Comparing coverage in two different Newspapers Essay

The incident covered in the two articles I have studied was a train fire in the Austrian ski resort of Kaprun on Saturday 11th November 2000. The first article I looked at was in the tabloid paper the Sunday Express. The second article I looked at was in the broadsheet paper the Observer. The two articles were very similar but had some differences. Both the articles emphasised that British people were among those that had died. The Sunday Express said â€Å"Britons among 170 victims† and The Observer said â€Å"Britons among 170 dead† The Observer also stated that children died â€Å"Children among victims†. Although both articles covered the same subject and seemed to emphasise the greatness of the tragedy, they had different approaches, The Sunday Express’ article was sensationalist and over emotive â€Å"†¦ inferno as it tore through carriages† The Observers article was a calmer and more concise report â€Å"†¦ and, within a few minutes, almost everyone on board was dead. † The articles both contained similar factual information. In the Article in the Sunday Express, facts were intertwined with opinions and emotive language. â€Å"†¦ engulfing tourists in temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Centigrade. † The Observer had some emotive language but seemed to keep the facts separate â€Å"†¦ which reached temperatures of more than 1,000 C† The only discrepancy between the two articles was over the initial cause of the fire. The Sunday Express interviewed a cable car technical expert Klaus Einsenkolb. â€Å"He said†¦ that either a short circuit in the batteries or the possibility that someone had started it with a naked flame was more likely,† This was their only reference to the cause of the fire. The Observer had many different statements about the cause of the fire. â€Å"Yesterday’s fire is believed to have started†¦after one of the cables that pull the train up the mountain snapped, apparently starting the blaze† They also had a statement from the local company Gletscherbahn Kaprun who owned the train. â€Å"†Due to a fire in the tunnel there was a shorting in the electrical circuit, consequently causing the train†¦ to catch fire. â€Å"† They also interviewed Klaus Einsenkolb, but stated nothing about his opinions of what caused the fire as in The Sunday Express. Both articles used similar language, but The Sunday Express used more emotive variations of language to put across the same point. The Sunday Express said â€Å"†¦ the harrowing task today of identifying 170 young skiers burned alive† The Observer stuck to the facts, however, some sensationalist language was used. â€Å"†¦ 170 people were killed yesterday when a fire†¦ engulfed an Austrian funicular train† The Sunday Express sensationalised the incident by using words like â€Å"inferno† and â€Å"disaster† repeatedly throughout their report. This created a mood in the article, expressing how terrible this tragedy was. Despite The Observer being a broadsheet paper, their article also used this type of language, such as â€Å"inferno† and â€Å"tragedy†. I think this also was used to create the mood. The underlying feeling in The Observers report was that this incident could have been prevented or its consequences reduced, had their been adequate safety measures and better maintenance. â€Å"†¦ Manfred Muller, security director for the railway, admitted that there had been no emergency fire fighting equipment in the tunnel, or on the train† The journalist’s use of â€Å"admitted† in this sentence supports his views that safety precautions were inadequate. After reading this article the reader was left with the impression it was just a terrible accident. â€Å"Yesterdays disaster was the second tragedy to hit Kitzsteinhorn this year. † â€Å"†¦ announced a criminal investigation into the tragedy. † No blame seemed to be pointed at anyone in this article. The Sunday Express’ article contained many interviews and comments from people involved with the incident. Most of the people interviewed were officials linked with the accident, like Norbert Karlsboeck, the town mayor of Kaprun, and Franz Schausberger the Salzburg governor. â€Å"Mr Karlsboeck said: â€Å"I did not realise the full extent of the catastrophe†Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Salzburg governor Franz Schausberger said: â€Å"I have declared a day of mourning. We can presume that everyone still on board the train is dead. â€Å"† They were commenting on their feelings about the incident. Klaus Eisenkolb, a cable car technician who worked on the planning of the line was also interviewed and spoke of what he thought about the occurrence of this incident and what could have possibly caused it. One witness and one survivor were also quoted. The Observer had fewer people interviewed, but had interviews with relatives and witnesses. They also had a statement from the company who owned the train, Gletscherbahn Kaprun, who commented on their feelings about this incident. â€Å"In a statement, the company said: ‘We and the whole town of Kaprun are in mourning. ‘† An unidentified man whose son had gone skiing that day, and a deacon were also interviewed. This gave the article a more personal feel, as the reader felt that they could relate to the people who’s lives had been affected by this and so understand the tragedy better. The layout of these reports was very different. Article I had a large bold headline on the front cover saying â€Å"INFERNO† in capital letters, to draw people’s attention. There was also a large illustration of one of the survivors with a caption. There was then a double page spread. On the first side of the double spread was a pull quote in large bold letters â€Å"There’s no hope left, the fumes were just terrible† next to another illustration of a survivor with a caption. This would also get peoples attention; the reader may look at the pictures and then want to read on. Under the title was a diagram of the mountainside with text pointing out where the events took place. This was quite easy to understand and gave the basic information. Inside that diagram was another diagram showing where Kaprun was in context to Austria and then to the rest of Europe. The text was in columns around these illustrations. The double page was split into three blocks of text, an individual report started on the second page written by Greg Swift, a continuance of the first article by David Dillon, and then an additional report: â€Å"Rising tide of Alpine tragedies†. The Observer had a medium sized headline â€Å"Inferno in the Alps† in bold letters. Underneath was a large illustration of a survivor (the same as in article 1) with a caption. The article was started with two large bullet points, which would grab the reader’s attention. There was then a tiny diagram of where in Austria the incident took place, and where it was in relation to Europe. The article was again written in columns. It then too went to a double page. The headline on this double page â€Å"A couple of breaths and they were lost† was also a pull quote, keeping the readers attention. There was a block of pictures with quotes in the top centre of the pages showing the rescue team, survivors and their families, and the train. This was really effective. The block of pictures would really attract the reader’s attention, urging them to read the article. There was a large diagram showing a picture of the mountainside and where the tunnel was, and then a diagram of the actual train, showing in steps what happened and when. This diagram was very clear, showing exactly what happened in an easily understandable way. The double page was again split into sections of text. There was the main report by Denis Staunton, and then two smaller reports. One was by Jason Burke telling how former British Olympic skier Martin Bell feared that some of his friends could have been on the train. This linked the incident back to this country and how it affected people here. The other was by Anthony Browne, talking of worries over how many recent tragic accidents have occurred in the Alps. I think that the article that explained what happened and suggested the full horror of this incident more effectively was the article from The Observer. I felt that the way in which it was written managed to create a balance between putting across the facts but still expressing the horror of the tragedy. I think because the facts were not clouded with opinions, they were easier to understand. I thought that the double page spread was particularly effective. The pictures were clearer and attracted the reader’s attention. The diagram on the double page was very clear and easy to understand. It showed exactly what happened in stages, with information about the mountain and the tunnel. I also thought that the headline â€Å"Inferno in the Alps† on the front page was really effective. It gave enough information for you to know what had happened but was short enough for the reader to read at a glance. I felt that The Sunday Express’ article was more difficult to understand as there were fewer facts and the writing was very opinionated. Also because there were fewer interviews with people who were directly affected by the incident, such as survivors, and relatives of victims, it wasn’t as easy to relate to that article. There was less text in general, as much of the space was taken up by large illustrations and headlines. Although the articles seemed to be similar they had differences which although may not be drastically apparent I felt they made a big difference to the effectiveness and success of the articles.

Iron and Silk: Mark Salzman`s Cultural Learning in China Essay

Iron and Silk is an autobiographical book by Mark Salzman, where he describes his two-year experience of living and working in China. During the period from 1982 to 1984 Salzman worked as an English language teacher at Hunan Medical College in Changsha and this experience became the basis for his novel. The main character of the novel is fond of Chinese lifestyle and culture. After graduating from the Chinese language department of Yale University he decides to leave for China in order to improve his language skills and get acquainted with Oriental life and culture. Spending much time leaning Chinese language and culture and traditions of this country Mark is sure that he is familiar with this country but reality comes to be quite different from his expectations. The book is a perfect insight into the life of China and its people and this experience is so valuable because we get the perspective of this life from the foreigner, a European man who gets into different world and has to find his ways there. Mark is fond of martial arts and calligraphy and this opens a lot of doors for him. He meets a lot of interesting people and they teach him their culture, traditions and way of thinking. When coming to China, Mark is aware about his future role as an English language teacher but he is not ready to find himself in the role of the pupil again. Luckily, he is optimistic and open to new experience and quickly adapts to his new role. He learns new things and uses every opportunity to broaden his outlook. Every person we meet in our life path can become our teacher if we are attentive to the lessons of the destine and Mark follows this principle and learns everywhere and from every person he meets. His students teach him rules of educational system adopted in China. Their shyness and politeness becomes a great surprise for Mark, who got used to Western freedom and liberalism in education. This is one of the aspects of striking differences between Eastern and Western cultures. Right after arrival Saltzman is stuck with poor conditions of life in the area where he arrives. Poverty, bureaucracy and bad conditions of life make Europeans think about the situation in Europe in the Middle Ages. Communist regime and political system of China becomes a great surprise for Mark, who grew up in a democratic country. The way Chinese people perceive Second World War is also very interesting and it will be very interesting for Western readers. The first thing he learns is dealing with closed system and government control, which exists in China. And despite Changsha has a reputation of place, â€Å"there is nothing to do, nothing to buy, the people have no manners, the food is terrible and their dialect sounds awful†, people find positive moments and enjoy their life. Another surprise comes to be much more pleasant (Salzman, 15). People in China show much politeness and respect to strangers. Attitude to children becomes another great surprise for Salzman. Polite and full of respect to strangers, Chinese people are very strict and demanding to their children. It takes time for Salzman to get used to such an attitude but his new friends explain him that such a treatment is usual and even more, â€Å"that is the Chinese way. † ( Saltzman) Saltzman uses this peculiarity of national character in order to get new experience and penetrate deeper into Chinese culture. He knows two popular Chinese dialects – Mandarin and Cantonese and this even increases respect to him. Salzman uses every opportunity to learn something new and destiny helps him to meet a lot of teachers, or masters on his way. He is lucky to get lessons of Wushu, or martial art, from one of the most popular kung fu masters of the modern time. Mark has learned martial art for nine years before he got to China but only there he uncoveres the true essence of this notion. Under the guidance of Teacher Pan he discovers that learning martial arts can be a kind of spiritual search and way to discover true inner self. â€Å"Do every move as if it were your last,† teaches him Master Pan and with these words expresses not only the essence of Wushu but the very essence of Oriental philosophy. (Salzman, 85) Little episodes and events, which happen to the author, show the readers how ordinary things can have deep meaning and influence the entire life if the person is open to new possibilities and new experiences. That is exactly what happens with Mark, for whom every meeting and every conversation becomes the sources of new information and useful lessons. He learns even from fishermen, who quickly recognize him as their friend and ask him to stay and fish with them. Learning Chinese calligraphy becomes another new experience, which opens new perspective for the author. Very soon he finds out that Chinese people have completely different attitude to writing that Westerners do. These people can turn everything into mastery, and calligraphy for them is much more than a way to put down words into paper. Salzman finds out that calligraphy is an art, where one hieroglyph can mean more than hundred words. It takes him some time to understand the words of his teacher, who told him that â€Å"No matter what the quality of brush or paper one should always treat them as if they were priceless. † (Salzman, 156) The art to enjoy every moment of life and ability to dedicate yourself to the thing you are doing at the moment is the main message his calligraphy teacher wants to pass to his European student. Written with great sense of humor, Silk and Iron is a very personal account of life of a Western person in strange surrounding. The book gives a glimpse of Chinese politics, culture, history, way of life and philosophy. The book can be interesting for people interested in marital arts, Oriental philosophy and Chinese culture. Sources Salzman, Mark. Iron and Silk, Vintage, 1987.

Applying Standardized terminologies Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Applying Standardized terminologies - Coursework Example This essay describes a scenario of bedside patient care of a man with malaria to help evaluate the essentials of standardized terminologies and the related NANDA, NIC and NOC (Nolan 2004). Johnson, Maas & Moorhead (2000) outlines that; Nanda classifies Malaria as an infectious disease with intermittent fever, instigated by the parasite Plasmodium and spread by mosquito kind Anopheles in many subtropical and tropical regions. Because of its common nature, there are a plethora of records, data and information about its diagnosis and care. Subsequently, American Nurses Association (2006a) argues that there are certain terminologies standardized to malaria, according to the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) that nurses must master. In addition, there are also Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) records and in Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) with certain standardized language (Cavendish 2001) for malaria. According to Johnson et al. (2000), NANDA identifies malaria as infectious with symptoms of high fever, chills, muscle aches, tiredness and headaches. According to NANDA, malaria infections are common in tropical and sub-tropical areas and severe with children and pregnant women but also very severe with all other individual children and adults alike (Nolan 2004). NANDA outlines that the diagnosis for malaria includes nausea due to imbalance in food intake, risk for infection due to weak immune system for attacked patients and hyperthermia related to increased dehydration and metabolism. Related Factors include threat of death; threat to self-concept; threat to or alteration in health status, environment, contact patterns; interpersonal transmission of contagion and unmet needs The suggested NOC outcome-labels to these malarial situations include anxiety, stress, nausea, impulse control and aggression control. Client outcome according to NOC includes identifies and verbalizes symptoms of distress, Identifies, communicates in verbal

Real Estate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Real Estate - Essay Example It has become extremely wealthy after gaining foreign direct investment funding in the 1970s. The country has a rather high Human Development Index when compared to other Asian countries the country has risen 8 ranks on the Human Development Index. Real GDP in 2005 grew quite rapidly by 8.2% to AED357.6bn on the back of extremely strong economic activity, and the prices of oil also grew at a fast pace resulting in big fiscal as well as external surpluses. Economic Growth in the last few years has highly increased the per capita GDP to a record high of US$28,147 in the year 2005 as compared with US$24,380 the year before (Marcus & Howard p 78). When Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are analyzed it can be said that that after Qatar, UAE has the highest per capita GDP. After looking forward, we anticipate economic growth to stay the same for both years 2006 as well as 2007. GDP is expected to grow by a good 14% for the year 2006 to reach AED553.4bn, whereas in real terms the economy is expected to achieve approximately 9.7%. Of a high growth rate The UAE's property market sector wholly contributed to 7.4 percent of the country's GDP in 2005. That year, in 2005 it experienced an immense growth of 19.7%, as well as a CAGR of 13.5% during the period 2000 to 2005. This sector was buoyed by the increase in investment in infrastructure, the rise in the residential and non-residential units, and the country's development into an eye-catching tourist destination. Because of the country being transformed indication to the rise in residential and non residential units The real estate and construction sectors both accounted for 14.6% of GDP via government in 2005 (Marcus& Howard p 76). Dubai, the most important market for foreign investments has made some crucial improvements over the last few years. After allowing 100% possession for foreigners in selected locations, there have been some amendments to the law including the newly announced property law No. 3 of 2007 which was issued via government early this year. This law completely l egalizes freehold ownership of land as well as property to UAE along with GCC nationals, whereas permitting equal rights to non-GCC expatriates in designated areas. The latest law fully permits expatriate homeowners to record and register all their property in their names through the Dubai Lands and Properties Department. Urban Planning 2030: Abu Dhabi Urban Structure Framework Plan 2030(Marcus &Howard p 75), a complete plan destined for the development of the city of Abu Dhabi that will aim to help, as well as guide, in making decisions for the next quarter of a century. The Government has also recently made an announcement regarding the establishment of a new Urban Planning Council to supervise the implementation of the plan for future development of urban planning policies. The plan has been made for the sole purpose of delivering upon the vision of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE as well as Ruler of Abu Dhabi, and

Art presentation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Art presentation - Essay Example the artist’s work is the uniquely create how the interaction between the individual and the way their presence alters the overall energy of their surroundings. I am from Hong Kong, but due to studies, I have lived in several places since high school. The places are Hong Kong, Newfoundland; Canada, Seattle, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego, and Pennsylvania. These have also become my influence because of their beauty, activities, and generally how different subjects in such an environment interact to bring out the social and cultural aspects of the place. I am inspired by the power of emotion in people. As such, I like to create works that display people’s the subjects’ emotions under different circumstance. I believe that individuals can communicate a lot with emotions more than they can communicate with words. Finally, on culture, I am from Hong Kong, and the Chinese culture that I grew up in stresses the value of harmony and simplicity. Additionally, the culture also has a preference for lively colors. Thus, I integrate these ideas into my artworks to portray the beauty of objects and the natural surroundings of

Understand the key features of the theories of motivation in a team Essay

Understand the key features of the theories of motivation in a team (LEADERSHIP) - Essay Example which workers get motivated is through; use of inspirational posters and participating in team building activities especially when the leaders take part with the team members (Heinrichs 2013, P. 211). As such, the team building activities enhances cohesiveness among team members. The essay seeks to discuss an understanding of key features of the motivational theories through an effective leadership. There are many causes of dissatisfaction among members of a team at a place of work. Among the major causes of dissatisfaction is being underpaid. Whenever a member of a team or an employee feels that he is underpaid, he will get dissatisfied and hence gets less motivated. A less motivated employee is less productive and, as a result, compromising the overall performance of the organization. Poor management is another cause of dissatisfaction among team members. Most members of a team want to be led by someone they look up to as a role model. When this is lacking, members under this leadership are likely to be less motivated. In certain occasions, lack of interest can also be a possible cause of dissatisfaction among members of a team. Without interest, dissatisfaction follows and finally, the general performance of the company (Lepak & Gowan 2010, P. 77). To some, the lack of career growth can cause dissatisfaction among members of a team. The members will then get withdrawn from w ork and the resultant outcome is a compromise of the performance of an organization. To develop a team, a leader can employ a number of techniques with an aim of motivating his workers. However, if workers are not motivated, their performance may go down. Therefore, motivation is an essential component in the enhancement of performance. Though, team leaders or managers need to motivate employees as frequent as possible through a number of ways. First, the team leader should be proactive to build the required skills in order to work efficiently in the achievement of the set target (Tracy

Examine the relative role of institutions in the rise of Europe Essay

Examine the relative role of institutions in the rise of Europe - Essay Example These formal institutions include such diverse tools as constitutions, laws and property rights. Institutions have always been created by human beings throughout history to create order in their various societies and reduce uncertainty in trade. Taken together with the standard constraints imposed by economic logic, institutions define the set of available choices in economic interactions. This has an effect of directly influencing economic behaviour and hence, economic outcomes in any given society (Acemoglu, Johnson, & Robinson, 2005). Institutions evolve incrementally over time meaning that the economic history of any society has to be comprehended in the context of the evolution of its institutions. The fundamental role played by institutions is that they provide the incentive structure for the given economy. As such, the direction of evolution of this structure in time determines the direction of movement of an economy whether towards growth, stagnation or decline (North 1991). A constantly evolving system of organisation and exchange in medieval Europe’s long-distance trade between the 11th and the 16th centuries eventually led to the rise of Europe as the dominant world power (North, 1991). The first significant institutional change was the innovation of systems and tools that lowered transaction costs in exchange. The transaction cost of any exchange is defined as the cost, other than the cost of the product or service being exchanged; that is incurred in executing the transaction. This cost consists of various components such as the cost incurred in the search for information about the sellers and their product, the cost of negotiating and closing down on the contract, the cost of enforcing the contract, etc. (North 1991) The organisational changes, tools and various techniques of exchange that lowered transaction costs for medieval Europe’s long-distance trade included: Among the

The impact of the economic crisis in the Saudi economy Dissertation

The impact of the economic crisis in the Saudi economy - Dissertation Example The project deals with the impact of economic crisis in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a key player in the scenario of international trade, imports and exports. The effect of the economic crisis in Saudi Arabia has been compared with the impacts on the leading economies of the world which provides a comprehensive picture of the global effects of the economic crisis. Introduction Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy and is ruled by King Abdallah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud who promises of greater political participation and has been able to win the confidence of majority of the Sunni population. The economy of Saudi Arabia is based on its rich amount of oil reserves. Oil is the main resource of the economy. The country possesses around 18% of the proven reserves of petroleum in the world. Saudi Arabia is also the leading exporter of petroleum in the world. Saudi Arabia because of its rich reserves of petroleum plays the leading role in the Organisation for Oil Exporting countries. . The OPE C was created in order to ensure a steady income of the members of the organisation and also to secure the supply of oil to the consumer states all over the world. The economy of Saudi Arabia was initially dependent on agricultural with the work of agriculture one by the nomadic people who lived in the country. The discovery of oil in the country occurred in 1930 from where the kingdom of Saudi Arabia started to gain comparative advantage over the other countries in the world. According to World Bank, Saudi Arabia’s economy has been referred to as the strongest economy among the Arab nations. Thus the economy of Saudi Arabia underwent a transition from an agriculture based economy prior to 1930 to an industrial economy after the discovery of oil in 1930. The GDP grew at rapid rates due to availability of huge proven reserves of petroleum and gaining comparative advantage which led to rise in exports. The country’s foreign exchange reserves grew enormously giving a scop e for developments of infrastructure for industries in the kingdom. As a result of the recent economic crisis all over the world and reduction in GDP per capita of Saudi Arabia, the government has undertaken policy reforms of diversification of the economy, strengthening the regulatory framework and the legal system and allowing foreign investments in order provide employments opportunities to the swelling population and also to sustain their economic growth rates. The impacts of the economic crisis in the economy of Saudi Arabia lay its roots in the recession that occurred in US and subsequently spread to major economies like UK and other parts of the world thereby transforming into a global financial meltdown. The international economic scenario underwent radical changes with recession in the economy of US and its subsequent effects on the economies all over the world. This created major impacts in the economies of the world including that of western economies like, European natio ns, East Asia and partly in South Asia. The financial crisis which emerged in the year 2007 started with a bubble in 2002 in the housing

Discuss the significance of an understanding of typical language and Essay

Discuss the significance of an understanding of typical language and communication development for a practitioner working with p - Essay Example Autism can lead to learning disorder. In line with this, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2010) revealed that there is a high risk that autistic children may experience fragile X syndrome – causing mental retardation, tuberous sclerosis – tumor in the brain, epileptic seizures, ADHD, learning disabilities, and Tourette syndrome – a neuropsychiatric disorder that is characterized by multiple physical tics or at least one vocal tic. In relation to the onset of Tourette syndrome, ‘motor tics’ are considered as a sudden repetitive non-rhythmic movement whereas ‘phonic tics’ are characterized by sudden repetitive utterances which are produced by moving air through the throat, nose, or mouth (Leckman et al. 2006). In most cases the presence of uncontrolled and severe motor and phonic tics could lead to dyslexia – reading disabilities, dysgraphia – written language disabilities (LD Online 2008). ... As part of determining the strategic ways on how special school teachers could cater the special needs of children with autism, this report will explore the significance of understanding typical language and communication development for practitioners who are working with autistic individuals. Importance of Early Educational Intervention in Autistic Child’s Learning Development Autistic individuals are experiencing communication problems related to the use of speech and language simply because autistic school-age children do not realize the importance of communicating to other people. According to Meyers and Johnson (2007), the use of educational intervention as soon as a child has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders is more beneficial on the part of the autistic children as compared to leaving the child socially isolated for a very long time. With the provision of special learning support, the ability of autistic children to learn the proper use of language can prog ress at a much slower phase as compared to school-age children without autism. In line with this, the use of educational intervention could not only improve the child’s ability to develop their independence from their parents but also improve their academic learning experiences and ability to socialize and communicate with other children. In the long-run, autistic children who are given the opportunity to attend school are expected to be able to improve their adaptive skills by learning how to control their interfering behaviors. The cost of hiring 1:1 ratio between the special school teacher and autistic student is very high. Aside from providing autistic children with intensive intervention of at least 25

Notes on History of Dhammapada Essay Example for Free

Notes on History of Dhammapada Essay According to Wikipedia, Dhammapada is the most famous book of the Tipitakas. It is also the book that has been translated into English and other languages more times than any other book in Buddhist literature. According to Ven. K Sri Dhammananda (1988), the founder of Sudharma Buddhist Institute, Dhammapada (literally meaning The Words of Truth or The Path of Noble Truth) consists of 423 verses in Pali uttered by the Buddha on some 305 occasions for the benefit of a wide range of human beings. These sayings were selected and compiled into one book as being worthy of special note on account of their beauty and relevance for molding the lives of future generations of Buddhists. It is also surprising that according to Britannica Encyclopedia, Dhammapada is accepted both in Theravada Buddhism and in Mahayana Buddhism although there is a difference in the number of verses in the two versions. However, according to Encarta Encyclopedia, the most translated version is that of Theravada. The history of Dhammapada is also not so different in both branches of Buddhism. The Lord Buddha historically had to go round the northern India and Nepal preaching his Dhamma, meeting many people. According to the prescribed text book (Module no. A -Ya 2004) of the second year university students specializing Oriental Studies in Myanmar ), the Lord Buddha preached his Dhamma ( guides and sermons for the cessation of all the sufferings) both in the form of speech called cunniya and occasionally in poetically versed form called gatha. According to Ohn Myint , Daw (2004), the verses uttered by the Lord Buddha had been compiled by 500 Buddhist Senior Arahants in Rajaghyo, India, in the First Dhamma Council (Pathama Sangayana) in 483 BC. Venerable Buddhagosa, the most famous commentary author in Theravada Buddhism, wrote the commentary of Dhammapada named Dhammapada Atthakatha in Sri Lanka. In his commentary book, Ven. Buddha Gosa, studying thoroughly from the elderly monks and old canons, noted the historical backgrounds of the verses in Pali Language. In this book, he told the story of each verses including whom theses verses were uttered by Buddha for, where, how, when and why these verses were uttered by Lord Buddha and so on. According to Subhodha Lankara, a famous Buddhist Literary Guide throughout the history of Buddhism, the verses in Dhammapada and Buddhist Literature are composed and uttered by systematic rules of rhythm, rhyme and meter. Moreover, Thanissaro Bhikkhu (1997) writes as follows: As the Buddha himself is quoted as saying, Meter is the structural framework of verses. According to Goinka S. N, the founder of Vissapana Research Institute in India, verses in Dhammapada were just orally handed down at first before the fourth Dhamma Council held in Tambapai [Sri Lanka] in 29 B. C in which all of the Buddhist Scriptures were recorded on written forms on palm leaves. According to the Commentary of Dhammapada by Ven Buddhagosa, these verses are intentionally uttered in accordance with the listeners background knowledge, their social backgrounds, and the situations in order to enlighten their mind. As soon as the Lord uttered the verses, Ananda, the chosen attendant and constant companion of the Buddha during the last twenty-five years of his life. memorized it and handed down again to the other monks and people. According to Mahaparinibana Sutta in the first book of Suttanna Pitaka named Mahavagga, after the Lord passed into the nirvana ( His death), the senior Buddhist monks met together and held the First Buddhist Council in order to preserve the holy teachings of the Lord Buddha. In the council, all of the Buddhas teachings were divided into three parts. According to Goenka, S,N (1999), the founder of Vipassana Research Institute in India , the first part is known as the Vinaya Pitaka and it contains all the rules which Buddha laid down for monks and nuns.. The second part is called the Suttanna Pitaka and it contains the Discourses. The third part is known as the Abhidhamma Pitaka and comprises the psycho-ethical teachings of the Buddha. The first pitaka is Suttanna pitaka and it is divided into five parts according to the length and form of the discourses. The poetical verses that the Lord uttered were compiled into a book named Dhammapada. Dhammapada is included in the first part of Suttanna Pitaka named Khuddhakanikaya ( Short Discourses). According to Daw Ohn Myint, Professor of the Department of Oriental Studies, Yangon University of Distance Education ( 2004), throughout the history of Buddhism, Dhammapada has been studied and memorized by Buddhist monks. Even nowadays in Sri Lanka, the novices who want to be transformed into monkhood have to memorize all the verses in Dhammapada as a compulsory skill.

The Point Of View Of Stories

The Point Of View Of Stories The two short stories chosen ,The Gift of the Magi and The Lottery,written by Shirley Jackson, both have different points of views. They are both narrated in first-person narration which affects our response to what we read as the narrator doesnt look into the minds of its characters which leave the reader only seeing the situation through ones eyes. In The Gift of the Magi we see everything through the eyes of Della, however in the second essayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Short story The Gift of the Magi, by O. Henry, is a narrative piece about a young married couple, Della and Jim, who have very little money. Jim had suffered a pay cut, therefore the two have to work hard for everything for their earnings. On the day before Christmas, Della counted the money she had saved for months. One dollar and eighty-seven cents. Sadly, after a good long cry, she is determined to find a way to buy Jim the present he deserves for Christmas. Jim and Della have two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One is Jims gold watch, which has been passed to him from his grandfather. The other is Dellas lustrous hair falling down almost past her knees. As Della passes by a sign and reads: Mme. Sofronie. Hair Goods of All Kinds, she goes in to whom she sells her hair for twenty dollars. With that money, she tries to find something worthy of Jim, and in which she did, a platinum watch chain. O. Henry accomplishes several techniques in The Gift of the Magi that are representative to most of his other short stories. The story seems to be third person narrated. It is told in the third-person, and only follows Dellas perspective. We dont see what Jim is doing during the story, and once he does show up, he remains closed to us. Although the story focuses on Dellas point of view, is also shows us as the reader what she sees. It is like the narrator is in the story as a character that is just heard of, but never seen. By O. Henry doing this, it engages us and shares our insight thoughts on the Youngs situation. He uses a laid-back sort of expression such as took a mighty pride and breaks his story with a humorous tone such as forget the hashed metaphor. Della explains to Jim that in order for her to buy him his present she needed to sell her hair. Jim found it difficult to understand the situation but Della didnt understand why. He then takes from his pocket Dellas Christmas present, in which she opens it and finds a set of combs for her hair, which she had been admiring in a store window for a long time. Finally she understands why her husband was so shocked. They exchange their Christmas gifts; however, Jim does not pull out his watch to fit to the chain, as he had to sell his watch in order to buy Dellas combs. Both Della and Jim foolishly sacrifice their gifts and this is why they were called their most precious possessions. As in this story, O. Henry started of by introducing the first character Della telling details about setting that hint at plot. In the first paragraph, he opened it up by introducing Della and her money problem. He mentions her decisions that create a more strongly constructed plot which moves from introducing the story on to the surprise ending. The point of view of this short story does not exactly affect our response to what we have read. Well not mine anyway. If the story was written in another point of view, it would not make it as good as it already is as it would be focusing more on what is happening else where rather then showing us the love shared between two young adults whose gifts were given by the heart. They were wise and They are the magi. In the second story, The Lottery is written by Shirley Jackson. Its opening sequence is on a warm Junes day in a tradition town that is common among its nearby villages. In the story we come across some children, which arrive in the town and connect in boisterous play. Some of the boys create a great pile of stones in one corner of the square. The setting in The Lottery was described as relaxing and peaceful, as children were playing and adults were talking about day to day situations. This showed a happy setting distinction with the wild idea of the reality with the lottery. Jackson uses a narrative technique, where she tells the events in the story, which is de described as detached and objective  [1]  . The tone of the narrative helps us to recognise the originality of the barbaric acts that are caused amongst it. Shirley Jacksons The Lottery uses the third person point of view to tell a story about a village that celebrates a yearly event. The narrator provides us with minor details of a lottery taking place, but what interests us the most is that she leaves the most important details until the end, which leaves us hanging with thoughts and questions. The use of the third person point of view is a good way of telling this short story because it helps put together the surprise that happens in the end by hinting out bits of information to the reader through the actions and discussions of the villagers without giving away the final twist.

The Impact of the Internet on Society Essay -- Technology Cyberspace E

The Impact of the Internet on Society The internet is a big impact on our society today. It has been around for quite some time. In fact, in 1973, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency initiated a research to develop communication protocols that would allow networked computers to communicate transparently across multiple, linked packet networks. In 1986, the U.S. National Science Foundation initiated the development of the NSFNET which provides a major backbone communication service for the internet. Both public domain and commercial implementations of TCP/IP suites became available in the 1980’s. Then in 1991, the internet grew to include some 5,000 networks in over three dozen countries (A Brief History). Many positive and negative aspects of the internet affect our society. One major impact the internet is used for today is communication for people working. Communication has a positive impact because it helps people to communicate through email to get work accomplished quicker. â€Å"Email has become the preferred medium for communication between public relations ...

Identity in Sylvia Plaths The Bell Jar Essay -- Plath Bell Jar Essays

Identity in The Bell Jar      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A sense of individuality is essential for surviving the numerous emotional and physical obstacles encountered in daily life. A unique identity is perhaps one of the only true characteristics that defines an individual and is definitely a key principle for understanding and responding to one's atmosphere. In the "Bell Jar," Esther battles not only a deteriorating mental stability, but also a lack of a sense of individuality. Esther is a young, sensitive and intelligent woman who feels oppressed by the obvious social restrictions placed upon women, and the pressure she feels regarding her future. Undoubtedly these emotional burdens result not only in Esther's social and intellectual isolation, but also her impending mental breakdown. Clearly, Esther is deeply troubled by the hypocritical and often vicious world encompassing her, and feels overwhelmed and powerless to break free of her inner world of alienation. Instead of firmly establishing a genuine sense of self , Esther adopts and scrutinizes the images and personalities of the women in her life, which neither fit nor reflect her legitimate character.    Throughout the novel Esther is faced with numerous possibilities regarding her future aspirations. Although she is an extremely perceptive and bright woman, Esther has no sense of imminent direction, and instead imagines herself becoming and achieving an abundance of successes simultaneously. Upon meeting her boss, Jay Cee, Esther is immediately impressed with her flourishing balance of a career and marriage, and begins to imagine herself attaining similar achievements:    "I tried to imagine what it would be like if I were Cee...Cee, the famous editor, in an office full of p... ... The Feminine Identity. Twentieth Anniversary Edition. New York: Norton, 1983. Nizer, Louis. The Implosion Conspiracy. New York: Doubelday, 1973. Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. 1963. London: Faber, 1966. ---. The Journals of Sylvia Plath. Ed. Ted Hughes and Frances McCullough. 1982. London: Anchor-Doubleday, 1998. Radosh, Ronald, and Joyce Milton, eds. The Rosenberg File: A Search for the Truth. 1983. New Haven: Yale UP, 1997. Rich, Adrienne. "Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence." Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 5 (1980): 631-60. Rep. In Adrienne Rich's Poetry and Prose. Ed. Barbara Charlesworth Gelpi and Albert Gelpi. New York: Norton, 1993. 203-24. Stevenson, Anne. Bitter Fame: A Life of Sylvia Plath. London: Viking-Penguin, 1989. Wagner-Martin, Linda. Sylvia Plath: A Biography. New York: Simon, 1987.

The Curious Style of Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown :: Young Goodman Brown YGB

The Curious Style of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   The multi-faceted style found in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† has many features of interest. It is the intent of this essay to elaborate on these features, with support from literary critics where available.    Herman Melville in â€Å"Hawthorne and His Mosses,† (in The Literary World August 17, 24, 1850) has a noteworthy comment on Hawthorne’s style:    Nathaniel Hawthorne is a man, as yet, almost utterly mistaken among men. Here and there, in some quiet arm-chair in the noisy town, or some deep nook among the noiseless mountains, he may be appreciated for something of what he is. But unlike Shakespeare, who was forced to the contrary course by circumstances, Hawthorne (either from simple disinclination, or else from inaptitude) refrains from all the popularizing noise and show of broad farce, and blood-besmeared tragedy; content with the still, rich utterances of a great intellect in repose, and which sends few thoughts into circulation, except they be arterialized at his large warm lungs, and expanded in his honest heart.    How beautifully does this critic capture the basic attitude of Hawthorne, who avoids the â€Å"noise and show† and emphasizes his â€Å"rich utterances.† Could Hawthorne’s â€Å"rich uterances† be the reason for Henry Seidel Canby in â€Å"A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past† to talk about the â€Å"dignity† of his style? â€Å"And indeed there is a lack of consistence between the scorn that our younger critics shower upon Hawthorne’s moral creations and their respect for his style. They admit a dignity in the expression that they will not allow to the thing expressed† (62). Canby continues:    Hawthorne’style has a mellow beauty; it is sometimes dull, sometimes prim, but it is never for an instant cheap, never, like our later American styles, deficient in tone and unity. It is a style with a patina that may or may not accord with current tastes, yet, as with Browne, Addison, Lamb, Thoreau, is undoubtedly a style. Such styles spring only from rich ground, long cultivated, and such a soil was Hawthorne’s. . . . Holding back from the new life of America into which Whitman was to plunge with such exuberance, he kept his style, like himself, unsullied by the prosaic world of industrial revolution, and chose, for his reality, the workings of the moral will. You can scarcely praise his style and condemn his subjects.

Westye

The first part of the process of selection of an applications software package was to determine what Westye needed. Under this process, they sought to develop criteria for how business solutions companies would address their specific needs. Here, they outlined these through the creation of 160 issues related to Westye’s business processes. The second step included determining the specific small midmarket business solutions that can address Westye’s needs. In here, considerable attention was given by the company towards finding competent providers and was equally reduced to 27 companies who shall then be subjected interview and questioning. The third process that the company took was the selection process. Here, Westye based their choice in the capacity of small midmarket business solutions to address their needs. Given the specific criteria, the company was able to consolidate effective responses coming from Microsoft Business Solutions – Navisione and became the primary choice. The last part involved finding the necessary partner that can help address the issues and problems of Westye. Here, the choice of ICS Advantage revolved around the ability of the company to facilitate better means of integrating a collaborative long term strategy and relationship with Westye. Likewise, the company also sought a committed and driven partners who can fulfill the company’s needs accordingly. Analyzing the specific strategy employed by Westye, it could have improved its selection process if it had tried (1) to set specific standards for choices above the 160 criteria, (2) provided inputs on how the old MAPICS system can be integrated towards the recommended changes, and (3) considering long term strategies and options for employees. Seeing this, the value then of the first input corresponds to the capacity to examine further not only the technical and operational business schemes influencing Westye but also try to integrate it in the way people do business. By setting up these standards, vendors can then align their proposals to meet these realities accordingly. The second part corresponds to allowing Westye proper transition from its old system and incorporating them into the new one. This can help new participants to have a grasp of what the new system is and leverage increased costs in education and training of people. The last part corresponds to outlining how these new strategies impact the workforce in both education and application. By inducing opportunities to include feedback and reaction, it can help facilitate better means of transcending competency and ability to harness effective skills for operation and diversification of tasks by employees within Westye. (2) Analyzing the specific advantages of utilizing a package development, it revolves around (1) revamping the old MAPICS system, (2) effective support mechanism, (3) allows standardization of Westye’s processes and (4) infusing simple means to increase efficiency of production. Here, the first process takes into consideration deriving valuable opportunities for Westeye to address the loopholes and inefficiencies of the old MAPCIS system. By incorporating packaged software, it can veer away from the old system and incorporate new ones that can be synchronized with the companies needs. The second advantage is that technicians can effectively carry out repairs and updates of a packaged system compared to a customized one. Such directions also provides standardization of processes as the new software then incorporates actions by the workforce and takes into account key trends in a more facilitative and effective manner. Lastly, using the tools of a packaged software, it can help Westye align these to infuse efficiency in production and consolidate these with the goals of the company. On the other hand, specific disadvantages of a packaged system revolves around (1) associated costs, (2) lack of innovation, (3) issue of control, and (4) the issue of customization. In the first part, it considers the value of costs related to training employees once again with new processes and how to operate such packaged system. Another hurdle that packaged system can contribute is the lack of innovation wherein companies have the last say in the design and applications included in the design of the software package. The same can be seen with the issue of control. Though ICS provides Westye control over data and inputs, it limits the capacity of businesses to take into consideration establishing a user-interface that is efficient for their use or responsive to their needs. The last one revolves around the process of customization. Here, additional costs can be incurred if new changes and amendments may be undertaken by Westye in expanding its business processes and integrating new means for gathering data necessary for production. Seeing this, the idea of using a Navision package is more suited to the needs of the Westye group. Such analysis revolves around the need to revamp and change the old MAPICS system and consolidate better means of acquiring information in a more effective and efficient manner. By using a packaged solution, the company can cater towards creating better means to address the problem in a faster manner and take advantage of its comparative advantage over its competitors. Similarly, this decision can also align the company’s processes to what is essential to the needs of the company both in its short and long term strategies. (3) Responding to the advantages of Navision compared to ERP, they include (1) filtering inefficient processes, (2) consolidating data effectively, (3) incorporating new technological features, and (4) new structure to cater for the needs of Westye. The value of the first advantage corresponds to taking into consideration changing the loopholes and boundaries within the old MAPICS system and generating better means for analysis and acquisition of data. In the second part, Navision gives better means of consolidating data with its new framework and platform different from that of the old system. Alongside this is the associated new features wherein employees can take advantage of. By using these new technologies, it has developed effective means to cater the needs of Westye in terms of determining inputs and data necessary to transact and establish partnerships with clients. On the other hand, there are also associated disadvantages that Navision has over adding ERP modules which include (1) costs, (2) employee integration and education, (3) adjustments, and (4) value of time. One essential setback by the Navision involves the corresponding costs. Since the overall system shall be revamped, it takes into account changing the business processes. Alongside this are the new means of training personnel and employees of proper procedures and mechanisms necessary. Such then brings about adjustments and puts into the table the question of time in achieving specific goals and objectives. These then create necessary implications for the company especially in the short term as it may affect the overall productivity of the company during these times of adjustment and changes. Though there are indeed associated setbacks with the application of the Navision package, it can be seen that it has consolidated better means for Westye to expand and develop its business processes. By utilizing specific strategies related to determining loopholes in the previous system, it was able to create a new framework that supports the interests and goals of Westye. At the same time, by infusing these directions, the company can then legitimize its opportunities to create competitive advantage and standardize the dynamics related to finding the means to diversify business processes and generate increased productivity. (4) Analyzing the advantages of the customization scheme created by Navsion, they correspond to (1) wider company control, (2) taking into consideration competitive advantage, (3) access to real time data, and (4) consolidating to the needs of employees. In the first one, it caters to the formalization of how employees control the system. The customization process furthered this by giving opportunities for personnel to make important decisions concerning specific business processes. Such dynamic then provided the ability to establish competitive advantage as it opened up means to establish efficiency in decision making and harness the skills in responding to such. Alongside this direction, Westye was also able to provide effective access to trends and data necessary. Since they are heavily reliant in these, the customization process help employees fulfill their roles without having to sort and tabulate trends, hence easier transmission of data to clients. On the other hand, there are also associated negative reactions to such customization. These revolve around (1) re-training of employees, (2) hampering of production, (3) difficulty in establishing technical support, and (4) complexity in administering changes. In here, the customization process hampers employee’s responsibilities because they are given new training about the system and what they do. Such actions then hamper time and capacity to work at their optimal level and in turn hamper production. Another setback is that it creates difficulty in pointing out problems particularly if these processes remain intertwined and correlated with one another. The same can be seen with the application of changes within the system. Since it is designed to fit Westye’s needs, Navision may find it difficult to correlate including new features as it may need to be synchronized with other related processes. 5) Analyzing the point established by the case that Westye’s system provides ‘real-time data access’, it can be argued that it is the same with the term ‘online input’ plus ‘online processing’. Here the idea of real time corresponds to the actual input of data provided by a specific program or software wherein it analyzes specific trends and issues inputted by the user. Seeing this, such process then corresponds to ‘online input ’ plus ‘online processing’ for it utilizes specific measures in generating effective patterns of analysis and justifying its scope and value to whatever purpose it may seek to serve. Seeing this, the company indeed has ‘online input’ plus ‘online processing’. This can be seen in the manner of how the company adheres to its business processes. In here, the derivation and analysis of information remains crucial for the company to remain competitive. That is why it needs up-to-date information to give its clients so as to harness effective means in making crucial business decisions and Westye provides such information to them.

Genre Analysis

Genre Analysis The musical film has always held a special place for me. From my time as a drama student in high school, my eyes have been opened to the amazing world of the musical and especially the musical film. The musical film is a film genre in which the characters sing songs that are integrated into the overall story. Since musicals first began in theaters, musical films usually contain similar elements. These elements often simulate that there is a live audience watching. In a sense, the film viewers become the audience members, at a theater production, as the actor performs directly to them.Due to the popularity of musicals in the theater, the style was quickly brought over into film. In 1927, the musical film genre began with the accompaniment of the first film talkie, The Jazz Singer. While popularity for this genre has fluctuated over the years, it nevertheless has succeeded in becoming a staple in films. Throughout this paper, I will explore what is a film in the musical genre and why it has such a lasting effect through the examination of three considered, classic musical films of their eras. The three films that will be examined are Singin’ in the Rain, Grease, and Rent.These three movies are considered some of the top musicals of their time. Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 musical comedy film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. This film is a comic portrayal of Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talkies in the late 1920s. It is now frequently described by critics as one of the best musicals ever, and it continually tops on the AFI's 100 Years of Musicals list. Next, Grease is a 1978 musical film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as two students in a 1950s high school.This is a story of the trials and tribulations of the teenagers are that era. Grease was considered as one of the best films of 1978. Lastly, Rent is a 2005 musical drama film about the depictions of the lives of several Bohemian s squatting in the East Village of New York City from 1989 to 1990 and their struggles with sexual preference, drugs, and AIDS. The film was nominated for a number of awards, including a GLAAD Media Award for Best Picture Musical/Comedy. They may seem quite different on the surface; however, the similarities they do have in common are mainly due to the genre they share.This is shown by the use of music, production design, and film techniques. The use of music is a key to determining if a film is in the musical genre. Not only are songs used to further the story along in a musical, but they also have the ability to put the audience in the emotional state of the character singing. Song has always been used as a good conductor for emotional understanding. For example, during the song â€Å"You Were Meant for Me† in Singin’ in the Rain, Don Lockwood is able to confess his love to Kathy Selden in a way that feels magical and shows a connection between the two would be lover s.Also, the song â€Å"There Are Worse Things I Could Do† in Grease is able to betray the emotional depth of the character Rizzo’s fear, shame, and anger. At the time this film came out, topics such as teen pregnancy were not generally presented in films. By having this character sing her issue, the audiences, who may have dismissed her outright for her actions, are able to sympathize with her plight. Moreover, in Rent, the song â€Å"I'll Cover You† by Angel and Collins allow the viewer to get caught up in this young couple's relationship without having to worry or even consider that this is a gay couple.Therefore, it is obvious that the power of song is one of greatest attributes that the musical genre has to offer. Music has a tendency to touch a person more than mere words, which might be the reason why musicals do, too. Another item that films in the musical genre share in common is production design. Production design is the creation and organization of th e physical world surrounding a film by the use of lighting, staging, and set design. Musicals share many similarities in their production design. For instance, many musicals from the past and present use elaborate production numbers.A production number is a specialty routine, usually performed by the entire cast consisting of musicians, singers, and dancers of a musical with the use of grand set pieces. All the films being discussed here have, at least, one production number in them. Singin’ in the Rain has Gene Kelly's legendary performance in the rain. The ending of Grease features a carnival with several song and dance numbers. The beginning of Rent showcases a beautiful New York block back lot, surrounded with flaming debris. Also, since musicals had their start in the theaters, many lighting choices have theater-like qualities, such as the spotlight.All three films use a spotlight to highlight their actors. Rent and Singin’ in the Rain, use it to emphasize the the ater and movie qualities of their film; while Grease uses the spotlight to portray a beginning of a dream sequence. Many musicals, even the grittier ones, have a sense of grandeur to them that can be seen in the production design. One can say grandeur has always been a calling card for musicals. Once musicals made the transition to film, a number of film techniques have been used repeatedly. First of all, many musicals use the technique of creating lines of movement from background to foreground to foster an illusion of depth.Singin’ in the Rain presents a line of beautiful women in tremendous outfits, in the background, during the â€Å"Beautiful Girl† song. The balcony scene in Rent and the carnival scene in Grease provide the same sense of an illusion of depth. In addition, the use of ellipsis, an omission of time to that separates one shot from another, allows films, such as these, to show a long progression of time quickly. The stories of these films take place ov er a matter of months like Singin’ in the Rain, a school term like Grease, or a full year like Rent. Since all that time cannot be shot, ellipses are used.Another technique, which is commonly used, is the fadeout. Since several of the song and dance scenes are basically vignettes, a fadeout is typically a good transition or ending. Grease uses it at the end of Beauty School Dropout, and the other films use it at the end of their films. Furthermore, the long shot, also known as the full-body shot, is used frequently in musicals to allow the audience to see the dexterity of the actors. The scenes like the ballet in Singin’ in the Rain, the hand jive in Grease, and the tango in Rent, must be shown with such shots to enhance their performances.Hence, while the feel of a musical can differ from one to another, the general format tends to follow a set path that one allows the viewer a measure of comfort. In conclusion, the genre of the musical has had a long standing in film for many years. From mere comedy to critiques on our society, the musical has taken many forms. For some reason, our society allows one to express their point of view through a musical to a mass audience. Such musicals as Hair, Tommy, and even Rent would not have been shown if not in musical form.The use of song and dance has always been a factor in any civilization from the rituals to entertainment. It is said that music soothes the savage beast, but music also allows the viewers of musicals to almost experience movie firsthand. One can easily get caught up in the songs of the musical. Have you ever caught yourself singing the songs after the show? That is a sign of an excellent musical. Whether it is live or on a screen, I receive so much enjoyment out of watching a musical. I hope the same can be said about you.

Ethical Dillemma Worksheet

1. What is the ethical issue or problem? Identify the issue succinctly.The ethical issue develops when the truth is altered in the second or â€Å"signed off† report. The officer altered the report to state that they had actually witnessed the husband drive and park the car, although they had not.2. What are the most important facts? Which facts have the most bearing on the ethical decision presented? Include any important potential economic, social, or political pressures, and exclude inconsequential facts. The fact that the first report had said the officers only felt the vehicle with a warm hood, and only witnessed the husband walk up to the home. Is the first report really had not been signed off it may have been because they would not have a case given that the officers did not witness the husband actually driving the vehicle. Given that, the husband would have won the case and socially and politically it would show weakness within the department, because the officers mad e an arrest without meeting certain criteria for arrest. The second report had stated different, that the officers witnessed the husband driving and park as they pulled up.3. Identify each claimant (key actor) who has an interest in the outcome of this ethical issue. From the perspective of the moral agent—the individual contemplating an ethical course of action—what obligation is owed to the claimant? Why? Claimant(key actor) Obligation (owed to the claimant) Perspective (What does the claimant hope will happen?) The officers Fidelity, justice The officers hope they will win the case of DWI, although they did not witness the husband driving. The husband Fidelity, beneficence Hopes to stay out of jail and win the case against him since he was not witnessed driving while intoxicated. The wife Fidelity, beneficence Hopes to keep her husband out of jail. society justice Hopes that criminal justice personnel and system will be able to keep offenders off the streets as to n ot cause harm to innocent citizens. prosecutor Justice, non-injury Hopes to gain the truth of the matter as to not cause flaws in the justice system, and achieve absolute justice for all parties involved.Evaluating Alternatives4. What are two alternatives for the scenario? One alternative can be a wild card that you ordinarily may not consider an option because of potential implications. Both should be within free will and control of the same moral agent. Alternative AAlternative B Keep report number one and not file charges against the husband. Follow through with report number two, and file charges against the husband. 5. Respond to the following questions based on your developed alternatives.Alternative A Alternative BWhat are the best- and worst-case scenarios if you choose this alternative? Best-the husband will take this opportunity as a draw of luck and rehabilitate. The department and officers will not look bad for making an arrest without proper protocal. Worst- the husband continues to drive while intoxicated and harms another person, the first arrest may come to light and the prosecutor may be reprimanded for not perusing charges the first time Best-the husband will be taken off the streets and not allowed the opportunity to drive while intoxicated potentially causing harm to himself  and others. Worst- the truth will come to light and prosecutors and police officers are reprimanded for not telling the truth to begin with. Will anyone be harmed if this alternative is chosen? If so, how will they be harmed? Consider families and derivative effects.Yes, citizens can be harmed if accidents occur should the husband continue to drive while intoxicated. The wife may continue to be battered by the intoxicated husband. The family may be harmed if the husband is arrested and he is the only source of income. The department may be harmed should the truth be known. Would honor an idea or value— such as personal, professional, or religious—make t he alternative invalid? Professionally it may allow for an intoxicated driver to be on the streets, causing public harm.Professionally, religiously, and personally, it would be wrong to move forward with a falsified report.Applying Ethical Guidelines6. Consider each ethical guideline and explain whether it would support or reject your alternative. Guidelines based on the action itself Alternative A Alternative B Should this alternative become a rule or policy that everyone in this situation should follow in similar situations in the future? (Kant) Yes No Does this alternative result in using any person as a means to an end without consideration for his or her basic integrity? (Kant) Yes Yes Is the intent of this action free from vested interest or ulterior motive? (Kant’s good will) Yes No Does this alternative demonstrate a genuine concern for others affected by the decision, and is the moral agency responding to a perceived need? Yes No Guidelines based on consequences Alte rnative A Alternative B Is the good that results from this alternative outweighed by the potential harm that might be done to others? (Mill’s harm principle) No No Is any harm brought about by anyone other than the moral agent? (causal harm) YesYes Will anyone be harmed who can be said to be defenseless? (paternalism) Yes Yes To what degree is this alternative based on the moral agent’s own best interest? (ethical egoism)Which alternative will generate the greatest benefit—or the least amount of harm—for the greatest number of people? Select only one alternative. (utilitarianism) Alternative number one generates the greatest benefit or least harm.Ethical Decision Making7. Choose to proceed with either Alternative A or Alternative B and explain the reasons for your decision. Alternative A allows the husband to make better choices, as well as keeps the police officers and the prosecutor from lying. The truth will be known and it will not make the police dep artment look irresponsible for not taking proper steps to arrest with sufficient evidence.

IMPACT SOCIO CULTURAL FACTORS ON BUSINESS Essay

Business is an economic activity and decision making by the management is an economic process. It will be influenced by economic and non economic environment of business. You will appreciate that the business environment is quit complex, with heterogeneous elements in the environment. A manager must understand and analyse this process of interaction. In particular, you must note that all non-economic, environmental variables have economic implications, and that is why these variables singly or jointly, affect business activity. Business must have a social purpose; business concern must discharge social responsibility and social obligations and have social commitment. Otherwise business cannot enjoy social sanction. We may identify the critical elements of the sociological environment of business. These elements are: Social institutions and systems Social values and attitudes Education and culture Role and responsibility of Government Social groups and movements Socio-economic order Social problems and prospects Social institutions and systems Social Institutions and systems develop through history, culture and heritage. The caste system, the fount family system, child marriage, sad and the patriarchal family are all examples of social institutions and systems. Until the recent past the caste system ensured a very simple occupational division of labour in our society. The place of the individual was very clearly defined in the social hierarchy of the joint family system where division making was centralized in the head of the family who commanded respect for his age and experience. Social Values and Attitudes In India Today, most of these age-old social institutions are dying fast. It is because the social values and attitudes are changing very fast. The western values of individualism have caught our imagination. Indian women no longer remain satisfied as housewives. Business does not remain confined any more within a given community or caste. Customs, traditions and conventions are no longer rigid. They become flexible. Society’s view of its authorities, responsibilities and delegation, its attitude towards business as a profession, towards achievement and work, towards ownership and management-all have very definite implications for the sociological environment of business. Education and Culture Then come Education and culture as an ingredient of the sociological environment. In this category you may list the attitude towards education; the need for business education; education matching the skill requirement of industry and manpower utilization the role of business schools and executive development programmes ; education versus training ; correlation between formal literacy and the level of culture; the spread of education and its impact on business ethics ; material progress and business morality ; business culture and organizational culture. Role and Responsibility of the Government At a given point of time, society has a level of achievements and aspirations. Such achievements and aspirations have to be defined clearly and categorically, and any divergence between the two has to be bridged through relentless social effort taking care of social welfare and social constraints. This is where the role of the Government as a welfare state comes in. The government is the apex social institution. It is the Government which has to make sure that social progress is not handicapped by the tyranny of the majority, otherwise social tension. Social Groups and Movements Social tension originates in groups composed of frustrated individuals from groups on the basis caste, creed, religion, language, trade and profession and similar other factors. Social groups and the social movements that they engineer are a critical variable of the non-economic environment. Some of  these groups have direct business interests. Thus, consumerism, trade unionism, the cooperative movement, professional management, and shareholder’s associations all pose challenges for business operations. Socio-economic order In a country like India, we have a plural society. Ours is a land of a variety of food, dress, languages, religions, and culture. We also have dual economy with the traditional sector co-existing with the modern sector. Technological dualism in India is very pronounced. Bullock Carts ply on the roads and the Airbus flies through the sky. All these make a very unique socio-economic order for India today. From time to time, this social order gets disturbed and modified, hopefully for the better, through social movements and social policy formulation on subjects like science and technology, ecology and forestry, family planning, animal husbandry etc. Social problems and prospects Social Problems and prospects are just offshoots of a changing socio-economic order. You might be aware that consequent to industrialism and socio-economic development in many developing countries, the death rate has fallen faster than the Birth rate, and this has resulted in an explosive growth of population. This in turn has brought about growing unemployment and poverty, poor housing and sanitation, urban congestion, pollution and increasing incidence of anti-social activities. Therefore, economists suggest that you should always attempt a social cost-benefit analysis of industrial development. As society moves from the pre-industrial stages of development, social benefits must outweigh social costs, otherwise the emerging new social order will prove unstable SOCIAL MOVEMENTS The nation has witnessed several social movements. With the passage of time, as industrialisation proceeded either in the form of a revolution or evolution, sooner or later organised movements were engineering by various social groups to protect their own interests. The class-conflict grew in intensity, and consequent upon that grew a variety of social movements. THE TRADE UNION MOVEMENT Trade unionism is the child of industrialisation. With the growth of the industrial culture, workers have felt that their socio-economic interests cannot be protected if they do not come together in some sort of organized union. THE CONSUMER MOVEMENT Like the labour movement, the consumer movement also exercises a considerable influence on the socio-economic environment of business. A strong consumer movement is the sine qua non of a healthy household sector in an economy. THE MANAGEMENT MOVEMENT Compared to trade unionism and consumerism, the management movement in India has been relatively strong and distinct. Since Independence, one finds certain distinct trends in our corporate management Philosophy and structure. Independent India inherited a structure of corporate management which was dominated organisationally by the Managing Agency System, and entrepreneurially by particular business communities and, among them again by a group of families of big business houses. THE SHARE HOLDER’S MOVEMENT In our socio-culture environment of business, the shareholders’ movement is a recent offshoot of the professional management movement. The shareholders ‘are increasingly becomingly becoming aware of their legitimate rights. ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT Issues related to protection of the environment and ecology have received worldwide attention not only in developed countries but also in the developing countries. Increasing concern has been expressed about environmental degradation which can risk human life and existence.

Current management issues in the real world Essay

Current management issues in the real world - Essay Example The author made an initial assessment of the underlying concept that was emphasized upon in the article and then looked into other information available on the same matter (Pfeffer, 2010, p.26). This included an understanding of human capital and what it means to organizations, as well as examples of where layoffs have been used to strengthen the financial position of a company but have had negative effects in the long-term. The author reflected on the subject expressed in the article, by using material from other sources of literature, including online articles that have been published on various blogs and e-magazines. This helped the author gain a strong foundation on the subject matter and allow for the expression of views that affect the managerial issue of layoffs. The issue of layoffs is one that evokes public debate in depth. It is normally seen as the ideal way for making an organization cost-effective and tends to be the first step taking by enterprises when faced with tough financial situations (Baker, 2009). Even the recent downturn in the global markets saw financial service providers along with several other institutions take the step of downsizing the workforce in order to retain their profitability. However, it is not easy for management to make this decision as the chances of any downturn remaining for long remain slim; so when the situation returns to normal, recruitment drives will have to be resumed which in turn could cost the organization a lot more than current outgoings. A recent debate that has arisen discusses whether the decision to lay off employees is ideal for any organization, even when the economy appears to be in standstill or downturn (Pfeffer, 2010, p.24). Companies in the United States over the last few decades have shown a tendency to shed jobs; something quite evident from the auto industry. For most managers, the action of retrenchment appears unavoidable, as there is a general consensus in the cost of employees being the

Issues Surrounding Childhood Labor Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Issues Surrounding Childhood Labor - Essay Example Although not all the children get spoiled in child labor, most of them are deprived of their educational prospects. In developing countries that aim education to provide chiefly employment prospects, child labor plays a catastrophic role. The very essence of education is lost in such nations. The entire mass of children, adolescents and even adults get numbed to the health risks involved in child labor. The most unbearable but never spoken out tragedy is that the meager earnings and ‘the altogether changed life style’ veils their biological sufferings. The approaches of Governments in this regard vary from time to time and places. The main lacuna in attainment of the governments’ goal of reducing child labor in several countries is the employers’ ambition to get low cost production fueled by the poor peoples’ need for basic needs. Historians and thinkers view this issue of child labor vehemently against the practice. Their recordings of changes, cult and vision reveal that we have just begun the journey in the way of getting the practice eradicated. I have picked the following works to get a clear idea on how child labor had plagued throughout in America and other countries too. The author has expressed the magnitude of ill-effects of child labor in his preface itself by way of presenting the huge volume of child population that never came to the screen of data collectors’ endeavors. The blindness of fatty employers towards the pathetic plight of child laborers and the highly numb practices adopted both by the employers and parents are depicted by the author elucidating the full scenario of child labor. The author has admonished the practice of child labor and hinted the usage of the terms ‘legal employment’ and ‘illegal employment’ as a measure of simple quantification of the problem. But unfortunately legal employment has been misconstrued as a license to practice the ill. That

Pluto Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pluto - Essay Example Pluto has five moons which are Charon, Hydra, Nix, Kerberos, and Styx and there are believed to be many other smaller moons some which have been discovered and others which have not yet been discovered. Charon which is the largest was also discovered first in 1978 followed by Hydra and Nix which were both discovered in 2005. The discovery of these moons suggests that the planet may be having a ring system though past studies show that no ring exists on the planet or on its periphery. It is also worth noting that these moons are unusually close to the dwarf planet than all other objects that surround it and also then it is the case in the majority of other planets which have been explored. The origin and the identity of Pluto are not very clear and there are actually many differing theories all of which try to explain these two aspects. Some of these theories suggest that the planet used to be a moon of the neighboring planet Neptune that escaped from the normal path of circulation he nce resulting to a new planet. Other theories differ with this and argue that the paths of the two planets are far away from each and thus there is no possibility of the two colliding. There is a lot to be explored on Pluto and therefore the possibility of a spacecraft landing on the planet this year is expected to be of great benefit as far as studies concerning the planet are concerned. There is, therefore, need for more studies and visits to be launched in order to solve all the mysteries surrounding the planet.

Personal statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Personal Statement Example social activities, like business seminars and workshops, where my interpersonal skills, such as organization and public speaking have been strengthened and cultivated even further. Additionally, I have joined several clubs for empowering young leaders to transform to even more admirable people in the future. As a leader of monitoring and evaluation club in my former school I participated in organizing of the members to various activities, which some were voluntary in ensuring that the business course was well interpreted by the rest of the school and that more students were advised on the advantages of taking business courses in regard to their future careers. Apart from seeing other members of my family taking business courses and succeeding in their careers my father, who owns a company in Saudi Arabia, also did the same course and had been running the company efficiently for years. He wants to pass it down to someone who understands business to its core. He did not only encourage me to take business courses but also gave me sufficient reasons to join your most esteemed university so as to understand the dynamics of business before indulging myself in the journey of managing the company. He did not have everything to do with my interest in your university, though. I also have my reasons and I have submitted my application because I believe this is my call to follow his footsteps in successful business career as I have talent to realize my full potential in this very field. With my spectacular efforts that I have shown form my early schooling I believe I will do well in the various tasks required of me. When I get in your university I will choose management administration as my major because for a long time now I have been attracted to this area. In my former schooling, I participated in all activities that were based on business ideas but I found myself more intrigued by management topics and evidently performed better at them. In your university I will have

Patents provide competitive advantage for Kodak Essay

Patents provide competitive advantage for Kodak - Essay Example Therefore, these companies are given a chance to create a form of temporary monopoly on their products, and through this way, they are able to make profits. In addition, they are able to encourage innovators in the company to develop more products. Once a company infringes Kodak’s patents is liable to be charged in a court of law, and through this way Kodak can receive settlement money. For example, there were cases where Kodak had sued Samsung and LG, and they compensated them $550 and $400 million respectively. Moreover, the company acquires negotiated licensing deals concerning the patents. On the other hand, the company able to reduce chances of other companies infringing their patents and this can facilitate full utilization of their patents. In fact, due to the high amounts of money charged in courts for settlement, this can be a source of discouragement for other companies to infringe the Kodak’s patents. Therefore, the company operates in a market without competition that can affect their pricing strategy, which can lead to low income. In fact, a company like Kodak is willing to go to the extent of suing companies that infringe the patents in order to protect the favorable business environment provided by these patents. After the patent has expired, any company is given the freedom to copy the technology; thus, Kodak maximizes their profit out of the patents before they expire. However, in order to achieve this, ensures that the patent is generating substantial money as a source of intellectual property income. Therefore, Kodak is able generate a lot of income from the intellectual property by establishing a large catalogue and ensuring that their shares do not fall. Moreover, increasing the catalogue and using substantial marketing strategies they are able to make high volumes of sales that can generate high profit margins. The patents offer a form of temporary monopoly for the company; thus,

Argument Essay - should school be separated by gender

Argument - should school be separated by gender - Essay Example These trends continued in many institutions that were slow to change, or believed that gender-segregation created a more functional scholastic environment. This essay argues that gender segregation in the scholastic environment is a misguided policy because of the nature of school as used for student development, the problem of stereotypes, the learning experience, and the undemocratic process of such segregation. A counter perspective is also considered. Large amounts of people reject the notion that schools should be segregated along gender lines. There are a variety of reasons that support this perspective. One of the prominent reasons in this mode of understanding is that the scholastic environment does not simply function as a means of promoting education, but also operates as a means of preparing students for the real world and the democratic process. In these regards, restricting school to one gender creates an artificial environment that is not at all reflective of the real world. When this notion is considered on a deeper level one also understands that the process of the scholastic environment functions on a developmental level as well. For instance, children learn how to interact with the opposite sex in romantic and platonic ways. For an individual to successfully function in the real world it becomes necessary for them to learn to navigate such relationships (Barton & Cohen). Individuals that support gender segregation t hen are shortsighted in that they fail to recognize the strong amount of learning that occurs between classes. Within the understanding of students’ development, one also considers the nature of stereotypes. Proponents of gender segregation in the classroom have argued that because of gender differences learning can be more effective and efficient in a gender-segregated classroom. While such theories are rooted in educational theory, a number of people have challenged such

The Mission San Gabriel Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Mission San Gabriel - Research Paper Example The particular settlement where the mission stands was erected around 1770 by the early Spaniards and was possibly named after the Angel Gabriel. Historical sources indicate that building was designed by Antonio Cruzado who was a Father from Spain (Baer 47). He cleverly designed the structure giving it a strong architectural and captive influence. With long narrow windows and a peculiar capped buttress, the building is reminiscent of several others unique only to the state of California. Much of the original roof of the structure was destroyed in 1894 by an earthquake which ravaged the area. A replacement was further damaged in 1812 and was later replaced in 1886. Nevertheless much of the original composition of the structure still stands strong signifying a rich source of history. The establishment of the mission in that particular locality radically transformed the manner of life around. The hostile Indians completely took charge and dominated the area. Up to 1822, it is estimated that over 6800 natives had been baptized of whom 2400 was children. In the neighborhoods of this church, the majority of the population was the Indians who mostly belonged to the Shoshonean family. There were also other people especially the neophytes who came from further beyond. Most important, however, is the manner in which the mission has always defined the history and manner of life in that particular region. It has to be remembered that the major objective of the missions established at that time was to propagate a culture of self-sufficiency and social collectiveness amongst the people. Through farming, the missions managed to produce entirely everything that was necessary in the localities. Much of that effort was always successful to the extent that by 1810, the Indians ware able to produce sufficient food to sustain the whole military and government of California. Agriculture had suddenly taken root in the region as the most important economic activity. The rich informati on availed by delving into the missions’ history is very fundamental in drawing very important conclusions and learning much about the Chicano history. Very striking characteristics are reminicesent in the Spaniards who came to the region in the early days and made settlements. Their mannerisms and ways of life have always stood and helped define their history and character. One can gradually realize the causes of the growing unrest that was evidenced across the Mexican-American population in the country. These people are driven by the power of their collective awareness and through mass action, agitate for fundamental liberties. In such a case, the emergence and the progress of the Chicano movement cannot be overemphasized. Sure enough, most of the challenges that led to this movement have not been addressed even in the present American situation. Very high school drop-out rates are still a daily norm in the California region. The lack of Mexican-American teachers in the ins titutions is still an issue that has not yet been addressed. Paradoxically, looking back into the early days, we realize that many dreams have been shattered in the face of these emerging realities. The very farms that had their origins in the mission days became the hotbeds of controversy as farmers and university students teamed together and went to the streets in protest. The whole issue was about the aspiration of social betterment

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay Example for Free

Effects of Poverty on Children Essay The nation’s economic crisis has deeply affected the lives of millions of Americans. Skyrocketing foreclosures and job layoffs have pulled the rug out from under many families, particularly those living in low-income communities. Deepening poverty is inextricably linked with rising levels of homelessness and food insecurity/hunger for many Americans and children are particularly affected by these conditions. Find out below a summary of the myriad effects of poverty, homelessness, and hunger on children and youth. Various volunteer opportunities and resources have also been listed that provide information and tools on ways to fight poverty in America. What are the current poverty and unemployment rates for Americans? The ongoing economic crisis has negatively affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), the unemployment rate is 7.9 percent as of January 2013. Despite the data showing an increase of only 0.1 percent from December 2012, the unemployment rate is still high by all accounts, having doubled since the beginning of the recession in December 2007. * U.S. Census Bureau data shows that the U.S. poverty rate rose to 15.1 percent (46.2 million) in 2010, an increase from 14.3 percent (approximately 43.6 million) in 2009 and the highest level since 1993. In 2008, 13.2 percent (39.8 million) Americans lived in relative poverty. * In 2000, the poverty rate for individuals was 12.2 percent and for families was 9.3 percent. * In 2010, the poverty threshold, or poverty line, was $22,314 for a family of four. * Over 15 percent of the population fell below this threshold in 2010. * The percentage of people in deep poverty was 13.5 percent of all Blacks and 10.9 percent of all Hispanics, compared to 5.8 percent of Asians and 4.3 percent of Whites. * While non-Hispanic Whites still constitute the largest single group of Americans living in poverty, ethnic minority groups are overrepresented (27.4 percent African American; 28.4 percent American Indian and Alaskan Native; 26.6 percent Hispanic, and 12.1 percent Asian and Pacific Islander compared with 9.9 percent non-Hispanic White). * These disparities are associated with the historical marginalization of ethnic minority groups and entrenched barriers to good education and jobs. Where is child poverty concentrated? * U.S. Census data reveals that from 2009 to 2010, the total number of children under age 18 living in poverty increased to 16.4 million from 15.5 million. Child poverty rose from 20.7 percent in 2009, to 22 percent in 2010, and this is the highest it has ever been since 1993. * Racial and ethnic disparities in poverty rates persist among children. The poverty rate for Black children was 38.2 percent; 32.3 percent for Hispanic children; 17 percent for non-Hispanic White children; and 13 percent for Asian children. * The National Center for Children in Poverty reports that 17.2 million children living in the U.S. have a foreign-born parent, and 4.2 million children of immigrant parents are poor. It is reported that child poverty in immigrant families is more closely related to low-wage work and barriers to valuable work supports. * The Population Reference Bureau (2010) reports that 24 percent of the 75 million children under age 18 in the U.S. live in a single-mother family. The poverty rate for children living in female-householder families (no spouse present) was 42.2 percent in 2010; 7 in 10 children living with a single mother are poor or low-income, compared to less than a third (32 percent) of children living in other types of families. A staggering 50.9 percent of female-headed Hispanic households with children below 18 years of age live in poverty (48.8 percent for Blacks; 31.6 percent Asian, and 32.1 percent non-Hispanic White). * Single-mother headed households are more prevalent among African American and Hispanic families contributing to ethnic disparities in poverty. What are the effects of child poverty? Psychological research has demonstrated that living in poverty has a wide range of negative effects on the physical and mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. Poverty impacts children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in their neighborhoods and communities. * Poverty is linked with negative conditions such as substandard housing, homelessness, inadequate nutrition and food insecurity, inadequate child care, lack of access to health care, unsafe neighborhoods, and under resourced schools which adversely impact our nation’s children. * Poorer children and teens are also at greater risk for several negative outcomes such as poor academic achievement, school dropout, abuse and neglect, behavioral and socio-emotional problems, physical health problems, and developmental delays. * These effects are compounded by the barriers children and their families encounter when trying to access physical and mental health care. * Economists estimate that child poverty costs an estimated $500 billion a year to the U.S. economy; reduces productivity and economic output by 1.3 percent of GDP; raises crime and increases health expenditure (Holzer et al., 2008). Poverty and academic achievement * Poverty has a particularly adverse effect on the academic outcomes of children, especially during early childhood. * Chronic stress associated with living in poverty has been shown to adversely affect children’s concentration and memory which may impact their ability to learn. * The National Center for Education Statistics reports that in 2008, the dropout rate of students living in low-income families was about four and one-half times greater than the rate of children from higher-income families (8.7 percent versus 2.0 percent). * The academic achievement gap for poorer youth is particularly pronounced for low-income African American and Hispanic children compared with their more affluent White peers. * Under resourced schools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning needs of their students and aid them in fulfilling their potential. * Inadequate education contributes to the cycle of poverty by making it more difficult for low-income children to lift themselves and future generations out of poverty. Poverty and psychosocial outcomes * Children living in poverty are at greater risk of behavioral and emotional problems. * Some behavioral problems may include impulsiveness, difficulty getting along with peers, aggression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder. * Some emotional problems may include feelings of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. * Poverty and economic hardship is particularly difficult for parents who may experience chronic stress, depression, marital distress and exhibit harsher parenting behaviors. These are all linked to poor social and emotional outcomes for children. * Unsafe neighborhoods may expose low-income children to violence which can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties. Violence exposure can also predict future violent behavior in youth which places them at greater risk of injury and mortality and entry into the juvenile justice system. Poverty and physical health Children and teens living in poorer communities are at increased risk for a wide range of physical health problems: * Low birth weight   * Poor nutrition which is manifested in the following ways: 1. Inadequate food which can lead to food insecurity/hunger 2. Lack of access to healthy foods and areas for play or sports which can lead to childhood overweight or obesity * Chronic conditions such as asthma, anemia, and pneumonia * Risky behaviors such as smoking or engaging in early sexual activity * Exposure to environmental contaminants, e.g., lead paint and toxic waste dumps * Exposure to violence in their communities which can lead to trauma, injury, disability, and mortality What is the prevalence of child hunger in America? * The Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics reports that in 2010, 22 percent of children under the age of 18 lived in food-insecure households and one percent in households with very low food security. Food insecure means that at some point during the year, the household had limited access to an adequate supply of food due to lack of money or other resources. * In 2009 – 2010, 21 states and the District of Columbia had at least one in four households with children (25 percent or more) facing food hardship, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). The District of Columbia had the highest rates of food hardship for households with children, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, Nevada, Arizona, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. FRAC data shows that Metropolitan areas in the South and South West, and California were hard hit by food hardships. Use of food stamps increased to 16% (13.6 million households) in 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau. States with the largest increase (over 30%) in food stamp use included Nevada, Idaho, Colorado, Wisconsin and Florida. * Approximately 1 in 4 Americans utilize at least one of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) nutrition assistance programs each year (USDA, 2011). * The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) reports that 53% of infants born in the United States receive support from the Women, Infants Children (WIC) program. * In 2010, more than 31.7 million children each day got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. Children from families with incomes at or below 130 percent of the poverty level are eligible for free meals. Approximately, 20 million children received free and reduced price lunch, according to the Food Research and Action C enter (2010). What are the effects of hunger and under nutrition on child development? Prenatally * Maternal under nutrition during pregnancy increases the risk of negative birth outcomes, including premature birth, low birth weight, smaller head size, and lower brain weight. * Babies born prematurely are vulnerable to health problems and are at increased risk for developing learning problems when they reach school-age. In infancy and early childhood * The first three years of a child’s life are a period of rapid brain development. Too little energy, protein, and nutrients during this sensitive period can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development. * Protein-energy malnutrition, iron deficiency anemia, iodine, zinc, and other vitamin deficiencies in early childhood can cause brain impairment. * Failure to thrive, the failure to grow and reach major developmental milestones as the result of under nutrition, affects 5-10% of American children under the age of three. * Hunger reduces a child’s motor skills, activity level, and motivation to explore the environment. Movement and exploration are important to cognitive development, and more active children elicit more stimulation and attention from their caregivers, which promotes social and emotional development. In childhood * Families often work to keep their food-insecurity hidden, and some parents may feel shame or embarrassment that they are not able to feed their children adequately. Children may also feel stigmatized, isolated, ashamed, or embarrassed by their lack of food. * A community sample that classified low-income children ages six to twelve as â€Å"hungry†, â€Å"at-risk for hunger†, or â€Å"not hungry† found that hungry children were significantly more likely to receive special education services, to have repeated a grade in school, and to have received mental health counseling than at-risk-for-hunger or not-hungry children. * In this same study, hungry children exhibited 7 to 12 times as many symptoms of conduct disorder (such as fighting, blaming others for problems, having trouble with a teacher, not listening to rules, stealing) than their at-risk or not-hungry peers. * Among low-income children, those classified as â€Å"hungry† show increased anxious, ir ritable, aggressive, and oppositional behavior in comparison to peers. * Additionally, the multiple stressors associated with poverty result in significantly increased risk for developing psychiatric and functional problems. School-age children who experience severe hunger are at increased risk for the following negative outcomes: * Homelessness * Chronic health conditions * Stressful life conditions * Psychiatric distress * Behavioral problems * Internalizing behavior, including depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and poor self-esteem The effects of under nutrition depend on the length and severity of the period of hunger and may be mediated by other factors. * Improved nutrition, increased environmental stimulation, emotional support, and secure attachment to parents/caregivers can compensate for early under nutrition. * Babies who receive enough nutrition while in the womb appear to show higher cognitive performance in later childhood. * The human brain is flexible and can recover from early deficits, but this also means that brain structures remain vulnerable to further negative experiences throughout childhood. * Breastfeeding, attentive caretaking, and attention to environmental factors, such as sleep cycles and noise, can also promote healthy development. Who are homeless children and youth in America? * In 2009, an estimated 656,129 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a given night, according to the National Alliance to End Homelessness. An estimated 2.3 to 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness at least once a year. Homelessness affects people of all ages, geographic areas, occupations, and ethnicities, but occurs disproportionately among people of color. * Access to permanent and adequate shelter is a basic human need; however, the ongoing economic downturn (composed of the foreclosure crisis, spiking unemployment, worsening poverty rates, and inadequate low-cost housing) is likely to increase rates of homelessness. * The National Association for Education of Homeless Children and Youth reports that during the 2009-2010 school year, 939,903 homeless children and youth were enrolled in public schools, a 38% increase from the 2006-2007 school years. The data is an underestimate since it does not reflect pre-school age children, toddlers and infants. * The United States Conference of Mayors (2009) reports that in 2010 more than 1.6 million children (1 in 45 children) in America were homeless and that approximately 650,000 are below age 6. Families with children are a major segment of the homelessness population. Families with children comprise a third of the homeless population and are typically comprised of a single mother in her late twenties with two young children. * Approximately 47 percent of children in homeless families are Black, although Black children make up just 15 percent of the U.S. child population (Child Trends Databank, 2012). On the other hand, although White children make up 66% of the child population, they account for 38% of homeless children. Hispanic children make up 13%, whereas Native American children make up 2% of the homeless children population. * Homeless single mothers often have histories of violent victimization with over one third having post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and over half experiencing major depression while homeless. An estimated 41 percent develop dependency on alcohol and drugs and are often in poor physical health. Maternal depression and parental substance abuse has a series of negative outcomes for children. * Unaccompanied youth (sometimes referred to as runaway youth) may number between 575,000 to 1.6 million annually and typically range from ages 16 to 22. The major causes of homelessness for unaccompanied youth are mental illness, substance abuse, and lack of affordable housing. * Family conflict is the primary cause of their homelessness with 46% having experienced abuse and an estimated 20-40% identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT). * Homelessness is traumatic for children because they often experience frequent moves, family split-ups, and living in crowded places before using homeless shelters (National Center on Family Homelessness, 2011). * States in the south and south west where poverty is more prevalent have more homeless children than states in the north and northeast. Homelessness affects children’s health and wellbeing, their brain development, causes stress, and hinders readiness for school. What are the risk factors for homelessness in children and youth? * Extreme poverty is the strongest predictor of homelessness for families. These families are often forced to choose between housing and other necessities for their survival. At least 11% of American children living in poverty are homeless. * Female-headed households (particularly by women with limited education and job skills) are also particularly vulnerable. The current economic climate has made the labor market even less hospitable as many of them do not have more than a high school diploma or GED. * Teen parents are also particularly at risk of homelessness as they often lack the education and income of adults who become parents. * Lack of affordable housing is also a risk factor for homelessness, particularly for families who devote more than 50% of household income to paying rent or those who experience a foreclosure. Foreclosures affect vulnerable tenants as well as homeowners who are delinquent in their mortga ge payments. * Substance abusing or physically violent parents and stepparents are the major drivers of homelessness in runaway youth, particularly for those who identify as GLBT. What are the outcomes of homelessness for children and youth? * Homelessness has particularly adverse effects on children and youth including hunger, poor physical and mental health, and missed educational opportunities. * Homeless children lack stability in their lives with 97% having moved at least once on an annual basis, which leads to disruptions in schooling and negatively impacts academic achievement. * Schooling for homeless children is often interrupted and delayed, with homeless children twice as likely to have a learning disability, repeat a grade, or to be suspended from school. * Homelessness and hunger are closely intertwined. Homeless children are twice as likely to experience hunger as their non-homeless peers. Hunger has negative effects on the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of children. * A quarter of homeless children have witnessed violence and 22% have been separated from their families. Exposure to violence can cause a number of psychosocial difficulties for children both emotionally (depression, anxiety, withdrawal) and behaviorally (aggression, acting out). * Half of school age homeless children experience problems with depression and anxiety and one in five homeless preschoolers have emotional problems that require professional care. * Homelessness is linked to poor physical health for children including low birth weight, malnutrition, ear infections, exposure to environmental toxins, and chronic illness (e.g. asthma). Homeless children also are less likely to have adequate access to medical and dental care. * Unaccompanied youth are often more likely to grapple with mental health (depression, anxiety, and PTSD) and substance abuse problems. * Many runaway youth engage in sexually risky behaviors (sometimes for their own survival), which places them at risk of HIV, other STDs, and unintended pregnancies. Also, emerging research has shown that GLBT homeless youth are 7 times more likely to be victims of violent crime. What can you do to help children and families struggling with poverty, hunger, and homelessness? * Volunteer your time with charities and organizations that provide assistance to low-income and homeless children and families. * Donate money, food, and clothing to homeless shelters and other charities in your community. * Donate school supplies and books to under-resourced schools in your area. * Make your voice heard! Support public policy initiatives that seek to: i. Improve access to physical, mental, and behavioral health care for low-income ii. Americans by eliminating barriers such as limitations in health care coverage. iii. Create a â€Å"safety net† for children and families that provide real protection against the harmful effects of economic insecurity. iv. Increase the minimum wage, affordable housing and job skills training for low-income and homeless Americans. v. Intervene in early childhood to support the health and educational development of low-income children. vi. Provide support for low-income and food insecure children such as Head Start, the National School Lunch Program, and the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) authorization. vii. Increase resources for public education and access to higher education. viii. Support research on poverty and its relationship to health, education, and well-being.