Leveraging IT and a Business Network by a Small Medical Practice Essay

Leveraging IT and a Business Network by a Small Medical Practice - Essay Example The case is about Eastern Cardiology Services (further - ESC), which has been founded by Dr. Jeff Curtin with the aim of providing high-quality medical services on the private grounds in the sphere of cardiology. His aim was to create a small enterprise, which will combine the service delivery with the use of advanced computer technologies. The key issues, existing in the company at the very beginning of its operation were the following: 1. The firm had to achieve high level of quality, through the understanding, that often the quality if information delivered to the patient could become a matter of his life-or-death. The issue in this relation was that the small firm like ESC could not afford implementation IT in combination with medical services through trial and effort, as it was usual for large companies. 2. The second issue was related with the fact that the newly opened enterprise had to prove the accuracy of the records given to the patients. As far as the information had to be easily retrievable the newly developed IT had to be connected with the medical equipment for medical investigation - this was a serious matter to resolve. Among the issues, which the enterprise had to face and resolve, were the issues related to the necessity of aligning corporate management with IT use. Thus, it is seen that the main issue, though described here through several separate key problems, are certainly connected with the necessity to implement IT technologies into all spheres of the ESC activity - both directly and indirectly connected with the medical service delivery. These issues are the result of understanding that for SME to survive in the area of medical service delivery, something new and unique should be invented, to distinguish them from the large medical establishments, which mainly display a kind of 'line production' service delivery. One more important issue here was making each consumer feel unique and exclusive, and receive the best service through the IT which the enterprise uses. 4. For the development of the IT necessary to be used in the enterprise, it was important to find the research opportunities, which would satisfy financial demands of stakeholders and result in general improvement of the ESC operation. 5. The management of the enterprise had also to understand that as soon as the IT system was developed, it would have to be constantly improved, as in the process of its implementation and operation new limitations were going to be displayed and thus eliminated. The problem there was that this process needed constant financing, which had also to be agreed with stakeholders. 6. Finally, it was of course necessary proving the benefits of IT implementation to the stakeholders. Thus, in identifying the key problems of the enterprise at that time, it is clearly seen, that the principal strategy developed by ESC was aimed at implementing IT, as the key to its success in delivering medical services. Though the enterprise understood the necessity for such actions, but many factors were simply forgotten

The Opening Two Chapters of the Lord of the Flies Essay Example for Free

The Opening Two Chapters of the Lord of the Flies Essay When William Golding introduce the three main characters of the first two chapters, they seem to be stuck on an unknown island with no adults to look after them. Ralph, Piggy and Jack are their names. Ralph is a fair-minded boy who is ready for action. He is very wise as he often comes up with good ideas. He is immature compared to Piggy. Piggy is more determined and eager. In chapter one, he is very eager to find any other living being on the island. When Jack comes into the story you find that he is very aggressive and quite competitant. He is not fair-minded the way Ralph is and he is eager to be a chief and take charge of things. Through the essay I will discuss the leadership qualities of the three characters and I will argue that none of the them are capable of being a good leader on their own, but if they were to work together then maybe they could reach some succession Ralph, who is one of the three main characters, is the first person to be introduced on the island. One of the positive leadership qualities of Ralph is that he is very confident. This was the voice of one who knew his own mind. To be a leader, confidence is very necessary because if you have to stand up infront of people, you wont feel ashamed or scared! Piggy does not seem as confident as Ralph as he tends to hesitate when speaking in large crowds. Piggy glanced nervously into hell and cradled the conch. Jack, like Ralph, is confident too. Ralph and Jack are the ones who normally speak up whereas Piggy is the one who sits and listens. Ralph being as wise as he is, comes up with good ideas. We ought to draw a map. As Ralph is chosen as leader instead of Jack, he always shares his ideas with the rest of the group. I think that a good leader should come up with good ideas, as this is how the group will come to success and actually get somewhere. So really a good leader should be a team player. Like Ralph, I dont think that Piggy and Jack are team players. Even though Piggy is friendly to others he is not really a team player because he does not mix in well with others because of his problems. I think that Jack is too dictatorial to be a good team player. By reading the first couple of chapters, I found out that Ralph is basically the popular one of the group. Ralph counted. Im chief then. He had the most hands up out of the group when they were electing chief. So this does mean that he is popular. If a leader does not have any popularity then no one would listen to them. As Ralph is elected leader he tries to be fair and democratic. He allows Jack to be leader of the hunters when he himself is chosen as leader. Although Ralph has got good physical features and good leadership qualities, you could see now that he might make a boxer, as far as width and heaviness of shoulders went, but there was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil, he also has some weaknesses. I think that Ralphs immaturity can get in the way of his leadership. He always wants to have fun and is hardly serious about anything. Whilst were waiting we can have a good time on this island. A leader should take things seriously to get things done right, and on time. But having said all this, if you put Ralphs immaturity and his seriousness together, they kind of balance. So strictly speaking, Ralph has a got a balanced personality. I think that Jack and Piggys personality is not balanced like Ralphs is. I think that maybe theyre more on the mature and serious side. After Ralph is introduced in the story as the boy with fair hair, Piggy comes into the story. He makes his entrance by calling to Ralph. Hi! it said, Wait a minute! This quote indicates that Piggy wants to get noticed by Ralph. This shows that Piggy likes to be noticed although in the story this does not happen many times. Unlike Ralph, Piggy is more determined and eager, so a leader should be because I think that determination is what mostly brings people to success. In the first chapter Piggy is very eager to find anyone else living on the island. He comes up with different ways in which to manipulate Ralph into helping him do so. I expect theres a lot more of us scattered about. When Piggy and Ralph find the conch, Piggy comes up with a very good idea to call the others. He told Ralph to blow in it. This is a sign that Piggy does have a good leadership quality: he can come up with good ideas, like Ralph. Piggy is also very kind and friendly. This is a very necessary quality. If a leader is not very friendly, like Jack, then nobody would like them and enjoy having them around. Let him have the conch! shouted Piggy. This is where Piggy allows the little boy to have the conch so he could speak. As we know by reading the first couple of chapters, Piggy is quite mature compared to Ralph. Like kids! he said scornfully. Acting like a crowd of kids! When Piggy says this, he tries to imply that the rest of the boys are acting like kids and he is the only mature one around. Piggy can also be calm about things and very sensible at times, these are the good leadership qualities that could make him a good leader. But besides all this, when you read chapter two, you learn that Piggy has got a very quick temper. This is a very negative leader ship quality to have. Piggy lost his temper. Also, Piggy can be sarcastic. Sarcasm does not sound very polite the way Piggy sometimes uses it. You got your small fire all right. And again it is quite a negative leadership quality to have. Besides all the leadership qualities necessary to be a leader, Piggy does not have very good physical features. A leader should be strong and practical and very healthy. Piggy is neither of them. He is more on the fat side. His asthma does not allow him to be as practical as he may want to be. I was the only boy in school what had asthma, said the fat boy. I think that when the other boys went to explore the island, they did not let Piggy come with them because they were afraid that he would slow them down. To conclude about Piggy, I dont think that with all the problems he has, he would make a good leader. When Jack comes into the story, he makes his entrance by marching in on the beach. This already shows that he is full of confidant, a good leadership quality. Although Jack is very aggressive and dictatorial, he could make a good leader. He owns his own choir and he orders them about with oomph and confidence. Choir! Stand still. A leader should be able to talk to the rest of the group with confidence, like Jack and Ralph do. Jack is also quite competitant. A leader should be because this way they could have a challenge with someone else and see what they are good at and what they need to be good at. I think that in a way, a leader should be dominant. Jack is very dominant. I think that this is a good leadership quality because if a leader can control his group then there is no point of them being there. A leader must be dominant and should control their group. Although Jack seems too aggressive, he can also be friendly, like Piggy. Jack grinned back. It seems that Jack can smile and does not always hold a posh look. He is also quite funny as he can make people laugh. Shut up fatty! You have to be able to make someone laugh because this means that if someone is feeling down, you could make him or her feel better by making him or her laugh. I dont think that Jack will be a very good leader if he is chosen as one because he has not got many good leadership qualities as it is. I think that the following words describe him best: Dictatorial, impulsive, aggressive and dominant, arrogant, cruel, envious and red headed. As I have now explained the positive and negative leadership qualities that each of the three main characters has, I have finally come to a conclusion. I have decided that none of the three characters, Ralph, Piggy and Jack could make a good leader on their own. I think that if they work together and not have an individual leader then maybe they could achieve some success and come up with good ideas together. If you put all their positive leadership qualities together then you come up with one ever so good leader. If I were to re-write the whole story again, I would put that all three of them are leaders together!

Chaos in Art and Literature :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Chaos in Art and Literature      Ã‚  Ã‚   Abstract:   The following paper deals with the expanding world of the new science of chaos. Chaos is unique because it can be applied to all the core sciences, and more importantly it can be applied to subjects not considered to be science. The paper below deals with the evidence of chaos in literature and art, and how it functions in this world. While many aspects of the chaos present in art and literature are different from the science of chaos, some similarities still emerged and can be seen when examined closely. Chaos was found to be especially evident in the works of W.B. Yeats, John Milton, Wallace Stevens, William Blake, Jackson Pollock, and in the works of those involved in the Futurist Movement.    Chaos is a word with many applications. It has been used to describe situations that lack order, and at the same time it has been used to describe underlying mechanisms of the core sciences. Interestingly enough, chaos now can be found in other realms of the scholarly world, most notably in art and literature. By examining the literature of William Blake, W.B. Yeats, John Milton, and Wallace Stevens, and the art of the futurist movement and of Jackson Pollock chaos can be found as can its connection to the more scientific world.    The chaos found in literature is not something too entirely modern. In fact one of the first examples of chaos in literature according to Ala'a H. Fawad was found in William Blake's poem "Auguries of Innocence." The poem describes how a world can exist as a microcosm in a our world in a grain of sand and how the world Blake lives in could perhaps be a grain of sand in another world. Fawad insists that this poem sums up the idea of chaos: the science that "describes the cosmos at both extremes." Those extremes according to him were the largeness associated with the theory of relativity and the smallness associated with quantum physics (Fawad's Chaos on the World Wide Web).    Chaos, though, has also been found in more recent works such as in the poems of William Butler Yeats. This Irish poet who won the Nobel Prize in literature is known for his nationalistic poetry that celebrates Ireland as well as its culture and folklore. More importantly, though, Yeats was interested in philosophy.

Alcoholism Essay -- Alcohol Addiction Dependence

Alcoholism Alcohol Dependence is a disease characterized by: a strong need or compulsion to drink, the frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun, the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms (nausea, sweating, shakiness) when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking, and the need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel an affect. Most experts agree that alcoholism is a disease just as high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis are diseases. Like these other diseases, alcoholism tends to run in the family. Drinking alcohol is not the only factor that leads to alcoholism, it is a chronic disease that leaves an everlasting effect on the person's life and his family. The basic difference between the social drinker and the alcoholic is the way he drinks and the effect alcohol has on him. How much a person consumes is not the determining factor. An alcoholic might not have drink for a month, but when he does, he cannot stop. A social drinker could have a drink a number of times per week. That does not make him alcoholic. A problem drinker drinks to escape from unpleasant realities whereas the social drinker drinks to complement an event. The alcoholic becomes both physically and psychologically addicted to alcohol. The social drinker does not. Therefore, I have been researching to gather the facts that distinguish a social drinkers and an alcoholic and what divides people into these two categories. In other words, why do people belonging to these two categories have different effects on them? Alcoholism 2 is a disease and that is why alcohol has different effects o... ...ted Hanna, Eleanor & Grant, Bridget. Alcoholism. Clinical and Experimental Research 1999: p513-22. Lieb, J. & Young, P. TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM AS A CHRONIC DISORDER. EXS 1994: 349-59 Martin, Don & Martin, Betty. The Ultimate Wine Book. California: Pine Cone Press, 1993. Miller, K. A Case-Specific Approach to the Treatment of Alcoholism. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 1994: 35-44. Niemela, O. Oral Nalmefence HCL for Alcohol Dependence. Alcoholism, Clinical & Experimental Research 2006: 1162-7. Parker, Frederick. A Comparison of the Sex Temperament of Alcoholics and Moderate Drinkers. American Sociological Review, Vol. 24 January, 1959: 366-374. Ries, Janet. Public Acceptance of the Disease Concept of Alcoholism. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 18, No. 3 Sep., 1977: 338-344. Alcoholism Essay -- Alcohol Addiction Dependence Alcoholism Alcohol Dependence is a disease characterized by: a strong need or compulsion to drink, the frequent inability to stop drinking once a person has begun, the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms (nausea, sweating, shakiness) when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking, and the need for increasing amounts of alcohol in order to feel an affect. Most experts agree that alcoholism is a disease just as high blood pressure, diabetes and arthritis are diseases. Like these other diseases, alcoholism tends to run in the family. Drinking alcohol is not the only factor that leads to alcoholism, it is a chronic disease that leaves an everlasting effect on the person's life and his family. The basic difference between the social drinker and the alcoholic is the way he drinks and the effect alcohol has on him. How much a person consumes is not the determining factor. An alcoholic might not have drink for a month, but when he does, he cannot stop. A social drinker could have a drink a number of times per week. That does not make him alcoholic. A problem drinker drinks to escape from unpleasant realities whereas the social drinker drinks to complement an event. The alcoholic becomes both physically and psychologically addicted to alcohol. The social drinker does not. Therefore, I have been researching to gather the facts that distinguish a social drinkers and an alcoholic and what divides people into these two categories. In other words, why do people belonging to these two categories have different effects on them? Alcoholism 2 is a disease and that is why alcohol has different effects o... ...ted Hanna, Eleanor & Grant, Bridget. Alcoholism. Clinical and Experimental Research 1999: p513-22. Lieb, J. & Young, P. TREATMENT OF ALCOHOLISM AS A CHRONIC DISORDER. EXS 1994: 349-59 Martin, Don & Martin, Betty. The Ultimate Wine Book. California: Pine Cone Press, 1993. Miller, K. A Case-Specific Approach to the Treatment of Alcoholism. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 1994: 35-44. Niemela, O. Oral Nalmefence HCL for Alcohol Dependence. Alcoholism, Clinical & Experimental Research 2006: 1162-7. Parker, Frederick. A Comparison of the Sex Temperament of Alcoholics and Moderate Drinkers. American Sociological Review, Vol. 24 January, 1959: 366-374. Ries, Janet. Public Acceptance of the Disease Concept of Alcoholism. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, Vol. 18, No. 3 Sep., 1977: 338-344.

European Law the Ordinary Legislative Procedure

n European Law the Ordinary legislative procedure is used when drafting hard law to ensure that the democratically elected representatives of the EU citizens have an equal say in appropriate areas of law making. There will be a brief analyse of the Ordinary legislative procedure and a discussion on it. European Law is very complex law , within EU law there is various different treaties which are in place. Two most significant treaties which have importance to the legislative process are The Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union.The Treaty on European Union also known as the Maastricht Treaty was signed in Maastricht 7th of February 1992 and the Treaty on the functioning of the European Union also was known as the treaty of Rome until the Treaty of Lisbon came Enforce and changed it’s name , the original Treaty of Rome was signed in 25 March 1957. These two treaties have effect on the constitute of the Union , and in effect these two d ocuments had all ready created a Federal State which was recognised by the European Court of Justice this was before the Treaty of Lisbon as put in place.Within EU there are two types of Legislation Primary and Secondary. Primary legislation is the ground rules or basis which is set out in the treaties. Secondary Legislation includes regulations, directives and decisions these are derived from the principles and objectives set out in the treaties . The EU’s standard decision-making procedure is known as ‘co-decision'. This means that the directly elected European Parliament has to approve EU legislation together with the Council.The TEU established the co-decision procedure , this provided the European Parliament with new powers of amendment and right to reject legislation. This procedure was carried on through out all the treaties , however the Treaty of Lisbon renamed the co-decision procedure to the ordinary Legislative procedure. The ordinary Legislative procedure i s highlighted in article 294 of the TFEU. The ordinary Legislative Procedure must be applied wherever the legal base provides that an act shall be adopted â€Å" in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure† (art 294 (1) TFEU. The procedure begins with the commission submitting a proposal to the European Parliament and the council. The commission also take into account since the treaty of Lisbon they must also propose this forward to the national parliaments this can be seen in protocol 1 and 2 of the TEU. The next stage is the first reading and normally the first reading is by the European parliament. First Reading The parliament decides whether or not to view the proposal which was made by the commission , the parliament then contacts the council and tells them its view of the proposal.Then there are two possibilities which can arise: If the council approves the Parliament’s position , the council , acting by qualified majority , shall adopt the act concerne d . The wording of the act will correspond to the position of the parliament ( art 294(4) TFEU);. If the Council does not approve the Parliament’s position , the Council , acting by a qualified majority ; shall adopt its position and communicate its position to the parliament and communicate its position to the parliament (art 294(5) TFEU. The Council shall inform the Parliament fully of the reasons why it adopted its own position at first reading (art 294(6 TFEU). This will obviously include reasons as to why the council has rejected the Parliament’s position. The commission shall also inform the Parliament fully of its position (art 294(6) TFEU). The first reading of legislation is very length and time consuming. When the council disapproves of the legislation instead of going straight to the commission who projected the future piece of legislation they report back to the Parliament then vice versa .This is making this process very complex as instead of doing two ste ps this could be easily completed in one ,the Council could just report back to the commission and this would make this process so much more effective This would also allow the hard law to be implemented quickly so they can take direct effect within the EU. Second Reading The Parliament has three months from their first initial contact with the council about the commissions proposal for legislation if they have not came to a decision whether or not to carry on with the proposed legislation or agree with the Councils view on it .Then the council will be deemed to adopt the act in accordance with its position Art 294(7)(a) TFEU. The Parliament can take different approaches within the three month timeframe. The Parliament can reject the Council’s perception if they do so then the act would be considered not to have been implemented. This is known as veto and prevents the bill becoming law. However in order for this procedure to take place there must be a majority vote of the com ponent members of parliament.Or they can vote an majority vote to propose the amendments of the future legislation which the council has proposed. In my opinion I think that it is beneficial that the parliament can chose to make the law veto as personally the parliament members are for the citizens of the European Union therefore as they have the power of veto then they can ensure fair and effective legislation is introduced into Europe and not just any old law which is only really benefiting members of the Council.Although in order to make the law veto there must be a majority which I personally don’t think its fair as alias are likely to stick together ie France, Germany etc normally side with each other these major European countries hold the most power in central Europe therefore this can have an major effect on the smaller countries like Malta. The smaller countries may be forced to implement law which they did not agree to , but due to the majority vote it will have to be implemented or the proposed piece of legislation which would benefit them significantly may be rejected.Once the parliament amends the piece of legislation it then has to be agreed by the European parliament members, the amendments are then sent to both the Council and the Commission. The Commission then looks over the draft piece of legislation and looks particularly at the amendments and they liaise with the parliament giving their opinion of the amendments which the parliament made. The Council has a different role in regards to the amendments.They Council does not give there opinion but merely can reject all amendments , accept all amendments , or accept some amendments and reject others. This stage is unnecessary personally because the commission has all ready give their opinion of the legislation as they came up with the idea to create the legislation and generally have a outline of what the legislation should consist of , although it does have its Also the Council has also gave their own opinion in the first reading.The Parliament has a huge work load because of this as they are continuingly asking for opinions and are constantly having to change the draft to suit the Council and Commission. This can have a huge effect to the hard law within Europe as countries can choose to opt out of specific pieces of legislation , as the Council , EP and the Commission would be continuously back and forth with opinions trying to make the law suit every member state.For example when the Treaty of Lisbon was first introduced Ireland refused to sign it and because of this it resulted in a second referendum being conducted in 2009. Also Czech Republic negotiated an opt-out from the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Personally in my own opinion this is not fair allowing countries to opt out of certain pieces of legislation or treaties. This defeats the purpose of the EU being established. The European Union was created to ensure fairness , equality and satiability within Europe and try to unite Europe as one.Allowing countries to opt out is not creating a fair and equal Europe it is simply just allowing member states to do things their own way to suit themselves. Generally I believe that the majority of EU members do not take the time and consideration to review the law that is being presented to them and how this could actually benefit or effect the citizens that they are suppose to be representing at times I feel members of the EP , Commission and the Council only think about themselves and how it could effect them not the citizens.The Council must act within 3 months of receiving the amendments from the parliament. The council approves all the amendments of the Parliament acting;(i)by a qualified majority if the Commission has also accepted all the amendments; (ii) by unanimity if the commission has rejected all the amendments or (iii) by a mixture of the two if the Commission has accepted some (qualified majority) an rejec ted others (unanimity) in this case the act is deemed to have been adopted (art 294(8)(a) and 294 (9) TFEU)If the Council does not want to approve all the change in the act , then in this case the President of the Council and the President of the European Parliament must liaise with each other and come to an agreement and conduct a meeting of the Conciliation Committee within the six week time period. This is highlighted I ( art 294(8)(b) TFEU) Conciliation Committee The conciliation committee of an equal amount of members from the council and also an equal amount of members from the European parliament.There aim is to agree on the draft piece of legislation which was conducted , within the second reading and come to an agreement of how the legislation should be written. However there must be a majority vote of both the EP and Council members. The commission also takes part in the discussions and â€Å" shall take all necessary initiatives with a view to reconciling the positions o f the European Parliament and the Council† After the meeting with the Conciliation Committee there are two possibilities which could occur: The EP and Council can agree with the joint test and then the act Would be deemed to be adoptedHowever a third reading of the act may be required this is seen in Article 294 (13) & (14) TFEU. In this article it explains what the third reading consists of , according to the article it states â€Å" if , within that period , Conciliation Committee approves a joint text , the European Parliament , acting by majority of the votes cast , and the Council, acting by a qualified majority , shall each have a period of six weeks from that approval in which to adopt the act in question in accordance with the joint ext. If they fail to do so, the proposed act shall been deemed not to be adopted. Section 14 relates to the time frame the EP and Council has ; â€Å" The period of three months and six weeks referred to in this Article shall be extended by a maximum of one month and two weeks respectively at the initiative of European Parliament or the Council. This third reading yet again is simply another procedure which is not required although if both the EP and the Council cannot agree , where do you go from there? Personally I think there should be more stricter rules when creating legislation , especially when the council needs a majority vote , this is making the process a more lengthy procedure as the Council may be agreeing to adopt the law but because there is no a majority vote it has to go for a further reading. The ordinary legislation suggests in its integrity suggests a common procedure however this is not the case this , procedure is very complex and time consuming. Generally I feel this process contradicts it’s self completely.The European Parliament is demanding more powers from the Council but the Council is not willing to accept these demands. However it is made apparent in article 296 TFEU that the Parl iament can choose to make the law veto , but cannot demand for the amendments they have made to the draft to be accepted. Therefore the Parliament must either accept or reject the amendments , which completely defeats the purpose of common procedure . Once the EP makes the law veto the its back to square one again.To conclude personally I feel that the ordinary legislation procedure for European Law is very complex and contradicts its self in so many ways. Therefore I do not think it is a very effective way to create hard law as the parliament can choose to make the law veto however cannot reject all amendments , is this not just making the law negative ? The European Union was created to ensure equality and fairness within its members states I believe the EU is not fulfilling its objectives and it gives far to much power for the Council , the Council is elected members of state who were elected by majority , they are not really representing theEuropean citizens , personally I think the Parliament should have more powers as they are for the citizens. â€Å" Law of the European Union† John Fairhurst (Pearson ) 8th Ed â€Å" Law of the European Union† John Fairhurst (Pearson ) 8th Ed Art 294(7)(a) TFEU this article relates to the 2nd reading of the legislative process it states â€Å" approves the Council’s position at first reading or has not taken a decision , the act concerned shall be deemed to have been adopted in the wording which corresponds to the position of the Councils: Art 294(7)( c) TEFU. Law of the European Union† John Fairhurst (Pearson ) 8th Ed p136 art 294(8)(a) and 294 (9) TFEU. In this section of the article section (8) subsection A states â€Å" approves all amendments , the act in question shall be deemed to have been adopted. † this basically means that if the Council accepts the changes to the legislation within the second reading then it can become law and be implemented.Article 294 section 9 states that â€Å"the Council shall act unanimously on the amendments on which the commission has delivered a negative opinion† this section suggest that the Council can accept some amendments and reject others by this must be agreed by everyone. Law of the European Union† John Fairhurst (Pearson ) 8th Ed p136 Article 294 TFEU Section 8 subsection (b) – â€Å" does not approve all the amendments, the President of the Council, in the agreement with the President of the European Parliament, shall within six weeks convene a meeting of the Conciliation Committee†. Article 296(11)TFEU

buy custom Health Insurance essay

buy custom Health Insurance essay Health insurance is a term used to explain a program which assists in paying medical expenses. The term is common in the United States. It can be through social insurance or privately purchased insurance. There is a high concentration in the United States health insurance market. The top health insurance companies have formed over 400 mergers since mid of health insurance cover that is non-medical is disability income insurance. There is also supplemental coverage and long term care insurance programs that are non-medical. The health care in the United States depends heavily on health insurance. The two common insurance programs are not-to-profit and private health insurances that are available for individuals in the US. Many people do not have health insurance covers. This means that they are unable to have timely medical care. There is a 40 % higher risk of dying in comparison with those that have insurance covers. In the United States, a research carried out in 2004 showed that 45000 deaths were due to lack of health insurance cover. There is a debate in the United States over the possible remedies and causes of low level of insurance membership. The issue is analyzed together with the repercussions it has on the United States healthcare system. When one has an insurance cover, the health insurance company helps to settle the hospital bill. This means that one will not incur a heavy burden of paying the finances. When one has a health insurance cover, he or she is much more likely to visit the docto r for medical attention. There have been critics for and against health insurance in the United States. There are some reasons that can make an insurance company unable to pay medical bills. The insurance companies offering insurance cover aim at making a lot of profits. According to study done in the year 2011, by the pro-health reform group indicated an increase in profits. The nations largest health insurance companies reported more than 56% increase in profits in 2009 over the previous year. These companies include united health, WellPoint, Aetna, Humana and Cigna. They cover most of the Americans who have health insurance. The health insurance companies face a lot of critics for offering traditional insurance. This involves pooling of risks. This is because many Americans who buy the premiums do face the risks they insure themselves against. It is for this reason that health insurers can be considered to be low-risk money managers. They do gain a lot from long-term healthcare accounts. Other people argu e that insurance companies in the United States charge high administrative costs (Harry andKristina 57). The private insurance companies have a large share in the economy. They have employed more than 470000 people in the year 2004. These costs are making them unable to give complete cover on people of the United States. This has led to the high rate of death cases especially among people who require funds to have a surgery. The insurance industry has attracted weak insurer who are unable to work efficiently with hospital systems. The insurance company has attracted companies who have adopted shadow pricing. As a consequence, the companies are unable to pay for medical bills in hospitals. Many people continue to die every day when these companies fail to cater for their health expenses. In conclusion, I have a strong opinion that the health insurance companies should support people in paying medical bills. Many people are dying as illustrated. This is due to lack of finances to cater for their treatment. Those people who are undergoing surgeries should be supported by the health insurance companies regardless of whether they have paid or not. The federal government should intervene in this matter. This will help to reduce exploitation of people by the insurance industry. A lot of money go to the insurance companies from both individuals and the government. Most of these companies aim at increasing their profits. They do not get concerned with the health status of people in the United States. However, the whole industry has not failed entirely. Thus, needs a lot of improvements in the industry. I have an opinion that a law should be passed to have an extensive control of the insurance industry. Buy custom Health Insurance essay

Chinas First Historically Documented Walled Cities

Chinas First Historically Documented Walled Cities Shang Dynasty cities were the first historically documented urban settlements in China. The Shang Dynasty [c 1700–1050 B.C.E.] was the first Chinese dynasty to leave written records, and the idea and function of cities took on an elevated importance. The written records, mostly in the form of oracle bones, record the actions of the last nine Shang kings and describe some of the cities. The first of these historically-recorded rulers was Wu Ding, the twenty-first king of the dynasty. The Shang rulers were literate, and like other early urban dwellers, the Shang employed a useful calendar and wheeled vehicles, and practiced metallurgy, including objects of cast bronze. They used bronze for such items as vessels for ritual offerings, wine, and weapons. And they resided and ruled from large, wealthy urban settlements. Urban Capital Cities of Shang China The early cities in the Shang (and the predecessor Xia dynasty) were imperial capitals- called palace-temple-cemetery complexes- that acted as the administrative, economic, and religious centers of government. These cities were built within fortification walls which provided defense. Later walled cities were county (hsien) and provincial capitals. The earliest Chinese urban centers were located along the banks of the middle and lower courses of the Yellow River in northern China. Since the course of the Yellow River has changed, modern maps of the ruins of the Shang Dynasty locations are no longer on the river. At the time, some of the Shang were probably still pastoral nomads, but most were sedentary, small-village agriculturists, who kept domesticated animals and raised crops. There the already-large Chinese populations over-cultivated the originally fertile land. Because China developed the techniques of using rivers for irrigation of their fields later than in the heavily trade-networked Near East and Egypt, fortified cities appeared in China more than a millennium earlier than in Mesopotamia or Egypt- at least, thats one theory. Besides irrigation per se, sharing ideas via trade routes was important to the development of civilization. Indeed, trade with tribes in the central Asian steppes may have brought one of the other components of urban culture, the wheeled chariot, to China. Aspects of Urbanism Defining what makes for a city in terms relevant for ancient China, as well as elsewhere, American archaeologist K.C. Chang wrote: Political kingship, a religious system and hierarchy that coupled with it, segmentary lineages, economic exploitation of many by a few, technological specialization and sophisticated achievements in art, writing, and science. The layout of the cities shared that of other ancient urban areas of Asia, similar to ones in Egypt and Mexico: a central core with the surrounding area divided into four regions, one for each of the cardinal directions. The Shang City of Ao The first clearly urban settlement of ancient China was called Ao. The archaeological ruins of Ao were discovered in 1950 C.E., so near the modern city of Chengchou (Zhengzhou) that the current city has hampered investigations. Some scholars, including Thorp, suggest that this location is really Bo (or Po), an earlier Shang capital than Ao, founded by the founder of the Shang Dynasty. Assuming it really is Ao, it was the 10th Shang Emperor, Chung Ting (Zhong Ding) (1562–1549 B.C.E.), who built it on the ruins of a Neolithic settlement dated to the Black pottery period. Ao was a rectangularly-walled city with fortifications like those that had surrounded villages. Such walls are described as ramparts of pounded earth. The city of Ao extended 2 km (1.2) from north to south and 1.7 km (1 mi) from east to west, yielding an area of about 3.4 square kilometers (1.3 square miles), which was large for early China, but small compared to comparably dated Near Eastern cities. Babylon, for instance, was roughly 8 sq km (3.2 sq km). Chang says the walled area was roomy enough to include some cultivated land, although probably not the peasants. Factories for making bronze, bone, horn, and ceramic objects and foundries and what may have been a distillery were mostly located outside the walls. The Great City Shang The best-studied Shang Dynasty city is the 14th century B.C.E. city of Shang, which was built, according to tradition, by the Shang ruler Pan Keng, in 1384. Known as the Great City Shang (Da Yi Shang), the 30–40 sq km city may have been located about 100 mi (160 km) north of Ao and near Anyang north of the village of Hsiao Tun. An alluvial plain created from Yellow River loess deposits surrounded Shang. Irrigated water from the Yellow River provided relatively reliable harvests in an otherwise semi-arid area. The Yellow River created a physical barrier on the north and east and part of the west. On the west was also a mountain range providing protection and, Chang says, probably hunting grounds and timber. Fortifications and Other City-Typical Objects Just because there were natural boundaries doesnt mean Shang was without a wall, although evidence of a wall has yet to be discovered. Within the central parts of the city were palaces, temples, cemeteries, and an archive. Houses were made with walls of pounded earth with light poles for roofs covered with rush matting and all plastered with mud. There were no grander structures than those made of wattle and daub, although Chang says there might have been two-story buildings. The Great City Shang was the capital- at least for ancestor worship/ritual purposes- for 12 Shang Dynasty kings, unusually long for the Shang Dynasty which is said to have changed its capital many times. During the period of the 14 predynastic Shang lords, the capital changed eight times, and in the period of the 30 kings, seven times. The Shang (at least in the later period) practiced sacrifice and ancestor worship, with mortuary rituals. The Shang dynasty king was theocrat: his power came from the peoples belief that he could communicate with the high god Ti via his ancestors. Small Earlier Chinese Cities Recent archaeological excavations have determined that remains in Sichuan, previously thought to have been from the Han Dynasty, actually date from as early as c. 2500 B.C.E. Such sites were smaller complexes than the ones from the three dynasties but may have held a primary position among Chinese cities. Updated by K. Kris Hirst and N.S. Gill Sources:​ Lawler A. 2009. Beyond the Yellow River: How China Became China. Science 325(5943):930-935. Lee YK. 2002. Building the Chronology of Early Chinese History. Asian Perspectives 41(1):15-42. Liu L. 2009. State Emergence in Early China. Annual Review of Anthropology 38:217-232. Murowchick RE, and Cohen DJ. 2001. Searching for Shang’s Beginnings: Great City Shang, City Song, and Collaborative Archaeology in Shangqui, Henan. Review of Archaeology 22(2):47-61.

Developing Good Business Sense Essays - Fast Food, Free Essays

Developing Good Business Sense Essays - Fast Food, Free Essays Developing Good Business Sense BUS/210 April 13, 2014 Developing Good Business Sense 1.Choose three companies and observe how employees do their tasks. These can be three different fast-food restaurants or three entirely different types of companies, such as a fast-food restaurant, a department store, or the emergency room of a hospital. I chose McDonalds, Burger King and Wendys to relate how employees do their tasks. All three have employees taking orders, taking the money, making the orders, bagging the orders, and giving the orders to the customers. All of these employees are responsible for cleaning up and restocking during down times. Managers are responsible for making sure this process runs smoothly or makes changes, such as moving employees from one area to another so that the food is delivered to the customers appropriately and timely. Managers are also responsible for resolving customer complaints such as receiving the wrong items or missing items from the order. 2.Think about the differences in the operations involved in the input, operations, and output stages of these companies. Try to identify the nature of their operating systems. Are employees organized in different ways? If so, why? If possible, talk to the managers and employees in these operations to further your analysis. The employees of all three fast-food restaurants are organized into three groupsmanagers, customer facing employees, and production employees. The customer facing employees take the orders from the customers, repeat the order to the customer, inform the customer of the order total, and receive payment from the customer for the order. While the customer facing employees are involved with the customer, the employees in production, the cooks, are preparing the food in accordance with the customers request and making sure they have the raw material, individual food items and condiments, necessary to prepare the food. Once the cooks have completed cooking the food order, the customer facing employees gathers the food items and drinks either in a bag or on a tray and gives the order to the customer. The employees are organized in different ways so that the employees in that particular area can focus on that one area which increases productivity and efficiency. For example, the customer facing employees are focused on the customer. This concentration of focus is to ensure that the customers order is accurate, the appropriate money is received, and the correct change is given back to the customer. 3.What are the main kinds of OMM costs companies have? How does this affect their OMM operations? The kinds of OMM cost that each fast-food restaurant has are raw material, plant, labor, inventory, and distribution. The raw material for these fast-food restaurants would be the individual food items such as hamburger patties, buns, salad mixture, chicken nuggets, etc, beverages such as coffee, tea, soft drinks, and condiment such as mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup. Plant costs would consist of the cost of the building that houses the fast-food restaurants, grills, fryers, refrigerators, freezers, and registers. Labor costs are the total amount of employees pay which involves the rate of pay per hour, the number of hours, and type of hours whether regular hours or overtime hours. The inventory costs would be the cost of the raw material like hamburger patties, buns, condiments, etc, and miscellaneous products like cups, lids, straws, wrappers, utensils, and napkins. Distribution costs would be the cost to transport the raw materials and paper products from the source to the individual store location. The OMM costs negatively affects their OMM operations when there is a lack of resources in order to complete the operation process which is to provide the customers with the food and beverages they ordered. If there is a lack of raw materials, labor, or inventory, the fast-food restaurant will not be able to produce the orders to satisfy the customers request. Conversely, if these fast-food restaurants have the required resources to complete a customers order, the production process will be complete and the order will be provided to the customer. 4.How do companies design their operating systems to give them a competitive advantage? Because all of these fast-food restaurants deal in making orders specific to a customers request, they utilize small batch production. Even though each of these fast-food restaurants offers a variety

The Future of Qualitative Research Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Future of Qualitative Research - Article Example Qualitative research has two tensions at the same time. Qualitative research is drawn in a broad, postmodern, feminist, interpretive and critical sensibility. Conversely, it can be drawn to a narrowly defined positivist, post-positivist, naturalistic and humanistic conceptions of human experiences and analysis.   There is a challenge of coping with the present. Salient features of critique are known very well. The fifth moment addresses problems in three approaches. Firstly, it continues to sharpen the critique and corrects its excesses. Like other scholarly domains, qualitative research has a tendency of moving from one intellectual design to another, from positivism to post-positivism, post-structuralism and postmodernism, semiotics and structuralism and so on.   Postmodern and poststructural arguments move away from textual authority and post-positivist model. The crisis of legitimation arose when social scientists and anthropologists addressed the authority of the text. Three quotes â€Å" Qualitative research is an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary and sometimes counterdisciplinary field† â€Å"Qualitative research is many things at the same time† â€Å"Qualitative research embraces two tensions at the same time†   Applications for the education system, teaching, and learning The important philosophical issues the work raise is that the problem of representation will not go away. Since, at its center is an inner tension, contradiction, and continuous dialectic which not be resolved. Conversely, there is a concern for certainty or validity in the text as a type of authenticity and isomorphism.

Henry the Eight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Henry the Eight - Essay Example Henry VIII was married to his first wife for over 20 years, and for a long time they were happy together. Catherine (the widow of Henry's brother Arthur) was the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain and had received an excellent education at their court. She had long red-gold hair and blue eyes, and in her youth was considered pretty. Catherine was five years older and much more sedate. She was interested in politics and Henry often turned to her for advice. In 1513 she ruled as regent while Henry was campaigning in France. Although Catherine was pregnant many times, only one of her children, Princess Mary, survived. Henry was a doting father and didn't seem to blame Catherine for her failure to bear healthy sons. Henry is only known to have had two mistresses during his marriage to Catherine, which made him a reasonably faithful husband by the standards of the time. Catherine knew of his affairs but kept silent. Then Henry met the woman who was to be his second wife. . . Anne Boleyn: Anne Boleyn was probably born in 1500 or 1501. Her father was an English diplomat and her mother was the daughter of an earl. In 1522 Anne came to England and went to live at King Henry's court as a member of Queen Catherine's household. There she became secretly betrothed to a young courtier, Henry Percy - secretly because Percy was already promised to another woman, and his family would not approve of his marrying Anne Boleyn. But the lord chancellor, Cardinal Wolsey, heard of the engagement and alerted the king, who told Wolsey to end the relationship.

Del Rio Independent School District Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Del Rio Independent School District - Essay Example Many of these issues with regards race and ethnic background strengthened America's democratic fundamentals. One of these landmark cases was of Loving vs. Virginia, a civil rights case in which the United States Supreme Court proclaimed that Virginia's anti-miscegenation law, the "Racial Integrity Act of 1924", unconstitutional, thereby ending all race-based legal constraints on marriage in the United States. The accused, Mildred Jeter, of African descent and Richard Perry Loving, of Caucasian race, reside in the Commonwealth of Virginia but married in June of 1958 in the District of Columbia. They had left Virginia in order to elude a state law prohibiting marital union between a 'white person' and a 'non-white person.' The Supreme Court declared Virginia's law unconstitutional which in turn paved the way for the abolition of all race-based marriage statutes in the United States. Another case significant to the equality of race was the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, barring immigration for ten years.

Brazil, One of the BRICS Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brazil, One of the BRICS Countries - Essay Example Brazil has since been a leading nation in the global scene with the integration of all of the universal races from all the continents. The mulatto constitutes the second majority of the population with the whites occupying 53% in population (Nascimento, 2007). The rest are black and other tribes that share the remaining constitution in the population. The largest South American nation has been developed based on a diverse economic activity with a tropical climate in the north and temperate southern climate. The nation has been developed based on these activities and the abundance of a rich mineral reserve that supplies the population with a livelihood source to support a growing population. The rich composition of the Brazilian nation has been built on diversity in the population and the rich culture that shape the development witnessed in the country. A multi-dynamic population that forms the culture constitutes the composition of Brazil. The nation had been formed based on the indi genous Portuguese population that dictated the initial cultural practices and the catholic religion that is more dominant. However, the southern nation experienced an increased migration pattern that saw the arrival of an increased and diversified culture. The population has been created based on the greatest population composers in Indigenous Americans, Africans and the varied Portuguese population that have interacted to create diversity experienced in Brazil. The architecture in Brazil, the Portuguese language and the religion has since been the identity of the nation based on the original inhabitants of the land. The multicultural platform has created integration that tolerates foreign inhabitants capable of integrating into the population, and generating the cultural affiliation realized in the bend of traditional and contemporary cultural traditions. The population composition of Brazil has reflected the culture of the nation with African, American, Portuguese and European nat ions reflecting the identity of the nation. The mestizos had been created as the result of the interaction of the colonizers in Portuguese and the natives. The Mulattoes were a new culture from the African slaves and the colonizers and after liberation in 1888 slavery was eradicated to eliminate racial imbalance (Hollander, 2003). The entire population in Brazil adopted Portuguese as the language for interaction with the Roman Catholic religion constituting the chief religion in Brazil. Hollander (2003) state that the diverse population has also influenced the food, culture and heritage of the nation, to present, distinct practices to be highlighted in the ceremonies witnessed. The cultural affiliations are reflected in the greatest event practiced in Brazil during the carnival held 46 days prior to the Easter holiday. The reflection accorded had been the culture practiced in the pagan religion that had existed in the native inhabitants before the introduction of Christianity. Varie d tribes occupy the regions in Brazil and each bear varied principles and practices. The Bahia region composed on mainly African origin practice a distinct music, language and religious perspectives. The food that is mostly adopted in the culture has been in rice and beans with manioc as the leading composition in the diet. Although urbanization has led to the adoption of a globalized trend in completion of the activities, there has been the preservation of the cultural

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Melanoma Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Diagnosis And Treatment Of Melanoma - Essay Example Melanoma is extraordinarily dangerous, but if detected early, it is one of the most preventable forms of cancer (Ingraffea 35). As with many diseases, both environmental and hereditary factors have a profound effect upon the exhibition of melanoma. Until recently, it was assumed that overall exposure level to the sun and/or the number of severe sunburns that an individual received during their lifetime or the ultimate culprits to whether or not melanoma was exhibited. However, further analysis and discussion by researchers has revealed the fact that the overall number of sunburns and/or the overall amount of time of exposure that individual has a son is not necessarily a determining factor with respect to whether or not melanoma will be exhibited within the individual or not. As can readily be understood, genetic factors also play a powerful role in determining whether or not an individual will be particularly susceptible to this form of skin cancer. However, the genetic factors that contribute to the overall susceptibility and likelihood of developing melanoma at any one point in life are not the same as the genetic factors that contribute to issues such as heart disease, high blood pressure, or a litany of other health problems. What is meant by this is the fact that the genetic issues that contribute to the prevalence of melanoma within specific individuals are predicated upon the skin construction, hair color, eyes, and other unique genetic indicators? For instance, an individual that is born with a naturally darker complexion as compared to an individual that has blonde hair blue eyes and relatively pale or light skin is at a distinctly lower likelihood of developing melanoma within their lifetime (Gogas et al. 883). By means of comparison and contra st, an individual that has white features and relatively pale skin is at a much higher genetic risk of developing melanoma throughout their life.

Brazil, One of the BRICS Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brazil, One of the BRICS Countries - Essay Example Brazil has since been a leading nation in the global scene with the integration of all of the universal races from all the continents. The mulatto constitutes the second majority of the population with the whites occupying 53% in population (Nascimento, 2007). The rest are black and other tribes that share the remaining constitution in the population. The largest South American nation has been developed based on a diverse economic activity with a tropical climate in the north and temperate southern climate. The nation has been developed based on these activities and the abundance of a rich mineral reserve that supplies the population with a livelihood source to support a growing population. The rich composition of the Brazilian nation has been built on diversity in the population and the rich culture that shape the development witnessed in the country. A multi-dynamic population that forms the culture constitutes the composition of Brazil. The nation had been formed based on the indi genous Portuguese population that dictated the initial cultural practices and the catholic religion that is more dominant. However, the southern nation experienced an increased migration pattern that saw the arrival of an increased and diversified culture. The population has been created based on the greatest population composers in Indigenous Americans, Africans and the varied Portuguese population that have interacted to create diversity experienced in Brazil. The architecture in Brazil, the Portuguese language and the religion has since been the identity of the nation based on the original inhabitants of the land. The multicultural platform has created integration that tolerates foreign inhabitants capable of integrating into the population, and generating the cultural affiliation realized in the bend of traditional and contemporary cultural traditions. The population composition of Brazil has reflected the culture of the nation with African, American, Portuguese and European nat ions reflecting the identity of the nation. The mestizos had been created as the result of the interaction of the colonizers in Portuguese and the natives. The Mulattoes were a new culture from the African slaves and the colonizers and after liberation in 1888 slavery was eradicated to eliminate racial imbalance (Hollander, 2003). The entire population in Brazil adopted Portuguese as the language for interaction with the Roman Catholic religion constituting the chief religion in Brazil. Hollander (2003) state that the diverse population has also influenced the food, culture and heritage of the nation, to present, distinct practices to be highlighted in the ceremonies witnessed. The cultural affiliations are reflected in the greatest event practiced in Brazil during the carnival held 46 days prior to the Easter holiday. The reflection accorded had been the culture practiced in the pagan religion that had existed in the native inhabitants before the introduction of Christianity. Varie d tribes occupy the regions in Brazil and each bear varied principles and practices. The Bahia region composed on mainly African origin practice a distinct music, language and religious perspectives. The food that is mostly adopted in the culture has been in rice and beans with manioc as the leading composition in the diet. Although urbanization has led to the adoption of a globalized trend in completion of the activities, there has been the preservation of the cultural

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

Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Top management is the one that usually determines the corporate culture. Corporate culture involves the main aims of an organization, the strategies that will be employed in meeting those aims and the way the stakeholders should behave while striving to achieve those aims. It takes the effort of the top management to maintain its culture, this is by interacting a lot and communicating effectively, especially to employees of what is expected of them, according to Auxillium West (2008). The culture can be either weak or strong. Weak is where the employees fail to identify with the values of the organization hence need to be pushed to carry out tasks from the organization’s point of view. While the converse is true for strong cultures as people tend to think as a group on the direction to be taken during decision making. Various methods have been employed in grouping cultural change. Some of them include Geert Hofstede who argues that organizational culture is influenced by natio nal and regional cultural groupings such as the different levels of power in the organization (power-distance orientation) , risk degree (uncertainty avoidance), individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity and time horizon (Long term vs. short term). Charles Handy groups include the power culture where power is centered in the hands of a few, role culture, task culture centered around the job to be done, person culture where the individual is deemed to be superior to the organization. Edgar Schein, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor argues that culture is the most difficult thing to change in an organization, more than the products, services, leadership, and other characteristics of an organization. In Schein’s model, the physical attributes of the organization that are tangible such as the buildings, awards, employee dressing etc belong to the first level. The culture of the

Geometry in Everyday Life Essay Example for Free

Geometry in Everyday Life Essay A solar water heater is the most competitive alternative to conventional water heating methods such as electric geysers and fuel-fed boilers. It makes an attractive and sustainable option, with its global distribution, pollution free nature, virtually inexhaustible supply and near-zero operational cost. Solar water heaters run on a free fuel (i. e. sunshine), thus saving on energy costs that help recover its initial cost in just 2-4 years. Hot water throughout the year: the system works all year round, though youll need to heat the water further with a boiler or immersion heater during the winter months. Cut your bills: sunlight is free, so once youve paid for the initial installation your hot water costs will be reduced. Cut your carbon footprint: solar hot water is a green, renewable heating system and can reduce your carbon dioxide emissions. Solar water heating systems use solar panels, called collectors, fitted to your roof. These collect heat from the sun and use it to heat up water which is stored in a hot water cylinder. A boiler or immersion heater can be used as a back up to heat the water further to reach the temperature you want. There are two types of solar water heating panels: evacuated tubes (as in the picture above) flat plate collectors, which can be fixed on the roof tiles or integrated into the roof. Larger solar panels can also be arranged to provide some contribution to heating your home as well. However, the amount of heat provided is generally very small and it is not normally considered worth while. Maintenance costs for solar water heating systems are generally very low. Most solar water heating systems come with a five-year or ten-year warranty and require little maintenance. Once fitted your installer should leave written details of any maintenance checks that you can carry out from time to time, ensuring everything is working properly. Perhaps the most important thing you can check for yourself from time to time is whether there are any leaks. If there are any leaks of anti-freeze (even if you can’t see any liquid) this will have a strong smell. If you notice this you should contact your installer. In general you should keep an eye on your system to check that it is doing what it has been designed to do. If you are not getting hot water or the solar pipework is cold (when the pump is running) on warm, sunny days then again you should contact your installer. For peace of mind some installation companies offer an annual service check. You should have your system checked more thoroughly by an accredited installer every 3-7 years, or as specified by your installer. It is likely that after this period of time the anti-freeze that is used to protect your system in the winter months will need to topped up or be replaced as it breaks down over time reducing the performance of your system. Anti-freeze lasts better if the solar water system is used throughout the year and not left unused during the warmest weeks of the year. This cost of replacing the anti-freezer is usually around ? 100. The other thing that your installer should check is the pump. In a well maintained system, pumps can last for ten years plus and usually cost around ? 90 to replace. Solar water heating systems can achieve savings on your energy bills. Based on the results of our recent field trial, typical savings from a well-installed and properly used system are ? 60 per year when replacing gas heating and ? 5 per year when replacing electric immersion heating; however, savings will vary from user to user. Typical carbon savings are around 230kgCO2/year when replacing gas and 500kgCO2/year when replacing electric immersion heating. Spherical reflector type cooker Spherical mirrors are the simplest type of concentrator and are easy to build and use. It is easy to focus sun rays, and if one opts for a moving vessel to meet the focus, cooking can also be done very easily. Such a design was suggested for the first time in the year 1961 by Stam (1961). He suggested a large reflector of 4. m diameter made of local material which could even include mud, and the reflector surface suitably smoothed with fine mud/cement and coated with aluminized polyester. An appropriate technology handbook describes a simple method of construction of the spherical mirror in the ground (a tall tripod with a long string to which a stone is attached at the tip, will act as a guide for excavating a hollow in the ground) and after finishing and stabilizing the interior, the reflector material could be stuck to make it into a spherical mirror. Such a mirror, of about 2. m in diameter, would do useful work for at least five to six hours a day. The cooking vessel could be hung from the tripod or a suitable stand and positioned to meet the focus. Dan Halacy (1974) suggests a similar design. He uses two full and several half cardboard ribs to fabricate the base and attaches mylar film as a reflector. This device was meant mainly for campers. Bamboo and/or other locally available materials could be used to fabricate such hemispherical baskets. Recently Prof. Quintone of the United Kingdom has taken up this design and is trying to popularize it in places likePeru. In his beautifully designed and illustrated site he presents detailed instructions on fabricating the design and using it. The cooker below is a simple steel bowl used for carrying sand, is coated with a reflector foil and a blackened cooking vessel is put in it. The entire assembly is covered over by a flat sheet glass. The design is very similar toSuryakund cited by Kuhnke et al in their book Solar Cookers in the third world. In Suryakund, the vessels are kept in a inverted glass jar. Like Suryakund, this cooker too would suffer from limitation of size. Unfortunately, this simple design has not attracted much attention, but on a very big scale, like in power generation (as in Marseilles, France), such a hemispherical mirror is being used (Jet Propulsion Laboratory 1981). Scientists ofAustralia (Anon. 1979) have presented a similar design. Margaret Koshoni developed the Cone Cooker to suit the needs of Nigerian women. Most people live in flats with balconies; the structure of the balconies will shade the CooKit and make a shadow. The Cone Cooker being placed on a stand has the advantage of elevation and the stand can be moved about without disturbing the cooking. Medved et al. , propose an interesting design (1996) called a SOLAR BALL. It is an inflatable plastic ball with lower part of reflective material. The cooking vessel is kept at the base. It is an interesting variation but there appears to be some serious limitations with reference to size of the ball as well as size and handling of the cooking vessel. Recently, the spherical geometry seems to have made a come back, and we see that at Auroville in India a 15 meter diameter mirror cooks food for over 1500 persons. A similar large solar bowl was built at the University of Mexico. photovoltaic solar cells PV cells are made from layers of semi-conducting material, usually silicon. When light shines on the cell it creates an electric field across the layers. The stronger the sunshine, the more electricity is produced. Groups of cells are mounted together in panels or modules that can be mounted on your roof. The power of a PV cell is measured in kilowatts peak (kWp). Thats the rate at which it generates energy at peak performance in full direct sunlight during the summer. PV cells come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Most PV systems are made up of panels that fit on top of an existing roof, but you can also fit solar tiles. Solar tiles and slates Solar tiles are designed to be used in place of ordinary roof tiles. A system made up of solar tiles will typically cost around twice as much as an equivalent panel system, although you will save the money you would have spent on roof tiles or slates. Solar tile systems are not normally as cost-effective as panel systems, and are usually only considered where panels are not considered appropriate for aesthetic or planning reasons. Solar PV needs little maintenance – youll just need to keep the panels relatively clean and make sure trees dont begin to overshadow them. In the UK panels that are tilted at 15Â ° or more have the additional benefit of being cleaned by rainfall to ensure optimal performance. Debris is more likely to accumulate if you have ground mounted panels. If dust, debris, snow or bird droppings are a problem they should be removed with warm water (and perhaps some washing-up liquid or something similar – your installer can advise) and a brush or a high pressure hose (or telescopic cleaning pole) if the panels are difficult to reach. Always be careful if you are working above the ground or near the top of a ladder. Alternatively, there are a number of specialist window cleaning companies who will clean solar PV panels for you at a cost (of around ? 30 based on our research in March 2012) depending on the size of your array and location. Many of these companies use a water fed pole system which does away with the need for a ladder. Once fitted, your installer should leave written details of any maintenance checks that you should carry out from time to time to ensure everything is working properly. This should include details of the main inverter fault signals and key trouble-shooting guidance. Ideally your installer should demonstrate this to you at the point of handover. Keeping a close eye on your system and the amount of electricity it’s generating (alongside the weather conditions) will familiarise you with what to expect and alert you to when something might be wrong. The panels should last 25 years or more, but the inverter is likely to need replacing some time during this period, at a current cost of around ? 1,000. Consult with your installer for exact maintenance requirements before you commit to installing a solar PV system. Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Some materials exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect that causes them to absorb photons of light and release electrons. When these free electrons are captured, an electric current results that can be used as electricity. The photoelectric effect was first noted by a French physicist, Edmund Bequerel, in 1839, who found that certain materials would produce small amounts of electric current when exposed to light. In 1905, Albert Einstein described the nature of light and the photoelectric effect on which photovoltaic technology is based, for which he later won a Nobel prize in physics. The first photovoltaic module was built by Bell Laboratories in 1954. It was billed as a solar battery and was mostly just a curiosity as it was too expensive to gain widespread use. In the 1960s, the space industry began to make the first serious use of the technology to provide power aboard spacecraft. Through the space programs, the technology advanced, its reliability was established, and the cost began to decline. During the energy crisis in the 1970s, photovoltaic technology gained recognition as a source of power for non-space applications. A number of solar cells electrically connected to each other and mounted in a support structure or frame is called a photovoltaic module. Modules are designed to supply electricity at a certain voltage, such as a common 12 volts system. The current produced is directly dependent on how much light strikes the module. Photovoltaic solar plants work like this: As light hits the solar panels, the solar radiation is converted into direct current electricity (DC). The direct current flows from the panels and is converted into alternating current (AC) used by local electric utilities. Finally, the electricity travels through transformers, and the voltage is boosted for delivery onto the transmission lines so local electric utilities can distribute the electricity to homes and businesses. Solar-Thermal plants work like this: Solar collectors capture and concentrate sunlight to heat a synthetic oil called therminol, which then heats water to create steam. The steam is piped to an onsite turbine-generator to produce electricity, which is then transmitted over power lines. On cloudy days, the plant has a supplementary natural gas boiler. The plant can burn natural gas to heat the water, creating steam to generate electricity. Solar power plants use the suns rays to produce electricity. Photovoltaic plants and solar thermal systems are the most commonly used solar technologies today. ` Solar cells such as these are used in photovoltaic solar technology There are two types of solar power plants. They are differentiated depending on how the energy from the sun is converted into electricity either via photovoltaic or solar cells, or via solar thermal power plants. Photovoltaic plants A photovoltaic cell, commonly called a solar cell or PV, is a technology used to convert solar energy directly into electricity. A photovoltaic cell is usually made from silicon alloys. Particles of solar energy, known as photons, strike the surface of a photovoltaic cell between two semiconductors. These semiconductors exhibit a property known as the photoelectric effect, which causes them to absorb the photons and release electrons. The electrons are captured in the form of an electric current in other words, electricity. Solar thermal power plants A solar thermal plant generates heat and electricity by concentrating the suns energy. That in turn builds steam that helps to feed a turbine and generator to produce electricity. There are three types of solar thermal power plants: 1) Parabolic troughs This is the most common type of solar thermal plant. A solar field usually contains many parallel rows of solar parabolic trough collectors. They use parabola-shaped reflectors to focus the sun at 30 to 100 times its normal intensity. The method is used to heat a special type of fluid, which is then collected at a central location to generate high-pressure, superheated steam. 2) Solar power tower This system uses hundreds to thousands of flat sun-tracking mirrors called heliostats to reflect and concentrate the suns energy onto a central receiver tower. The energy can be concentrated as much as 1,500 times that of the energy coming in from the sun. A test solar power tower exists in Juelich in the western German state of North-Rhine Westphalia. It is spread over 18,000 square meters (194,000 square feet) and uses more than 2,000 sun-tracking mirrors to reflect and concentrate the suns energy onto a 60-meter-high (200 foot high) central receiver tower. The concentrated solar energy is used to heat the air in the tower to up to 700 degrees Celsius (1,300 degrees Fahrenheit). The heat is captured in a boiler and is used to produce electricity with the help of a steam turbine. Solar thermal energy collectors work well even in adverse weather conditions. Theyre used in the Mojave Desert in California and have withstood hailstorms and sandstorms. 3) Solar pond This is a pool of saltwater which collects and stores solar thermal energy. It uses so-called salinity-gradient technology. Basically, the bottom layer of the pond is extremely hot up to 85 degrees Celsius and acts as a transparent insulator, permitting sunlight to be trapped from which heat may be withdrawn or stored for later use.

Effect of Consumption on Identity in Britain

Effect of Consumption on Identity in Britain We are what we consume. To what extent does consumption contribute to the construction of identity in contemporary British society? In order to understand the extent to which consumption contributes to the construction of identity in contemporary British society, and thus be in a position to comment on whether or not â€Å"we are what we consume† is a valid statement or simply hyperbole, it is important to first understand the sociological concepts behind the question being asked. â€Å"Consumption† in sociological terms does not simply mean the buying and consuming of goods and services. In particular, sociologists are interested in consumption as a means of conveying meaning. â€Å"Conspicuous consumption† is a term that was originally coined by Thorstein Veblen and it refers to the ways in which people convey the extent of their wealth to others in a society in which the traditional means of conveying meaning have largely disappeared. Veblen argued that in society, a person’s standing was directly related to their wealth. The manner in which this wealth had been accumulated was also important, with old wealth being more highly esteemed then new wealth. The wealthy individual had two ways in which to proclaim their social standing; conspicuous leisure and/or conspicuous consumption.[1] It is important to understand the historical background that has led to the current consumption patterns in contemporary Britain. The industrial revolution was a time of massive social upheavals. Historical bonds of servitude and deference were shattered and millions of people streamed into the UK’s cities. A consequence of this mass upheaval was that wealth creation was no longer tied to the land. Suddenly a person who owned a factory could potentially have the same amount of wealth as someone who considered themselves to be part of the upper classes and whose wealth came with status. Wealth, by itself, was no longer a sufficient means of separating the upper classes from the pretenders. This was especially so in the large towns that had been created in which people were constantly interacting with strangers who were unaware of a person’s social status. As such, conspicuous consumption came to be an increasingly important means of differentiating oneself from others.[2 ] The aspirational dreams unleashed during the industrial revolution meant that, in general terms, people belonging to a lower class could now potentially overcome the wealth divide simply through hard work. Overcoming the class divide was a little more difficult and it was achieved by essentially copying the consumption habits of that class to which a person aspired. Whether consumption drove the industrial revolution or whether the industrial revolution drove consumption may never be answered. The one thing that is certain is that each fuelled the other. The more people consumed the greater the flames of industry. The more exotic and fashionable the items produced, the greater the frenzy of consumption. However, what is clear is that traditional attitudes to work and consumption had to be overcome. Weber gives a interesting example that illustrates this point; â€Å"a man†¦ who at the rate of 1 mark per acre mowed 2.5 acres per day and earned 2.5 marks when the rate was raised to 1.25 marks per acre mowed, not 3 acres, as he might easily have done, thus earning 3.75 marks, but only 2 acres, so that he could still earn the 2.5 marks to which he was accustomed. The opportunity of earning more was less attractive to than that or working less. He did not ask: how much can I earn in a day if I work as much as possible? But: how much must I work in order to earn the wage, 2.5 marks, which I earned before and which takes care of my traditional needs?†[3] In the above example Weber seems to be lampooning this simple person who fails to understand that by working longer hours they can earn more money. In contemporary British society, it almost seems as though leisure time cannot be enjoyed without having first purchased the means of enjoying that time. Thus wide screen televisions, games consoles, international holidays, books, dvds, etc are all things without which people are made to believe they could not enjoy their leisure time. This should be contrasted to the person in Weber’s example who believed that simply being away from work was enough of a reward in itself. One suggested definition of a consumer culture, put forward in order to encompass conspicuous consumption in Third World countries, but also useful as a general starting point, is one, â€Å"in which the majority of consumers avidly desire (and some noticeable portion pursue, acquire, and display) goods and services that are valued for non-utilitarian reasons, such as status seeking, envy provocation, and novelty seeking.†[4] As such, any society in which consumption involves more than simply subsistence living (ie living to survive) will involve to some extent a degree of conspicuous consumption. Likewise, the concept of â€Å"identity† in contemporary sociological terms has developed beyond simply looking at a person’s occupation and class.[5] This move away from employment constituting the main source of a person’s identity splintered sociological thought. Whereas previously a person’s identity fell into several reasonably clear sociological categories and sociological theorists could hypothesis on the â€Å"macro† topics of relations between these groups, the shattering of the nexus between work and identity meant that sociologists now had to turn their attention to areas which had to that point been somewhat overlooked. The study of consumption by sociologists has relatively recent origins. While Marx and Veblen touched on consumption, their focus remained on class and occupational identities. That said, their early work in this area should not be discounted. Marx argued that by separating workers from ownership of the goods they produced and the means of that production, they were essentially being â€Å"estranged from their labour.†[6] As we will see below, this estrangement can lead to disillusionment in employees. However, it should be noted that consumption, being aspirational, actually thrives on feelings of disillusionment. As Weber’s example above illustrates, it is difficult to sell a person who is content an illusion. In their pioneering text on consumption, â€Å"The World of Goods†, Douglas and Isherwood noted with incredulity that, it is extraordinary to discover that no one knows why people want goods.[7] They went on to put forward the argument that â€Å"consumers use goods to construct an intelligible universe and to make and maintain social relationships.†[8] One could perhaps argue that in contemporary British society identity and consumption have become one and the same. As the wealth of society as a whole has increased and family bonds have slowly eroded, people look to advertisements, their peer group and celebrities to assist them in identifying themselves. However, by creating an identity which is outside of themselves and which relies on imported meanings, they run the risk of the identity they present to the world being itself an illusion. When such an illusion is shattered, it can have serious consequences for that person and those around them. Historically, British society has always been extremely class segregated. However, in modern British society, class wars have been to a large extent been replaced by battles of consumption. A particularly good example of this was the recent news that the Labour minister Ruth Kelly had made a decision to send her child to an expensive private school when a suitable state alternative existed. The arguments surrounding her decision clearly illustrate the extent to which choices about consumption can clash with a person’s public identity. The fact that Mrs Kelly is a Labour minister and former Education Secretary means to some people that she should not make decisions about her consumption of services which are contrary to party lines. A clear example of this thinking is set out in Simon Jenkins recent article in the Guardian.[9] He argues that: â€Å"To remove a child from the state school system is rarely an educational choice, whatever euphemism is customarily applied. It is a social statement. Across class-bound Britain, the exclusive school, whether state or private, reinforces the great divide.†[10] Other commentators from within the Labour party went on record to state[11]: I think it goes against the principles of the Labour Party. I am saddened by this and it makes me wonder about the sort of people who achieve high office who are in New Labour† (Birmingham Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones). I think we should expect Labour ministers to put their children through the state system. I deplore others transferring their children out of the system to go private† (Austin Mitchell, MP for Great Grimsby). What underpins these statements is the underlying belief that a person’s true identity is revealed by their consumption decisions. Furthermore, if one believes in a certain cause, not to support that cause through consumption decisions is akin to betray. While the Labour party may no longer be the â€Å"worker’s party†, it is still the party that most fervently advocates the role of public services and those less well off. The difficulty then for Labour ministers is that with their own increasing affluence, they are more likely to want to make consumption decisions which are more akin to the upper middle classes as opposed to their traditional support base. This naturally causes friction and inevitably calls of hypocrisy when the illusion is discovered. It should be noted that conspicuous consumption crosses divides of culture, race, age and religion. An interesting case in point is the Muslim Hijab which some women wear. These have now become â€Å"hot fashion items† for young Muslim women branded with for instance, Calvin Klein, Burberry, L’Oreal and Chanel logos. In this way, a Muslim woman can make the statment that while her religion is Muslim, her identity is Western. Likewise, Fulla dolls have replaced Barbie dolls in many Middle Eastern countries where the doll is a best seller.[12] The fact that Fulla’s popularity is about identity is clear in Mr Abidin’s (the brand manager behind the doll) statement: This isnt just about putting the hijab on a Barbie doll. You have to create a character that parents and children will want to relate to. Our advertising is full of positive messages about Fullas character. Shes honest, loving, and caring, and she respects her father and mother. While one may question what relevance the sale of a doll in the Middle East might have in contemporary Britain, the point is that in a global, inter-dependant marketplace, the West no longer dictates the consumption agenda as it once did. And as new ideas and aspirations emerge, these then filter back into the consumption patterns of British society as people in Britain seek to communicate those aspirations through their consumption. The interesting irony is the way in which a consumer society has managed to incorporate all these conflicting and competing ideas, some which even argue against consumerism, into nice, consumable packages. This is perhaps what is at the heart of the statement â€Å"we are what we consume†; that even if we identify ourselves as being anti-consumer, the only way to communicate that message to others is through consumption itself. Ritzer[13] suggests four changes that have occurred within society as a result of the process of consumption. These changes are first, that people no longer have to go to different shops to obtain the goods they wish to purchase but can instead go to supermarkets or shopping centres which cater for all their needs under one roof. While this does on doubt create a more convenient shopping experience, it also creates a more sterile one as everything is controlled and there is little chance of anything out of the ordinary occurring.[14] Second, many of what he calls the â€Å"cathederals of consumption† such as Disney Land and Las Vegas, have become destinations in their own right. People are just as likely to go there to enjoy the sites for what they are/represent as they are to go there to consume the goods and services offered by them.[15] Third, customers are more likely to do more of the things employees previously did for them, for themselves for no pay. Clear examples of this are the checkouts at supermarkets, with many British supermarkets now having some type of self-checkout service, self-service petrol stations, and cash points.[16] Finally, the process of consumption has altered social interaction to such an extent that a consumer is more likely to interact with the sites as opposed to any other people.[17] In many cases, the people with whom a consumer is interacting during the consumption process are so scripted in their role that interaction on a human level is close to impossible. To a certain extent, those employers are trying to break down the roles that their employees perform to such an extent that they can eventually be replaced by machines. In circumstances such as these, it is hardly surprising that many workers feel disillusioned and seek, in their leisure time, to escape from the monotony of their unfulfilled lives through consumption. In this case, perhaps consumption isn’t conspicuous but rather innocuous. Ratneshwar[18] looks under the illusion created by many of these â€Å"cathedrals of consumption† and in a scathing indictment argues that the â€Å"underlying rationality and sheer manipulativeness of these places are more likely to remain hidden from consumers.† However, people who work in these places quickly become disillusioned and come to see them as places â€Å"largely devoid of meaningful content.† [19] The interesting thing about modern consumption is that a person’s presence is never permanent. At the end of every day, everything is put back the way it was and when the shop/amusement park/cinema reopens the next day it is almost as if the previous day never happened. These places of consumption lack any historical or human dimension. They rely on people to give them meaning and yet, perhaps ironically, they themselves claim to be the givers of meaning. One could perhaps say that they sell back the meaning they have stolen from their customers (no doubt this would be Marx’s view). That said, it would be difficult to argue that a middle class person living in Britain today is worse off, or would willing trade places, with a person living in the middle ages. Even though that person in the middle ages may have had a clear identity about themselves and their position in the world, that certainty constrains them in a way in which a modern person would not be willing to be constrained (although it is arguable that this is slowly changing and that people are becoming more constrained). The fundamental feature in a society of consumption is that we are all complicit in the illusion taking place. As Ruth Kelly has shown, our consumption habits make hypocrites of us all. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bourdieu, P. (1977), Outline of a Theory of Practice, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge Belk, R. W. (1988), Third World Consumer Culture, in Goodwin, N. R., Ackerman, F. Kiron, D. (1997), The Consumer Society, Island Press, Washington DC, pp.311-314 Bocock, R. (2001), Consumption, Routledge, London Corrigan, P. (2006), The Sociology of Consumption: An Introduction, Sage Publications, London The Daily Mail, Ruth Kelly named as Labour minister sending a child to private school, 8th January 2007, taken from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=427179in_page_id=1770 Douglas, M. Isherwood, B. (2005), The World of Goods, Routledge, London Goodwin, N. R., Ackerman, F. Kiron, D. (1997), The Consumer Society, Island Press, Washington DC Jenkins, S., Introducing the minister of no faith in communities, in Guardian Unlimited, 10th January 2007, taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/Columnists/Column/0,,1986631,00.html The New York Times, Bestseller in Mideast: Barbie With a Prayer Mat, 22nd September 2005, taken from http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/international/middleeast/22doll.html?ex=1285041600en=72bb8cc089bf9435ei=5090 Ransome, P. (2005), Work, Consumption and Culture: Affluence and Social Change in the Twenty-first Century, Sage Publications, London Ratneshwar, S. Mick, D. G. ed. (2005), Inside Consumption: Perspectives on Consumer Motives, Goals and Desires, Routledge, New York Ritzer, G. (2005), Enchanting a Disenchanted World: Revolutionizing the Means of Consumption, Pine Forge Press Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed. (2003), Handbook of Social Theory, Sage Publications Ltd, London Storey, J. (1999), Cultural Consumption and Everyday Life, Arnold Publishing, London Veblen, T. (1994), The Theory of the Leisure Class, Dover Publications, Ontario Woodward, K. (2003), Social Sciences: The Big Issues, Routledge, London 1 Footnotes [1] Corrigan, P. (2006), p.17 [2] Corrigan, P. (2006), p.17 [3] Weber, M. (1976), pp.59-60 in Corrigan, P. (2006), p.66 [4] Belk, R. W. (1988), p.105 in Goodwin, N. R., Ackerman, F. Kiron, D. (1997), p.312 [5] Ransome, P. (2005), p.96 [6] Bocock, R. (2001), p.37 [7] Douglas, M. Isherwood, B. (2005), p.xxxi [8] Douglas, M. Isherwood, B., in Corrigan, P. (2006), p.17 [9] Jenkins, S. in Guardian Unlimited, 10th January 2007 [10] Jenkins, S. in Guardian Unlimited, 10th January 2007 [11] The Daily Mail, 8th January 2006 [12] The New York Times, 22nd September 2005 [13] Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed (2003), p.424 [14] Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed (2003), p.424 [15] Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed (2003), p.424 [16] Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed (2003), p.424 [17] Smart, B. Ritzer, G. ed (2003), p.424 [18] Ratneshwar, S. Mick, D. G. ed. (2005), p.305 [19] Ratneshwar, S. Mick, D. G. ed. (2005), p.305

Free College Admissions Essays: English and American Literature :: College Admissions Essays

I Wish to Study English and American Literature Having majored in literary studies (world literature) as an undergraduate, I would now like to concentrate on English and American literature. I am especially interested in nineteenth-century literature, women's literature, Anglo-Saxon poetry, and folklore and folk literature. My personal literary projects have involved some combination of these subjects. For the oral section of my comprehensive exams, I specialized in nineteenth century novels by and about women. The relation ship between "high" and folk literature became the subject for my honors essay, which examined Toni Morrison's use of classical, biblical, African, and Afro-American folk tradition in her novel. I plan to work further on this essay, treating Morrison's other novels and perhaps preparing a paper suitable for publication. In my studies toward a doctoral degree, I hope to examine more closely the relationship between high and folk literature. My junior year and private studies of Anglo-Saxon language and literature have caused me to consider the question of where the divisions between folklore, folk literature, and high literature lie. Should I attend your school, I would like to resume my studies of Anglo-Saxon poetry, with special attention to its folk elements. Writing poetry also figures prominently in my academic and professional goals. I have just begun submitting to the smaller journals with some success and am gradually building a working manuscript for a collection. The dominant theme of this collection relies on poems that draw from classical, biblical, and folk traditions, as well as everyday experience, in order to celebrate the process of giving and taking life, whether literal or figurative. My poetry draws from and influences my academic studies. Much of what I read and study finds a place in my creative work as subject. At the same time, I study the art of literature by taking part in the creative process, experimenting with the tools used by other authors in the past. In terms of a career, I see myself teaching literature, writing criticism, and going into editing or publishing poetry. Doctoral studies would be valuable to me in several ways. First, your teaching assistant ship program would provide me with the practical teaching experience I am eager to acquire.