“Amotivational Syndrome”

Jesse Love â€Å"Amotivational Syndrome† and Marijuana use: An Ongoing Debate November 30, 2008 The positive or negative effects of marijuana usage are a common point of discussion among psychologists. One of the more common debates surrounds â€Å"Amotivational Syndrome† (i. e. the purported lack of motivation that results from marijuana use). The existence or non-existence of this â€Å"syndrome† has been discussed for over a century among both users and non-users alike (Duncan, 1987, p. 114).The two articles chosen for this essay attempt to determine whether amotivational syndrome is a by-product of marijuana use by applying two separate methods of analysis. By analyzing these articles it will be clear that there is no conclusive evidence that suggests a direct correlation between amotivational syndrome and marijuana use. In 1987, David F. Duncan sought to critique previous studies of marijuana use that claimed amotivational syndrome was a prevalent phenomenon among acute marijuana users.He aimed to challenge previous studies that assumed, in their conclusions, that users of marijuana possessed characteristics of â€Å"introversion, passivity, and lack of achievement-orientation† (Duncan, 1987, p. 114). In his introduction, Duncan introduced cross-cultural examples where marijuana use is actually used as a stimulant; for instance in Jamaica, where he compares marijuana use to North American coffee consumption (Duncan, 1987, p. 115). Duncan concludes that only by conducting a comparative study, i. . by taking a sample of subjects who are both users and non-users, could real evidence for â€Å"marijuana-related antimotivational syndrome† be determined (Duncan, 1987, p. 115). Duncan pointed to the flaws a study conducted by Halikas et al. In 1982. Halikas wanted to determine the â€Å"lifetime prevalence† of amotivational syndrome in lifetime users of marijuana. To do so, he posed a single question meant to encompass th e criterion of amotivational syndrome.The question encompassed elements such as: â€Å"Have you ever had a period when you weren’t depressed or unhappy, but you just seemed to lose your motivation although you weren’t particularly upset by that feeling? † (Duncan, 1987, p. 116). Duncan argued that Halikas et al. ’s study, in particular, was a failure because it failed to offer a comparison between users and non-users. Therefore, Duncan used the same questionnaire and applied it to a series of high-achieving subjects to determine the frequency of amotivational syndrome within a larger population of both users and non-users.Duncan selected two hundred thirty-eight athletic students (some former Olympians) from a European university. All subjects were required to speak English and came from various parts of the world. He began by requesting all subjects to fill out a questionnaire regarding past marijuana consumption. The subjects were subsequently divided i nto three groups: 1) those who had never used marijuana, 2) those who used marijuana daily for a thirty day period in their life and, 3) those who used marijuana but could not fill the requirements for group 2 (Duncan, 1987, p. 17). The results of this initial questionnaire indicated that 47. 7% had never used marijuana, 23. 8% were occasional/experimental users and 24. 1% had been daily users. These three groups also responded to the questionnaire borrowed from Halikas et al. It was determined that there was no significant variation in the frequency of amotivational syndrome among marijuana users (Duncan, 1987, p. 117). These results only serve to debunk the initial findings of Halikas et al. and other psychologists who had followed similar methods of analysis.Indeed, Duncan made this explicit in the conclusion of his report. It is clear from Duncan’s work that a new methodology is required to determine whether amotivational syndrome is more prevalent among marijuana users. The limitations of this research are therefore quite clear. Future studies will require both long and short-term analysis of both users and non-users. Also, a controlled definition of motivation will be required to determine what a lack thereof implies. To make improvements one would therefore need to have access, as Duncan had, to a large body of subjects. It would then e necessary to track these subjects, both users and non-users alike, over a sustained period of time to determine whether or not the likelihood of amotivational syndrome is more common among users or non-users, if there is in fact a difference at all. Duncan ultimately argued that he was still prepared â€Å"†¦to relegate the antimotivational syndrome to the growing scrap heap of discarded marijuana myths† (Duncan, 1987, p. 118). In 2002, Cherek et al. conducted a much more dynamic study of amotivational syndrome, following a number of the suggestions offered years earlier by Duncan.They offered a vague definition of amotivational syndrome as a â€Å"set of characteristics† including â€Å"general apathy†¦loss of productivity†¦lethargy (and) depression† among others (Cherek, Lane and Dougherty, 2002, p. 26). Despite these agreed upon attributes of amotivational syndrome, Cherek et al. also found it difficult to pinpoint the amotivational â€Å"phenomenon†. They recalled some of the studies referred to by Duncan that found a positive correlation between marijuana usage and amotivational syndrome.By recognizing that amotivational syndrome occurred among users and non-users alike, the researchers concluded that amotivational syndrome was ultimately a question of frequency. Cherek et al. also sought to arrive at a conclusive definition of motivation, both theoretically and methodologically. To cross this hurdle, Cherek et al. opted to follow a behavioral approach in conjunction with a progressive ratio schedule (PR) and a fixed-time schedule (FT). In this way, they could â€Å"†¦define and measure motivation by measuring changes in PR responding across changes in reinforcer magnitude† (Cherek et al. , 2002, p. 27).Monetary reward would be used as an operational reinforcement and data would be based on subject response rates. The first experiment involved five males who were occasional marijuana users. It was used to confirm the initial â€Å"proposed operational definition of motivational behavior† which meant that there was a direct ratio between the response time and the motivation (Cherek et al. , 2002, pp. 27-28). The results proved that their initial suppositions were correct and that the changes in response rate and ratios were â€Å"consistent with the operational method† established from the outset of the experiment (Cherek et al. 2002, p. 30). The following two experiments used a different subject base but retained the same reinforcer values. The researchers controlled the THC supply, dividing it i nto three strains of potency. They argued that a decrease in PR response following â€Å"acute marijuana administration† while the keeping the reinforcer at a constant level would indicate decreased levels of motivation (Cherek et al. , 2002, p. 30). The results of Experiment 2 Phase 1 indicated that acute marijuana consumption did alter behavior. However, the results were not dose dependent.Experiment 2 Phase 2 showed that the â€Å"marijuana-induced decreases in responding can be overcome by increasing the reinforcer† (Cherek et. al, 2002, p. 35). This meant that although it was clear that there were overt behavioral differences between marijuana induced subjects and the placebo subjects, these differences could be overcome by offering a motivational stimulus. The researchers concluded that acute marijuana users do exhibit some forms of amotivational behavior. This behavior could be usurped if there was an increase in the reinforcement.They pointed out that other stu dies had achieved results that disconfirmed this conclusion. However, those studies did not offer â€Å"the availability of at least one alternative response† for the subjects. [1] Cherek et al. suggested that one could â€Å"construe† their study as an indication that marijuana does induce amotivational behavior. Still, this is not entirely conclusive because the study solely examined the effects of short-term acute marijuana use. Most of the controversy surrounding marijuana use generally questions whether long-term use, rather than short-term use, effects amotivational behavior. 2] The fact that only short-term marijuana use was studied here is its greatest limitation. It was also limited because of the small number of subjects and the environment in which they were tested (a small room). These articles are particularly interesting for me because I am an occasional marijuana user and have always been concerned about how I will be affected in the long-term. I tend to agree with various elements from both studies. I am convinced, like Duncan that many myths concerning marijuana consumption have circulated for political reasons rather than because of empirical data.I also believe that amotivational syndrome is common among both users and non-users alike. Whether or not users are more disposed to this phenomenon is still up for debate. Cherek et al. ’s study was also intriguing because it demonstrated that amotivational syndrome (whether induced by marijuana or not) could be overcome by increasing the reinforcement. This makes a lot of sense in my world-view, as quite often the individuals I have known will become motivated only if they believe they will reap reasonable rewards. If the rewards are not worth the effort, â€Å"amotivational syndrome† may set it.These studies have demonstrated that there is still much more research to be conducted on the effects of marijuana consumption both in the short- term and the long-term. It appe ars as if there is more speculation regarding marijuana than there is empirical evidence. The topic of amotivational syndrome is particularly troublesome because of the tricky nature of defining motivation. This problem is compounded when conducting a controlled study because there is very little motivation, nor may it be possible, for the participants to behave in a controlled environment as they would in the real world.References Cherek, Don R. , Lane, Scott D. and Dougherty, Donald M (2002). Possible Antimotivational Effects Following Marijuana Smoking Under Laboratory Conditions. Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10(1), 26-38. Duncan, David F. (1987). Lifetime Prevalence of â€Å"Antimotivational Syndrome† Among Users and Non-Users of Hashish. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 1(2), 114-119. ———————– [1] Cherek et al. , 35. [2] Cherek et al. , 36.

Uae Culture

UAE CULTURE The  culture of the  United Arab Emirates  has a diverse, cosmopolitan and multicultural society. [1]  The country's cultural imprint as a small, ethnically homogenous  pearlingcommunity was changed with the arrival of other  ethnic groups  and nationals — first by the  Iranians  in the early 1900s, and later by  Indians  and  Pakistanis  in the 1960s. Dubai  has been criticized for perpetuating a class-based society, where  migrant workers  are in the  lower classes. 2]  Despite the diversity of the population, only minor and infrequent episodes of  ethnic tensions, primarily between expatriates, have been reported in the city. Major holidays in Dubai include  Eid ul-Fitr, which marks the end of  Ramadan, and  National Day  (2 December), which marks the formation of the United Arab Emirates. [3] Emirati culture mainly revolves around the religion of  Islam, traditional  Arab, and Bedouin culture.Being a highly cosm opolitan society, the UAE has a diverse and vibrant culture. The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its  architecture,  music,  attire,  cuisine, and  lifestyle  are very prominent as well. Five times every day,  Muslims  are called to prayer from the  minarets  of  mosques, which are scattered around the country. [4]  The weekend begins on  Friday  due to Friday being the holiest day for Muslims. Most  Muslim countries  have a Friday-Saturday or Thursday-Friday weekend. 5] This unique  socioeconomic development  in the  Persian Gulf  has meant that the UAE is generally more liberal than its neighbors. While Islam is the main religion, Emiratis have been known for their religious tolerance, and  churches,  Hindu temples,  Sikh Gurdwara  can be found alongside  mosques. However, there are no  Jewish synagogue  in the United Arab Emirates. A cosmopolitan atmosphere is gradually growing. As a result there are a variety of fore ign-influenced schools, cultural centers, and themed restaurants.

Toyota Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Toyota - Assignment Example However, competition increase especially in the low-cost model market has become a big threat for the company. Recently, the company has experienced reduced growth as it competitors continue to penetrate the market and push the company’s profits downwards. The company still stands a chance to penetrate the market by establishing new markets and focusing on cost differentiation. The survival of the company depends on the ability of the management to detect the changes in the market and to design new strategies that will keep the company top of the market in the long-term. Organizational strategies refers to the approaches that a company deploys to push its products to the market and to acquire an appropriate position in the market. Companies use competitive strategies to compete with their business rivals. In the automobile company, competition has consistently increased due to the entry of new producers. However, there is a notable insatiable demand for automobile company. A close analysis of Toyota Company will provide an appropriate ground to measure the competitive ability of the Toyota. TOWS Analysis is one of the most critical tools that help to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and Threats of company’s business model. The strength of the Toyota Company lies in its ability to brand itself as a top manufacture of automobile companies in the world. This strategy has helped the company to create a strong brand image in every market, which has become an important marketing tool. The company’s mass production has been feasible allowing the company to minimize the cost of their cars. With standard quality cars, the company’s strategy has been acceptable within the market. Besides, the company’s ability to diversify its products has helped to satisfy various needs of the market and to satisfy different market segments. Innovation within the company has led to high level of customer satisfaction which

XYZ Counseling Agency Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

XYZ Counseling Agency - Case Study Example This is evident from the fact that the company has employed a policy that categorically prohibits any kind of violence. Employees at XYZ Counseling Agency who have violated these rules in the past have been disciplined, but no employee’s services have been terminated for such conduct. Given that XYZ Counseling Agency does not discriminate against employees on the basis of sex, religion, race, age, or sexual orientation, employees are expected not to create an offensive, hostile or threatening environment (Szwajkowski, 1996). The company also believes in providing the highest standards of customer relationship and earns its clients by providing superior services and not through unethical, problematic or offensive business practices. XYZ Counseling Agency believes in developing credibility with its clients by meeting its commitments. The company recognizes that if commitments are not met, client trust is damaged. The fact that Chuck was hired as an anger management consultant implies that he was expected to set an example by keeping his temper in control instead of behaving in the manner that he did not only with Wilbur but also with another client a week ago, whom he had grabbed by the arm. The company is a counseling agency and any instance of such behavior will create negative propaganda that will do immense damage to its credibility in the market. Beating up a client during a counseling session is not acceptable under any circumstances, especially when the very purpose of his visit to the center is to get relief from the emotional or psychological hardships that he is suffering from. Instead of being empathetic with the client for his weak emotional state, Chuck chose to beat up Wilbur, who is a client that the company is obliged to treat with utmost concern and empathy. Given that XYZ Counseling Agency has a  specific policy in place against violence and all employees are signatory to such policies at the time of being hired, the  company is within its legal rights to terminate Chuck’s services with immediate effect. It is apparent that Chuck has a past record of engaging in violence at the workplace, which is evident from the fact that he was fired from a counseling job five years ago for having become violent with a client.

Social policy- policy analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Social policy- policy analysis - Essay Example It does this by critically analyzing various laws which were enacted and periodically amended to ensure that there are no cases of child abuse in the country. The paper also goes ahead to evaluate how effective these legislations were and the extent to which they safeguarded children. According to the latest statistics from the police department, there were a total of 21,493 reported cases of child sexual abuse offences in 2011/12. In England alone, the figures for child rapes were estimated at 4,991 during the same period (Owen, 2007). However, the total number of rape cases and rape attempts in Scotland stood at 505 during the same period. Based on this statistics, Scotland seems to be having the highest number of sexual offenses as compared to other regions such as Wales, Northern Ireland and England. This might be attributed to inefficient policy implementations and inability of the parents, guardians and child care givers to create adequate time to provide children with the necessary protection. Its sexual offenses rates are 3.3 cases out of every 1,000 children under the age of 16. In Northern Ireland, it stands at 2.5 persons per every 1,000 children under the age of 18. Moreover, in Wales and England, only 1.6 cases are recorded for every 1,000 children u nder the age of 16 (Jeff, 2003). The above analysis clearly indicates that child abuse is still a major issue of concern in the UK. Although the statistics is about sexual abuses, a lot of cases have been witnessed in which several children have been physically abused and neglected by their parents and care givers. It is for this reason that such children have been offered safeguarding services such as child line, frank line, guidance and counseling by different bodies and agencies in the nation (Turton, 2008). It is only through the provision of safeguard services that the

Measures To Put Under Control the Cases Performance Deficiency among Assignment - 1

Measures To Put Under Control the Cases Performance Deficiency among Employees - Assignment Example It is evidently clear from the discussion that the leader should avoid being biased about the situation. He should make his conclusions about what led to the action. He should, rather be willing to listen to the person, and have a clear understanding of the cause of his inadequate performance. This helps to show the individual that he has a chance to be heard, without being judged. Providing the corrective feedback promptly, within the time the problem is noticed is necessary. This is because it will help guide the employee in performing his activities, and avoid a recurrence. According to Yukl, when an employee demonstrates inadequate performance, it is necessary for the leader to explain to the person the effects of his behavior. He makes the person understand that his behavior has a significant effect, not only to the company but also to his coworkers. When facing an incident of inadequate performance, the leader should stay calm, and exhibit professionalism. This means that he sh ould avoid accusations or insults to the person. By doing this, the employee understands the magnitude of his actions and works to improve his performance. To be a quality follower who is indispensable, it is necessary to have a clear knowledge and understanding of what the company requires you to do. According to Yukl, by understanding your roles and how they should be performed, you can deliver positive results that will impress the leader. This helps to ensure that work is completed as per the leader’s expectation. If the role is not clear, the person should request for clarification, and this will help improve the performance of the individual. When performing duties for a company, one should ensure constant communication with the leader is maintained. The leader should be updated on every activity that takes place. Regular communication allows for the leader to know how the person is conducting his activities and correct him if need be. This helps in the growth of an org anization. Feedback is important in the day to day performance of roles in a company.

Managing people and organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing people and organization - Essay Example The specific gap has been identified by Kilduff, Elfenbein and Staw (2010); their article entitled as ‘The psychology of rivalry: A relationally dependent analysis of competition’ aims to offer adequate explanations on the relationship between rivalry and competition both regarding the individuals and the organizations. Through the above study, the following fact is revealed: competition among individuals has similarities with the competition developed between organizations. In this way, the following assumption can be made: the response of organizations to the pressures of their competitors is depended on the perceptions of their managers on rivalry; the latter is not just an element of human behavior; rather, it can be a cause for promoting competition among organizations – based on the fact that organizational decisions are made by individuals who are expected to use their own perceptions and experiences when having to develop various organizational plans. The article of Kilduff, Elfenbein and Staw (2010) has been critically reviewed in order to identify its strengths and weaknesses but also its contribution in the explanation of organizational behavior. It is concluded that the specific article is extremely valuable in terms not just of its subject but also of its structure and content. Article Importance The article of Kilduff, Elfenbein and Staw (2010) can be characterized as quite important helping to realize the role of rivalry for the development of various decisions. Especially in regard to the area of organizational behavior, the specific article helps to understand how the responses of firms to their competitors can be explained and evaluated. The value of the article for the particular field can be also identified at the following two points: a) existing studies regarding the role of rivalry in organizational competition are quite limited; in fact, up today, the relationship between the personal attitudes – as rivalry can be primarily characterized – and the organizational initiatives has not been explored; through the article under examination the dependency of organizational decisions on personal beliefs – referring to the beliefs of rivals when these persons have to participate in the development of a key organizational decision – is analytically explained; b) competition is a key part of organizational activities; however, the causes and the elements of competition have not been adequately examined in the past; the article under examination offers valuable information on a specific aspect/ cause of competition: the rivalry which can be related to the initiatives of both individuals and organizations. Article’s Critique In order to understand the value of the article under examination within the field of ‘organizational beh

Hitler's Table Talk Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Hitler's Table Talk - Essay Example What I noticed is that the so-called words of Hitler are filled with self-centered ideas and hatred for almost everyone. His perspective on people, nations and resources is organized around the question of how they are potentially useful and controllable by him. It is the aim of this paper to demonstrate this, based on the alleged attitudes of Hitler, as found in Hitler’s Table Talk. I will argue that the controversy about whether or not he said particular phrases or words about Christianity is a distraction from the much more important issue of the hatred in his heart, and the hatred with which he chose to surround himself. This is what I see as the main message of Hitler’s Table Talk. The controversy about whether Hitler was a Christian has exposed some information about Hitler’s Table Talk. There were only two copies of his talks and they were both edited by a man named Martin Bormann. Bormann was an active anti-Catholic, and much of his activism was behind Hitler’s back (Walker). Since the strong anti-Christian attitudes expressed in Hitler’s Table Talk are not found in any other examples of Hitler’s speeches and writings, and since Luther was one of Hitler’s most respected role models, it is probable that Bormann’s editing reflected Bormann’s own anti-Catholic bias (Walker). Other contamination of Hitler’s Table Talk came from translation. The English translation is based on the French translation, by Geroud (Walker). Geroud put a lot of things into the translation that were not in the original manuscript. An historian, named |David Irving, examined a copy of the complete manuscript of another document, Hitler’s Last Testament, which was said to be a part of the table-talk. Irving saw it was typed, and found out that someone had added a whole lot of things in handwriting. When confronted by Irving, Geroud confessed that the handwriting was his and that the typescript was also his own invention. Geroud told

Social and political in the 19th century Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social and political in the 19th century - Essay Example As a result of his care, though, his discoveries were well-founded and difficult to disprove especially as others were also making similar discoveries at the time. Another great thinker that had a significant impact on cultural attitudes and beliefs was Karl Marx. Marx focused his attention on the ways in which different societies worked, paying particular attention to how conflict between the classes helped to shape the way the society was organized. His predictions and writings were so influential that they have helped to found entire governmental systems. The new ideas these two men introduced to the world had an impact not only on how we understand the world around us, but also how we understand one another including changing common concepts of gender relations. It was the mid-1800’s when Charles Darwin took his famous trip to the Galapagos and witnessed tangible evidence for his theory regarding the origin of all species. The 13 islands of the Galapagos chain are relative ly close to each other geographically but are vastly different environmentally. Some of the islands offer desert-like conditions, others more tropical, some sandy, some rocky. Attempting to catalog the various species he found, Darwin realized many of them had originated as one species, but had evolved adaptations needed for survival according to the different conditions on the different islands. He hypothesized adaptations to new environments would take place over long periods of time, millions of years, through the process of natural selection. Natural selection works when an animal is born with a specialized new trait that helps it survive in its environment. This animal thrives and produces offspring that carry the same inherited trait so they live longer and have more babies. Eventually the new type ‘wins out’ over the old and a new species is started. It didn't take long for these concepts to be applied to human development. Darwinian anthropology suggests that be havior is shaped by the needs and expectations of the social environment and is also based on best fitness to survive. Therefore, â€Å"the way to look for adaptations is not to try to find ancient mental mechanisms but to look at current behavior in relation to local environmental conditions† (Cartwright). Instead of inborn traits and physical attributes, Darwinian anthropology suggests people strive to adapt their behavior based upon new learning and new skills to cope with their social environment. This is proven to some extent in the case of immigrants. Although first generation immigrants usually struggle to incorporate into their new society, successive generations develop the adaptive tools necessary to survive with greater success within the same environment. Under the umbrella of Darwinian anthropology, â€Å"culture should be viewed a part of a fitness maximization program. Humans are flexible opportunists and so optimality models can be used† to predict beha vior (Cartwright). These types of realizations led to a new consideration regarding the supposed helplessness and presumed handicaps of women during this age. People began questioning whether the problems were culturally rather than biologically ingrained. This line of

Achieving Morality Essay Example for Free

Achieving Morality Essay The external factors play a huge role in shaping one’s decisions. One may think that his genetic and background history has the most influence on his actions, but in reality, the intensity of a given situation has greater impact in the choices of the individual. The surroundings one lives in ultimately influences his perception, decision, and morality. In his essay, â€Å"The Power of Context,† Malcolm Gladwell states how it is the little things in life that makes the bigger difference and in many aspects this is true. In Daniel Gilbert’s essay, â€Å"Immune to Reality† he talks about how human perception about reality is not always accurate. In Oliver Sacks’s essay, â€Å"The Mind’s Eye† he shows how there are many different perceptions to view the world. So at the same time, is it possible to dictate what is right and wrong in one’s life if all the decisions are a result of his given situation and surroundings? Also the morality for each person varies depending on their circumstances and perception of their world. Ultimately, an absolute form of right and wrong does not exist because the context of the situation always changes, but still it is possible to achieve an applicable standard of morality in society. Each individual has his own way of looking at the world that is completely unique when compared to the way another person does. This is perception of reality and this form is always open to discussion because the person generates this viewpoint. Each individual makes his decisions based on his perception of the world. â€Å"The processes by which we generate positive views are many: we pay more attention to favorable information, we surround ourselves with those who provide it, and we accept it uncritically (Gilbert 134). In many instance one creates his own perception to suit his way of thinking, so the individual could be in the center of his world. â€Å"He seemed to regard this loss of visual imagery as a prerequisite for the full development, the heightening, of his other senses† (Sacks 304). Most people see becoming blind as unfortunate event, but according to this person it helped him to improve his other senses. â€Å"The tabloids dubbed Goetz the subway vigilante an d the death wish shooter† (Gladwell 153). Rather than seeing Goetz as a lunatic the newspapers depicted him as a hero. So this shows the difference in perception between people and how it varies from individuals. Importantly since each person’s perception varies it is hard to claim whose perception is right or wrong because ultimately is there a â€Å"right† perception of the world that everybody should be following? Even when viewing a painting everybody has their own interpretation of the art. No one claims there is only one â€Å"right† perception; rather the different perceptions are simply different approaches towards looking at the world. â€Å"It was simply inconceivable that someone could pull a gun on someone else on the subway and be called a hero for it.† (Gladwell 154) shows how different viewpoints affect the verdicts of a situation. A hero to some people might be a villain to others and it is hard to claim who is the â€Å"right† hero. The difference in subjectivity among people will always create a discrepancy of opinions among people. Since a variety of perception exists, then is it possible to have a perfect set and stone â€Å"right and wrong† rules in life? The context of a given matter plays a huge role in deciding the morality of the event. Morality is very much depended on the background information of the event. It is very hard to dictate the morality of an issue without seeing the bigger picture. Most people might see stealing as a wrong act, but what if someone stole a piece of bread in order to make sure he does not die from starvation, is that still a wrong act? In a situation like that one might feel sympathetic to that poor fellow and probably will see stealing as reasonable in that given situation. â€Å"We do not realize that our views will change† (Gilbert 135), the idea of morality varies on the situation because the context of the event directly affects morality. â€Å"Blindness now becomes for him a dark paradoxical gift. This is not just compensation, but a whole new order, a new mode of human being† (Sacks 305), in many aspects blind people do not see their condition as a curse or burden rather a different approach towards living and for most sighted people it might be hard to understand and accept this approach. â€Å"That there are instances where you can take normal people from good schools and happy families and good neighborhoods and powerfully affect their behavior merely by changing the immediate details of their situation† (Gladwell 162) this shows how the little details of an event plays huge role in the outcomes of an event. Essentially, context of a situation is what dictates morality and it is going to be almost impossible to label morality as set and stone as something like the Ten Commandments because the context always changes. Even though the standards of morality vary according to the situation there are some aspects of morality that one subconsciously accepts. Some ethics are universally considered wrong and one’s mind without even one knowing already knows that some choices are not right. That is why the mind tends to usually question the choices one makes. â€Å"When we cook facts, we are similarly unaware of why we are doing it, and this turns out to be a good thing, because deliberate attempts to generate positive views† (Gilbert 134), subconsciously to some extend individuals are aware of the morality behind an action and this will help individuals to make their decisions wisely. â€Å"To what extent are we our experiences, our reactions shaped, predetermined, by our brains, and to what extend do we shape our own brains† (Sacks 303), There are some emotions and judgments that are simply preinstalled in one’s mind which aids an individual in making choices that are difficult. â€Å"After a while the bad guys wised up and began to leave their weapons home and pay their fares† (Gladwell 157) this shows how there is a consciousness inside individuals that helps in guiding with decision making. When making a choice that might inflict pain to us or others one’s mind will usually try to suggest against that decision. That is why the idea of taking an innocent person’s life is universally seen as a wrongful act in societies. Therefore, there is a sense of unconscious morality that lies within the hearts of most individuals. Achieving a complete form of morality is a very idealistic thought because practically it’s not possible. There are infinitely many ways of perceiving morality and it would be impossible to set a standard that would suit all the time. â€Å"Too often people with sight don’t see anything† (Sacks 310). There are parts that even one’s eye sometimes cannot capture meaning that sometimes it’s simply not possible to account for all the possibilities. â€Å"The benefit of all this unconscious cookery is that it works, but the cost is that it makes us strangers to ourselves† (Gilbert 135). People sometime engage in activities without being aware of the magnitude of the situation. †They are both based on the premise that an epidemic can be reversed, can be tipped, by tinkering with the smallest details of the immediate environment† (Gladwell 157) the intensity of the situation has a huge influence on the decision of the individual. Due to all this, perceiving morality completely would be very difficult. Also having a perfect morality would require infinite knowledge which humans do not possess. As an individual one is limited at what he observes at a given time and there are limitations for each individual in this world. However, through the perceptions of many individuals, people will be able to come up with a better understanding of morality. Even with the limitations each individual has a small understanding of morality in the back of his head. Essentially, when all these understanding that are possessed by individuals are combined then a suitable set of standards will be formed that can accompany most situations. The collective effort of people will help to generate a better set of morality that will help in creating a peaceful environment for people to live in. That is why it is important to have many different perceptions of morality because they all eventually lead to creating appropriate rules that will be suitable for the well-being of a society. Despite not being able to have an absolute morality with infallible accuracy and with infinite knowledge, an applicable method of sensing morality is still practical. Individuals lack the ability to have a perfect morality because for one to acquire it in completion one needs to possess infinite amount of knowledge. Despite this back drop each individual innately has the ability to know morality in small parts and therefore combining the small parts of every individual will help to achieve a suitable set of codes. The differences in perception between people only aids to benefit humans in portraying a better understanding of morality. That is why it is important that there are different types of perceptions because if there was only one view then a very limited and narrow minded principle would be prevalent in the world. The different pathways of thinking done by people finally leads to achieving a suitable mode of morality. An absolute form of morality will never be possible in this imperfect world, however, that does not mean accomplishing a reasonable standard is impossible.

Liver is the largest gland

Liver is the largest gland Liver Liver is just not like any other organ, which can be compensated by other organs or human machines. It is one of the important parts of body which performs many vital functions. Physically it is positioned in the upper part of the abdomen precisely on the right side, just beneath the diaphragm. Its physical looks are reddish brown with four lobes bulging out. Basically livers main role is to store and filter blood. Without liver all the sugar intake by human body would never be passed out until it converts sugar to glycogen which dissolves in blood and excretes the waste. It also produces biochemical such as bile which helps in digesting food. Liver is the largest gland in the human body. It is also a complex structured gland. This organ at any moment stores around 1 pint of blood, which Is equivalent to 13 percent of human blood. The liver basically has 4 sections, which is also known in medical terminology as lobes. These lobes are divided equally on either side of the liver. The lobes are structured in multisided units which we call the lobules. Amazingly a liver has around fifty to hundred lobules. Within the lobules are separators called cavities, which makes the liver spongy in order to hold blood. Furthermore these lobules have a bile capillary, which transfers the bile away from liver. As soon as the bile is excreted out of the liver it forms a hepatic duct. A liver produces bile even when there is no food to process. In this situation the excess bile has to be excreted through the gall bladder. Amazingly scientific researchers have found more than 500 functions of liver. As mentioned above some functions would be to produce bile by hepatic cells, secrete glucose, create vitamins, and to convert ammonia to urea and other metabolic activities. Other than this the liver main function is to digest food. This is done by the bile produced by liver which flows through the small intestine and dissolves the food we eat. Historically liver in Greek was named as hepatic, thus today all the medical term related to liver starts with hepato. Let us now look at the key feature of liver, which is the blood flow. The liver is also called the dual blood supply because it transfers 75 percent of blood supply around the body. Along with blood it contains oxygen supply which is required to reach in all parts of the body. Its key feature of eliminating waste and observing minerals and nutrients make it vital for survival. Thus without the liver a person would loose energy and its blood would not be able to clot normally. Apart from blood supply it also acts a reservoir for the human body essential vitamins. It stores gloucose, vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, Iron and copper. After storing these it also excretes albumin, which is an important ingredient for blood serum. It also synthesizes angiotensinogen, which is essential for the kidney to raise blood pressure when needed. Not only this, liver also stores food in itself. This food is released when the body requires the minerals and nutrients it needs in the blood. Every organ of a human body is prone to diseases. Due to the fact it is a vital organ needed to function other organs, its lack of functioning would harm the whole body and survival will become critical. Commonly hepatitis A, B, C, E is associated with liver disease. But there are many more such as alcohol damage, cancer, fatty liver and drug damages, which affects the liver. When a person is affected with one of the diseases mentioned above then the risk of getting jaundice increases. Basically the reason behind this is the increased level of bilirubin produced by distortion of red blood cell. Bilirubin is a yellow fluid produced in the liver when worn-out red blood cells are broken down. The liver is a strong gland and holds a great power to regenerate and become stable again. But if the damage is high then symptoms could lead to a disastrous outcome. In order to prevent this, a liver function test is performed. A liver function test is clinical laboratory test, whereby blood assays are designed to show the patients liver state. Basically liver diseases are hard to detect at start, this is because the signs of diseases are low and undetectable at early stage to the patient. Some of the signs are pale stools, dark urine, swelling and bruising. These symptoms may be caused by other conditions also, thus it is difficult to identify the real source. One of the major diseases called diabetes is sometimes led by fatty liver, commonly occurring in obese person. Some people may also experience autoimmune hepatitis. This condition has to do with the body producing antibodies that actually attack liver cells. Normally Young to middle aged women are often diagnosed with this condition but it is becoming more common among elderly people. Some of the symptoms may include extreme fatigue, jaundice and even blood tests that show there is liver damage (liver tissue, 2010). High alcohol consumption is one of the most common causes of liver disease. However, high alcohol consumption as a cause for abnormal liver test results is often not evident and may even be denied. A readily obtainable blood test to reveal whether alcohol is the likely cause would be valuable. However, many patients who doubtless consume high amounts of alcohol and indeed are alcohol-dependent and display elevated serum aminotransferase levels do not show a high AST/ALT ratio (Nyblom, 2004). Alcohol consumption leads to cancer of liver, pancreas, mouth, and throat. The seriousness of liver disease can be seen by United States statistic of 43967 people death due to liver cancer itself. Liver cancer is regarded as the seventh biggest cause of death in United States (Hilal, Ali A., and John D.S. Gaylor, 2006). In order to prevent these diseases, an individual should maintain good hygiene. As mentioned above he/she should restrain from drinking alcohol as it could lead to cirrhosis of the liver. He/she should also refrain from going in a chemical or biohazard factory, whereby the pollutants may enter the lung and damage the liver. If the persons diagnostic test results in a disease, the person would require staying in bed, have lots of water and eat well. As liver is a combination of sensitive tissues good care is vital. The striking feature of liver is that it is the only gland able to regenerate its lost tissues. If the liver is cut 75%, the remaining 25% has the ability to regenerate into a whole liver. This process takes only a week or maximum few weeks. This capability of liver has been acknowledged since the ancient Greek times. In fact there is a story about Prometheus being chained to a rock in the Caucasus mountain and his liver being partially eaten during the day by an eagle only to â€Å"regenerate† in the night. This scenario actually symbolizes how a liver half eaten could become full (Michalopoulos, George, 1997). For example, surgeons can remove a section of a healthy liver from an adult and transplant it into a child who has a diseased liver. The adults liver will rapidly regenerate and be restored to full size. The childs new liver will grow as the child grows (thinkquest, 2010). Work cite Hilal, Ali A., and John D.S. Gaylor. â€Å"Bioartificial liver: review of science requirements and technology.† World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development 3.1 (2006): 80-97. inderscience. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. . â€Å"Liver tissue.† livertissue. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. . Michalopoulos, George K., and DeFrances, Marie C., Liver regeneration:, Science, 4 April 1997: Vol. 276. no. 5309, pp. 60 66: Nyblom H, Berggren U, Balldin J, Olsson R (2004). â€Å"High AST/ALT ratio may indicate advanced alcoholic liver disease rather than heavy drinking†. Alcohol Alcohol. 39 (4): 336-9. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agh074. PMID15208167. http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=longpmid=15208167. Thinkquest. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .

Essay --

‘Quest for excellence often begins when we discover a pursuit that absorbs, frees , challenges us and gives us a sense of meaning, joy and passion’. As for me, the pursuit being a research career in Biological sciences, I wish to state in the following paragraphs , my view points and rationale behind my application to the Khorana Scholars Program 2013. I was fortunate to have completed my 12 golden years of schooling in Mahatma Montessori Matric., Madurai – one of the best in the city. The playway method of learning all through my junior years made education a sheer joy and made me versatile in academics as well as extra curricular activities like literature, dramatics and music. My organisational and leadership skills improved significantly because of being entrusted with posts in school governing council and being chosen as the school pupil leader later on. The awe for biological sciences was instilled in high school by my class IX biology teacher, Mr.Ganesan. I then became rooted in pursuing a career in biological sciences. A centum in class X biology exam further strengthen... Essay -- ‘Quest for excellence often begins when we discover a pursuit that absorbs, frees , challenges us and gives us a sense of meaning, joy and passion’. As for me, the pursuit being a research career in Biological sciences, I wish to state in the following paragraphs , my view points and rationale behind my application to the Khorana Scholars Program 2013. I was fortunate to have completed my 12 golden years of schooling in Mahatma Montessori Matric., Madurai – one of the best in the city. The playway method of learning all through my junior years made education a sheer joy and made me versatile in academics as well as extra curricular activities like literature, dramatics and music. My organisational and leadership skills improved significantly because of being entrusted with posts in school governing council and being chosen as the school pupil leader later on. The awe for biological sciences was instilled in high school by my class IX biology teacher, Mr.Ganesan. I then became rooted in pursuing a career in biological sciences. A centum in class X biology exam further strengthen...

Shame on You Essay -- essays research papers fc

Shame on You It seems that the average family is spending more time going out to fast food restaurants than eating at home. With more Americans eating out, obesity is at a new high. With the ever rising obesity problem in America, fast food chains are being pointed out as the ones to blame. Who’s at fault? Is it the consumers or the companies making the unhealthy food readily available? While eating out is becoming the easiest alternative to a sit down dinner at home, the effects of too much fast food can be harmful and sometimes deadly to one’s health. It is too easy to place the blame on the companies when the one making the decision to eat out is the consumers. Supply and demand is simple and easy to understand. Broken down it means this: supply is the product the companies have and demand is what the consumer wants. If the consumers thought that they shouldn’t be buying unhealthy foods they wouldn’t put any money into that product. Once that product stops making money, the companies reevaluate what the needs of the consumers are and then market a new product. Since fast food restaurants are still very much in business, the demands of their unhealthy products are still high. An important factor with Americans gaining more weight is that as they are eating more, they are exercising less. Some people can get away with eating McDonalds everyday because they work out everyday too. But, the majority of us don’t take that time out of our day to get rid of those extra calor...

Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers

Al Capone Al Capone is America's best-known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city. Al Capone's mug shot, 1931. Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. Baptized "Alphonsus Capone," he grew up in a rough neighborhood and was a member of two "kid gangs," the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors. Although he was bright, Capone quit school in the sixth grade at age fourteen. Between scams he was a clerk in a candy store, a pinboy in a bowling alley, and a cutter in a bookbindery. He became part of the notorious Five Points gang in Manhattan and worked in gangster Frankie Yale's Brooklyn dive, the Harvard Inn, as a bouncer and bartender. While working at the Inn, Capone received his infamous facial scars and the resulting nickname "Scar face" when he insulted a patron and was attacked by her brother. In 1918, Capone met an Irish girl named Mary "Mae" Coughlin at a dance. On December 4, 1918, Mae gave birth to their son, Albert "Sonny" Francis. Capone and Mae married that year on December 30. Al Capone Capone's first arrest was on a disorderly conduct charge while he was working for Yale. He also murdered two men while in New York, early testimony to his willingness to kill. In accordance with gangland etiquette, no one admitted to hearing or seeing a thing so Capone was never tried for the murders. After Capone hospitalized a rival gang member, Yale sent him to Chicago to wait until things cooled off. Capone arrived in Chicago in 1919 and moved his family into a house at 7244 South Prairie Avenue. The unpretentious Capone home at 7244 South Prairie Avenue, far from Chicago's Loop and Capone's business headquarters. Capone went to work for Yale's old mentor, John Torrid. Torrid saw Capone's potential, his combination of physical strength and intelligence, and encouraged his portаigаi. Soon Capone was helping Torrid manage his bootlegging business. By mid-1922 Capone ranked as Trio’s number two men and eventually became a full partner in the saloons, gambling houses, and brothels. Al Capone When Torrid was shot by rival gang members and consequently decided to leave... ... spent the rest of his felony sentence in the hospital. On January 6, 1939, his prison term expired and he was transferred to Terminal Island, a Federal Correctional Institution in California, to serve his one-year misdemeanor sentence. He was finally released on November 16, 1939, but still had to pay fines and court costs of $37,617.51. Capone at Comisky Park in 1931, before his conviction. After his release, Capone spent a short time in the hospital. He returned to his home in Palm Island where the rest of his life was relaxed and quiet. His mind and body continued to deteriorate so that he could no longer run the outfit. On January 21, 1947, he had an apoplectic stoke that was probably unrelated to his syphilis. He regained consciousness and began to improve until pneumonia set in on January 24. He died the next day from cardiac arrest. Capone was first buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago's far South Side between the graves of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank, but in March of 1950 the remains of all three were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery on the far West Side. Capone’s hitman Louis Bartollo (left) and close friend Phillip D’Agessi. Al Capone Essay -- essays research papers Al Capone Al Capone is America's best-known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city. Al Capone's mug shot, 1931. Capone was born on January 17, 1899, in Brooklyn, New York. Baptized "Alphonsus Capone," he grew up in a rough neighborhood and was a member of two "kid gangs," the Brooklyn Rippers and the Forty Thieves Juniors. Although he was bright, Capone quit school in the sixth grade at age fourteen. Between scams he was a clerk in a candy store, a pinboy in a bowling alley, and a cutter in a bookbindery. He became part of the notorious Five Points gang in Manhattan and worked in gangster Frankie Yale's Brooklyn dive, the Harvard Inn, as a bouncer and bartender. While working at the Inn, Capone received his infamous facial scars and the resulting nickname "Scar face" when he insulted a patron and was attacked by her brother. In 1918, Capone met an Irish girl named Mary "Mae" Coughlin at a dance. On December 4, 1918, Mae gave birth to their son, Albert "Sonny" Francis. Capone and Mae married that year on December 30. Al Capone Capone's first arrest was on a disorderly conduct charge while he was working for Yale. He also murdered two men while in New York, early testimony to his willingness to kill. In accordance with gangland etiquette, no one admitted to hearing or seeing a thing so Capone was never tried for the murders. After Capone hospitalized a rival gang member, Yale sent him to Chicago to wait until things cooled off. Capone arrived in Chicago in 1919 and moved his family into a house at 7244 South Prairie Avenue. The unpretentious Capone home at 7244 South Prairie Avenue, far from Chicago's Loop and Capone's business headquarters. Capone went to work for Yale's old mentor, John Torrid. Torrid saw Capone's potential, his combination of physical strength and intelligence, and encouraged his portаigаi. Soon Capone was helping Torrid manage his bootlegging business. By mid-1922 Capone ranked as Trio’s number two men and eventually became a full partner in the saloons, gambling houses, and brothels. Al Capone When Torrid was shot by rival gang members and consequently decided to leave... ... spent the rest of his felony sentence in the hospital. On January 6, 1939, his prison term expired and he was transferred to Terminal Island, a Federal Correctional Institution in California, to serve his one-year misdemeanor sentence. He was finally released on November 16, 1939, but still had to pay fines and court costs of $37,617.51. Capone at Comisky Park in 1931, before his conviction. After his release, Capone spent a short time in the hospital. He returned to his home in Palm Island where the rest of his life was relaxed and quiet. His mind and body continued to deteriorate so that he could no longer run the outfit. On January 21, 1947, he had an apoplectic stoke that was probably unrelated to his syphilis. He regained consciousness and began to improve until pneumonia set in on January 24. He died the next day from cardiac arrest. Capone was first buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago's far South Side between the graves of his father, Gabriele, and brother, Frank, but in March of 1950 the remains of all three were moved to Mount Carmel Cemetery on the far West Side. Capone’s hitman Louis Bartollo (left) and close friend Phillip D’Agessi.

How to Buy an Used Car Essay

First of all, when you find a car that you are interested in, you can ask a dealer or an owner about the VIN to learn more about it. The VIN, vehicle identification number, is a unique serial number for every modern car. Basically, it includes a car’s brand, model, years of car, engine type, and many other things. The first digit of the VIN shows the country number and the tenth digit is the year of the car. For example, if the tenth digit is 9, that car is made in 2009. You can also check the vehicle history report with the VIN. This shows how many people have owned a certain vehicle, accident records, and how many times that car has been maintained. This could be the most important for your decision making process, giving you complete peace of mind about the vehicle you are buying or saving you thousands of dollars in unexpected repair costs down the road. It is a good idea to look for another car if those cars have been transferred to others too many times or have been involved in major accidents. KBB (Kelley Blue Book) or CarFax are online companies that offer the most reliable information in the U. S. for checking the VIN. Another thing that you might look at before you buy a used car is the car’s body. It is wise to check out both the interior and exterior in detail. For instance, you can examine the windshield wipers, if the body panel colors match, if there are any scratches or dents, and many other things you can see. Sometimes you can’t find any records of accidents with the VIN if the owner fixed his or her car by himself or herself. When you have a chance to look at a used car, it’s a lot easier to do if the car is clean and dry. If it is dirty, you have to ask the owner to clean it, or you will probably miss something. If the vehicle is clean, you can look at the vehicle from different angles to check if everything looks smooth, straight, and if the paint texture of different panels match. You want to pay a lot of attention to the paint job. Repainting is usually done to remove minor scratches and small areas of cracked paint. It may be found a repair job after a bad accident involving damage. If you are unsure whether or not the car has been repainted, you can simply ask the seller about this problem. If the previous owner or dealer doesn’t give you the answer clearly, you can look for signs such as paint overspray inside door jambs, inside the gas filler cap, on exterior moldings, inside the wheel, on the bumpers, and any other place near the painting spot. However, repainting is not always a sign of previous damage. Some people have their cars repainted for cosmetic reasons, especially if it is an older model. You should not miss that the interior is just as important as the exterior. Take a look at the overall condition of the car. Usually, people will wash the car and vacuum inside of it before they sell it. Even if it is clean, you need to focus on every part that you can see. You might check if there is any water or if there are any oil stains inside. That means there must have been water leaking from the windows, sunroof, or anywhere on the car that is cracked due to rain. It doesn’t look like a big deal, but over time, it will harm a driver’s breathing due to exposure to mold. You also have to be sure all gauges are in the right place and are in working condition. If you notice any part missing, ask what was there and why it was removed. Then, you can turn the ignition to â€Å"ON† to inspect if all gauges and warning lights are operating properly. After inspecting the dashboard, you can check the accessories; the radio, speakers, tape deck or CD player, air conditioner, defroster, horn, mirror adjustment buttons, washer and wiper, all door and window locks, and any other functions you can see. Pay more attention when examining the windows. It is important to check if the windows slide all the way up and down easily because they do not work properly if there is damage inside the door. Finally, mechanical problems are the most important to check up on before you purchase a used vehicle. There are hundreds of things you have to look at, but it is not possible to check every detail within a short period of time and when you are lacking tools. Not every person has the technical capacity of a mechanic. So it is highly recommended to have a used car inspected by a mechanic before purchasing, but it would be costly to do this for every car you are interested in. If you don’t want to bother your mechanic or don’t want to spend money for vehicle inspection, you can do it yourself. The most important thing you have to know about inspecting mechanical issues is finding leaks. Leaking fluid or oil is the most common and worst problem for older models of cars. You can use a flash light to see under the hood and try to find any leak spots. Engine oil, coolant, refrigerant, brake fluid, and power steering fluid are some examples of fluids that may leak. You would also want to look at any other parts connected either rubber or metal hoses. Buying a used car is stressful. It’s like walking through a mine field. Some people are lucky to buy used cars for a good price without any problems and others have serious problems with their cars as soon as they get them. There are so many things to observe when you’re looking for used vehicles. It is hard to know where to begin.

Enthalpy of Reaction and Hess’s Law Essay

I. Purpose The purpose of this lab is to verify Hess’s Law through the three reactions of NaOH and HCl, NH4Cl and NaOH, and NH3 and HCl. The sum of the enthalpies of the first two reactions should equal the enthalpy of the third reaction. II. Background Hess’s Law is used to determine the enthalpy of a reaction from adding two or more preceding reactions. To determine the enthalpies of certain chemical reactions, the change in must be measured. This is best done using a calorimeter to prevent heat loss to the surroundings. To calculate the heat change in solution, the q=mct equation must be used. A positive value for â€Å"q† means the solution gains heat, a negative value means the solution loses heat and is exothermic. The reactions used in the lab are exothermic acid-base neutralizations. By calculating â€Å"q†, heat, the enthalpy of reaction can be found by knowing the Molarity of the reactants. The specific heat of the calorimeter can be found by the equation qcal= t x heat capacity. Since a calorimeter is used the heat released from the reaction will be absorbed in the solution, while some heat is transferred to the calorimeter. So the â€Å"q† of the reaction is given by this equation: qrxn= †“ (qsol+qcal). III. Summary of Procedure Part 1: A calorimeter is to be arranged using Styrofoam cups and a hole on top of a cover to take the temperature while also preventing heat loss. 50mls of distilled is to be added to the calorimeter. 75mls must then be heated to 70 degrees Celsius and 50mls of that water is to be added to the calorimeter. The calorimeter has to be covered and then the temperature taken every 20 seconds for 3 minutes. Part 2: 50mls of 2.0M HCl must be put into the calorimeter. A 50mls solution of 2.0M NaOH should then be added to the HCl solution and stirred. The temperature needs to be recorded every 20 seconds for 3 minutes. For the second reaction the same process has to be repeated using 2.0M NH4Cl and 2.0M NaOH. The third reaction requires the same process using 2.0M solutions of NH3 and HCl. IV. Observations * Styrofoam cup becoming hot after mixture * thermometer scraping the Styrofoam cup sides * cover doesn’t completely cover the cup * small amount of time between pouring the chemicals and covering and mixing VI. Results and Questions Calculations please see attached graphs and work. Post Lab Questions 1. What is meant by calorimetry? Calorimetry is the scientific measuring of heat released during chemical and physical changes. It ensures that minimal heat is lost so the heat of reaction can be found accurately. 2. How does graphical analysis improve the accuracy of the data? Once the points are plotted on a graph the line of best fit can be drawn and extrapolated toward the y-axis. Since the first data plots can be inconsistent the best fit line may ignore the first points making the data more accurate by disregarding the inaccurate data. 3. What is the meaning of the negative sign in front of the equation for heat of reaction? The negative sign in front of the brackets indicate that we are in fact solving for the reverse reaction. So the sign must have a negative to indicate the reaction that is the forward, exothermic, reaction. 4. Do the lab results support Hess’s Law? The lab does support Hess’s Law. The percent error is relatively small for this lab and algebraically it is proven that the sum of the enthalpies of the first two reactions is close the measured value of the third reaction. 5. How could the procedure be modified to achieve greater accuracy? To improve the accuracy of the lab a formal capacitor could be used instead of average Styrofoam cups. An airtight seal between the cover and thermometer would also be more accurate by preventing heat loss to the surroundings. 6. Find a table reference that lists standard heat of formation for the species included in your net ionic equations. Use them to calculate delta H for the reaction of the net ionic equations. Do these values support Hess’s Law? See attached calculations. VII. Conclusion This lab successfully verified Hess’s Law by adding enthalpies of reactions to equal the enthalpy of a third reaction. The mix of NaOH with HCl, and NH4 with NaOH proved to give off a heat close to that of NH3 mixed with HCl. The percent error proved to be 3.72%. The sources of error could be the heat lost while the calorimeter was not covered and maybe not enough mixing throughout the duration of the three minutes. The addition of a mixing unit and an airtight seal on the capacitors would provide an improved version of this lab.

Torts Memo

George sued Jerry under a theory of intentional infliction of emotional distress, alleging various grievances. Jerry has moved to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that even if everything George alleges in the complaint is true, George has failed to allege an adequate basis for liability under a theory of intentional infliction of emotional distress. The issue at hand is should the court deny the motion to dismiss.The essential elements of an action for intentional infliction of emotional distress in North Carolina are 1) extreme and outrageous conduct by the defendant 2) which is intended to and does in fact cause 3) severe emotional distress. Extreme and outrageous conduct is conduct which exceeds all bounds usually tolerated by decent society. In Stanback v. Stanback, 297 N. C. 181, 204 (N. C. 1979), the courts ruled: â€Å"Although we find error in the grounds on which the Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff's Count Number II, we nevertheless affirm the dismi ssal on other grounds.The requirement that plaintiff in a malicious prosecution action based on a prior civil proceeding show some special damage resulting therefrom, as discussed supra, is an essential, substantive element of the claim. † In Hogan v. Forsyth Country Club Co. , 317 N. C. 334, 346 S. E. 2d 141 (1986), the court decided: â€Å"We hold Pfeiffer's conduct, as shown by Hogan's forecast of evidence, was not such as to be reasonably regarded as â€Å"extreme and outrageous† so as to permit Hogan to recover for intentional infliction of mental distress. The facts in this case are similar to Hogan. The courts ruled that the facts in Hogan did not meet the standards for intentional infliction of emotional distress set in Stanback, and decided for the defendant. Both decisions state clearly that there must be some sort of special damage and that the damage must be â€Å"extreme and outrageous. † It is my opinion that the courts approve Jerry’s motio n to dismiss as the facts in this case do not meet the North Carolina standard for the infliction of emotional distress.

Differences in Cultural Perspective

Almost every individual tend to be fascinated with beliefs or things that are different from what he or she normally sees in his or her every day life. These variations usually arises the interests of the person in knowing and understanding the things that are not familiar to him or her. However, there are also instances wherein these differences could make people pose their judgment or prejudices upon others that do not practice or adhere their beliefs. This kind of thinking is applicable in the cultural differences that most countries have.The movie Forbidden Kingdom could greatly exemplified the importance of understanding various cultures. This motion picture feature two of the biggest stars in the martial arts film genre namely Jackie Chan and Jet Li. Other actors also supported them most specially Michael Angarano, which plays Jason Tripitikas that represent the western part of the world in the story. The plot of the movie paved the way for the exploration of the western and ea stern cultures. It enables its viewers to see the differences that these different parts of the world have.Nevertheless, it also paved the way for people coming from these two cultures to increase their tolerance for each other’s difference even to the point of appreciating it. The movie revolves around a teenage boy name Jason Tripitikas. He is an avid fan of Chinese martial arts. He frequently goes to China town in order to buy some DVDs about martial arts movie. During one of the normal days that he went there, he pass by a pawnshop where he saw a staff. The owner of the establishment, an old Chinese guy named Hop informed him that the staff should be given back to its rightful owner.On his way back home, Jason encountered the local bully, Lupo. He violently forced him to go to the pawnshop at night so that Hop would open it, which will allow them to rob the shop and took Hop’s money. As the robbery happened, Lupo shot Hop but before he died, he instructed Jason to bring the staff back to its owner. Jason ran away from Lupo and his gang. However, Lupo was able to get a hold of him but before they could hurt him the staff transported him into ancient China where his adventure began.Jason interacted with the Chinese community back then and learned the true value of their culture especially that of martial arts (The Internet Movie Database). The American teenager’s perception of the eastern culture specifically of the Chinese started with only the idea of martial arts. Every time he would heard about their culture it is not surprising that the first thing that came into his mind is martial arts or Chinese food. This is not unexpected especially for a western teenager since most of his knowledge about the Chinese culture is influence by the media.However, when Jason was able to really partake in the real culture of ancient China he was able to understand their way of life. In doing so, he was able to adhere to some of their beliefs and prac tices. In line with this, Homi Bhabha’s arguments in â€Å"Culture’s In-Between† tend to explain the cultural differences that happened in the movie. The first thing that Jason experienced was a sense of identity that is only based upon the western culture that he has. His view of other culture is also based upon the beliefs that his western roots reinforced. Nevertheless, this changed when he experienced the ancient culture of the Chinese.He was able to understand the variation and even follow some of the Chinese way of life. In this situation, Jason’s identity became multicultural because he does not only follow one particular belief or practice but he tend to be tolerant of others as well (Bhabha, 54). Moreover, based on Randall Raus’ â€Å"The American Perspective of: What is Culture? † he asserted that America is actually very tolerant of other nations’ culture. He asserted that there is no other country that is culturally divers ified as the United States due to the presence of numerous people coming from various states that have their respective ways of life (Raus).Being the case, this caused the establishment of different cultural practices in the country that is observable in varying communities there like the Latino, Chinese, Filipino, and others. Early on in the story, the western teenager already has his fascination with martial arts. Due to the influence of media, he thought that martial arts were a â€Å"cool thing. † He perceived it as some sort of trend that if he could be able to perform such kind of stunts he would instantly gain popularity.The teenager also has this thinking that learning martial arts would demand respect from other people and this would also boost his reputation in the community. This kind of adage is greatly influence by the media. Communication technology like the television, Internet, advertisements, commercials, and others has a huge impact in the way of thinking of people especially of young adults nowadays (Rayuso). Martial arts are usually portrayed in movies or television shows as something that is merely fascinating rather than its true purpose of self-defense.In this sense, media tend to modify the view of the people with regards to other culture. This eventually impedes the proper understanding of other nations’ beliefs and practices. The manipulation of the media regarding people’s perspective about a certain group or nationality is widely observable at the present time. A good example is the issue of terrorism wherein some irresponsible media reporting tend to always put Arabs and Muslims in a bad light as they pertain to them as the one responsible in terrorist attacks (Hamza, et. al).Citizens of various nations either get interested with the culture of other countries or they would immediately disregard it especially if it is not similar or near the practices that they have. Nevertheless, the knowledge of other nations culture is very essential in order for people to properly understand each other and learn to accept the differences that exists among them. It also aid in clarifying wrong notions that people have regarding their counterparts in other states. The correct knowledge of other cultures could foster greater understanding and acceptance among the people all over the world.

Systems and operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Systems and operations Management - Essay Example While a substantial part of the reporting and operational requirements of Atokowa is currently being addressed by the system, the strain of expansion would only exacerbate the situation. If the expansion initiative of Custom Print and the Online Ordering strategy is suspended the growth of Atokowa will be stunted and its spiral decline will commence because the current difficulties in the system will only feed on itself. The initiatives of George Hargreaves and Hayley Atokowa will diversify the revenue stream of Atokowa and at the same time expand the market while widening the client demography of Atokowa. However, implementing it at this time will only triple if not double the operational problems of Atokowa implementing it after the completion of an Enterprise Resource Planning Solution roll-out would be ideal if not the best. ... tokowa brands and Customer Survey 17 References/Bibliography 17 Introduction Atokawa Advantage was founded in 1964 by the father of Jonathan Atokowa from whom he took over the reign of the company. Under the leadership of Jonathan, Atokowa has expanded to several stores all around Australia catering mostly to individual and business customers in and around the locality where Atokowa stores is at. This paper would present the analysis of the operation of Atokowa to determine challenge areas, improvement areas and growth areas. The purpose of the analysis is to recommend solutions that will enable Atokowa to resolve its current issues if there are any and respond to the demands of the ever changing market landscape in the stationary and office supply retail industry. This report shall first present the result of the analysis conducted on the operation of Atokowa that will define in detail the analysis of focus areas. After the analysis of the focus areas an assessment of the focus area shall be concluded for purposes of recommending possible solutions to the challenges posed in the focus area. Due to constraints this paper shall only present the observations in the analysis and not the process in which the analysis was conducted and the observation was arrived at. In summary the analysis in the operation of the focus areas shall be provided in seriatim as it was presented in the report. The conclusion or assessment shall follow afterwards then the recommendations that should be undertaken by the management of Atokowa to resolve its current challenges. Please note that this paper shall only focus on the technological solutions to resolve the operational and management challenges of Atokowa. Analysis of Current Systems and Operations The following focus areas were

Gobal Financial Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gobal Financial Investment - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the first option available to the UAL, Inc. is to borrow the required investment amount of $500 million in the local currency that is US Dollars. At the initiating stage of the loan agreement, the company has to pay an underwriting fee of 0.5% of the total principal amount and therefore, it is added to the cost of borrowing. This option does not involve in exchange rate risk, however, there is surely an element of the change in the inflation rate which could affect the time value of the currency over a period of 10 lean years. However, this element has been ignored for this report. The company can borrow $500 million at a rate of 11% with two semiannual interest payments due in June and December every year. This implies that the rate which is quoted annually needs to be adjusted for semiannual payments and the number of payment periods will also be adjusted for the same reason. The interest rate adjusted will be 11% divided by 2 which is equal to 5.5% of t he total principal amount to be paid semiannually. The total number of payment periods will, therefore, be 20 as the loan period is for 10 years. Moreover, there are no principal repayments during the 10 years tenure and the whole amount of $500 million is to be settled at the end of the loan term. By placing the available information in the following table and calculating the future value it can be ascertained that the future value of borrowing under this option is $1,458,878,745. This value will be compared with the future value obtained under the second option. The second option available to the company is to borrow $500 million denominated in Japanese Yen from the leading Japanese Bank. The current exchange rate between US Dollars and Japanese Yen is at 250 which will result in borrowing of JPY 125 billion at an annual interest rate of 5%. Since the interest payments are semiannual therefore this rate has to be adjusted along with the number of payment periods as in the previous option.

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the recent European Union Essay

Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the recent European Union treaties such as the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Treaty fo Nice, and the EU Constitution, which w - Essay Example Membership in the European Union is advantageous to all members because the EU represents the best of the European democratic tradition and is an expression of its constituent members. As a multinational organization, the EU represents various national interests within an overarching political framework. The EU is a multilateral organization which operates on the basis of negotiation between member states and relies on collective decision making to achieve its ends. Members are joined together and bound by treaties signifying their participation within the larger EU political framework. The political decisions of member-states are thus constrained by their allegiance and signatory status to overarching EU treaties (Almond et al. 455-6). Although it has not always been the case, modern-day Europe is characterized by a unifying democratic political culture. While the concept of democracy originated on its shores, the philosophy of democratic governance was challenged in 20th century Europe by authoritarian political movements, including fascism (expressed by Nazi Germany & Mussolini’s Italy), and communism (as exemplified in Eastern Europe during the Cold War). With Allied victory in World War II and the collapse of the Soviet Union, democracy became a universal trend amongst European states. In fact liberal democracy, best expressed by the states of Western Europe with entrenched democratic traditions, is quickly becoming the standard for the continent (Almond et al. 26-53). Democratic norms and rules have subsequently been established through a pan-European legal framework, the European Union. Two early treaties established the normative, and inherently democratic, framework for today’s EU. The Treaty of Rome, signed in March of 1957, proposed a common European economic market throughout the European Economic Community.

The organizational structure of the International Brotherhood of Research Paper

The organizational structure of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters - Research Paper Example These unoins are different from other labor unions. They are designed to promote powerful labor unoins leaders. Most of the contracts are negotiated by these teamsters and they provide them with their services and therefore hold dues money. Locals hire adept labor lawyers, recognized public accountants, full-time business agents, organizers, and clerical staff. Each local elects its own officers, fabricates its structure, and votes on its bylaws, in accordance with the International Constitution and Bylaws. The next structure is the Joint council. Joint councils are established in areas where there are three or more local unions. Joint Councils help synchronize Teamsters activities. They also solve jurisdictional and legal matters.The thid structure is the Trade Division and conferences where the locals disscuss their common problems and issues and interests.The headquarter of the unoin is at Washington D.C which helps its local unoins by providing them with coordinated national nego tiations.also provide them with training and educational programs.provide them with advice and proper guidance of the experts suca as organizers, negotiators, researchers etc.

Management principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Management principles - Essay Example developed, it is important to underscore - for the benefit of the managers at MH company - that the global pharmaceutical market continues to grow despite the global financial downturn and that from 1998 to 2007, the global sales have more than doubled. (Griffin, p. 297) As the leader in the industry, there is a great demand for US pharmaceutical products and that international expansion is inevitable. As the business begins to grow, the international market for MH Pharmaceutical’s wheelchairs become more complex and diverse. The importance of a coherent strategy to address this challenge implemented by an equally capable international management division is pivotal to the success and growth of the company. One logical strategy in approaching international expansion is entering into a joint venture with local partners. The local partners could allow entry to a restricted market and at the same time draw on local expertise, capital and labor. This is particular helpful considering the fact that there are differences in the way countries use pharmaceutical products and differences in the regulation by the different governments. Social, cultural and political variables are all coming into play in specific locations for target operations. And so, operating with partners who are familiar with a country’s markets, suppliers, infrastructure, government regulations and customers is invaluable in the cost reduction and the speed and ease of setting up a local operation for marketing and sales. The disadvantage of this strategy is that it is time-consuming, with all the negotiations taking place. In addition, partnership may not also be viable MC company if it is concerned with the expenditures because setting up operations – marketing, sales and distribution - for this option can be costly. If the MH Company management rejects the previous strategy, then it could tap the wonders of technology to reach out to its target market across the globe. The increase of

Seeing Family Violence Differently Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Seeing Family Violence Differently - Essay Example Objective: To address three research questions related to studying DV from a communication perspective: (1) In what ways do the terministic screens informing social scientific approaches to DV skew research results and restrict the range of possible responses to DV as a social problem? (2) In what ways can a rhetorical perspective reveal the role(s) of systematic power and control that buttress a cultural complicity in intimate violence? (3) How might communication researchers incorporate broader critical rhetorical insights into their approaches to researching intimate violence?This continued focus on discrete and measurable units of space, time, and people further entrenches social scientific models into a paradigm that necessarily deflects broader socio-economic-political-material culture, which lies beyond the scope of such analyses. This model – â€Å"Illustrates that violence is part of a pattern of behaviors rather than isolated incidents of abuse or cyclical explosion s of pent-up anger, frustration, or painful feelings† (Peace & Paymar, 1993) – through relevant in certain ways to other familial relationships, speaks specifically to violence within intimate, heterosexual relationships.   Impact of a methodological shift toward rhetorical perspective: (1) helps to encourage us all to separate out our terminologies; (2) demands that we analyze the types and the thresholds of evidence necessary in (often overlapping) argument fields; and (3) offers lenses for scrutinizing the broader rhetorical architecture supporting our socio-cultural frameworks for understanding intimate abuse. DV ought to be understood as a â€Å"phenomenon crossing all demographic lines which involve men as offenders who intend to do harm and women as victims who do not create their victimization† (Loseke, 1992, p. 16).

Peer review for a resume Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Peer review for a resume - Essay Example The appearance of the resume can be improved by increasing the using a line spacing of 1.5 and increasing the font to 12 so that the white space can be reduced and make it easier to read and find the important information. The action verbs used effectively show and demonstrate what the writer did in regards to employment descriptions but he fails to state the results of his actions. Additionally, the writer uses the same verbs repeatedly; there are numerous synonyms to the verbs used by the writer that could have been used so that the wordings do not recur in the resume. The writer should also have considered using verbs like attained, balanced, compiled and communicated among others. According to Markel’s criteria, the writer should have stated his education before stating the employment history and this should have been done in a manner that is clear and honest. However, the education section was done in a comprehensive manner that included clearly stating the grades that the writer acquired. In the employment history section, the writer should have stated the equipment that he had to operate, the funds that he controlled if any as well as the documents, clients and personnel he might have been responsible for. From this resume, it is highly likely that the references section will catch the eye of the employer since the writer provides referees who work at the same place but does not provide a referee from his first place of employment. It is likely that the employer will want to know why there are no references from his or her previous employment. The cover letter is clearly addressed and the introduction is short and precise as it states plainly the manner in which the writer became aware of the position being applied for. In the introduction, the writer also states that position that was advertised but it would have been relatively clearer if he had provided a subject with the position

Fashion Industry Essay Example for Free

Fashion Industry Essay Early Western travelers, whether to Persia, Turkey, India, or China, would frequently remark on the absence of change in fashion there. The Japanese Shoguns secretary bragged (not completely accurately) to a Spanish visitor in 1609 that Japanese clothing had not changed in over a thousand years.[4] However, there is considerable evidence in Ming China of rapidly changing fashions in Chinese clothing.[5] Changes in costume often took place at times of economic or social change, as occurred in ancient Rome and the medieval Caliphate, followed by a long period without major changes. In 8th-century Moorish Spain the musician Ziryab introduced to Cà ³rdoba[6][unreliable source?][7] sophisticated clothing-styles based on seasonal and daily fashions from his native Baghdad, modified by his own inspiration. Similar changes in fashion occurred in the 11th century in the Middle East following the arrival of the Turks, who introduced clothing styles from Central Asia and the Far East.[8] The beginning in Europe of continual and increasingly rapid change in clothing styles can be fairly reliably dated. Historians, including James Laver and Fernand Braudel, date the start of Western fashion in clothing to the middle of the 14th century.[9][10] The most dramatic early change in fashion was a sudden drastic shortening and tightening of the male over-garment from calf-length to barely covering the buttocks,[11] sometimes accompanied with stuffing in the chest to make it look bigger. This created the distinctive Western outline of a tailored top worn over leggings or trousers. The pace of change accelerated considerably in the following century, and women and mens fashion, especially in the dressing and adorning of the hair, became equally complex. Art historians are therefore able to use fashion with confidence and precision to date images, often to within five years, particularly in  the case of images from the 15th century. Initially, changes in fashion led to a fragmentation across the upper classes of Europe of what had previously been a very similar style of dressing and the subsequent development of distinctive national styles. These national styles remained very different until a counter-movement in the 17th to 18th centuries imposed similar styles once again, mostly originating from Ancien Rà ©gime France.[12] Though the rich usually led fashion, the increasing affluence of early modern Europe led to the bourgeoisie and even peasants following trends at a distance, but still uncomfortably close for the elites – a factor that Fernand Braudel regards as one of the main motors of changing fashion.[13] Albrecht Dà ¼rers drawing contrasts a well turned out bourgeoise from Nuremberg (left) with her counterpart from Venice. The Venetian ladys high chopines make her look taller. In the 16th century national differences were at their most pronounced. Ten 16th century portraits of German or Italian gentlemen may show ten entirely different hats. Albrecht Dà ¼rer illustrated the differences in his actual (or composite) contrast of Nuremberg and Venetian fashions at the close of the 15th century (illustration, right). The Spanish style of the late 16th century began the move back to synchronicity among upper-class Europeans, and after a struggle in the mid-17th century, French styles decisively took over leadership, a process completed in the 18th century.[14] Though textile colors and patterns changed from year to year,[15] the cut of a gentlemans coat and the length of his waistcoat, or the pattern to which a ladys dress was cut, changed more slowly. Mens fashions were largely derived from military models, and changes in a European male Silhouette were galvanized in theaters of European war where gentleman officers had opportunities to make notes of foreign styles such as the Steinkirk cravat or necktie. Marie Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI, was a leader of fashion. Her choices, such as this 1783 white muslin dress called a chemise a la Reine, were highly influential and widely worn.[16] Though there had been distribution of dressed dolls from France since the 16th century and Abraham Bosse had produced engravings of fashion in the 1620s, the pace of change picked up in the 1780s with increased publication of French engravings illustrating the  latest Paris styles. By 1800, all Western Europeans were dressing alike (or thought they were); local variation became first a sign of provincial culture and later a badge of the conservative peasant.[17] Although tailors and dressmakers were no doubt responsible for many innovations, and the textile industry certainly led many trends, the history of fashion design is normally understood to date from 1858 when the English-born Charles Frederick Worth opened the first true haute couture house in Paris. The Haute house was the name established by government for the fashion houses that met the standards of industry. These fashion houses have to adhere to standards such as keeping at least twenty employees engaged in making the clothes, showing two collections per year at fashion shows, and presenting a certain number of patterns to costumers.[18] Since then, the idea of the fashion designer as a celebrity in his or her own right has become increasingly dominant.[19] The idea of unisex dressing originated in the 1960s when designers such as Pierre Cardin and Rudi Gernreich created garments, such as stretch jersey tunics or leggings, meant to be worn by both males and females. The impact of unisex expands more broadly to encompass various themes in fashion including androgyny, mass-market retail, and conceptual clothing.[20] The fashion trends of the 1970s, such as sheepskin jackets, flight jackets, duffel coats, and unstructured clothing influenced men to attend social gatherings with out a tuxedo jacket and to accessorize in new ways. Some mens styles blended the sensuality and expressiveness despite the conservative trend, the growing gay-rights movement and an emphasis on youth allowed for a new freedom to experiment with style, fabrics such as wool crepe, which had previously been associated with womens attire was used by designers when creating male clothing.[21] The four major current fashion capitals are acknowledged to be Paris, Milan, New York City, and London, which are all headquarters to the greatest fashion companies and are renowned for their major influence on global fashion. Fashion weeks are held in these cities, where designers exhibit their new clothing collections to audiences. A succession of major designers such as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint-Laurent have kept Paris as the center most watched by the rest of the world, although haute couture is now subsidized by the sale of ready-to-wear collections and perfume using the same branding. Modern Westerners have a wide number of choices available in  the selection of their clothes. What a person chooses to wear can reflect his or her personality or interests. When people who have high cultural status start to wear new or different clothes, a fashion trend may start. People who like or respect these people become influenced by their personal style and begin wearing similarly styled clothes. Fashions may vary considerably within a society according to age, social class, generation, occupation, and geography and may also vary over time. If an older person dresses according to the fashion young people use, he or she may look ridiculous in the eyes of both young and older people. The terms fashionista and fashion victim refer to someone who slavishly follows current fashions. One can regard the system of sporting various fashions as a fashion language incorporating various fashion statements using a grammar of fashion. (Compare some of the work of Roland Barthes.) In recent years, Asian fashion has become increasingly significant in local and global markets. Countries such as China, Japan, India, and Pakistan have traditionally had large textile industries, which have often been drawn upon by Western designers, but now Asian clothing styles are also gaining influence based on their own ideas.[22] Fashion industry The fashion industry is a product of the modern `age.[23] Prior to the mid-19th century, most clothing was custom-made. It was handmade for individuals, either as home production or on order from dressmakers and tailors. By the beginning of the 20th century—with the rise of new technologies such as the sewing machine, the rise of global capitalism and the development of the factory system of production, and the proliferation of retail outlets such as department stores—clothing had increasingly come to be mass-produced in standard sizes and at fixed prices. Although the fashion industry developed first in Europe and America, as of 2015[update] it is an international and highly globalized industry, with clothing often designed in one country, manufactured in another, and sold world-wide. For example, an American fashion company might source fabric in China and have the clothes manufactured in Vietnam, finished in Italy, and shipped to a warehouse in the United States for distribution to retail outlets internationally. The fashion industry has long been one of the largest employers in the United States,[24] and it remains so in the 21st century.  However, U.S. employment declined considerably as production increasingly moved overseas, especially to China. Because data on the fashion industry typically are reported for national economies and expressed in terms of the industrys many separate sectors, aggregate figures for world production of textiles and clothing are difficult to obtain. However, by any measure, the clothing industry accounts for a significant share of world economic output.[25] The fashion industry consists of four levels: 1. the production of raw materials, principally fibers and textiles but also leather and fur 2. the production of fashion goods by designers, manufacturers, contractors, and others 3. retail sales 4. various forms of advertising and promotion These levels consist of many separate but interdependent sectors. These sectors are Textile Design and Production, Fashion Design and Manufacturing, Fashion Retailing, Marketing and Merchandising, Fashion Shows, and Media and Marketing. Each sector is devoted to the goal of satisfying consumer demand for apparel under conditions that enable participants in the industry to operate at a profit.[26] Media The media plays a significant role when it comes to fashion. For instance, an important part of fashion is fashion journalism. Editorial critique, guidelines, and commentary can be found on television and in magazines, newspapers, fashion websites,[27] Social network, and fashion blogs. In recent years, fashion blogging and YouTube videos have become a major outlet for spreading trends and fashion tips. Through these media outlets readers and viewers all over the world can learn about fashion, making it very accessible.[28] At the beginning of the 20th century, fashion magazines began to include photographs of various fashion designs and became even more influential than in the past. In cities throughout the world these magazines were greatly sought after and had a profound effect on public taste in clothing. Talented illustrators drew exquisite fashion plates for the publications which covered the most recent developments in fashion and beauty. Perhaps the most famous of these magazines was La Gazette du Bon Ton, which was founded in 1912 by Lucien Vogel and regularly published until 1925 (with the exception of the war years).[citation needed] Vogue, founded  in the United States in 1892, has been the longest-lasting and most successful of the hundreds of fashion magazines that have come and gone. Increasing affluence after World War II and, most importantly, the advent of cheap color printing in the 1960s, led to a huge boost in its sales and heavy coverage of fashion in mainstream womens magazines, followed by mens magazines in the 1990s. One such example of Vogues popularity is the younger version, Teen Vogue, which covers clothing and trends that are targeted more toward the fashionista on a budget. Haute couture designers followed the trend by starting ready-to-wear and perfume lines which are heavily advertised in the magazines and now dwarf their original couture businesses. A recent development within fashion print media is the rise of text-based and critical magazines which aim to prove that fashion is not superficial, by creating a dialogue between fashion academia and the industry. Examples of this trend are: Fashion Theory (1997) and Vestoj (2009). Television coverage began in the 1950s with small fashion features. In the 1960s and 1970s, fashion segments on various entertainment shows became more frequent, and by the 1980s, dedicated fashion shows such as Fashion Television started to appear. FashionTV was the pioneer in this undertaking and has since grown to become the leader in both Fashion Television and new media channels. Despite television and increasing internet coverage, including fashion blogs, press coverage remains the most important form of publicity in the eyes of the fashion industry.[citation needed] However, over the past several years, fashion websites have developed that merge traditional editorial writing with user-generated content. Online magazines like iFashion Network and Runway Magazine, led by Nole Marin from Americas Next Top Model, have begun to dominate the market with digital copies for computers, iPhones, and iPads. Example platforms include Apple and Android for such applications. A few days after the 2010 Fall Fashion Week in New York City came to a close, The New Islanders Fashion Editor, Genevieve Tax, criticized the fashion industry for running on a seasonal schedule of its own, largely at the expense of real-world consumers. Because designers release their fall collections in the spring and their spring collections in the fall, fashion magazines such as Vogue always and only look forward to the upcoming season, promoting parkas come September while issuing reviews on shorts in January, she writes. Savvy  shoppers, consequently, have been conditioned to be extremely, perhaps impractically, farsighted with their buying.[29] The fashion industry has been the subject of numerous films and television shows, including the reality show Project Runway and the drama series Ugly Betty. Specific fashion brands have been featured in film, not only as product placement opportunities, but as bespoke items that have subsequently led to trends in fashion.[30] Public relations and social media Fashion public relations involves being in touch with a company’s audiences and creating strong relationships with them, reaching out to media and initiating messages that project positive images of the company.[31] Social media plays an important role in modern day fashion public relations; enabling practitioners to reach a wide range of consumers through various platforms. Building brand awareness and credibility is a key implication of good public relations. In some cases, great hype is built about new designers collections before they are released into the market, due to the immense exposure generated by practitioners.[32] Social media, such as blogs, micro blogs, podcasts, photo and video sharing sites have all become increasingly important to fashion public relations.[33] The interactive nature of these platforms allows practitioners to engage and communicate with publics in real time, and tailor their clients’ brand or campaign messages to the target audience. With blogging platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, WordPress and other sharing sites, bloggers have emerged as expert fashion commentators, shaping brands and having a great impact on what is ‘on trend’.[34] Women in the fashion public relations industry such as Sweaty Betty PR founder Roxy Jacenko and Oscar de la Renta’s PR girl Erika Bearman, have acquired copious amounts of followers on their social media sites, by providing a brand identity and a behind the scenes look into the companies they work for. Social media is changing the way practitioners deliver messages,[11] as they are concerned with the media, and also customer relationship building.[35] PR practitioners must provide effective communication among all platforms, in order to engage fashion publics in an industry socially connected via online shopping.[36] Consumers have the ability to share their purchases on their personal social media pages (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.), and if practitioners deliver the  brand message effectively and meet the needs of its publics, word-of-mouth publicity will be generated and potentially provide a wide reach for the designer and their products. Anthropological perspective Anthropology, the study of culture and human societies, studies fashion by asking why certain styles are deemed socially appropriate and others are not. A certain way is chosen and that becomes the fashion as defined by a certain people as a whole, so if a particular style has a meaning in an already occurring set of beliefs that style will become fashion.[37] According to Ted Polhemus and Lynn Procter, fashion can be described as adornment, of which there are two types: fashion and anti-fashion. Through the capitalization and commoditisation of clothing, accessories, and shoes, etc., what once constituted anti-fashion becomes part of fashion as the lines between fashion and anti-fashion are blurred.[38] The definition of fashion and anti-fashion is as follows: Anti-fashion is fixed and changes little over time. Anti-fashion is different depending on the cultural or social group one is associated with or where one lives, but within that group or locality the style changes little. Fas hion is the exact opposite of anti-fashion. Fashion changes very quickly and is not affiliated with one group or area of the world but is spread out throughout the world wherever people can communicate easily with each other. For example, Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation gown is an example of anti-fashion because it is traditional and does not change over any period whereas a gown from fashion designer Dior’s collection of 1953 is fashion because the style will change every season as Dior comes up with a new gown to replace the old one. In the Dior gown the length, cut, fabric, and embroidery of the gown change from season to season. Anti-fashion is concerned with maintaining the status quo while fashion is concerned with social mobility. Time is expressed in terms of continuity in anti-fashion and as change in fashion. Fashion has changing modes of adornment while anti-fashion has fixed modes of adornment. Indigenous and peasant modes of adornment are an example of anti-fashion. Change in fashion is part of the larger system and is structured to be a deliberate change in style.[39] Today, people in rich countries are linked to people in poor countries through the commoditization and con sumption of what is called fashion. People work long hours in one area of the globe to  produce things that people in another part of the globe are anxious to consume. An example of this is the chain of production and consumption of Nike shoes, which are produced in Taiwan and then purchased in North America. At the production end there is nation-building a hard working ideology that leads people to produce and entices people to consume with a vast amount of goods for the offering. Commodities are no longer just utilitarian but are fashionable, be they running shoes or sweat suits.[40] The change from anti-fashion to fashion because of the influence of western consumer-driven civilization can be seen in eastern Indonesia. The ikat textiles of the Ngada area of eastern Indonesia are changing because of modernization and development. Traditionally, in the Ngada area there was no idea similar to that of the Western idea of fashion, but anti-fashion in the form of traditional textiles and ways to adorn oneself were widely popular. Textiles in Indonesia have played many roles for the local people. Textiles defined a person’s rank and status; certain textiles indicated being part of the ruling class. People expressed their ethnic identity and social hierarchy through textiles. Because some Indonesians bartered ikat textiles for food, the textiles constituted economic goods, and as some textile design motifs had spiritual religious meanings, textiles were also a way to communicate religious messages.[41] In eastern Indonesia, both the production and use of traditional textiles have been transformed as the production, use and value associated with textiles have changed due to modernization. In the past, women produced the textiles either for home consumption or to trade with others. Today this has changed as most textiles are not being produced at home. Western goods are considered modern and are valued more than traditional goods, including the sarong, which retain a lingering association with colonialism. Now, sarongs are used only for rituals and ceremonial occasions, whereas western clothes are worn to church or government offices. Civil servants working in urban areas are more likely than peasants to make the distinction between western and traditional clothes. Following Indonesia’s independence from the Dutch, people increasingly started buying factory made shirts and sarongs. In textile-producing areas the growing of cotton and production of naturally colored thread became obsolete. Traditional motifs on textiles are no longer considered the property of a certain social class or age group. Wives of  government officials are promoting the use of traditional textiles in the form of western garments such as skirts, vests and blouses. This trend is also being followed by the general populace, and whoever can afford to hire a tailor is doing so to stitch traditional ikat textiles into western clothes. Thus, traditional textiles are now fashion goods and are no longer confined to the black, white and brown colour palette but come in array of colours. Traditional textiles are also being used in interior decorations and to make handbags, wallets and other accessories, which are considered fashionable by civil servants and their families. There is also a booming tourist trade in the eastern Indonesian city of Kupang where international as well as domestic tourists are eager to purchase traditionally printed western goods.[42] The use of traditional textiles for fashion is becoming big business in eastern Indonesia, but these traditional textiles are losing their ethnic identity markers and are being used as an item of fashion.[43] Intellectual property Student modeling at the Fashion marketing event at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, Mexico City. Within the fashion industry, intellectual property is not enforced as it is within the film industry and music industry. Robert Glariston, an intellectual property expert mentioned in a fashion seminar held in LA[which?] that Copyright law regarding clothing is a current hot-button issue in the industry. We often have to draw the line between designers being inspired by a design and those outright stealing it in different places.[citation needed] To take inspiration from others designs contributes to the fashion industrys ability to establish clothing trends. For the past few years, WGSN has been a dominant source of fashion news and forecasts in encouraging fashion brands worldwide to be inspired by one another. Enticing consumers to buy clothing by establishing new trends is, some have argued, a key component of the industrys success. Intellectual property rules that interfere with this process of trend-making would, in this view, be counter-productive. On the other hand, it is often argued that the blatant theft of new ideas, unique designs, and design details by larger companies is what often contributes to the failure of many smaller or independent design companies. Since fakes are distinguishable by their poorer quality, there is still a demand for luxury  goods, and as only a trademark or logo can be copyrighted, many fashion brands make this one of the most visible aspects of the garment or accessory. In handbags, especially, the designers brand may be woven into the fabric (or the lining fabric) from which the bag is made, making the brand an intrinsic element of the bag. In 2005, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) held a conference calling for stricter intellectual property enforcement within the fashion industry to better protect small and medium businesses and promote competitiveness within the textile and clothing industries.[44][45] Political activism Fashion may be used to promote a cause, such as to promote healthy behavior,[46] to raise money for a cancer cure,[47] or to raise money for local charities[48] such as the Juvenile Protective Association[49] or a childrens hospice.[50] One up-and-coming fashion cause is trashion, which is using trash to make clothes, jewelery and other fashion items in order to promote awareness of pollution. There are a number of modern trashion artists such as Marina DeBris, Ann Wizer,[51] and Nancy Judd.[52]