Stress Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stress - Research Paper Example Some people worry too much, and this constant worrying about different problems leads the person to be uncomfortable and anxious. Fatigue and overwork can also have affects that cause stress. People might feel stressed out when they find out that they have worked for too long, but without a credible accomplishment, or when time isnt on their side and they fail to achieve what they had set out to do. If these problems reach a point where a person experiences stress, stress may lead to depression, among other consequences. Depression may also be brought upon by the person himself. If somebody failed at what he set out to do, he might not think of himself as highly as he did before and fail to achieve congruence. He might constantly blame himself for everything unpleasant in his life, and that causes the person to have a lack of self-confidence. This person might also be fearful and suspicious of himself and other people he interacts with. Depression itself has its own consequences and affects, and one of the most dangerous affects might lead the depressed person to commit suicide. The Japanese society is a fine example of how the chain of overwork, stress and depression all take part in causing a person to become suicidal. The typical Japanese workingman leaves in the morning for a full day of work until nightfall where he might go out with his co-workers then set out to take a late train back home where he sleeps late and wakes up for another morning. Among the Japanese working population, almost 63% work as employees in different companies. This means that more than half of the working force of Japan experiences almost the same working routine. This sort of lifestyle is very stressful and demanding, and causes a person to become exhausted and depressed. This kind of depression could lead to suicide, which is why Japan has one of the worlds

Management Accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Management Accounting - Essay Example You should refer in your answer to parts (a) and (b) of the question which should be included in the appendices to the report. In the absorption costing system, all the three products seem to have made a substantial profit (BALAKRISHNAN, SIVARAMAKRISHNAN, & SPRINKLE, 2008, pp56-67). The key issue with absorption costing systems is with timing; fixed manufacturing overhead costs are charged against revenue when units are sold. As seen in (a) above, all manufacturing  overhead costs are included in the  calculation of product unit cost. This forms the basis of the costing system in absorption costing. All of a product’s  manufacturing costs, both variable and fixed,  are said to be ‘absorbed’ by the product. Under absorption costing, a certain amount of  fixed manufacturing overhead cost is applied to each unit of output. As with the case in (a) above, under absorption costing unit manufacturing cost  included direct material, direct labour, applied  v ariable manufacturing overhead and applied  fixed manufacturing overhead. Consequently, when each of the  units is sold the fixed overhead cost per unit is  included in the expense ‘Cost of goods sold’ as shown in the tables above (BALAKRISHNAN, SIVARAMAKRISHNAN, & SPRINKLE, 2008, pp56-67). Therefore, apportioning overheads using absorption costing is profitable for all the three products. On the other hand, we can include only the  variable manufacturing costs in product unit cost  and to treat fixed manufacturing overhead as  a period cost i.e. as an expense on the income  statement as the case in (b) above. This system is known as variable  costing also known as direct costing. We will  now examine affects profit determination (BHATTACHARYYA, 2011, pp45-100). Fixed manufacturing cost is not treated as a product costs under variable costing. Rather, fixed manufacturing cost is treated as a period cost and, like selling and administrative expenses, it is charged off in its entirety against revenue each period. Consequently the cost of a unit of product in inventory or cost of goods sold under this method does not contain any fixed overhead cost (LUCEY, 2003, pp78-89). Under variable costing, all variable costs of production are included in product costs. Thus if the company sells Baltic at 217.25 unit of product, only 217.25 will be deducted as cost of goods sold, and unsold units are carried in the balance sheet inventory account at only 217.25. This realizes a loss of 75.13. This is a result of excluding fixed production costs when costing yet they are part of the total production costs. With variable costing, the total amount of fixed manufacturing overhead cost is  expensed in the current accounting period, irrespective of how many

Sweden Health Social Care System Health And Social Care Essay

Sweden Health Social Care System Health And Social Care Essay Swedens location on a map can be identified neighboring the countries Finland and Norway. Sweden is located in the northern area of the continent of Europe, and adjacent to many bodies of waters. Sweden has a steady population at roughly over 9 million residents. As we are called Americans here in the United States, citizens of Sweden are referred to by their nation as Swedes (Central Intelligence Agency [CIA], 2010).Swedens working culture is very interesting. Swedens government is very gracious towards work benefits for citizens with children. The United States Department of State (2009) reported, parents are entitled to a total of 480 days paid leave at 80% of a government-determined salary cap between birth and childs eighth birthday (people, para. 4.). Religion in Sweden is also a part of societys culture. There are a total of eight main religions to choose from currently within the country, however, Lutheran seems to be the preferred choice, with at least 87% of citizens choosi ng to practice under this religion as their preferred faith (CIA, 2010). Swedens government is built on a monarchy constitutional based system (CIA, 2010). Health care is well structured in Sweden, according to the Health Systems in Transition (2005) the Swedish health care system is organized at three levels: national, regional, and local (Health Systems in Transition [HIT], 2005, p.2). In Sweden, residents are required to have health insurance. The government pays for their citizens health insurance through grants within the state, and taxes (HIT, 2005, p.4) In Sweden, it is not often seen that citizens pay for their own independent insurance. In fact, only 2.3% of the entire country was reported purchasing a private plan in 2003 (HIT, 2005, p.4). There are some flaws within Swedens health care system. Sweden has a shortage of doctors per patient ratio, which can cause some levels of frustrations when needing to see a specialist due to an average of 2.8 physicians available per person (HIT,2005, p.5). After stating the previous facts, the lack of physicians could possibly become a major concern within the country of Sweden; however, occupational therapy shows a great maturity level. According to Council of Occupational Therapist for the European Countries (2009), today in Sweden, OT is well recognized as a practice built on sound scientific foundations (Council of Occupational Therapist for the European Countries [COTEC], 2009, n.p). The amount of Occupational therapist available is positively steady. As of 2009, internationally Sweden is one of the top three leaders in Europe, with over 10,100 registered occupational therapist reported by the COTEC database (Council of Occupational therapist for the European Countries [COTEC], 2009, p.4). With this amount of Occupational therapists available for patient care, this number should be beneficial to carry out the focus and add contributions to this health profession. In Sweden, the life expectancy is extraordinary. A Swede is expected to live an average life of 80 years. Statistics show that women are living longer, averaging 83 years compared to men only estimated at living until an average of 78 years (CIA, 2009). It is clear that the geriatric population is highly valued in Sweden. According to Swedish Institute (2007), Sweden invests more of its gross domestic product in its elderly citizens than any other country in the world (p.1). In Sweden, occupational therapists are sometimes compared to nurses. However, an occupational therapists focuses and concerns for the geriatric population are well understood within its profession. When referring to occupational therapist in Sweden Evertsson Lindqist (2005) stated, they aim to form alliances with neighboring welfare state professions in social services, health-care, and social care of the elderly and disabled (p.266). After searching and reading through numerous research databases concerning occ upational therapy in Sweden, majority of articles found were studies concerning the geriatric or disabled population, it can be understood that Sweden highly values these populations. In Sweden, researchers are trying to move this focus forward by contributing studies towards better interventions for elderly patients within the acute care setting. Researchers think, occupational therapy should be considered a valuable resource in the acute care of elderly persons, facilitating the home situation and with a focus on enabling activity. Further larger studies evaluating occupational therapy interventions in acute care are required (Wressle et al.,2006, p. 209).Sweden understands the need for occupational therapists in this population, researchers stated, we considered it an advantage to use occupational therapists with experience of geriatric wards, as need assessments, assistive devices, discharge-planning, and transfer of information to the next caregiver provide major dignity in ge riatric care (Wressle et al., 2006, p. 208). In Sweden, there are a total of ten institutions offering a degree in occupational therapy. Many programs only provide a chance to receive a bachelors or masters (World Federation of Occupational Therapist [WFOT], 2009). In Sweden, occupational therapists do not have their own theoretical models. Researchers stated, little is known about what theoretical references used in the occupational therapy practice(Haglund, Ekbladh, Thorell Hallberg, 2000, p. 108). Studies are being done to help further therapists understanding of what types of theoretical approaches or models are best when assessing a client. Programs in Sweden reference different countries models and theories in order to educate their therapist (Mulersdorf Ivarson, 2008). In Sweden, occupational therapists strive to be to better by using the most resources available to them as possible, researchers suggest, professional thinking also helps the occupational therapist to explain the treatment to the client, which professio nals in Sweden are obliged to do (Haglund et al., 2000, p.107). It is clear that occupational therapy researchers in Sweden drive the importance of understanding the meaning of their profession in order to help improve as therapist. Researchers state, when occupational therapist approach patients it is important that occupational therapists can differentiate the meaning and content of occupation as used by patients and as used in the context of occupational therapy (Mullersdorf Ivarsson, 2008, p.42). As mentioned previously, Sweden is striving to create a theory of their own, but as of now, therapists admit in a previous study to using the Model of Human Occupation the most (Haglund et al., 2000, p.112). After searching databases, and finding ample amount of studies done with the geriatric and disabled population, it can be understood that research is constantly focused towards them. Occupational therapists think it is important to know how to continue to care for these patients. One particular study declared it is crucial to understand what occupational therapist can do to make these clients participate more in therapy sessions, researcher stated as indicated by the results of this study, knowledge about disabled peoples attitude to rehabilitation and support from the environment is important for the development of rehabilitation services, especially in view of the increasing number of elderly people(Lilja, Bergh, Johansson Nygard, 2003, p.88). Along with treating these clients occupational therapist in Sweden have been known to face ethical issues too. Kassberg Skar (2008) stated results showed that ethical dilemmas were common in the occupational therapists daily work, and many of the ethical situations were related to the work with clients and their relatives, and other healthcare providers(p.206). Some settings need more studies to be done to help improve this professions outlook. In problematic therapy settings, there are limited number of studies evaluating occupational therapy interventions in acute care (Wressle et al. 2006). Besides problems within the acute care setting, researchers understand more studies are needed towards overall rehabilitation methods in order to move the knowledge of the already known forward. Researchers think, Investigation of the significance of variables such as attitudes and perceived gains or risks following from rehabilitation in larger populations of elderly disabled people is another avenue for future research (Lilja et al., 2003, p.91). With the previous statement being mentioned by the researchers, it can be understood that Sweden hopes to branch into more research and expand the focus towards the geriatric populat ion further. After reading all the previous mentioned research, conclusions can be drawn that Swedens occupational therapists are expected to see a growth in their geriatric population care. As a result of many journals published about geriatric and disabled Swedes, it is clear that Swedens main focuses are these two populations. It is understood after studying about occupational therapy in Sweden that, researchers will continue to drive the focus on creating a theory or model that Sweden can call their own in hopes of keeping their occupational therapists advance in this profession. Until that day comes, Sweden will continue to use other countries framework and models to deliver the knowledge needed to make their therapist better.

Driven to Distraction by Technology :: Pros and Cons of Technology

The past two decades have overwhelmed the human experience with technology, along with all its distractions. The direct relationship between the mind and the body’s ability to adjust from these distractions can be extremely difficult .Further research has shown that it has become an addiction for many. Technology has significantly improved our lives as a whole through experiences such as Global Positioning System (GPS), cell phones and social networking allowing us to communicate with different people around the world. These technologies make our daily lives easier and more efficient. However, this also discusses the effects of technology on various aspects of our everyday personal experiences both with each other and with the world around us. On the other hand technologies such as cell phones have become a problem in getting students to focus in class and distracting drivers and thus, resulting in vehicle accidents. Technology is beneficial, but can also become an inescapable distraction in our lives. It is important to view technology as having the ability to make our lives better or worse, yet also as having the ability to change our personal lives and behavioral patterns. The use of technology makes our daily tasks easier, such as a better sense of direction while driving via a GPS, safety features in our cars such as Auto Drive and Auto Park. These technologies have made driving an easier and enjoyable experience as well as reducing our chances of getting into accidents. The research presented in the following article â€Å"Driven to Distraction [in car technology]† provided surprising conclusions. Professor John D Lee from the University of Iowa states the following issue: â€Å"Technology is changing very quickly. Many of these things coming into the car were not designed to be used in it.†(Edwards 8). He proves that there are a lot of in car technologies in today’s society that can demand our full attention without us even knowing, and can lead to tremendous consequences that can become dangerous distractions on the road. Satellite navigation (GPS) makes our lives easier because it can give us the correct directions to a desir ed address. This is unlike the past where the navigationally challenged would consider it a nightmare to drive to a new location. Furthermore, there are many upsides that technology brings upon students by presenting new ways of learning where technology is being used in the classroom. Within the article â€Å"Cell phones in schools pros and cons† presented by Rujuta Borkar, the advantages of having a cellular phone device in school are through emergency contact, and having a cell phone for security purposes.

Loren Baritz’s “God’s Country and American Know-How” Essay

In Loren Baritz’s â€Å"God’s Country and American Know-How†, it briefly describes the birth of our nation, characteristics, and theories through out America’s history. â€Å"America would become god’s country† (435) is not only the title of the summary but the basis of our founding father’s thoughts. In the begin only few words were spoken of the outside world, problems consisted within our borders that had to be dealt with. These included Indians, witches, and worst of all shrewd Yankees. The â€Å"new world was puny† (436) and could not be the protector of the free world. World War One was a large factor that increased American thinking of the â€Å"invincible war machine†(440) these thoughts continued up till World War Two, Americans now knew they we were superior, with the development of nuclear weapons technology has proven their superiority on the battlefield. JFK, Eisenhower, and George F. Kennan are just some of the examples Loren quotes from, but these great men show the change in American views and opinions. â€Å"We went to war in Vietnam in the name of ideas, of principles, of abstractions.†(438), this statement is only the beginning of America’s â€Å"city on a hill† (435) beliefs. Soon after the Vietnam War began the thinking changed from â€Å"United States could not be beaten in war† (440) to â€Å"Vietnam should have taught us that we could not continue to play the role of moral advisor and moral enforcer to the world† (437). Loren shows the readers not only the birth of our nation, but how Americans have gone from isolated to protector of free nations, and a World Power. By supporting his thoughts with quotes and grave description this story will not only open your mind to your thinking but to the thoughts of the nation we live in today. Works Cited Baritz, Loren. â€Å"God’s Country and American Know-How† Real Culture; contexts for critical reading and writing. Ed. Diana George and John Trimbor. 5th Ed. New York: Parison Longman, 2004. 434-41

France and United States Health Care Policy Comparison

Abstract The efficacy of the social policies of health care has become a topic of considerable debate. This essay examines the nations of France and the United States in order to develop better understanding of the similarities and differences to be found in each system. The evidence shows that both nations are attempting to address the same issue, through different methods, which in turn are based on social policy. This research will be of value to any person studying the convergence or dependency theories. 1. Introduction As technology unfies the world, there is a continuous debate on the efficacy of individual social policies. This essay assesses and compares the Health Care policies found in the France and the United States in order to illustrate the strengths and weaknesses associated with the processesThe essay identifies convergence or path dependency theory in order to demonstrate how different nations approach the same issues. Suggestions for the future will be offered 2. Health Care Policy2.1 OverviewHealth care is an issue that every nation has to address in order to create a stable, profitable internal environment (Fischer and Collins, 2010). Health care policy can be defined as an effort to alleviate ill-health amongst the population. Although health care policy is increasing, some debate its efficacy (Fisher et al, 2010). This literature suggests that varying societal factors including perception and acceptance play a positive role in the establishment of any social or health care policy. In order to explain the development of healthcare policy, two theories are commonly employed: convergence and path dependency (Dutton, 2007). Each of these methods speaks to the cultural need to assert a semblance of cultural impact on the development of national societal institutions such as health care policy. Cnvergence theory is commonly tied to the functionalist approach which speaks to the societal expectations of having to meet requirements in order to survive and continue to operate (Baldock et al, 2012). The essence of this view associates an increase in industrialization with the coinciding resemblance to other already industrialized nations. This suggests that these forms of nations learn from and adapt other countries policies in order to enhance their own development. Alternately, the path dependency theory denotes a ‘history matters’ approach, that states future social decision and influences are constrained and based on past practices (Baldock et al, 2012) . Prior decisions have a limiting impact on future actions, this method of development often is relegated to the already present institutions that society embraces. This definition of alternative development models indicates a defined social impact to any form of policy institution, not the least of which becomes health care and general population well-being. Both the United States and France will be assessed for their health care policy approach, seeking to Understand whether the convergence or dependency models is more influential.2.1.1 Health Care Policy FranceThere has long been a public policy approach in France (Hantrais, 2010). There is a commonly held belief a nationally subsidized health care system provides a methodfd keeping the population healthy (Hantrais, 2010). With a consistent pattern of leadership in the industry, providing a consistent and strong health care France has illustrated a convergence/functionalist approach to the health care issue, often citing their system as a model for other nations (Marmot et al, 2012). In many ways this evidence speaks to the fact that a healthy population enables increased access and opportunity to social benefits by reducing health care costs and increasing spending in other areas. France as a European nation is marked by a larger than average ratio of health spending yet remains much less than their counter parts in the West spend on health care(Marmot et al, 2012). Alongside this popular national support rests that the fact that the population is largely healthy with a average life span two years more than the rest of the word (Marmot et al, 2012). . The French is to manage cost by implementing a system of premium health care levels that are directly associated with a person’s income (Rodwin, 2003). This is a targeted policy that seeks to make insurance as affordable as possible in order to ensure that that each person has access. Further, this limits opportunities for the insurance industry to adjust rates unfairly or at a disadvantage to certain conditions or participants (Rodwin, 2003). This element of control takes away much of the ability for companies to overly profit from the insurance market. With the French system taking on the burden of the majority of medical expenses through a system of reimbursement, the average citizen’s ability to sustain health insurance is higher (Rodwin, 2003). This protection is enhanced and extended to the people who need healthcare the most, making the issue of major illness much more manageable on the economic and social front. Due to the quality of universal healthcare in France, there are very low levels of private insurance, a further indication of the capacity for this system to not only manage cost but provide efficient and dependable care (Marmot et al, 2012). With a public system in place,the need for private insurance in significantly reduced, further ensuring less expense for the average citizen. France possesses a well-developed system of independent and public hospitals (Rodwin, 2003). This wide ranging access to care has been credited with further enhancing the overall rate of health and effectiveness in the nation. Yet, the diverse manner of health care oversight has been cited as an issue (Marmot et al, 2012). With nearly fifty different regulatory agencies to contend with, each faculty has to negotiate an ever-changing environment, which provides a serious challenge to many institutions. A further problem is the rising influence of the pharmaceutical industry, intent on generating profit rather than being concerned with benefiting the people of France (Clarke and Bidgood, 2013). With prescription charges payable, there is anarea of concern Regarding affordability of medicine. In summary Universal health care in France is a nationally subsidized system that reimburses out of pocket patient expenses, based on that person’s rate of income. With a convergent form of policy that seeks to make the French system a global model, the high quality of care denotes a degree of success. However, the high rate of regulation serves to diminish many of the positive elements of the policy. The French system has offered other nations a model of healthcare promising to reduce sickness, thereby decreasing underlying societal cost. In France, there is evidence that health policy supports citizens during times of sickness or injury.2.1.2 Health Care Policy United StatesThe healthcare system in the United States has long been an area of contention within the nation, commonly resulting in politically partisan fighting that diminishes the ability for any system to function (Hoffman, 2008). With the ascension of a liberal regime in the United States, the recent past has wit nessed a shift away from the individual, less regulated, insurance market to a form of universal health care with far more federal regulation. The private market controls the health care insurance market, making the need for supplementary services high in order to meet every expectation (Hoffman, 2008). With the rising cost of health care and a general lack of productive policy, the shift away from the strictly private system has been a rough evolution for many in the United States. With a standing of 50th in the world foro effective health care policy as rated by the OECD there seems to be a suggestion thathe US system has begun to change to match other models, actively incorporating the convergent theory and seeking to emulate the positive health trends Found elsewhere. (Palmer, 2014), There are multiple levels of regulatory oversight in the US system of health care (Gulliford and Morgan, 2010). This is a reflection of the national and state level authorities that commonly find themselves at odds with one another. With this abundance of regulation there is substantial paperwork (Hoffman, 2008). Evidence suggests that there is a potential for politics to play a role in the policy making efforts of healthcare. This opportunity for gain at the expense of the national system is often attributed to the wellbeing of the very people that need it most, the lower earners and single mothers. US federal oversight is conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services, which ensures that the appropriate compliance guidelines are followed by states (Gulliford et al, 2010). This section of governement oversees procedures from county/state level to the national level. In this manner the integration of State and Federal concerns can serve to aid in the implementation of healt h care policy throughout the nation. Yet, it also seems to be the case that there is a potential for conflict among policy makers, leading to a poorer service Medical professionals in the US are licensed under the American Medical Association, with an aim of ensuring a high quality of care and adherence to ethical guidelines (Kominski, 2011). . It has been suggested that the US private system is commonly influenced by the presence of rich or well to do patients or donors (Palmer, 2014). This perception seems justified, as the best performing doctors are often unavailable to the average US citizen, thereby creating an unintentional division of care which is reflected in the life expectancy numbers. Yet, this is a demonstration of the convergent theory at work in the functionalist US society, as the recognition of expanded need becomes apparent; public policy was created to address the issue. In summary The health care policies found in the United States have been shown to be rated as moderate by the international community. Before the shift to the universal care subsidized by the nation, the gap between rich and poor in terms of healthcare had widened. Many people lacked health insurance. In order to address this, recent liberal policies found in the US were formulated but have been much debated. It can be suggested that new policies have succeeded in lowering the rate of people without healthcare insurance, thereby beginning the effort of increasing the health of the population in general. Yet, the regulatory environment found in the healthcare system in the US is often counter-productive. Further, this every area of contention has led to a gap of states that have accepted the new universal care and those that have not, decreasing the impact that they policies have on a considerable number of citizens.2.3 ComparisonThe health care policies found in France in the United States share many similarities as well as considerable differences. For example, the French tradition of seeking social remedies to health issues is sharply differed from the American approach of ‘goes it alone’ fundamentalism (Flynn, 2010). In many cases the expectation that everyone must take care of themselves has led the US health care system to sharply different levels of care in regions, largely based on the underlying income factors of the residents. Conversely, France has long sought to provide a balanced method that seeks to present a useable model to the rest of the world (Fisher et al, 2010). This is best illustrated by the life expectancy rates found in the US of 78.4 and 81.3 in France (Fisher et al, 2010). With numbers supporting the success factors in France over the prior efforts in the US, the American shift to the more universal system is considered a convergence with modern examples such as France leading the way. A factor that both systems share is the high quality of physicians and practitioners that are involved in health care (Palmer, 2014). While the French system is primarily publicly owned and supported, the US policy dictated that many of their institutions are privately owned and operated, presenting further considerations during the transition to universal health care in this nation. This same issue presents itself as a difference between the social policies as the French doctors are paid substantially less than their American counterparts (Palmer, 2014). Yet, the French approach to this issue was to make subsequent education and associated services free to those in the medical profession, thereby reducing the need for the extravagant wages that many experience in the West (Guilliford et al, 2010). This same measure of policy support is yet absent in the American system, which makes a considerable difference as to where and how a student can learn and practice. This literature sugges ts that there is a need to make expenses of the medical learning process reduced in order to present a method of paying fair wage thereby allowing the entirety of the population to receive the same quality of care, regardless of financial position or social standing. The spending levels for medical needs in the United States far outweigh those experienced in French system, demonstrating effective policy (Palmer, 2014). In part due to the rapidly rising cost of health care, the American system was forced to shift to a universal policy in order to slow the impact that this substantial cost on the overall economic outlook for the nation. With both nations providing a social policy of immediate emergency care, there was a widespread perception in the US that this would alleviate much of the lower class medical issues, yet, conversely, this phenomena of utilizing emergency care for routine care served to drastically increase the need for funding from the national level, thereby prompting new policy modelled on systems including the UK and Canada (Palmer, 2014). This is in contrast to the French model, which involves more spending per citizen, but has shown positive performance in response to spending levels. The United States policy of health care has a compulsory insurance mandate this is designed to ensure that each citizen has insurance (Palmer, 2014). Conversely, the French system utilizes a series of reimbursements based on wages in order to supply the same medical services. In some ways, the perception of the US system has been cited as a form of increased taxation on the healthy, with these views stating that they are supporting the poor of the nation. Despite the strength of health care available in the United States, until recently there was a marked increase in the value, with many of the citizens putting off routine care in favour of waiting for emergency, which in turn inflated health costs of every level (Palmer, 2014). However, France overcame this issue by establishing oversight panels that ensure that fair access is assured and that the population has access to the same general level of care. A common component of both nations health care policy is the multiple layers of bureaucrats and agencies that dictate policy (Flynn, 2010). Both nations cite the need to reduce the layers of oversight in order to streamline the process, which would in theory reduce administration costs and aid the both nation and industry. In a very real manner, this evidence suggests that the long term capacity to develop a working system will be found by taking the best of the existing structures and using these as a foundation for growth. 3. Conclusion This essay has examined the social policies of France and the United States in the field of health care in order to evaluate and compare their offerings. The evidence presented illustrates a position of French strength through communal action. With proven records supporting the reduction in health issues, rise in life expectancy and overall positive implementation there is a model for progress. Alternately, the private system once favored in the United States has evolved to a more UK or Canadian style system that requires consumer participation. This recognition and development on the part of the American nation is deemed an example of the convergence/functionalist theory with the country seeking to alleviate many of the social health issues by implementing a system similar to other nations. An area of weakness demonstrated in both societies that have the potential to raise issues in the future is the presence of an over regulated system. With so many different agencies responsible f or the oversight and regulation of the same industry, there is a need to coordinate and simplify the process in order to aid both the consumer and the provider. Further, this area is prone to political partisanship or bias, which in turn has a direct impact on the quality of care and policy that develops. In the end, the social policy of health care has been deemed of critical import for both France and the United States. Yet, just as the nations are culturally unique yet share traits, so too will the health care issue, with both nations seeking to address the same issue though slightly differing means. Only time will judge which has been the better approach. 4. References Baldock, J., 2013. Social policy. 1st ed. Cambridge, UK: Polity. Dutton, P., 2007. Differential diagnoses. 1st ed. Ithaca: ILR Press/Cornell University Press. Feldstein, P., 2012. Health care economics. 1st ed. New York: Wiley. Fisher, K. and Collins, J., 2010. Homelessness, health care, and welfare provision. 1st ed. London: Routledge. Flynn, N., 2010 Social Policy, fiscal problems & economic performance in France, United Kingdom & Germany. London, 1(1). pp. 65-100. Gulliford, M. and Morgan, M., 2010. Expanding access to health care. 1st ed. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe. Hantrais, L., 2010. French social policy in the European context. Modern & Contemporary France, 3(4), pp.381–390. Hoffman, B., 2008. Health care reform and social movements in the United States. American journal of public health, 98. Kominski, G., 2011. Changing the U.S. health care system. 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Marmot, M., Allen, J., Bell, R. and Goldblatt, P., 2012. Building of the global movement for health equity: from Santiago to Rio and beyond. The Lancet, 379(9811), pp.181–188. others, 2012. Health, United States, 2011: with special feature on socioeconomic status and health. National Center for Health Statistics (US). Palmer, K., 2014. A Brief History: Universal Health Care Efforts in the US | Physicians for a National Health Program. [online] Pnhp.org. Available at: [Accessed 19 Apr. 2014]. Rodwin, V., 2003. The health care system under French national health insurance: lessons for health reform in the United States. American Journal of Public Health, 93(1), pp.31–37. Sauret, J., 1997. Information systems in healthcare Situation in France. Health Cards’ 97, 49, p.27.

Free Essays on Cathedral

The narrator in Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† has two fully functional eyes, in which he chooses never to use to their full potential. They eyes of the narrator are insecure, jealous, lonely, and prejudiced. They are limited in what they choose to see. The tone of the narrator conveys his inability to see throughout the entire story. The narrator’s tone also reveals his character and personality. The first few pages of the story reveal the narrator’s blurred view of his own life, his wife’s life, and the entire world around him. The reader is quick to discover that the narrator seems to have an unhappy and insecure outlook on life. The narrator’s blurred view of everything that happened in his wife’s life reveals the insecurity that plagues him. When referring to his wife’s ex-husband he says, â€Å"Her officer- why should he have a name? He was the childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want?†(pg225). BY treating everyone the same and denying them importance, the narrator is trying to make himself seem more important in the lives of others. He simply calls his wife’s first husband â€Å"the officer† or â€Å"the man†(pg224). His refusal to even use his wife’s name while narrating as well as constantly referring to Robert as â€Å"the blind man†(pg224). Shows he blocks the importance of p eople around him. The narrator chooses not to be like Robert at first because of his disability. The narrator is aggravated and insecure about the fact that his wife talks and writes that she allowed Robert to touch her face. â€Å"She told me he touched his fingers to every part of her face, her nose- even her neck†(pg224)! Because of the fact that his wife is so close to Robert, and is so happy in the event of his arrival, â€Å"I saw my wife laughing†(pg227), â€Å"She was still wearing a smile†(pg227P, is makes it easier for him to judge Robert according to his disability. The reader first learns of the narrato... Free Essays on Cathedral Free Essays on Cathedral In the short story â€Å"Cathedral† by Raymond Carver. I relate with the husband since personally I have never spend any time with a blind person. I would feel the same way as he did, since I wouldn’t know how to start. I used to have the same idea of a blind man as the narrator of the story. The narrator was expecting someone who never laughed and moved slowly. I relate to this character in every sense, it is hard to start a conversation with a blind person, you might feel intimidated. The ending is where I relate more to the character than any other place. At the ending the narrator closes his eyes and just imagines himself to be blind and he finally connects with the blind man. I have closed my eyes a few times and I have imagined how it will be to not be able to see my love ones appearance. In the second short story â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place†, by Ernest Hemingway. I can’t relate to the young waiter he is just self-absorbed. The young waiter is an excellent example of the type of human beings that only think about themselves. Throughout his conversation with the older waiter, the young waiter insults the old deaf man, calling him â€Å"a nasty thing.† The older waiter defends the senior, however, saying that he is clean and dignified in his drunkenness. The younger waiter forces the man to pay the bill, and soon the man leaves. The young waiter is impatient with the old man, hoping to return home to his wife by a decent hour. He doesn’t understand the old deaf man circumstances as the older waiter does. He doesn’t understand how important it is to offer such a clean, well-lighted place to his customers. In â€Å"Cathedral† I would change the negative response that the narrator has about spending time with a blind person. I do relate with his feelings and thoughts about blind people but not his first reaction. He tells us immediately that his visitor's blindness molests him and that he is not looking forward ... Free Essays on Cathedral The narrator in Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral† has two fully functional eyes, in which he chooses never to use to their full potential. They eyes of the narrator are insecure, jealous, lonely, and prejudiced. They are limited in what they choose to see. The tone of the narrator conveys his inability to see throughout the entire story. The narrator’s tone also reveals his character and personality. The first few pages of the story reveal the narrator’s blurred view of his own life, his wife’s life, and the entire world around him. The reader is quick to discover that the narrator seems to have an unhappy and insecure outlook on life. The narrator’s blurred view of everything that happened in his wife’s life reveals the insecurity that plagues him. When referring to his wife’s ex-husband he says, â€Å"Her officer- why should he have a name? He was the childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want?†(pg225). BY treating everyone the same and denying them importance, the narrator is trying to make himself seem more important in the lives of others. He simply calls his wife’s first husband â€Å"the officer† or â€Å"the man†(pg224). His refusal to even use his wife’s name while narrating as well as constantly referring to Robert as â€Å"the blind man†(pg224). Shows he blocks the importance of p eople around him. The narrator chooses not to be like Robert at first because of his disability. The narrator is aggravated and insecure about the fact that his wife talks and writes that she allowed Robert to touch her face. â€Å"She told me he touched his fingers to every part of her face, her nose- even her neck†(pg224)! Because of the fact that his wife is so close to Robert, and is so happy in the event of his arrival, â€Å"I saw my wife laughing†(pg227), â€Å"She was still wearing a smile†(pg227P, is makes it easier for him to judge Robert according to his disability. The reader first learns of the narrato... Free Essays on Cathedral The protagonist in â€Å"Cathedral,† Bub, is a man who has several defining characteristics. Bub is insecure, insensitive, and ignorant. This is clearly shown in Bub’s relationships with his wife and Robert. Bub’s insecurities are blatantly shown when he comments on his wife’s ex-husband: Her officer-why should be have a name? He was her childhood sweetheart, and what more does he want? Bub resents the ex-husband for being his wife’s first love. He would have liked to have had that role so he negatively addresses his wife’s past relationships. Bub’s unconfident mannerisms further transpire when he comments on his wife’s relationship with Robert. He states: In time she put it all on tape and sent the tape to the blind man. Over the years she put all kinds of stuff on tapes and sent the tapes off lickety-split. Next to writing a poem every year, I think it was her chief recreation. On the tape, she told the blind man she’d decided to live away from her officer for a time. On another tape she told him about her divorce. She and I began going out, and of course she told her blind man about it. She told him everything, or so it seemed to me. This intense friendship between his wife and Robert further exacerbated his insecurities. Robert and his wife have an intimate relationship that Bub has never, and probably will never, have with his wife. He goes on to say: My wife finally took her eyes off the blind man and looked at me. I had the feelings she didn’t like what she saw. I shrugged. This relationship offers Bub only one consolation, he believes that because he can see that has an advantage. He constantly refers to Robert as â€Å"the blind man.† He never uses Robert’s name or assigns any human attributes to him. This insecurity is partially responsible for his wife’s continued involvement with Robert. Also responsible for his wife’s close relationship with Robert is Bub’... Free Essays on Cathedral Cathedral by Raymond Carter is a story about a man (the narrator of the story), his wife, and her longtime friend Robert, who is blind. Robert is coming to visit the man’s wife. Robert’s wife, Beulah, had just recently died and he is visiting his dead wife’s relatives in Connecticut. The narrator is not enthusiastic about this visit from his wife’s friend. At the beginning of this short story, the tone of the narrator is bitterness and ignorance. His tone moves to enlightenment by the conclusion. This dinner party will break down the barriers between the blind and those who have full use of his or her eyes. Within the first two paragraphs of the story, the narrator describes how Robert and his wife met and continued their relationship over several years within the first two paragraphs of this short story. The narrator is bitter about the relationship between Robert and his wife. He is especially disturbed or bothered by the level of intimacy between the two. The narrator’s wife and Robert communicated with each other via taped letters. His wife shared every detail of her life with Robert including moving from base to base, divorce from her childhood sweetheart, and an attempted suicide. On her last day at work with the blind man, she allowed him to â€Å"see† her by permitting him to touch her face and neck. At this point in the short story more bitterness is displayed by the narrator. This bitterness seems to be about a poem written about the experience! The narrator displays his ignorance regarding the blind and his or her limitations in several instances throughout the story. He first admits that his knowledge of the blind is limited to images that he had seen in the movies. He described the blind as people who move slow and never smile or laugh. The man’s wife gives him more information about Robert after he suggests they go bowling together. His wife mentions that Robert was married to a woman named Beulah, who th... Free Essays on Cathedral Question: Compare the two couples evolving in Raymond Carver's Cathedral. Overcoming Differences Human being in nature is an integrated system that is influenced by his complex environment. As a matter of fact, we interact with our surrounding; human being is always seeking for a mate. In the following essay, I will discuss the differences between the two couples who evolve in Raymond Carver’s â€Å"Cathedral†; such as religious beliefs, physical appearance and relationship. Firstly, physical appearance plays a major role in today’s society. In our time, most people judge their equals based on their look, not their core. In â€Å"Cathedral†, Robert, a blind man, and his wife give no importance to perception. Their love is true and it is not based on the exterior. In contrast, the narrator overplays the importance of vision and physical appearance: â€Å"All this without his having ever seen what the goddamned woman looked like. It was beyond my understanding† (11). It is obvious that his love isn’t based on fundamental values. Had his wife been different looking, it is very likely that they wouldn’t be together. Secondly, religious beliefs of the two couples are an issue that seems to divide whole populations and often it is used as a pretext to initiate conflicts. The author makes it clear that the two couples do not share the same spiritual values. In the story, Robert and his wife appear to be religious persons; they both agree to marry in a church: â€Å"Pretty soon Beulah and the blind man had themselves a church wedding† (11). On the other hand, the narrator openly states, while talking to Robert, that he does not believe in God: â€Å"I guess I don’t believe in it. In anything† (14). On a different occasion, he also makes fun of the prayer and says: â€Å"Pray the phone won’t ring and the food doesn’t get cold† (12). His couple does not share the same divine beliefs. Thirdly, relationship in a couple has good ...

Make Your Own Signature Perfume Scent

Make Your Own Signature Perfume Scent Perfume is a classic gift, but its even better if the perfume you give is a scent that you created yourself, especially if you package it in a beautiful bottle. Perfume you make yourself is free from synthetic chemicals and is fully customized to your personal taste. Heres how to make your own perfume. Perfume Materials Perfume consists of a mixture of essential oils in a base oil, together with alcohol and water. 1/2 ounce jojoba oil or sweet almond oil2-1/2 ounces ethanol (e.g., vodka)2 tablespoons spring water or distilled water (not tap water)coffee filterdark-colored glass bottle25 drops essential oils (buy them at a health store or online or distill your own)7 drops base note essential oils7 drops middle note essential oils6-7 drops top note essential oilscouple of drops of bridge notes (optional) The essential oils that you use form the basis of your perfume. These essential oils are called the notes of the perfume. The base notes are the part of the perfume that lasts the longest on your skin. The middle notes evaporate a little more quickly. The top notes are the most volatile and disperse first. Bridge notes have intermediate evaporation rates and serve to tie a scent together. Sometimes other substances are added to a perfume, such as sea salt (ocean scent), black pepper (spicy), camphor, and vetiver. Since the essential oils evaporate at different rates, the way a perfume smells changes over time as you wear it. Here are some examples of common base, middle, top, and bridge notes. base notes: cedarwood, cinnamon, patchouli, sandalwood, vanilla, moss, lichen, fernmiddle notes: clove, geranium, lemongrass, neroli, nutmeg, ylang-ylangtop notes: bergamot, jasmine, lavender, lemon, lime, neroli, orchid, rosebridge: vanilla, lavender The order in which you mix your ingredients is important, since it will affect the scent. If you change the procedure, record what you did in case you want to do it again. Create Your Perfume Add the jojoba oil or sweet almond oil to the bottle.Add the essential oils in the following order: the base notes, followed by the middle notes, then finally the top notes. Add a couple of drops of bridge notes, if desired.Add 2-1/2 ounces of alcohol.Shake the bottle for a couple of minutes then let it sit for 48 hours to 6 weeks. The scent will change over time, becoming strongest around 6 weeks.When the scent is where you want it to be, add 2 tablespoons of spring water to the perfume. Shake the bottle to mix the perfume, then filter it through a coffee filter and pour it into its final bottle. Ideally, this will be a dark bottle with minimal airspace, since light and exposure to air degrade many essential oils.You can pour a little perfume into a decorative bottle, but in general, store your perfume in a dark sealed bottle, away from heat and light.Label your creation. Its a good idea to record how you made the perfume, in case you want to duplicate it. Perfumery Notes It takes experimentation to get the scent you want, but you can get started in the right direction by keeping in mind the type of scent associated with essential oils: earthy: patchouli, vetiverfloral: geranium, jasmine, neroli, rose, violet, ylang-ylangfruity: bergamot, grapefruit, lemon, lemongrass, lime, mandarin, orangeherbal: angelica, basil, chamomile, clary sage, lavender, peppermint, rosemarysea: sea saltspicy: black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, coriander, ginger, juniper, nutmegwoodsy: cassia, cedar, cypress, pine, sandalwood If the perfume is too strong, you can dilute it with more water. If you want your perfume to retain its scent longer, add a tablespoon of glycerin to the perfume mixture.

A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots

According to science, out of all of the parts of a tree, roots are quite an important feature. It has several purposes, adsorbing water and vital nutrients from the ground and into the rest of the tree, supporting the whole tree, from the bark, to the leaves to the fruit/flowers it produces. It also helps stabilize the tree so it wouldn’t fall down easily when the weather is tough. The roots are the foundation of the tree, without it, the rest of the tree would dry up and die, moreover, the structure of the tree would be quite unstable, as it has nothing to grip the soil with and die easily due to lack of water and vital minerals. So what is culture and how is culture to people like roots to a tree? On sources like the Internet, culture is defined as an â€Å"act or a belief of a racial, religious or social group†. Cultures are tools which helps binds people together, a rich source of wisdom, knowledge and an instrument which keeps the successful humble, in short, the greatest element in keeping order in humanity. Keep in mind here that â€Å"a people† in this quote is sort of like a group of people, but with similarities which bonds/categorizes them e. g. culture. Like a tree, people who have knowledge of their cultures and their past would have a foundation to support them. This enables the group to hold onto the ground and not get uprooted when storms or big winds come, promising stability to the whole tree. The roots would also help provide tree with important nutrients and other vitamins from the soil, which allows the tree to bear fruits and flowers. In this case, knowledge and wisdom of the culture provides the people to bring wealth, health, prosperity and peace. It is also a known fact that as the tree grows larger; the roots have to grow in length in proportion to the growth of the tree. So that the support and stability needed for the growing structure of the tree are met. Failing to follow this simple yet vastly ignored rule would result in the structure of the society would be unbalanced and topple over, similarly to the bark of the tree. Which shows us that our culture must grow in proportion to the plurality of the individuals in our group. With the help of Globalization, different types of cultures are being shared around the world, logically speaking; combining traditions, knowledge and wisdom would increase the overall human culture on the planet right? In reality, not all things go as planned. As the richer, more developed countries would dominate the trade it would also dominate the Cultural Revolution pop culture is a fitting example of this. On one hand, countries that correctly use their cultural roots would benefit in wisdom from the Cultural Revolution. There are quite a few cultures that follow this trait (most of the countries originate in Asia). China, India and Japan are the most cultured ethic groups and yet the most economically successful. Just less than 50 years ago, all of the countries are experiencing various economic crisis such as war. The core of all their successes are obviously not based on money or weaponry power, neither is it from large numbers of people or the size of the country. Instead, the support comes from their deep, still intact roots of their cultures dating back to 6000 years+, providing knowledge and wise teachings to the people through ethics and traditions. This enables the whole tree to survive the winds and floods, ending with a much more fertile soil after the disaster. Unfortunately, on the other hand, there are numerous types of ethic groups who don’t follow or even have any respect left for their own cultures. There is hunger, ignorance and hatred lingering still within the society, killing the tree and it’s roots daily. Without knowledge and wisdom, individuals in the group are increasing in instability as only a few are extremely wealthy and most of the people in that group are in poverty. Another outcome of this cause is the shallow thinking of others, becoming murderers, prostitutes and drug users. These groups are like trees with rotting roots, unable to provide any water or nutrients and destroying their future. Without the foundation the tree would experience yellowing leaves and dying branches. Which a small gust of wind can easily damage the tree. This quote by Marcus Garvey is targeted to African people, who have forgotten their culture. Some people think that the main cause of this is found in the European’s divide and conquer technique and America’s public school system, where history classes are mainly about the European and the American culture. Rarely is there any topic about African or African American culture covered due to racism. Garvey is pointing to us that before globalization; the first civilizations (Africans) have deep rooted cultures, designing their own economy, weapons and jewelry before spreading to Europe. Sadly, this culture is being replaced by the western version of African culture, where they believed that Africa is where savages ran wild. My country, Indonesia is one of the countries that have a lot of cultures, from traditions, to traditional crafts to myths and legends. Which probably was the core support for the soldiers who bravely risk their lives in the Javanese war against the Dutch. In reality, I am actually quite ashamed that moving down the modern Indonesian generations seemed to have decreasing respect of culture and traditions. We’re slowly giving in to consumerism and losing our roots and traditions.

Wells Fargo Organization Audit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Wells Fargo Organization Audit - Essay Example Center of discussion in this paper is Wells Fargo Company, a wide-reaching and diversified company that focuses on a society financial aid, compromising of almost $ 1.3 trillion assessed assets. The company enriches the society with proper banking systems, insurance services, investment ideas, mortgage aide to the society, as well as, commercial business centers that is approximately 9 thousand business stores. The company’s values, visualization, as well as, its mission have supported the company during the irregular financial periods, especially during the immense melancholy along with present financial downturn. The organization has a proven past of success, as well as, techniques on handling the hard times. Transformation management along with the capability to adapt to fresh environment is a fundamental choice for the organization in a period of time. The economic transformation methods have articulated quick transformations to the channels that organizations carryout the ir business in an economic industry that has a great impact on the multibillion dollar economic organizations. The organization has the responsibility of ensuring that its utmost organization management articulates a proper attention to the external environment that consists of the governmental, as well as legal transformations to the organizational level. Wells Fargo was started in the year 1852, and was initially located in San Francisco at the period of the gold rush. The vital intention of the stagecoach was to transfer gold along with other vital valuables (Abbott, Parker & Peters, 2004). II) General Statement of Results Computation of productivity Measures A. Benefits B. Total Benefits by Type for 2010–2011 C. Percentage of Total Benefits* D. Total Return on Investment E. Distribution of Return on Investment by Benefit Type Cost Operational and Run Savings $43,718,600 43% $28,825,667 $12,395,037 Revenue Collection Increases $58,358,800 57% $28,825,667 $16,430,630 Total Benefits Flow (before expenses) $102,077,400 100% — — Total Return on Investment (Net Present Value)** — — — $28,825,667 The exact personnel cost per employee against the precise productive hours per employee is what brings cost operation, while the exact personnel costs per employee against the sum of the productive hours results to total benefits flow. Lastly, the sum of personnel costs per employee against the sum of the productive hours is equal to total return on investment. Conceptually, Wells Fargo company has faired well in formulating a sense of effectiveness whenever administering the productivity of the company. Although not all the available eight fundamental factors may be functioning properly, there was not much found in the period of the audit that cannot be transformed into the best of the company. The company’s system management approach promotes the importance of educating managers so as, to understand the company’s overall system, with this they realize how certain actions affect the department with other units, and it recognizes both open as well as, closed systems. The closed system entertains self-contained and not concerned with outside influences the supportive subsystems work on acquisitions as well as functions within the company, where the acquisition involves; securing resources, this type of subsystems includes sales as well as marketing divisions, public relations units. III) Analysis of the organization productivity audit a) Policy The company has a productivity evaluation mission statement that is provided to all the available employees and is provided with first priority towards proper management in the company. The organization managers are supposed to provide productivity plans and missions that are associated with the company’

Film Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Film Studies - Essay Example One of the reasons directors assemble movies from hundreds if not thousands of shots is because film cameras can hold only a limited amount of celluloid film, which is not enough for a feature-length motion picture. Importantly, narrative films compress time considerably by leaving out the boring parts of the stories. A long story could conceivably take exactly two hours to tell on film. To do this, a filmmaker is required to carve up the action into discrete shots and re-assemble them coherently to hold the audience’s visual interest.The simplest transition is the cut. A director films a shot(the basic unit of filmmaking) and has it developed. He/she films subsequent shots and have them developed as well. The director trims each shot down to the wanted length and attaches the strips of film together with a piece of tape. This implies that the director has cut from one shot to another using celluloid. The same effect can be created electronically with two shots taken in the vi deo without the need for a tape. Editing is a human activity, unlike the camera’s mechanical recording of images, editing is quite specifically a matter of active decision making the product of human choice. Cameras can only record while directors and editors cut out the unwanted parts. Other important transitions include the fade-in and fade-out; the iris-in and iris-out; the dissolve, and the wipe. However, these effects are mostly used as transitions from scene to scene or from the final shot of one scene to the first shot of the next scene.

A Small Theory of the Visible Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Small Theory of the Visible - Essay Example Reality, and not just the wilderness, is something that lies outside of what is practical, and can only be properly appreciated from a kind of receptivity that the artists perspective can capture. There are profound insights to be had from taking this view (Williams; Berger). Williams in a way hopes to frame the wilderness as conceptual art, as living art, or as performance art, at any rate a form of art. This is not an empty exercise in highfalutin aesthetics, or an attempt to cultivate an elevated mind. This is not empty intellectualizing, but something rooted in the way the wilderness and its experience can be made more immediate. This is not to say that framing the wilderness as art is something that has some outward economic, financial, or utilitarian function, to improve humanity. This is not it at all. In the mind of Williams this has more to do with the proper framing of the wilderness in terms of a perspective that in a way restores its sanctity, its religious essence. Art i s something that has no defined use in society, and it has the ability to jolt and to shock people into paying attention, away from their smart phones, their computers, their mundane interests, their conversations, and the business of life. Why shouldnt the wilderness be framed in the same way? There is something ultimately mysterious and indefinable about the wilderness, something that cannot be tamed and cannot be domesticated and caged in aquariums, or in natural history museums. There is something ultimately mysterious.

Eassy of <A Thousand Splendid Suns> Essay

Eassy of - Essay Example Miriam had lost her baby 7 times, giving Rasheed reason to treat her as a worker and violate her frequently. In addition, the author develops the story of Laila; she has a nice and unbroken family, and she learns lots of knowledge from school and from her father. However, a rocket destroys her house and family when they decide to leave Kabul. Her parents die and she is also wounded. Consequently, she has to get married to Rasheed to earn a living because she finds that she is carrying her childhood lover’s child, Tariq. In general, the author depicts Mariam and Laila as poor Afghan women, who have similar experiences living with Rasheed. However, they become best friends after Aziza’s birth. From the analysis of the novel, it can be concluded that although life is unbearable for both Mariam and Laila, only Laila is able to make the decision to leave Rasheed and seek a better life. Mariam is not able to take a risk because she has a broken family. Mariam grows up only with her mother. She does not feel her father’s love even though her father comes to see her once a week. Nana says to Mariam, â€Å" Like a compass needle that points north, a man’s accusing finger always finds a women.( Hosseini, 7). However, she thinks Jalil is a very nice father although he visits only once a week. She used to expect her father’s visiting because he brings gifts to her and his voice is gentle and soft. Nevertheless, everything changes on Mariam’s fifteenth birthday. Mariam insists on watching movies with her siblings, so she goes into the Herat alone. Jalil does not receive her and even lies to her that he is not there. On the next day, Mariam goes back disappointed and then she is shocked because her mother commits suicide under the tree in front of her kolba. Mariam reckons that she lost her parents in one day, and the reason is her leaving Nana . After she gets married to Rasheed, she does everything Rasheed requires of her because he is the only one that she can

Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can Essay

Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can be seen from Figure 1 that the price of tin has fluctuate - Essay Example The pricing of tin in three different periods of 2008-2009, 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 will be studied. The correlation between the housing and construction industry with the tin industry will be analyzed to reach the conclusion. The supply curve concept and its implication on the tin industry will be discussed in the essay. Tin Prices: 2008-2013 The following graph shows the prices of tin in the time period under study. Figure 1: Tin prices from 2008-2013 (Source: London Metal Exchange, 2013) 2008-2009: The chief reason for the fall in the price of tin in 2008 began with excess supply. The year began on a cheerful note when, in April 2008, prices of tin touched the highest mark of US $2600 per ton (Asian Metal Ltd, 2008). The movement in the price of the currency also determines the pricing of commodities. An appreciation in the price of dollars stimulates a fall in the price of dollar denominated commodities. This was particularly true in case of agricultural products and prices of ba se metals (Losoncz, 2008). The prices had been low mainly due to the subprime lending crisis in America and heightened during the period of September 2008. As tin is one of the most important requirements in housing and construction industry, so a fall in the demand for houses in that period had led to a decrease in the demand for tin, which resulted in excess supply in relation to demand, thereby lowering the prices. This can be explained with the help of a supply curve. Figure 2: Supply Curve (Source: Gillespie, 2001) The graph above is that of a supply curve which shows that whenever there is an excess supply, the prices of the commodities tend to fall (Gillespie, 2001). The arrows imply that the prices tend to fall when supply exceeds demand. The subprime lending crisis left the economy with vacant houses and no one to buy it. The banks stopped giving loans for housing constructions (Bianco, 2008). All these lowered the consumer demand for tin, a basic metal in construction and therefore, the prices fell. 2009-2011: The price of tin began to recover with the onset of 2009. The rebound in prices could be attributed to the weakening of dollar against other currencies (Lenzer, 2009). Deprecation in the price of dollars triggers the price of commodities in dollars and this caused the tin prices to rise. Another factor which leads to the rise in tin prices was the rising imports of tin from China. The growing demand of tin from overseas market was also responsible for the rise in the price of tin. Even the improving economical and financial outlook contributed to this rise in the prices. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the demand for tin already crashed in 2009 as per the records of World Bureau of Metal Statistics (Burns, 2012). The rise in price of tin during this period was somewhat paradoxical considering the other pressing issues at hand then. The industrial demand for raw material had fallen to a great extent in the advanced European coun tries. The consumption of tin in America alone rose from 4% to 6% when other industries felt the heat of the financial crisis. This happened mainly because of the rising production of tin to meet the rising production demands of steel cans (U.S. International Trade Commission, 2001). The reaction from the supply side followed quickly after the global crash in demand. This was evident from the fall in the production of tin from the miners and smelters. On the global level, the cuts in supply could partially

A Small Theory of the Visible Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

A Small Theory of the Visible - Essay Example Reality, and not just the wilderness, is something that lies outside of what is practical, and can only be properly appreciated from a kind of receptivity that the artists perspective can capture. There are profound insights to be had from taking this view (Williams; Berger). Williams in a way hopes to frame the wilderness as conceptual art, as living art, or as performance art, at any rate a form of art. This is not an empty exercise in highfalutin aesthetics, or an attempt to cultivate an elevated mind. This is not empty intellectualizing, but something rooted in the way the wilderness and its experience can be made more immediate. This is not to say that framing the wilderness as art is something that has some outward economic, financial, or utilitarian function, to improve humanity. This is not it at all. In the mind of Williams this has more to do with the proper framing of the wilderness in terms of a perspective that in a way restores its sanctity, its religious essence. Art i s something that has no defined use in society, and it has the ability to jolt and to shock people into paying attention, away from their smart phones, their computers, their mundane interests, their conversations, and the business of life. Why shouldnt the wilderness be framed in the same way? There is something ultimately mysterious and indefinable about the wilderness, something that cannot be tamed and cannot be domesticated and caged in aquariums, or in natural history museums. There is something ultimately mysterious.

Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can Essay

Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can be seen from Figure 1 that the price of tin has fluctuate - Essay Example The pricing of tin in three different periods of 2008-2009, 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 will be studied. The correlation between the housing and construction industry with the tin industry will be analyzed to reach the conclusion. The supply curve concept and its implication on the tin industry will be discussed in the essay. Tin Prices: 2008-2013 The following graph shows the prices of tin in the time period under study. Figure 1: Tin prices from 2008-2013 (Source: London Metal Exchange, 2013) 2008-2009: The chief reason for the fall in the price of tin in 2008 began with excess supply. The year began on a cheerful note when, in April 2008, prices of tin touched the highest mark of US $2600 per ton (Asian Metal Ltd, 2008). The movement in the price of the currency also determines the pricing of commodities. An appreciation in the price of dollars stimulates a fall in the price of dollar denominated commodities. This was particularly true in case of agricultural products and prices of ba se metals (Losoncz, 2008). The prices had been low mainly due to the subprime lending crisis in America and heightened during the period of September 2008. As tin is one of the most important requirements in housing and construction industry, so a fall in the demand for houses in that period had led to a decrease in the demand for tin, which resulted in excess supply in relation to demand, thereby lowering the prices. This can be explained with the help of a supply curve. Figure 2: Supply Curve (Source: Gillespie, 2001) The graph above is that of a supply curve which shows that whenever there is an excess supply, the prices of the commodities tend to fall (Gillespie, 2001). The arrows imply that the prices tend to fall when supply exceeds demand. The subprime lending crisis left the economy with vacant houses and no one to buy it. The banks stopped giving loans for housing constructions (Bianco, 2008). All these lowered the consumer demand for tin, a basic metal in construction and therefore, the prices fell. 2009-2011: The price of tin began to recover with the onset of 2009. The rebound in prices could be attributed to the weakening of dollar against other currencies (Lenzer, 2009). Deprecation in the price of dollars triggers the price of commodities in dollars and this caused the tin prices to rise. Another factor which leads to the rise in tin prices was the rising imports of tin from China. The growing demand of tin from overseas market was also responsible for the rise in the price of tin. Even the improving economical and financial outlook contributed to this rise in the prices. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the demand for tin already crashed in 2009 as per the records of World Bureau of Metal Statistics (Burns, 2012). The rise in price of tin during this period was somewhat paradoxical considering the other pressing issues at hand then. The industrial demand for raw material had fallen to a great extent in the advanced European coun tries. The consumption of tin in America alone rose from 4% to 6% when other industries felt the heat of the financial crisis. This happened mainly because of the rising production of tin to meet the rising production demands of steel cans (U.S. International Trade Commission, 2001). The reaction from the supply side followed quickly after the global crash in demand. This was evident from the fall in the production of tin from the miners and smelters. On the global level, the cuts in supply could partially

Harlem Shake Essay Example for Free

Harlem Shake Essay I am going to describe what I saw when I watched the Peanuts Harlem Shake video. The Harlem shake is a dance where one person dances alone for fifteen seconds, then a roomfull of people joins in doing crazy gyrating manically dance movements. Sometimes in costumes with random objects sometimes not. The reason I choose this one is because it reminds me of when I was a child and used to watch the Peanuts. On the stage of an auditorium with purple drapes and a pink wooden floor sets a grand piano. Sitting at this piano is Schreoder, a boy that has yellow hair. He is wearing a purple and black striped shirt and black pants. Behind the piano is Snoopy, a white beagle with black ears. Across the piano from Schreoder is Lucy, a girl. She has black hair and a purple dress. She is laying on the floor with her arm resting on the piano relaxing. Schreoder begins to play the piano and the same time as bass drop music as if he was playing it. Lucy is relaxing at the opposite end of piano. Snoopy starts junping up and down , running in place while his arms are spread open. At first they are oblivious to his dancing. Then they notice looking at him oddling. A few seconds later Snoopy stops tired and panting hard. The a voice over a speakers saysDo The Harlem Shake. Then a whole stage of people are dancing manically. Now Snoopy is on the front of the stage. He now has a red guitar and is playing it like a rock star, then stands it up on its end and is dancing around it. Schreoder continues to play piano. On the stage behind piano is Pigpen, a boy that never baths and has dirty clothes. He is strumming on a cello. You can tell he is dirty from the dirt and dust swirling in the air around him. There are twin girls in purple dresses dancing happily bouncing on one foot to the next waving their hands in the air in the middle of the stage. Charlie Brown, a bald boy wearing a yellow shirt with a zigzag black stripe is standing in the corner not knowing what to think about all the craziness. He is holding a megaphone but never uses it as if hes thinking What am I going to do? and just watches confused. Then bass drop music continues, you hear what sounds like a lion roar. The dancing continues. Also in the front of stand next to Snoopy is a spikey haired boy with a orange shirt. He is bouncing on his toes while shrugging his shoulders moving his head from one side to another. Freda, a natural curly brunette is in the back of the stage. She jumping up and down, arms out in front of her waving them back and forth happily. Next to her is a boy with brown hair and a green shirt. He is walking like a zombie with his arms straight out in front of him, then he switches and does the running man dance. In the middle of stange thes a girl in a green dress with black hair. She is doing a dancing like shes puncing someone while jumping. To the right of her is Linus, a boy who alway carries a banket. He is dancing with blanket in his hands, arms to his side moving them up and down. Sally, a blonde hair girl, wearing a blue dress is doing a dance that resembles the drying yourself with a towel. With Charlie Brown still confused, the music ends and so does the dancing. I do believed that the Peanuts did do the first harlem shake, but without the bass music. The video I watched the dance from was from Charlie Brown Christmas,which was produced in 1965. The harlem shake with the bass music started in 2012, 47 years later.

The White Collar Crime

The White Collar Crime In 1986, Kenneth Lay merged Houston Natural Gas and InterNorth to form Enron and then in the early 1990s he helped initiate the selling of electricity at market prices. By doing so, it later led to the US Congress to pass legislation deregulating the sale of natural gas. Consequently this made it possible for traders to sell energy at higher prices, allowing companies to significantly increase their revenue. This allowed Enron to rise to be the largest seller of natural gas in North America by 1992. In 1999 Enron opened up EnronOnline, to better manage its contracts trading business but to further encourage growth Enron pursued a diversification strategy. By the end of the 1990s, Enrons capitalization exceeded $60 Billion dollars and was viewed as the most innovative large company in America. So what happened to Enron? On December 2nd, 2001 Enron filed for bankruptcy leading to the downfall of one of the most corrupt corporations in recent U.S. history. Top executives and board members sold their stock for huge profits knowing the pending outcome of its demise would send its stock in a spiraling descent. Leaving thousands of employees and investors with massive losses the U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation into the top executives and board members to discover the depth of the scandal. The massive fraud that Enron executives accounted for fell into the category of White Collar Crime. To further examine the massive fraud that Enron executives committed, we will look into the anatomy behind the mind of the white collar criminal, its sociological concepts, and correlate between the research and the textbook article on Enron. When looking at the history of white collar crime one must go back to the 1940s, when Edwin H. Sutherland coined the term white collar crime. He sought to dismiss the notion that crime was the domain of the lower classes of society. He believed that it could not be explained at the individual level and it should be researched at an organizational level. He stated that flaw of character was not the cause but the situations and relationships with in an organization that created an environment that encouraged white collar crime. When analyzing this theory in a sociological prospective it falls into differential association theory; a theory that Sutherland attributes to excess of deviant associations over conventional ones. Although, his theory is still advocated and a majority of research into white collar crime followed his anti-psychological position, there is a movement within the financial and accounting fields to better understand the behavioral characteristics of the individuals. Since there is little understood between individual behavioral traits and white collar crime the FBI has started using its Behavioral Science Analysis Unit to incorporate behavioral traits of white collar criminals in developing profiles to assist investigators. To understand what constitutes a white collar crime, the US Department of Justice defines it as the illegal acts characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust that are not dependent upon the application or threat of force or violence. The socio-economic status of the offender is not incorporated into the definition or is it an important element in why someone commits a fraudulent act. The common depiction of the stereotypical white collar criminal is he or she is a first time offender, considered a good citizen, well educated, middle aged, and a trusted employee. While this depicts the ideal company executive, a more modern approach to challenging these common perceptions of white collar criminals is by taking account of personality traits such as: anti-social personality, narcissism, and psychopathy. By doing so, this illustrates that the same traits that enables criminal acts and explain why some turn towards crimes of violence, also apply to white collar criminals who manifest their aggression into a different form such as fraud. Alternatively, there is a sub-group within the white collar crime family known as fraud-detection homicide. This is the willingness to resort to violence, namely murder to prevent their fraud schemes from being detected and disclosed. When looking farther into why white collar criminals commit such deviant acts, a modern approach is to look at the personality traits associated with the offender. At first glance, the explanation behind white collar crime is greed and dishonesty but with further exploration there are three key traits among them. First, is an Anti-social personality which white collar criminals blame their victims for being ignorant or deserving of their fate, minimize the harmful consequences of the fraud, or simply display an arrogant indifferenceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ also probably believe that it is a dogà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ eatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ dog world and that everyone is out for himself or herself (DSMà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ IV Task Force, 1994). Second, is narcissism, their narcissism may not allow them to fully appreciate how their actions play themselves out because their sense of entitlement requires a need for gratification, and the use of deception to achieve fraud does not create a moral dilemma for them to r esolve(Barnard, 2008). Third, is psychopathy, Specifically, Ray (2007) found that the psychopathic traits that drive WCCs intention to commit fraud are the traits of egocentric, manipulative, exploitative, deceitful, a Machiavellian attitude where the means justify the ends regardless of it criminal nature. With these traits that are attributed to white collar criminals, it is easy to understand why they would commit these crimes. Most white collar criminals attribute their crimes to several factors but most noteworthy are: 1) to obtain money, property, or services. 2) To avoid the payment or loss of money. 3) To secure personal or business advantages. White collar criminals view fraud as both acceptable and common to overcome financial difficulties or to make a profit for the organization. When society discovers the acts of white collar criminals they are labeled out of character because it is often their first offense against the law. When lifting the curtain surrounding the mind of a white collar criminal there is a vastly different view they hold of themselves compared to the rest of society. In a recent study, white collar criminals claimed they felt justified to commit fraud to save the company, the employees jobs, and other businesses that relied on their survival. White collar criminals have the ability to rationalize fraud because of the ability to attach a moral argument to the offense by pointing out higher purposes behind the fraud. White collar criminals use a technique known as neutralization to void any internal moral objections and to justify or rationalize their activities. With the personality traits and the ability to use neutralization to their advantage, whiteà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ collar criminals cause substantial social harm by undermining the economy, e xacerbating the divide between poverty and wealth, eroding trust, and depriving individuals of time and resources (Ford, 2007). When looking at white collar crime from a sociological perspective, you can see that is a perfect example of differential association theory. When comparing corporate white collar crime to this theory, corporations use specific tactics to hide its fraud which is learned while conspiring with other employees. When looking at how white collar criminals rationalize their behavior, they use this rationalization as a way to gain their general needs and desires despite the fallout when their fraud is caught. In the case of Enron criminal behavior was learned by its employees because of its loose business ethics and its organizational culture. With an understanding of key traits involved in white collar crime, its easy to see why Enron failed when you dig deeper into to the organizational culture and rituals practiced at Enron. The organizational culture of Enron, for example was the belief that its members must make the corporation prosper by maximizing its profits and expansion in certain ways. This belief was put into action often enough for it to become a ritual of the organization(291). With Enron practicing such loose business ethics, employees saw the practices of the higher executives as a normal way of business within the company, leading to the common practice of deceit within the company. With such deceit running wild thru the company, it allowed executives to set up dummy corporations to offload its debt allowing it to be seen by its shareholders and the public as largely successful. If only one person within the company was committing fraud it would have been noticed long before but when applying differential association theory to the mix, more employees learned of the techniques used to offload the debt and favored the delinquent acts in favor of the law because of their need to secure personal and business advantages. The positivist theory of differential association show how white collar crime is a deviant act committed by a person with an excess associations of deviants. Organizational deviance is not just affiliated at the top but a conglomerate of employees across the company accepting and learning how to socially accept forms of deceit, self-gain, and un-ethical practices. A self-governing organization allows a breeding ground for the corrupt if not property monitored, such as the case for Enron. By Enron practicing outside the law, it breads a culture of deceit by associating employees with criminal behavior. With such deviance the executives had to play a shell game with their debt, which had to bring more employees in to the mix by seducing them with large incentives and a culture of self-gain. By researching into the organizational level of white collar crime, there is a clear indication that the situations and relationships within Enron, created an environment that encouraged white colla r crime. With such an environment, its no wonder so many employees were caught up in the scandal because of the excess in deviant associations. Summary paragraph In 1940, Edwin H. Sutherland coined the term white collar crime. He said situations and relationships within an organization created an environment that encouraged white collar crime. He also believed that it could not be explained at the individual level and that it should be researched at the organizational level. The typical white collar criminal is middle aged, well educated, a trusted employee, and considered a good citizen. Common reasons that a person commits white collar crime are to obtain a material or personal advantage and to avoid the loss of money. The Department of Justice defines white collar crime as illegal act characterized by deceit, concealment, or violation of trust that are not dependent upon the application or threat of force or violence. The definition encompasses both individual and organizational offenders. In the mind of a white collar criminal they view their acts as both acceptable and common to overcome financial difficulties or to make profit for thems elves or their organization. They have the ability to rationalize the fraud because they attach a moral argument to the offense by pointing to higher purposes behind the fraud. When looking in the context of sociological theory, people with regular associations in deviant behavior learn to accept it as a norm within their organization and see fraud as a normal act in their business practices. White collar crime falls in the realm of differential association theory and in the case of Enron; it has a positivist approach to its business culture. Enron was a prime example of how corporate greed and miss leading business practices created a breeding ground for white collar crime by associating its employees with deviant acts daily.

Hitler And Stalin During the Period Leading up to World War II :: Papers

Hitler And Stalin During the Period Leading up to World War II Hitler And Stalin During the period leading up to World War II, there were two famous dictators who were on opposing sides, yet had similar records. These men were Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. They were each triumphant in their rise to power in their countries and they were very comparable in the ways that they succeeded. Their success was mostly attributed to their new ideas and their politics. Although Hitler and Stalin hated each other, the two leaders were similar in many ways. Hitler and Stalin each rose to the highest position attainable in their respective countries, and there were three main reasons that they were able to do this. Both men were skilled users of propaganda, each was amoral, and they both had the ambition to make their countries powerful in the world. Since each was a skilled user of propaganda, they could use their words to twist and manipulate the minds of people into believing that what they were saying was the absolute truth. Using this power, they would get people to do anything for them, which proves their amorality. Since their countries were still trying to recover from World War I, they desired to restore the power back in to their countries. These three reasons will prove that Hitler and Stalin were similar in many ways. The names Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are synonymous with the word propaganda. In order to understand how Hitler and Stalin used propaganda, an understanding of what the word means, is required. According to Merriam-Webster, "propaganda is the spreading of ideas to further or damage a cause; also the ideas or allegations spread for a purpose". Hitler and Stalin each used propaganda as their tool to further their ideas and help them gain the backing of the people in their countries. The form of propaganda that Hitler used, and was successful in using, was his words. Hitler made many speeches, but the one that greatly stood out from the others was his final speech at his

Studies in Emotional Intelligence Essay -- Psychology Research Papers

Studies in Emotional Intelligence There is a growing interest in the concept of emotional intelligence, and with that growth is a gap between what we know and what we need to know. In the article, Emotional Intelligence: Issues and Common Misunderstandings, Robert J. Emmerling and Daniel Goleman inquire as to what emotional intelligence is, how it differs from other established constructs within psychology, whether or not it can be developed, whether or not it can be a better predictor of work performance than traditional measures of intelligence, whether or not it should be measured at all, and how it relates to ethics. Emotional intelligence has a potential utility in predicting a range of criterion across different populations, but its predictive validity depends on the context, criterion of interest, and specific theory used. Traditional intelligence measures have been unable to account for a significant portion of variance in career success and work performance. IQ was originally thought to account for twenty-five percent of how well people perform in their careers, while it was later discovered that IQ actually accounted for between four and ten percent. A more recent study found that IQ is a better predictor of work and academic performance than EI, but when it comes to becoming an extraordinary performer, IQ may be a less powerful predictor than EI. The failure of IQ to account for the variance between performance and success is especially evident among managers and senior leaders. IQ alone is unable to predict this as well as competencies that integrate emotional, social and cognitive abilit ies. Emotions and cognition are interwoven in the aspects of emotional intelligence, especially in interpersonal functioning, empathy, motivation, affective self-regulation, self-awareness, and complex decision-making. The range restriction on the variable of IQ among managers and senior executives may be the cause of IQ’s inability to predict the variance in performance among managers. Leaders must process a great deal of complex information on a daily basis, and that requires a high level of cognitive ability. IQ simply provides a basis on which to recognize a minimal capability that all who are within a certain job pool should have to keep their job. IQ should remain a predictor of the vocations that are available to an individual of a certain in... ...iduals may only receive feedback related to technical competence, people skills, or leadership style. For an individual to improve on any ability, he or she would need realistic feedback concerning their baseline abilities and progress. Providing valid and reliable feedback on specific emotional and social competence helps to provide individuals with insight into their strengths and areas for development. Providing a more balanced view and a supportive environment can help to overcome feelings of defensiveness that often undermine the development of emotional and social competencies. Emmerling and Goleman inquire as to whether or not EI is morally neutral of or if it interacts with an ethical dimension. In psychology, morality and ethics are treated individually in a dimensin beyond the issues at hand. Certain aspects of EI certainly tend to promote prosocial behavior. Self awareness must be deployed to act in accord with one’s own sense of meaning, purpose, and ethics. Empathy appears to be an essential step in fostering compassion and altruism. These two individuals stress that the progress of emotional intelligence is impressive, but there is still a lot to be discovered.

Smart Material

â€Å"SMART MATERIALS† ABSTRACT The world has undergone two materials ages, the plastics age and the composite age, during the past centuries. In the midst of these two ages a new era has developed. This is the smart materials era. According to early definitions, smart materials are materials that respond to their environments in a timely manner. The definition of smart materials has been expanded to materials that receive, transmit or process a stimulus and respond by producing a useful effect that may include a signal that the materials are acting upon it. Smart materials cover a wide and developing range of technologies.A particular type of smart material, known as chromogenics, can be used for large areaglazing in buildings, automobiles, planes, and for certain types of electronic display. Smart materials have been around for many years and they have found a large number of applications. There are many types of the materials present some of them listed below: Shape memory alloy 2) Piezoelectric materials 3) Magnetostrictive materials 4) Magneto- and electro-rheological materials 5) Chromic materials Due to the property of responding quickly with environment and many applications in daily life smart materials deserve a great future scope.I. INTRODUCTION Smart materials have been around for many years and they have found a large number of applications. The use of the terms ‘smart' and ‘intelligent' to describe materials and systems came from the US and started in the 1980? s despite the fact that some of these so-called smart materials had been around for decades. Many of the smart materials were developed by government agencies working on military and aerospace projects but in recent years their use has transferred into the civil sector for applications in the construction, transport, medical, leisure and domestic areas.The first problem encountered with these unusual materials is defining what the word† smart? actually means. One di ctionary definition of smart describes something which is a stute or ‘operating as if by human intelligence' and this is what smart materials are. A and back again when you return inside. This coating is made from a smart material which is described as being photochromic. There are many groups of smart materials, each exhibiting particular properties which can be harnessed in a variety of high-tech and everyday applications. These include shape memory smart material is one which reacts to its environment aby itself.The change is inherent to the material and not a result of some change in volume, a change in colour or a change in viscosity and this may occur in response to a change in temperature, stress, electrical current, or magnetic field. In many cases this reaction is reversible, a common example being the coating on spectacles which reacts to the level of UV light, turning your ordinary glasses into sunglasses when you go outside alloys, piezoelectric materials, magneto- rheological and electro-rheological materials, magnetostrictive materials and chromic materials which change their colour in reaction to various stimuli.The distinction between a smart material and a smartstructure should be emphasised. A smart structure incorporates some form of actuator and sensor (which may be made from smart materials) with control hardware and software to form a system which reacts to its environment. Such a structure might be an aircraft wing which continuously alters its profile during flight to give the optimum shape for the operating conditions at the time. II SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are one of the most well known types of smart material and they have found extensive uses in the 70 years since their discoveryWhat are SMAs? A shape memory transformation was first observed in 1932 in an alloy of gold and cadmium, and then later in brass in 1938. The shape memory effect (SME) was seen in the gold-cadmium alloy in 1951, but this was of li ttle use. Some ten years later in 1962 an equiatomic alloy of titanium and nickel was found to exhibit a significant SME and Nitinol (so named because it is made from nickel and titanium and its properties were discovered at the Naval Ordinance Laboratories) has become the most common SMA.Other SMAs include those based on copper (in particular CuZnAl), NiAl and FeMnSi, though it should be noted that the NiTi alloy has by far the most superior properties. How do SMAs work? The SME describes the process of a material changing shape or remembering a particular shape at a specific temperature (i. e. its transformation or memory temperature). Materials which can only exhibit the shape change or memory effect once are known as one way SMAs. However some alloys can betrained to show a two-way effect in which they remember two shapes, one below and one above the memory temperature.At the memory temperature the alloy undergoes a solid state phase transformation. That is, the crystal structur e of the material changes resulting in a volume or shape change and this change in structure is called a„thermoelastic martensitic transformation?. This effect occurs as the material has a martensitic microstructure below the transformation temperature, which is characterised by a zig-zag arrangement of the atoms, known as twins. The martensitic structure is relatively soft and is easily deformed by removing the twinned structure.The material has an austenitic structure above the memory temperature, which is much stronger. To change from the martensitic or deformed structure to the austenitic shape the material is simply heated through the memory temperature. Cooling down again reverts the alloy to the martensitic state as shown in Figure 1. The shape change may exhibit itself as either an expansion or contraction. The transformation temperature can be tuned to within a couple of degrees by changing the alloy composition.Nitinol can be made with a transformation temperature an ywhere between –100? C and +100? C which makes it very versatile. Where are SMAs used? Shape memory alloys have found a large number of uses in aerospace, medicine and the leisure industry. A few of these applications are described below. Medical applications Quite fortunately Nitinol is biocompatible, that is, it can be used in the body without an adverse reaction, so it has found a number of medical uses. These include stents in which rings of SMA wire hold open a polymer tube to pen up a blocked vein , blood filters, and bone plates which contract upon transformation to pull the two ends of the broken bone in to closer contact and encourage more rapid healing . It is possible that SMAs could also find use in dentistry for orthodontic braces which straighten teeth. The memory shape of the material is made to be the desired shape of the teeth. This is then deformed to fit the teeth as they are and the memory is activated by the temperature of the mouth. The SMART exerts enou gh force as it contracts to move the teeth slowly and gradually.Surgical tools, particularly those used in key hole surgery may also be made from SMAs. These tools are often often bent to fit the geometry of a particular patient, however, in order for them to be used again they return to a default shape upon sterilisation in an autoclave. Still many years away is the use of SMAs as artificial muscles, i. e. simulating the expansion and contraction of human muscles. This process will utilise a piece of SMA wire in place of a muscle on the finger of a robotic hand.When it is heated, by passing an electrical current through it, the material expands and straightens the joint, on cooling the wire contracts again bending the finger again In reality this is incredibly difficult to achieve since complex software and surrounding systems are also required. Figure 1 – Change in structure associated with the shape memory effect. NASA have been researching the use of SMA muscles in robots which walk, fly and swim! Domestic applications SMAs can be used as actuators which exert a force associated with the shape change, and this can be repeated over many thousands of cycles.Applications include springs which are incorporated in to greenhouse windows such that they open and close themselves at a given temperature. Along a similar theme are pan lids which incorporate an SMA spring in the steam vent. When the spring is heated by the boiling water in the pan it changes shape and opens the vent, thus preventing the pan from boiling over and maintaining efficient cooking. The springs are similar to those shown in Figure 5. SMAs can be used to replace bimetallic strips in many domestic applications.SMAs offer the advantage of giving a larger deflection and exerting a stronger force for a given change in temperature. They can be used in cut out switches for kettles and other devices, security door locks, fire protection devices such as smoke alarms and cooking safety indicato rs (for example for checking the temperature of a roast joint). Aerospace applications A more high tech application is the use of SMA wire to control the flaps on the trailing edge of aircraft wings.The flaps are currently controlled by extensive hydraulic systems but these could be replaced by wires which are resistance heated, by passing a current along them, to produce the desired shape change. Such a system would be considerably simpler than the conventional hydraulics, thus reducing maintenance and it would also decrease the weight of the system. Manufacturing applications SMA tubes can be used as couplings for connecting two tubes. The coupling diameter is made slightly smaller than the tubes it is to join. The coupling is deformed such that it slips over the tube ends and the temperature changed to activate the memory.The coupling tube shrinks to hold the two ends together but can never fully transform so it exerts a constant force on the joined tubes. Why are SMAs so flexibl e? In addition to the shape memory effect, SMAs are also known to be very flexible or super elastic, which arises from the structure of the martensite. This property Of SMARTs has also been exploited for example in mobile phone aerials, spectacle frames and the underwire in bras. The kink resistance of the wires makes them useful in surgical tools which need to remain straight as they are passed through the body.Nitinol can be bent significantly further than stainless steel without suffering permanent deformation. Another rather novel application of SMAs which combines both the thermal memory and super elastic properties of these materials is in intelligent fabrics. Very fine wires are woven in to ordinary polyester cotton fabric. Since the material is super elastic the wires spring back to being straight even if the fabric is screwed up in a heap at the bottom of the washing basket! So creases fall out of the fabric, giving you a true non-iron garment!In addition the wires in the s leeves have a memory which is activated at a given temperature (for example 38 C) causing the sleeves to roll themselves up and keeping the wearer cool. PIIEZOELECTRIIC MATERIIALS The piezoelectric effect was discovered in 1880 by Jaques and Pierre Curie who conducted a number of experiments using quartz crystals. This probably makes piezoelectric materials the oldest type of smart material. These materials, which are mainly ceramics, have since found a number of uses. What is the piezoelectric effect?The piezoelectric effect and electrostriction are opposite phenomena and both relate a shape change with voltage. As with SMAs the shape change is associated with a change in the crystal structure of the material and piezoelectric materials also exhibit two crystalline forms. One form is ordered and this relates to the polarisation of the molecules. The second state is nonpolarised and this is disordered. If a voltage is applied to the non-polarised material a shape change occurs as th e molecules reorganise to align in the electrical field. This is known as electrostriction.Conversely, an electrical field is generated if a mechanical force is applied to the material to change its shape. This is the piezoelectric effect. The main advantage of these materials is the almost instantaneous change in the shape of the material or the generation of an electrical field. What materials exhibit this effect? The piezoelectric effect was first observed in quartz and various other crystals such as tourmaline. Barium titanate and cadmium sulphate have also been shown to demonstrate the effect but by far the most commonly used piezoelectric ceramic today is lead zirconium titanate (PZT).The physical properties of PZT can be controlled by changing the chemistry of the material and how it is processed. There are limitations associated with PZT; like all ceramics it is brittle giving rise to mechanical durability issues and there are also problems associated with joining it with ot her components in a system. Where are piezoelectric materials used? The main use of piezoelectric ceramics is in actuators. An actuator can be described as a component or material which converts energy (in this case electrical) in to mechanical form.When a electric field is applied to the piezoelectric material it changes its shape very rapidly and very precisely in accordance with the magnitude of the field. Applications exploiting the electrostrictive effect of piezoelectric materials include actuators in the semiconductor industry in the systems used for handling silicon wafers, in the microbiology field in microscopic cell handling systems, in fibre optics and acoustics, in ink-jet printers where fine movement control is necessary and for vibration damping.The piezoelectric effect can also be used in sensors which generate an electrical field in response to a mechanical force. This is useful in damping systems and earthquake detection systems in buildings. But the most well know n application is in the sensors which deploy car airbags. The material changes in shape with the impact thus generating a field which deploys the airbag. A novel use of these materials, which exploits both the piezoelectric and electrostrictive effects, is in smart skis which have been designed to perform well on both soft and hard snow. Piezoelectric sensors detect vibrations (i. e. he shape of the ceramic detector is changed resulting in the generation of a field) and the electrostrictive property of the material is then exploited by generating an opposing shape change to cancel out the vibration. The system uses three piezoelectric elements which detect and cancel out large vibrations in real time since the reaction time of the ceramics is very small . By passing an alternating voltage across these materials a vibration is produced. This process is very efficient and almost all of the electrical energy is converted into motion. Possible uses of this property are silent alarms for pagers which fit into a wrist watch.The vibration is silent at low frequencies but at high frequencies an audible sound is also produced. This leads to the concept of solid state speakers based on piezoelectric materials which could also be miniaturised. Do polymers exhibit these effects? Ionic polymers work in a similar way to piezoelectric ceramics, however they need to be wet to function. An electrical current is passed through the polymer when it is wet to produce a change in its crystal structure and thus its shape. Muscle fibres are essentially polymeric and operate in a similar way, so research in this field has focussed on potential uses in medicine. ature of the piezoelectric effect making them invaluable for the niche applications which they occupy. MAGNETOSTRIICTIIVE MATERIIALS Magnetostrictive materials are similar to piezoelectric and electrostrictive materials except the change in shape is related to a magnetic field rather than an electrical field. What are magnetost rictive materials? Magnetostrictive materials convert magnetic to mechanical energy or vice versa. The magnetostrictive effect was first observed in 1842 by James Joule who noticed that a sample of nickel exhibited a change in length when it was magnetised.The other ferromagnetic elements (cobalt and iron) were also found to demonstrate the effect as were alloys of these materials. During the 1960s terbium and dysprosium were also found to be magnetostrictive but only at low temperatures which limited their use, despite the fact that the size change was many times greater than that of nickel. The most common magnetostrictive material today is called TERFENOL-D (terbium (TER), iron (FE), Naval Ordanance Laboratory (NOL) and dysprosium (D)). This alloy of terbium, iron and dysprosium shows a large magnetostrictive effect and is used in transducers and actuators.The original observation of the magnetostrictive effect became known as the Joule effect, but other effects have also been ob served. The Villari effect is the opposite of the Joule effect, that is applying a stress to the material causes a change in its magnetization. Applying a torsional force to a magnetostrictive material generates a helical magnetic field and this is known as the Matteuci effect. Its inverse is the Wiedemann effect in which the material twists in the presence of a helical magnet field.How do magnetostrictive materials work? Magnetic materials contain domains which can be likened to tiny magnets within the material. When an external magnetic field is applied the domains rotate to align with this field and this results in a shape change as. Conversely if the material is squashed or stretched by means of an external force the domains are forced to move and this causes a change in the magnetisation. Where are magnetostrictive materials used? Magnetostrictive materials can be used as both actuators (where a magnetic ield is applied to cause a shape change) and sensors (which convert a move ment into a magnetic field). In actuators the magnetic field is usually generated by passing an electrical current along a wire. Likewise the electrical current generated by the magnetic field arising from a shape change is usually measured in sensors. Early applications of magnetostrictive materials included telephone receivers, hydrophones, oscillators and scanning sonar. The development of alloys with better properties led to the use of these materials in a wide variety of applications.Ultrasonic magnetostrictive transducers have been used in ultrasonic cleaners and surgical tools. Other applications include hearing aids, razorblade sharpeners, linear motors, damping systems, positioning equipment, and sonar. MAGNETO– AND ELECTRO RHEOLOGIICAL MATERIIALS All of the groups of smart materials discussed so far have been based on solids. However, there are also smart fluids which change their rheological properties in accordance with their environment. What are smart fluids? Th ere are two types of smart fluids which were both discovered in the 1940s.Electro-rheological (ER) materials change their properties with the application of an electrical field and consist of an insulating oil such as mineral oil containing a dispersion of solid particles (early experiments used starch, stone, carbon, silica, gypsum and lime). Magnetorheological materials (MR) are again based on a mineral or silicone oil carrier but this time the solid dispersed within the fluid is a magnetically soft material (such as iron) and the properties of the fluid are altered by applying a magnetic field. In both cases the dispersed particles are of the order of microns in size.How do smart fluids work? In both cases the smart fluid changes from a fluid to a solid with the application of the relevant field. The small particles in the fluid align and are attracted to each other resulting in a dramatic change in viscosity as shown in Figure 7. The effect takes milliseconds to occur and is com pletely reversible by the removal of the field. Figure 8 clearly shows the effect of a magnet on such an MR fluid. With ER fluids a field strength of up to 6kV/mm is needed and for MR fluids a magnetic field of less than 1Tesla is needed. Where are smart fluids used?Uses of these unusual materials in civil engineering, robotics and manufacturing Electrodes Suspension fluid Particle Figure 7 – Schematic diagram showing the structure of a electrorheological fluid between two electrodes. The top figure shows the structure in a low field strength where the particles are randomly distributed. When a higher field strength is applied, as in the bottom diagram, the particles align causing a change in the viscosity of the fluid. Figure 8 – A puddle of magnetorheological fluid stiffens in the presence of a magnetic field. courtesy of Sandy Hill / University of Rochester) are being explored. But the first industries to identify uses were the automotive and aerospace industries wh ere the fluids are used in vibration damping and variable torque transmission. MR dampers are used to control the suspension in cars to allow the feel of the ride to be varied. Dampers are also used in prosthetic limbs to allow the patient to adapt to various movements for example the change from running to walking. Future Scope: The future of smart materials and structures is wide open.The use of smart materials in a product and the type of smart structures that one can design are only limited by one’s talents, capabilities, and ability to ‘‘think outside the box. ’’ In an early work5 and as part of short courses there were discussions pertaining to future considerations. A lot of the brainstorming that resulted from these efforts is now being explored. Some ideas that were in the conceptual stage are now moving forward. Look at the advances in information and comforts provided through smart materials and structures in automobiles. Automobiles can b e taken to a garage for service and be hooked p to a diagnostic computer that tells the mechanic what is wrong with the car. Or a light on the dashboard signals ‘‘maintenance required. ’’ Would it not be better for the light to inform us as to the exact nature of the problem and the severity of it? This approach mimics a cartoon that appeared several years ago of an air mechanic near a plane in a hanger. The plane says ‘‘Ouch’’ and the mechanic says ‘‘Where do you hurt? ’’ One application of smart materials is the work mentioned earlier of piezoelectric inkjet printer that serves as a chemical delivery to print organic light-emitting polymers in a fine detail on various media.Why not take the same application to synthesize smaller molecules? With the right set one could synthesize smaller molecules in significant amounts for characterization and evaluation and in such a way that we could design experiments with relative ease. A new class of smart materials has appeared in the literature. This is the group of smart adhesives. We previously mentioned that PVDF film strips have been placed within an adhesive joint to monitor performance. Khongtong and Ferguson developed a smart adhesive at Lehigh University. 0 They suggested that this new adhesive could form an antifouling coating for boat hulls or for controlling cell adhesion in surgery. The stickiness of the new adhesive can be switched on and off with changes in temperature. The smart adhesive also becomes water repellent when its tackiness wanes. 50 The term ‘‘smart adhesive’’ is appearing more frequently in the literature. A topic of research that was in the literature a few years ago was ‘‘smart clothes’’ or ‘‘wearable computers’’ being studied at MIT. The potential of this concept is enormous. This sounds wonderful as long as we learn how to work smart er, not longer.CONCLUSION: From the abilities of the smart material to respond the environmental changes the conclusion arises that ‘‘smart’’ in the name do not meet the definition of being smart, that is, responding to the environment in a reversible manner. Due to their properties they must deserve a great future. REFERENCES [1]Mechanical Engineers’ Handbook: Materials and Mechanical Design, Volume 1, Third Edition. Edited by Myer Kutz. [2]www. memorymetals. co. uk [3] www. nitinol. com [4] www. sma-inc. com [5]www. cs. ualberta. ca/~database/MEMS/sma_mems/sma. html [6]http://virtualskies. arc. nasa. gov/research/youdecide/Shapememalloys. html