eventually reaching the ordering counter. I pause, close my eyes and turn around. As my eyes slowly open, my field of vision becomes filled with paperbacks. Hundreds of them, displayed out before me like some crude mosaic, each one lined up and facing me on tiny little shelves. They're all roughly the same size, all the same shape - the only thing that differs is their covers. Each book is showing me a different picture, a different color, a different font. Each book juxtaposes its elements in a different way, highlighting certain objects while de-emphasizing others. Each book is telling me something, trying to appeal to my gaze. What are they saying? Will it work? The study of these elements of the cover - each book's signs and the images/ideas they signify- is particularly appropriate in the case of bestsellers. This is not to say that the covers of bestsellers hold a monopoly on sign/signifier possibilities - nothing could be farther from the truth - its just that in the case of bestsellers, the effect these signs and signifiers have on the aura of a book are just more interesting. Proof of this all but surrounds us. Take a look at almost any other section in the brown bookstore: almost all books, with the exception of bestsellers and the very new releases, are presented on shelves with their binding pointing out. The only thing one can really ascertain when gazing upon these books is the title and color on the cover. Such elements are important, but don't grab the eye. Unless you're looking for a specific title or author, what you see on these shelves doesn't really effect one's eyes.

Struggles Within the Middle East: United States Supplying Israel During

In October of 1973, a war between the Arabic states of Egypt and Syria and the state of Israel broke out known as the Yom Kippur War. Being vastly overwhelmed by the Arabic states in terms of sheer volume of troops and equipment, Israel turned toward its ally in the West, the United States. With profound diplomatic pressure from multiple Arabic states, the United States found itself in an increasingly difficult position. In an effort to create the best outcome for America in both the Middle East and the global theatre, the United States made the decision, knowing full well the possible consequences, to help supply Israel during the Yom Kippur War. On October 6th, 1973, during the Jewish holy day of atonement, Yom Kippur, a surprise attack transpired, catching Israel off-guard and potentially putting over sovereign nations in a precarious position pertaining to Middle Eastern foreign affairs. The governments of Egypt and Syria, knowing that Yom Kippur was the holiest Jewish day of prayer and fasting that the Jewish military actively participated in, knew that they would be able to catch the well-defended Israeli positions off-guard. By combining their military might, the Egyptian army created a combined force that totaled the forces of NATO in Western Europe, creating a potential security threat to first world nations. In Golan Heights, the Syrian tank force outmatched Israeli by nine to one, and in the Suez region the Egyptian forces outnumber the Israeli by a ratio of one-hundred and sixty to one. Both sides, willing to commit both their men and equipment, were willing to sacrifice in order to gain their necessary victory. W illing to sacrifice their equipment, all sides in the war were looking outward toward other nations in or... ...rael during the war. With a fear that failure to maintain the balance of power in the Middle East, while trying to drive Soviet influence out, could upset America’s interests and security in the Global theatre, United States officials made the decision that supplying Israel during the Yom Kippur War was in America’s best interest the long term. Works Cited U.S. State Department. Middle East Task Force. Situation Report #18. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1981. U.S. State Department. Middle East Task Force. Situation Report #22. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1981. U.S. State Department. Middle East Task Force. The Middle East Conflict and U.S. Oil Interests. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1981. The White House. Memorandum of Conversation, October 9, 1973. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1981.

Disjunction of Senses in Modern City Life

Disjunction of Senses in Modern City life In his chapter â€Å"City Life and the Senses,† John Urry discusses how the senses system operates in â€Å"open societies† of streams of crowds in open space. The five senses are comprised by the visual, auditory, touch, taste, and olfactory. Urry views visuality as an ambivalent force that is prioritized above the other sense through the developments of centuries and somewhat abused by as visual sense becomes increasingly accelerated in the city life dominated by technology.The imbalance in the sensed environment is magnified by the physical natures of the senses themselves, but the inexpedience in this discrepancy is a product of civilization, implying that visuality and other senses are capable of interacting collaboratively under a hierarchy for a city life that â€Å"plays to all the senses. † The innate features of eyes provide the power for the visual sense. Light travels almost instantaneously while other mediums , like voice, are air-borne. Signals emitted by the sender are instantaneously received by the viewer.While sound and scent can collect their input from all directions and frequencies, sight is focused and specified. Urry mentions Simmel’s argument that â€Å"the eye is a unique ‘sociological achievement’† which â€Å"produces extraordinary moments of intimacy. † Uninterrupted interactions between the eyes carry â€Å"the history of their life and †¦the times dowry of nature. † These characteristics allows â€Å"the eye to [objectify] and [master]† more than the other senses. One could choose to close his eyes when the objects do not reach the expectation.Thus, vision possesses a seemingly superior ability to judge objects from specified angels. Another nature of the eye is that it can act as a delicate measuring tool that collects a vast amount of information. As Urry shows, the eye â€Å"sets a distance, and maintains a distanc e. † Consequently, this capacity to carry and discharge information â€Å"enables the world to be controlled at a distance, combining detachment and mastery† and communication between individuals â€Å"produces the ‘most complete reciprocity’ of person to person, face to face. In addition, Technology adds a new dimension to the existing complexity of visual dominance in the spatiality of sense. The implementation of modern technologies further enlarges the prioritizing of vision. Urry writes that â€Å"vision was given an especially powerful role in the modern era. † Cell phones, emails, and video chatting messengers, like Skype connect people wirelessly. Touch and smell no longer factor into the interactions such that it is no longer necessary for the physical presence of a person for communication.People seek increasingly greater standards for technologies that appeal to the visual sense. Modern innovations, for example, have advanced television f rom black-and-white to color to LED display to plasmid and recently to HDTV for ever improved visual experience. In contrast, there have been few advances in the auditory capabilities of modern inventions. The radio remains mostly unchanged through the past half century. The contrast between technological advances caters again to an assumed superiority of vision over the other sense. However, visuality has its limitations.We have abused the bestowed privilege while the human activities in modern society favor the development of visual sense. â€Å"According to Urry, â€Å"the city both is fascinated with, and hugely denigrates, the visual. † The moment the look dominates, the boy loses its materiality. † The mind becomes biased and receives false information about the truth as our eyes are more involved in working and recreational activities. For example, when shopping for luxury commodity, without â€Å"touching,† people sometimes believe in their visual judgme nt of the authenticity of the product.Besides, the eye turns vulnerable due to excessive usage. More and more people are optically corrected with glasses and contacts. Hand-free products grow multiplicatively popular thanks to its ability to dilution the burden of visual sense. Meanwhile, other senses are essential in that their importance is exemplified by the vast number of common expressions in daily speech. â€Å"Each sense gives rise to metaphors which attest to the relative importance of each within everyday life. People use expressions like â€Å"sounds good to me† and â€Å"it rings a bell,† attesting to the importance of the auditory realm. The auditory sense plays an important role in our learning process. From infancy, we are exposed mostly to sound while we are still â€Å"blind† about what is happening in the world. Then, we start to learn to talk by listening to our parents and are able to identify objects by connecting things we see with their au ditory equivalents. In school, lecturing is an indispensible portion of learning.Most students prefer learning from their instructors over reading the books and trying to understand the material. Furthermore, there are activities involving other senses that are insubstitutional by visuality. Music is a discipline in which visual sense is ineffective. Determining a keynote of melody, for some people, is an even more proficient mastery than visuality. Indeed, each division of the sensed system attempts to adapt to the evolving spatiality as the open societies become gradually civilized.Urry suggests that no matter which coordinates we use, â€Å"a threshold of effect of a particular sense which has to be met before another sense is operative. † This is not quite true. Multiple senses are certainly capable of coexisting in a parallel manner, and they should cooperate under a hierarchy between different senses. The concept â€Å"sensuous geography,† which connects together analyses of body, sense, and space,† should be introduced when examining the issue. The significance of the open societies is to encourage communication and mixture between senses and to achieve spatial complementarities.For instance, â€Å"sight is not seen as the noblest of the senses but as the most superficial, as getting in the way of real experiences that should involve other sense and necessitate much longer periods of time in order to be immerses in the site. † People have come up with approaches such that we can integrate the senses together to be truly reciprocal not within itself, but rather among the divisions to illustrate a decent understanding of city life that is composed. When someone visits a landscape, he or she can carry an electronic mobile auditory guide with them which plays an audio introduction of the spot.The device not only facilitates and enhances visual experience, but also alters the perception of the surrounding space for the tourist beca use â€Å"each sense contributes to people’s orientation in space. † Failure to do so may lead them to be insensitive and incapacitated. It is inevitable that the senses system has developed unequally as the open societies refine. Although visuality plays an essential role in city life, we ought not to overlook the rest of senses, such as previously discussed auditory sense. On the other hand, it is imperative to have a hierarchy for the five senses to operate cooperatively.Nevertheless, senses system may still remain stagnant in suburban cities, or closed societies, where people are not congested by technologies and crowds. Despite of their disparate spatiality and sensed environment, we shall consider the alternative account of sensing nature to assist our understanding of city life in open societies.Bibliography â€Å"City Life and the Senses. † Urry, John. A compaion to the city. Blackwell Publishing, 200. 388-397. Wikipeadia. 27 9 2008 <http://en. wikipe dia. org/wiki/Auditory_learning>.

Democratic National Convention Essay

Standing in front of thousands of audience who are motivated to involve into the election, the former President Bill Clinton delivered his speech to support Democratic nominee Barack Obama as the American President. He successfully conveyed his support to the listeners with his organized statements, and persuaded people to vote for Obama by explicating his understanding of election and the quality Obama possesses to lead the country. The speech positively offers Obama a strong helping hand on his final lap of running for the president. Behind Bill’s speech is a peculiar way in which he convinced the audience Obama is the right choice for president. Through the whole speech, Bill’s tone flew soft and slow, speaking like a gentle old man telling beautiful stories to his lovely grand children; he showed his great sense of humor via saying â€Å"the campaign generates so much heat, it increases global warming. †, creating a pleasant atmosphere among the enormous crowd; he thrilled the Obama’s fellows by making praised comments on Obama’s contributions and his running for election, that is, to tell people that he come here first to support Obama, and then develop it into his detailed reasons. Apparently he thought Obama’s policy will benefit American families and restore American leadership in the world. At the same time, he attacked McCain’s extreme political philosophy and asserted that it would let Americans endure even more financial burdens. During the process, Bill credited Hillary’s great effort she made on her road for American president, though at last she did not win. This laid the foundation for Bill to express a strong, supportive voice from Clinton family, adding that he and Hillary will be on the side of Obama with certainty. The solid clarification sparked cheers and applause from the audience. Since Bill has been a great president in the American history, he earned reputation around the world. People admired him as a guide to prosperity and a man with wisdom. Inarguably, a fair portion of people regard his notions and remarks on campaign as reasonable and convincing. Besides, as Hillary also boasts her own reputation in American political field, voices from Clinton family do mean something. Specifically, Bill based his support on the concept of strengthening America both domestically and internationally. He exclaimed that during the 8-year regulation of Republic, various issues rise and the country falls in great trouble for failing to promote American dream and for the loss of leadership in the world. Considerable, he defined the next president as â€Å"a man with two most important jobs†, that is, â€Å"to rebuild the American dream and to restore American leadership in the world. † Let’s refer to the history and make abroad comments on Bill’s contribution as president and then we may figure out why he concerned about these two jobs so much. As the forty-second president, he channeled his energy into establishing and rebuilding after the Cold War, attempting to improve people’s living standard and American financial conditions. He signed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), making endeavors to solve labor problems not only in America but also other countries(1). Facing the challenge of international relationships, his eyes focused on how to eliminate multiple misunderstandings deterring the wheel of goodwill from being in motion. It may suffice to mention Tibet-China’s discussion on human rights, a formal meeting with Chairman Jiang. During the meeting Bill advised a deeper communication with Dalai Lama, trying to help solve China’s long-term human rights conflict, which unfortunately did not end successfully(2). However, this case fully illustrates Bill as a leader insisting the idea of peace and cooperation. And when he is looking for a person who puts development and cooperation first, he find Obama. When talking about America international policy in the past 8 years, Bill described it as â€Å"our position in the world has been weakened by too much unilateralism and too little cooperation. † He conveyed the situations most Americans know and complain about: a perilous dependence on imported oil, a refusal to lead on global warming, a severely burdened military and so forth. All these failed policies, according to Bill, are contrary to the road of hope and happiness which Americans yield for. So here is the thing: why does Bill believe Obama is the one for president? The short answer is he can make America a better country. The long answer is, as Bill explained:†He has a remarkable ability to inspire people, to raise our hopes and rally us to high purpose†¦He has shown a clear grasp of foreign policy and national security challenges and a firm commitment to rebuild our badly strained military. † Therefore Obama stands in front of the public as a leader of change, as a politician looking for development based on people’s life expectations rather than individual interest. He was described as a man fighting all the way to achieve his success, and it inspired people who are willing to get rid of life troubles through hard work. In terms of national policies and security, Bill convinced the audience that Obama would increase job opportunity and cut taxes for hard-working people and Mid-class families. And Obama would never allow terrorists to obscure their opportunities to make tragic damages like â€Å"911†. All these positive and powerful statements help Obama gain reputations from the public and to some extent eliminate suspicion remained among US citizens. As a rhetoric expert, Bill intelligently utilizes tropes to funnel his ideas into audiences’ heads. He received a great respondent when he said:† People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power. † The sentence is concise and strong, explicitly indicating that to be on the top of the world’s power, America should serve as a leader to create global prosperity, not just illustrating in front of other nations how strong America is. It creates a pattern of â€Å"example† and â€Å"power†, and the comparison in the sentence makes it even easier to remember, thus reinforcing the theme of supporting Obama’s policies. In the speech, Bill also specified his speech perfectly by his vivid expression and body movements, making the whole speech memorable. In his speech, Bill said:† What about the military families pushed to the breaking point by multiple, multiple deployments? What about the assault on science and the defense of torture? What about the war on unions and the unlimited favors for the well-connected? What about Katrina and cronyism? † Through series of questions, Bill reminds the failed policies the Republicans have set and judged them as big mistakes. In turn, it successfully generated against emotions, raising voices calling for change and Obama as the leader to change. After roughly 20 minutes, the speech ended. Overall, Bill Clinton’s speech to support Obama conveyed Bill’s ideas about the current challenges America is facing and the reasons to support Obama as the president. The speech speaks highly of Obama’s ability and his policies intending to better develop this country and also points out the wrong direction in which Republicans keep going for eight years. The purpose of his delivering the speech is clear— to support Obama and convince people to join him. And to some degree Bill succeeded to do so in this speech. (1):Bill Clinton—Wikipedia, the Free encyclopedia Wikipedia 14 September 2008, at 05:50 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Bill_Clinton (2):On the issue: Bill Clinton’s foreign policy Ontheissues. org 11 September 2008 http://www. ontheissues. org/Celeb/Bill_Clinton_Foreign_Policy. htm