The And Birth Control Of Latin America - 1636 Words

Countries in Latin America need to minimize the extremely firm restrictions or create a certain set of laws on abortion procedures and be more lenient on the use of birth control due to the increased number of cases of pregnant women infected with the Zika virus. The laws on abortions in Brazil, as well as other Latin American countries, are too strict for Zika infected pregnant women to obtain the procedure. The views on birth control in Latin America and Brazil are too harsh and should be lifted for women to prevent pregnancies that will be affected by the Zika virus. Easier access to abortions and birth control is an effective way of slowing the number of Zika related microcephaly cases in infants whose mothers were infected with the virus. Women become infected and then have to live in worry for nine months, hoping their baby will not be born with this horrible birth defect that governments are allowing babies to be born with undersized heads and brains even though they can preve nt it by allowing women to take birth control and have abortions (Philips, Miroff, and Cobb). Abortions in Latin American countries are rare and only legal on the basis of three situations; 1) the woman was raped, 2) the life of the woman in endangered, or 3) if the fetus the woman is carrying in anencephalic. In six countries, abortion is considered a criminal at and can be punishable by time in prison (Stern). Any other reason for an abortion and the government will most likely deny theShow MoreRelatedEssay on Hispanic American Culture Dance914 Words   |  4 Pagesorigins in Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and other Spanish speaking countries that have come together and form a culture in the United State of America. The culture is built in different categories; for instance, religion, social custom, health practices their privacy, and birth. They come from a comprehensive familiar culture that has been called the second in America. Because of their pride and affection they feel un safe to give up their past. Their notoriety in the United State has been their resistanceRead MoreAnalysis Of Judith Cofer s Article And The Myth Of The Latin Woman Essay1648 Words   |  7 Pagesdifficult struggles that women have to deal with such as the usage of birth control and the process of having an abortion. While Judith Cofer takes a similar route with a few differences. Her article talks specifically about the struggles of a Latin woman. Both articles talk about the obstacles women are faced with while also taking the time to focus on specific topics. â€Å"The Alienable Rights of Women† by Roxanne Gay and â€Å"The Myth of the Latin Woman† by Judith Cofer complement each other because they bothRead MoreThe World Of The Atlantic Ocean1372 Words   |  6 Pagesconquered almost all of the New World. Mexico, the Caribbean islands, and South America all became part of a vast area of European colonies known as Latin America. The British, French, Dutch, and Port uguese all had territory in this region, but the most notable conquistadors were the Spanish. New Spain included most of the Caribbean islands, Mexico, almost all of Central America, and the entire western coast of South America. Throughout all of these colonies, Spanish society was controlled by a strictRead More Gender Roles in Latin American Societies Essay examples710 Words   |  3 PagesGender Roles in Latin American Societies The idea that a woman’s job is to be a wife and mother is old-fashioned, but not completely out of style. Though these roles require a great deal of talent, resilience, patience, love, and strength, to name a few, they are often underestimated or depicted as simple. Especially in modern times, many women in the United States who stay home to raise a family are viewed as anti-feminists, whereas women in Latin America are not criticized for similar actionsRead MoreThe Differences Between Latin America924 Words   |  4 PagesLatin America is one region of the world known for its similarities across national borders, paired with stark differences. While Latin American countries share cultural elements such as, language, religion, and a colonial history, each society has developed differently in terms of political, economic, and social organization. One major difference across Latin America is individual nations relationships with family planning and abortion systems. Each countr y s stance on the morality of abortionRead MoreAnalysis Of Industrial Park By Patricia Galvao1275 Words   |  6 Pages Industrial Park by Patricia Galvao is book referencing to the industrialization going on in Latin America in late 19th century and early 20th. The book goes into both views and lives of the proletariat working class and the bourgeoisie middle to upper class. The book helps with understanding the ghastly and rough working conditions in factories for the working class. The dingy living conditions for workers apposed to the luxury of the bourgeoisie and the wealth they have from the exploitation ofRead MoreEssay on Latin American Veins are Still Open and Wounded1584 Words   |  7 Pages4, 2013 Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent Book Review Latin American Veins are Still Open and Wounded Open Veins of Latin America is the book to remember. Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano is responsible for the creation of this relevant and controversial masterpiece, which follows the history of Latin America and the Caribbean through centuries of struggle against poverty and those imperial powers who abused of Latin American resources and createdRead MoreGender Inequality During Latin American Countries1373 Words   |  6 Pages How has gender inequality affected women in Latin American countries? Gender inequality has affected the women of Latin America in a multitude of ways, but it can be argued that the division of gender equality is extremely prominent when analyzing reproductive rights and health care access. Compared to countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, Latin America is far behind in terms of civil rights and reproductive rights. The lack of rights is not in question; women’s barrierRead MoreRapid Population Growth : A Country With The Largest Human Population1378 Words   |  6 Pagesvery rapid expansion of population in these still largely traditional societies: the spread of medical technology such as immunization and antibiotics after World War II, which led to vastly rapid declines in death rates, and a lag in declines in birth rates. Nigeria is a country with the largest human population in Africa. Some of the results of human populations are; depletio n of resources, human congestion, weather modification, high unemployment rate, environmental degradation and a lot moreRead MoreHonour Among Woman in Colonial Latin America1549 Words   |  7 PagesIn colonial Latin America, one aspect of life that was constantly under attack and had to be guarded at all costs was the ideal of ones Honour. Women in colonial Latin America had to especially be on their guard to protect their honour, as an unanswered attack to their honour could ruin a familys honour. But if a womans honour was attacked there were ways for her to protect it. The honour women possessed at the time was said to be not as important as the honour of a man, but it is, in fact, more

American Public s Knowledge And Involvement - 839 Words

This essay briefly describes the current state of the Americans public’s knowledge and involvement in news, geography, and politics, citing both anecdotal and formal academic examples. First, this essay describes the American public’s knowledge and involvement in news. Then, this essay describes the American public’s knowledge and involvement in geography. Finally, it describes the American public’s knowledge and involvement in politics. American Public’s Understanding and Involvement in News The American public has very little understanding and involvement in the news. It is assumed that the people are stupid, ignorant, disregarded, and that they seek unreliable sources of information about important news events (Shenkman 14). The two causes that suggest this is that the public is either uninterested or is not well-informed. Anecdotal example The American public has almost no understanding and involvement in the news. The younger generation, specifically, finds absolutely no interest in the news and believes that it is irrelevant. For example, â€Å"when one college teacher required a class to listen to NPR for an hour, one student summed up the general reaction to the experience by calling it ‘torture’† (Shenkman 27). This shows that students do not understand the importance of politics and are rather bored with the current news. Formal Academic example The American public rarely reads the newspaper anymore because most people do not think the news is of that muchShow MoreRelatedVietnam Was Mass Murder Of People Of Different Socioeconomic Ideologies1455 Words   |  6 PagesThe only thing American politicians accomplished in Vietnam was mass murder of people of different socioeconomic ideologies. American politicians told blatant lies told to the American public, and forced a military draft for an unfavorable war. As a consequence, they quickly lost the majority of support on the home-front. As time progressed the nationalist Vietnamese would develop strategies to make most actions by the South Vietnamese and American militaries ineffective. Their policies ofRead MoreHomeschooling And The Community : Homeschooling1681 Words   |  7 Pageschose this topic because in class we discussed how the community and parental involvement plays a large part in student’s academic achievement and I was interested to see how parental involvement and the community’s opinions on homeschoolers interacted with the homeschoolers student achievement – both in terms of standardized test scores and the GPA difference (if there is one) between homeschoolers and children who go to public school in higher education. Homeschooling in the United States has a longerRead MoreIncreased Political Activism Among Nursing Staff Essay1014 Words   |  5 Pagesarenas. This power emanates from the great body of healthcare knowledge that they possess and in their large numbers. Contrary to this absolute fact, most nurses do not maximize this policy changing potential that they own. Regrettably, they view political activism not as power tool but as a barrier to the furtherance of their nursing profession. This emanates from the view that nursing is about application of service through actual involvements which politics does not entail (Rains and Barton-Kriese 219)Read MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1155 Words   |  5 Pages The Vietnam War was one of the first wars to be broadcasted in one’s own living room. It is also one of the most misconstrued and misunderstood wars that have resulted in American defeat. Being one of the longest wars fought in history, it has left many questioning the motivation behind the conflict that spanned two decades before being resolved. Despite being a conflict between North and South Vietnam, the United States decided to enter the war in spite of being faced with opposition from its citizensRead MoreThe War Of The Vietnam War1475 Words   |  6 PagesIn a high school education system that places emphasis on American history over world history, there are still many subjects that remain untouched. Prior to my own research for this paper, what little knowledge I had on one such event, the Vietnam War, came from entertainment-based programs and the play Miss Saigon. Despite heavy coverage in such well-known comedic films as Forrest Gump and Good Morning Vietnam, the true events were anything but a laugh for those involved. In spite of the relativeRead MoreWays to Improve the U.S. Education System836 Words   |  3 Pagesindustrialized nations in the world, students in many other industrialized nations are outperforming U.S. students in various acade mic areas. As a result, the U.S. has implemented standard-based reform, and its educational costs have soared. No longer are American graduates competing with each other for jobs, in the present global economy, they also are competing with graduates from other industrialized nations, many of whom are preforming at higher academic levels in reading, math, science, and problem solvingRead MoreCapstone Project And Research Investigation934 Words   |  4 Pagesaffects the particular group, population, or community. The project also addresses how knowledge circulates through translation or integration of evidenced-base practice. The capstone project provides a foundation for future scholarship and reflects the student s understanding of knowledge and expertise. Furthermore, the capstone project addresses the academic product that reflects the student s involvement (Webb, 2014). According to Campbell Benn (2011) a capstone project includes identifyingRead MoreCensorship Of Public s Privacy1321 Words   |  6 Pagesconstantly violated, which directly causes anger within the public body towards the government. To begin, many different methods of censorship have been violating countless rights that humans are privileged with. Many governments depend on mass censorship and propaganda to keep citizens under control, and are blind to many unjustifiable political actions, despite the fact that they are violating many human rights by deceiving the public body. The media is manipulated in all manners, and is sometimesRead MoreLethal Injections And The Involvement Of Medical Personnel1210 Words   |  5 PagesShella Samonte Kegley Health Science Technology 4th Period 27 September 2015 Lethal Injections and the Involvement of Medical Personnel Death penalty, or capital punishment, is the execution of a person as a punishment for a crime. Throughout history, the death penalty has been a prominent part of society. In ancient Mesopotamia, the death penalty was seen as retribution for certain crimes, and to this day, is now a common practice in the United States. Before, when the United States were still coloniesRead MoreAmericas Involvement in Vietnam Essay example827 Words   |  4 PagesAmericas Involvement in Vietnam From the early 1800’s up until 1931 Vietnam was controlled by France, Frances rule was then ended as they were forced to pull out of Vietnam due to the start of WW2, France left a ‘puppet ruler’ named Emperor Bao Dai. This left Vietnam vulnerable to invasion which was an opportunity Japan could not refuse and took advantage of Vietnam’s situation by invading. This sparked the return of a well known Vietnamese communist, Ho Chi Minh

History of the Origins of Environmental Ethics Essay Example For Students

History of the Origins of Environmental Ethics Essay History of the Origins of Environmental Ethics The inspiration for environmental ethics was the first Earth Day in 1970 when environmentalists started urging philosophers who were involved with environmental groups to do something about environmental ethics. An intellectual climate had developed in the last few years of the 1960s in large part because of the publication of two papers in Science: Lynn Whites The Historical Roots of our Ecologic Crisis (March 1967) and Garett Hardins The Tragedy of the Commons (December 1968). Most influential with regard to this kind of thinking, however, was an essay in Aldo Leopolds A Sand County Almanac, The Land Ethic, in which Leopold explicitly claimed that the roots of the ecological crisis were philosophical. (Although originally published in 1949, Sand County Almanac became widely available in 1970 in a special Sierra Club/Ballantine edition, which included essays from a second book, Round River. Most academic activity in the 1970s was spent debating the Lynn White thesis and the tragedy of the commons. These debates were primarily historical, theological, and religious, not philosophical. Throughout most of the decade philosophers sat on the sidelines trying to determine what a field called environmental ethics might look like. The first philosophical conference was organized by William Blackstone at the University of Georgia in 1972. The proceedings were published as Philosophy and Environmental Crisis in 1974, which included Pete Gunters first paper on the Big Thicket. In 1972 a book called Is It Too Late? A Theology of Ecology, written by John B. Cobb, was published. It was the first single-authored book written by a philosopher, even though the primary focus of the b. .n environmental phenomenology. On the theoretical level, Taylor and Rolston, despite many disagreements, can be regarded as objective nonanthropocentric intrinsic value theorists. Callicott, who follows Aldo Leopold closely, is a subjective nonanthropocentric intrinsic value theorist. Hargrove is considered a weak anthropocentric intrinsic value theorist. Sagoff is very close to this position although he doesnt talk about intrinsic value much and takes a Kantian rather than an Aristotlian approach. At the far end is Bryan Norton who thought up weak anthropocentrism but wants to replace intrinsic value with a pragmatic conception of value. The anti-intrinsic value pragmatic movement includes such philosophers as Anthony Weston and Andrew Light, although Ben Minteer has recently indicated that intrinsic value could be included in an environmental pragmatism.

Xander Harris Speech Essay Summary Example For Students

Xander Harris Speech Essay Summary Hes a lanky fellow, dark-haired and self-effacing. He uses sarcastic humor to hide his insecurity no ones told him it doesnt work. Even when hes being chased by a 100 feet serpent, he still manages to find the humor in the situation. Hes been in a complicated love triangle and lives to tell about it. A friend, lover and slayerette Hes Xander Harris. Good afternoon/morning Ms. Rosteing and fellow students. As you can see, my speech is on Xander Harris. If you dont watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, which you should because its the best show on TV, youre probably thinking, who the hell is Xander Harris? . Well for the next 3-4 minutes sit back, relax and get ready for a goofy good time as Xander would say. His full name is Alexander LaVelle Harris. Hes 17 and hails from Sunnydale with its renown Hellmouth. Mishap after mishap, Xander is always there with a witty remark or funny joke. Xander is not exactly popular with the guys or the girls. We will write a custom essay on Xander Harris Speech Summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Hes the class clown and has much more important things to do than study homework namely study girls. He hangs out with Buffy Summers this generations slayer, Willow Rosenburg and Oz; otherwise known as the Scooby Gang. Hes been friends with Willow as long as they can remember. Before Buffy came along, it was just him, Willow and Jesse, his best friend. When Buffy showed up in Sunnydale, Jesse was turned into a vampire and he fell for everyones favorite slayer. Buffy joined their group, and with her, they started hanging out in the library with Giles, Buffys watcher. In terms of relationships, this is where it gets a little complicated. At the beginning of the show, Xander fell instantly in love with Buffy. But at the time, Xander and Willow were best friends, and Willow had a sizable crush on the X-man. So there was this love triangle deal going, and the fact that Buffy had no interest in Xander made it one big unrequited love angst-fest. Cordelia was one of the popular girls, and treated Buffy, Willow, and Xander like little bugs that you want to squash as soon as you see them. Needless to say, there was some serious animosity between Cordelia and the others, but through bad luck and circumstance, she discovered Buffys secret. This became a major source of frustration for everybody, especially when Cordy was trapped in a basement with Xander, and their intense dislike for each other created some sort of twisted bond, resulting in a steamy kiss and a topsy-turvy relationship. The Cordelia/Xander dynamic really hurt Willow, who said to Xander, Youd rather be with someone you hate than be with me. Luckily for Willow, she and Oz started going out, so her heart has been mended quite handily. That doesnt mean that there arent some leftover feelings between Xander and Willow, though Then just last season, Xander finally discovers his attraction for Willow and they kiss. Immediately, they realize their mistake, and discover that they have gotten themselves into a big mess that will end in pain for a lot of other people. Literary. Cordelia and Oz stumble upon them and Cordy gets impaled. It goes without saying that the couple break up on bad terms. Xander stumbles around, trying to find himself again and ends up having sex with everyones favorite skanky slayer, Faith. This one night fling ends up making Willow cry. With the arrival of the new watcher, Wesley, Xander becomes jealous of Cordelias attention to him; which shows that he still cares about her in his Xander-like way. Xander, Xander, Xander. What can you say about him? .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .postImageUrl , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:hover , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:visited , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:active { border:0!important; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:active , .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9 .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uadf801595e2ca312d8c32aa4f736e8e9:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Bipolar Disorder EssayHe has a sense of humor that can make you laugh your brains out, hes quite capable of being a perfect gentleman, he saves the day 70% of the time, and hes the best friend a person could have. In other words, hes the best character on Buffy, in my opinion, and is portrayed by an awesome actor. With his nutty and witty lines like I laugh in the face of danger. Then I hide until it goes away or Its funny how the earth never opens up and swallows you when you want it to, who CANT love this adorable character?!

Conflicts with Native Americans essays

Conflicts with Native Americans essays In the 1830s the United States was beginning to expand west of the Mississippi. There was, however, usable land east of the River. It was inhabited by the Native Americans and it was very valuable. In 1830 and act called the Indian Removal Act was passed. It allowed the federal government to remove the Native Americans from their lands and relocate them to areas in and around present day Oklahoma. They would be paid to move. Many Native Americans agreed to the act, accepted compensation, and moved. Others, however, were very reluctant to leave their long-time homes. Some of those that did not want to move included the Cherokee, the Sauk and Fox, and the Seminole. The people of the Cherokee Nation refused to leave their homes. They argued that in the 1790s they had been recognized by the federal government as a nation of their own with their own laws. The Cherokee sued the Georgias government for refusing to recognize their importance as a nation. The case was eventually taken to the Supreme Court who ruled that the Native Americans were protected by the Constitution and the federal government. President Jackson, however, refused to honor the ruling. He supported the state of Georgia in the case. A few Cherokee signed a treaty in 1835. This treaty allowed the government to take their land. However, most of the Cherokee population of 17,000 refused to move. They wrote a letter to the government. It, however, did not soften the President. The letter read: We are aware that some persons suppose it will be for our advantage to move beyond the Mississippi...Our people universally think otherwise...We wish to remain on the land of our fathers. In 1838 7,000 troops, led by General Winfield Scott, were sent to remove the Cherokee from their lands. He threatened to use force to move them, Chiefs, head men, and warriors-Will you then, by resistance, compel ...

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas essays

Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas essays Arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas It is my third visit to the museum of Metropolitan art, this time we are focusing on the arts of Africa, Oceania and the Americas. In the meantime the instructor gives important facts, and explanations about the purpose and meaning of the objects created. One of my favorites is the Pendant Mask: Iyoba from the Benin culture and its representation of power. First of all, this pendant mask was created by the Benin culture in Nigeria. The texture and the fine materials of the pendant specify that it was worn by a king on ceremonial occasions. It is believed that this object was created by the royal ivory carvers of the king. The main material used in this mask is Ivory, Iron and Copper. Furthermore the Ivory was made out of the elephant tusk which was highly prized, and it was a symbol of wealth and purity. In addition to the value the materials had, this mask also represents the influence the mother of the oba (king) had in the Benin society. Moreover, Idia was the mother and advisor to one of the most powerful leader of Benin, Esigie who ruled in the early sixteenth century. Esigie created this pendant to honor Idia for helping to secure his claim to the throne and for the wise counsel that she provided him throughout his reign. As a result of Idia's role, the title of Queen Mother (Iyoba) was introduced to the Benin court, granting the mother of the oba (king) equal authority to that of senior town chiefs. Furthermore, the mask also gives information about the ancient Benin society. For instance, the mask displays multiple figures, each one with a different meaning for example, the mudfish that line her head and collar. The mudfish is one of the most primary symbols of Benin Kingship. This creature was associated with the qualities of aggressiveness due to its electric stings and the ability to survive in water and on land as the Oba move through both earth and t...

Cash Flows in Business Organisations Coursework - 1

Cash Flows in Business Organisations - Coursework Example On the other hand, net cash flow can be defined as the difference between the cash that is brought in and that goes out of a company. First, to understand the underlying factor causing the difference in these two major accounting items, it is imperative to be known that the determination of a company’s net profit for the financial period depends on some criteria as provided by the GAAP (Eisen 2007, pp. 101-110). Unlike net profit, cash flow determination is not affected by any criteria. Second, the difference is brought about by the fact that some expenditure considered as non-cash such as the depreciation costs are deducted from the revenue in order to obtain the net income. On the other hand, these non-cash costs are added back to obtain the net cash flow. Third, the difference may be caused by the rules regulating the recognition of revenues and expenditures, which do not apply to a cash flow statement but to the profit and loss account. Consider a company with a net income of $ 1,117,500. To obtain the company’s cash flow, some costs such as the amortization ($ 101,100) are added back to the net income to obtain the net cash flow. Therefore, $ 1,117,500 + 101,100 + (or less other items) will result in a higher value of net cash flow as compared to the net income (Gilbertson & Lehman 2009, pp. 428). As provide in the international accounting standards 7, the indirect method of cash flow presentation involves beginning with the net income, which is then adjusted to obtain the net cash flow. On the other hand, the direct method specifically shows the cash inflows that make up the operating activities as shown in appendix 1a and 1b (Jury 2012, pp. 228-230). Operating activities: The extracts of operating activities of the two companies are available under appendix 2. In the year 2011 and 2012, the following are the cash flow analysis: Viacom has net earnings of $ 2,173,000 and

The Intelligence and Aging of People Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Intelligence and Aging of People - Essay Example Depending on the definition of the term intelligence, it can either be decreasing with age (when defined as unitary property), or it can be increasing with age (when defined as an entity consisting of multiple factors) (Merriam, Caffarella, and Baumgartner, 2007). There are many studies that prove that fact that ageing does not necessarily mean a reduction of intelligence. In one of the researches, the authors present their findings based on various tests which help to analyze long and short-term memory tasks of older adults ageing (ages 60 through 80) and younger adults (ages 18 through 30) (Bartlett, 2002). The aim of the research was to analyze how ageing and experience might affect different aspects of cognition. This research was conducted on the basis of a variety of tasks. It was found that there was little to no age effect. Moreover, it was concluded that both adult and young participants of the study equally benefited from the â€Å"usefulness of domain-specific musical knowledge† (Barlett, 2002, p. 18). Interesting, ageing was in many tasks considered more beneficial than experience. Finally, the researchers found that there were no relationships between ageing and music cognition skills; besides, they never found that age differences were reduced in persons who had had more years of musical practice. The research based on musical expe rience may be transferred to other domains of cognition. Thus, it could be concluded that ageing should not be viewed as some negative process of adulthood, but rather as the ability to get to a bank of cognition resources.

A Synopsis of the Movie Fight Club Essay Example for Free

A Synopsis of the Movie Fight Club Essay The movie begins as Jack, the protagonist, is trapped in a state of insomnia by his job at calculating the cost of recalling a faulty car as opposed to paying court settlements to the relatives of the people killed by that car. He then recommends the one that seems less expensive. While he tries to argue with a doctor about how he can start sleeping, the doctor happens to make a sarcastic remark about how if he wants to see real pain he should go to a support group for men with testicular cancer. Jack takes this remark literally. It is there that he meets Bob, whom I shall describe shortly. Anywhere, he begins to find the support groups addictive, and attends more and more of them, and finds that they allow him to sleep. Soon after in the movie we find Jack meeting Tyler Durden on a plane trip, and when his apartment later explodes Jack meets Tyler Durden in a bar. Having agreed to let Jack stay at his house, Tyler asks Jack to punch him. He tells Jack this will make him feel that his life was indeed exciting, and Jack obliges. They begin to fight, and others begin to stand around, wanting to join as well. They gather together, protesting amongst themselves that society was trying to turn them into wimpy and uniform machines and preventing them from feeling like real people, constantly telling them that they need to buy all sorts of stuff that they only need because the advertisements said they did. Pretty soon there are weekly gatherings of these men, waiting for a chance to fight one another, and then they move into the basement of a local bar. More and more men begin to attend Fight Club with the express agreement that they would not mention it, and rumors begin to circulate of Clubs in other cities. Gradually Durden begins to make the Club more involved, giving out homework assignments such as to start a fight with a stranger and lose. Thus Jack finds himself watching as Durden institutes Project Mayhem, an outward attempt at changing society based on widespread attacks on coffee franchises and corporate artwork. Finally Durden plots to blow up ten major credit card companies, with the intent that to erase everyones debt would create chaos, and allow society to re- organize itself from that chaos. Many critics of the movie found it to portray antisocial behaviors as a valid way of expressing oneself. (Particularly if only the beginning and middle of this movie are looked at. ) They argue that its violence is there merely to draw an audience. This is supported by numerous instances of young men and boys vandalizing cars as was done in the movie or forming clubs of their own. Therefore many say that the movie succeeds in condoning what the ending condemns. They say that it promotes violence by making it seem so attractive in muck of the movie, regardless of the conclusion. With this argument in mind, we shall proceed with our analysis of the movie itself. One of the principal themes in Fight Club is its treatment of violence and its relationship with masculinity. The men in the film are portrayed as confronting a society which gives them little meaning and refuses to give them what they feel to be a birthright, a meaningful, productive place in society. Tyler Durden, the leader of Fight Club and the manifestation of the angry, alienated, and purposeless feeling, articulates this, Were the middle children of history, with no special purpose or place. We dont have a great war in our generation, or a great depression. The great depression is our lives. The great war is a spiritual war. We have been raised by television to believe that well be millionaires and movie gods and rock starsbut we wont And were learning that fact. And were very, very, pissed off. The men in this movie, having their traditional masculine role of breadwinner seemingly denied by feminism and left with meaningless corporate jobs compensate for this loss of masculinity and control by re-affirming their masculinity for themselves through the only masculine behavior they still can do: fighting. According to Jackson Katz: One way that the system allows working class men (of various races) the opportunity for what Brod refers to as masculine identity validation is through the use of their body as an instrument of power, dominance, and control. For working-class males, who have less access to more abstract forms of masculinity-validating power (economic power, workplace authority), the physical body and its potential for violence provide a concrete means of achieving and asserting manhood. Bob also fits this description of fighting as compensation for that sense of paralysis preventing men from being either a crucial part of society or being able to change it so that one can be. Through a combination of the treatment for testicular cancer and of increased estrogen as a result of his steroid use while a body-builder which Bob was left with unusually large breasts and left him with very little perception or himself as masculine or valuable to anyone. However, Bob later appears in the movie as a member of Fight Club, where he finds that once again he can act like a man and feel as if his masculinity is validated. Jack finds Durdens assertions that the men in their generation have no other way to express their individuality or to free themselves from materialism than to fight each other, and to use their fighting as a method of filling the void left by the removal of worthy roles for men in society. In the beginning of the film Jack is using mail-order catalogs, becoming so obsessed with buying whatever he sees advertised in them that his orders become an end to themselves. I would flip and wonder, What kind of dining room set defines me as a person? He became so obsessed with obtaining what he saw in the catalogs that he filled up his apartment with furniture and all sorts of other stuff he didnt need. This seems also to address the increasing assertion by advertisements that you can be defined and given a soul by acquiring products. Durden also spoke of this sort of cycle: Look at the guys in fight club. The strongest and smartest men who have ever lived and theyre pumping gas and waiting tables; or theyre slaves with white collars. Advertising has them chasing cars and clothes. A whole generation working in jobs they hate, just so they can buy shit they dont really need. He was alluding to the shackles that a culture based on acquisition has on its members, and inviting thes e members (namely men) to throw off the shackles and prove that they didnt need a better dining room set to define them. All they needed, he assured them, was to fight, and would show their humanity and masculinity through that. During another one of his outcries about the male relationship with society, Durden once came upon a designer clothing billboard featuring a muscular man in jeans and no shirt, and criticized it much like various critics of ads which use unrealistic shows of feminine beauty to sell products asked, Is this what a real man looks like? After smearing it with blood, he proclaims, Guys packing into the gyms, all trying to look like what Calvin Klein says. Fight club isnt about looking good. Susan Faludi, author of Stiffed: the Betrayal of the American Man calls this sort of ornamental masculinity a major factor in the Angry White Male mentality: The more I consider what men have losta useful role in public life, a way of earning a decent living, respectful treatment in the culturethe more it seems to me that men are falling into a status oddly similar to that of women at midcentury. The 50s housewife, stripped of her connections to a wider world and invited to fill the void with shopping and the ornamental display of her ultrafeminity, could be said to have morphed into the 90s man, stripped of his connections and invited to fill the void with consumption and a gym-bred display of his ultramasculinity. The empty compensations of a feminine mystique and transforming into the empty compensations of a masculine mystique. Douglas Rushkoff gives his account of the switch from a linear and continuous world to one that was non-linear and discontinuous. Before this switch, middle-class men were seen as valuable and benevolent authority figures who were a pillar of society and who always succeeded in bringing home food for the table because his work paid relatively well. The society felt that there was value also in acquiring as many new and technologically advanced possessions as possible, which allowed for the men to ensure that their wives would find it enjoyable to expend all of their energy at home, cooking and vacuuming and buying better things for cooking and vacuuming. In this way men were given the great majority of political power and respect. However, the awareness of the corruption in politicians lives from Watergate, the national confusion after a country was able to watch Kenn edy assassinated on TV, and possibly the most lasting of all, the first time that ordinary citizens were able to see combat in Vietnam on the nightly news, creating a much more suspicious outlook on the government and military, caused society to become discontinuous. The former male status symbol was gone along with continuity, replaced by gender equality which prevented men from using the feminine mystique to their advantage, making them less likely to have a dependent wife and family. They lacked that meaning which they had when they were providing for their offspring and mate, to put it in a biological concept, so their motivation to work was largely gone, with consumerism alone unable to fill the void. Their power having toppled, the male now tried to fill this void and prove that he indeed was still a man for society. Consumerism was unable to do that anymore, and so the male body itself, as Jackson Katz said, became the tool. This is shown by the film, in which Tyler Durden attempts to destroy the discontinuous society which tells him that he should not have this total control. This is shown by his completely anti-feminist outlook, particularly his meaningless sexual relationship with Marla Singer. Except for their humping, Tyler and Marla were never in the same room Jack relates. Tyler also describes a generation of unaggressive men raised by their mothers, that characterized his peers who grew up in a time of increased divorce rates and in turn grew up without fathers. The last thing we need is another woman. He gives reason to his masochistic fights and burns by saying that you could create pain for yourself, thereby hitting bottom. He describes it not as a painful and agonizing experience, but a turning point, where you are going to feel excellent after having your teeth knocked out no matter how bad your station in life is. And so Durdens scheme to create chaos which would then begin society anew, Rushkoff would say, actually was showing that he was trying to mold society around himself. Meanwhile Jack in the end renounces Tylers ideas of violent upheaval, instead deciding that he would accept society as discontinuous and use its discontinuity as part of his life. This film therefore shows the advantage in not letting what happens matter to you such as it would in a linear world. Edward Hermans perceptions of the film would be those of contradiction, largely centering around the fact that the movie is marketed and designed to make a profit, yet at the same time it criticizes the idea t hat you need to buy what society tells you to buy and that material goods are unnecessary to life. He might postulate that the companies had realized that a capitalistic message promoting conformity doesnt sell, and instead used and anti-capitalistic message of being skeptical of what society and everyone else tells you to make an even greater profit (much like Sprites paradoxical campaign which made fun of soft drink ads, then told people to buy Sprite). he would observe in short not that corporations indeed rejected themselves, but that they now make themselves even more effective by letting people pay to watch them pretend to do so. My own impressions of the movie are that along with its messages on corporations and their relationship with the identity crisis in American men is that it also offered a lot of information on the ultimate problem with taking violence as a way of demonstrating masculinity. This is especially apparent with Bob, who, managed to rediscover his manhood in Fight Club and in Project Mayhem, but was also killed while part of the latter. Following his death , he is spoken of by his comrades as if he had never been human. This is saying that to become part of violence unquestionably despite perceived acceptance and purpose is to swap one form of denial of yourself for another. Bibliography. Katz, Jackson/ authority on phenomenon of violence and its link to masculinity and cultural trends creating this phenomenon/ Advertising and the Construction of Violent White Masculinity This article discussed the use of violence by white men as a tool to regain power they feel to be lost to other groups. Discusses overuse of portrayals of violence and its symbols in advertising. Faludi, Susan/ author of Backlash and Stiffed: The Betrayal of the American Man, a contributing editor for Newsweek, The Betrayal of the American Man, At Ground Zero of the Masculinity Crisis, The Ornamental Culture, Beyond the Politics of Confrontation Newsweek, (09-13-99) Its Thelma and Louise for Guys, Newsweek (10-25-99) These articles discuss how men have reacted to the identity crisis from their loss of job status and expresses that much of it comes from a modern image of manhood impossible to attain and in the latter relates such phenomena to the film. Fletcher, Kim, Male Fantasies The Spectator (11-2 0-99) Much like Faludi in that it concludes that film is the result of male feelings of inadequacy in modern culture addressing the question of how to react. Rushkoff, Douglas/ author of Media Virus and Playing the Future among others content take from excerpts of Playing the Future This book describes the cultural evolution caused by the digital age and resulting in adopting non-linear thought and in chaos mathematics. Herman, Edward/ linguistics professor at MIT, comrade of Noam Chomsky The Propaganda Model Revisited from Capitalism and the Information Age This essay enlightens as to the role producers and reporters personal biases and more particularly of their desire for profit plays in how the media portrays certain events or whether they even mention certain events at all. Braun, Bill, Auto dealership vandal released after finishing bootcamp', World Staff Writer final home edition (date not given) This, among other articles, outlined or mentioned the violent and anti-social ef fects that the film seemed to have on the younger adults and adolescents, such as forming their own little fight clubs or vandalism. Uhls, Jim Fight Club screenplay available at http://geocities.com/scifiscripts/scripts/fight_- club_shoot.txt

Tragic Heros In Shakespeare

Tragic Heros In Shakespeare Macbeth serves as an example of a tragic hero in Shakespeare s Macbeth. His tragic decision stems from the influence of a tragic flaw. Once he has made the decision, it is irreversible, and produces his downfall. In an attempt to save himself, the tragic hero tries to reverse his decision, but ultimately fails. The tragic hero must be neither villain nor a virtuous man but a character between these two extremes. A man who not eminently good and just, yet whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity but by some error or human frailty. 1st Paragraph: Topic sentence: At the very beginning of the play, Macbeth and Banquo are returning to Scotland. Won the war for Duncan. Shows a noble virtue of Macbeth, a requirement of a tragic hero Three witches appear and make prophecies about Macbeth and Banquo. All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! hail to thee, thane of Cawdor! All hail Macbeth that shalt be king hereafter! (I,ii,48). Ross enters tells Macbeth is thane of Cawdor now. Macbeth is surprised. Prophecies coming true. Duncans sons, would be the rightful heirs to the throne. Nowhere near the next in line to the throne Closing sentence: Macbeths tragic flaw is that of ambition; Macbeths ambition will cause him to decline. 2nd Paragraph: Topic Sentence: At this point, Lady Macbeth knows all about the witches prophecies. Lady Macbeth wants to be Queen of Scotland, encourages Macbeth to get rid of Duncan. After killing Duncan, Macbeth feels sorry for himself. His ambition has caused him to kill a good friend and even worse, the King! Macbeth brings dagger back. Lady Macbeth gets angry but Macbeth says: Ill go no more; I am afraid to think what I have done; Look on t again I dare not. (II,ii,51). Lady Macbeth controls and tell him: a little water clears us of this deed. (II,ii,67) Macbeth becomes satisfied with what he has done especially after Malcolm and Macduff leaves Scotland. The third prophecy has come true; Macbeth is King of Scotland! Macbeth wants Banquo and his son dead because of the witches prophecy that Banquos sons will become Kings. He hires three murderers to kill Banquo and his son Fleance. Fleance escapes. Macbeth is outraged when he hears this. He says: Then comes my fit again; I had else been perfect, Whole as the marble, founded as the rock, As broad and general as the casing air. But now I am cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in To saucy doubts and fears. But Banquos safe? (III,ii,21). Macbeth sees the ghost of Banquo at the banquet. Macbeth says Which of you have done this? and Thou canst not say I did it; never shake thy gory locks at me. (III,iv,48). Lady Macbeth senses that something is definitely wrong and she asks everyone to leave immediately. Macbeth is shown as a hubris character. Closing Sentence: He was not afraid of the consequences of his actions although he knew very well what they would be. This is another tragic flaw. 3rd Paragraph: Topic Sentence: Macbeth is worried and goes to meet the witches. First apparition: Macbeth! Macbeth! Macbeth! Beware Macduff; Beware the thane of Fife. Second apparition: The power of man, for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth. Third apparition: Macbeth shall never vanquishd be until Great Birnam wood to high Dunsinane hill. Shall come against him. Macbeth is scarred and says: Seize upon Fife; give to the edge o the sword. His wife, his babes, and all unfortunate souls.(IV,I,151) He is scared by the apparitions prophecies and wants to kill anyone who comes in his way. Macbeth thinks he has it made; that nothing can take his crown away from him now. Birnam woods climb the hill in form of the Malcolm army.(Third prophecy comes true) Macbeth is shown once again at the end of the play when Macduff challenges Macbeth to a fight. Macbeth says he will not fight, so Macduff says: Then yield thee, coward (V, viii, 23). Macbeth answers: I will not yield (V, viii, 28). Macbeth finally realizes what he has done and how the witches prophecies and apparitions have all come true. Fights back but is killed by Macduff. (Second and First prophecy comes true) Closing Sentence: But he did not just give up like a coward. He fought like the great warrior he once was. Conclusion: In conclusion, Macbeth was a noble, honest, authentic man. However, Macbeth, tragically followed the Witches philosophy in life, fair is foul and foul is fair. The constant fricative sound in this alliteration infers the bitter outlook the Witches have towards life; and henceforth creates the appearance that unless Macbeth changes, he will be damned to this embittered panorama, therefore he decides to change, following the witches prophecy that thou shalt be king hereafter . He decrees that he shall follow this prophecy and do anything to become the king. the prophecies given to him by the witches, Lady Macbeths influence and plan, and his intensified ambition, all contributed greatly to his degeneration of character which resulted to his downfalldeath. Therefore Macbeth character displays strong signs of a tragic hero, making him the ideal classic example. -Palash jain 1(A)

Locating the company Essay

Mary Anne used to work in the public library but has resigned four years ago. Currently she writes articles on Wicca and witchcraft for an online website under an assumed name for privacy. She claimed that her ancestors were into the practice long before they came to the US to migrate. According to her, the practice was never foreign to her having grown with a doting father who was a physician studying herbology along with his siblings. Animatedly she began to talk about her funny experiences as a child and showed me her private carpeted room which I was not allowed to step inside. Standing in the halls, I was shown a set of altar tools used in rituals which includes a broom or a besom, a cauldron, the goblet, a hardbound Book of Shadows, a boline or a knife for cutting things and many more. The room was well-lighted with several lamps that looked like candles, and there were several unlighted candles of white, black and gold colors. I was then told that the tools are just plain tools that have no actual powers of their own. According to Mary Anne, the â€Å"tools† are used for a particular purpose and while they may seem unimportant, it is considered rude to touch them without permission. A pentagram was framed at the corner of the room with 3D effects. Altogether, the Wiccan room she showed me was a stark contrast from the rest of the house. We went back to her sitting room and started talking about the popular Wiccan groups in her community. For her, there was no difficulty in locating the company of others but her path is unique and so are the paths of her family members before her. According to her, the Divine is everywhere present in every being. She respects other members and practitioners but prefer to practice alone to maintain focus. Although she attends meetings from time to time, these are often associated with certain religious ceremonies. Knowing that I was quite interested in the craft, she started preaching on the value of ethics and the threefold law that what you do to others comes back to you threefold times. Respect for others and their liberty is critical in the wiccan culture and religion that allows us to be freed from our own selfish ambitions according to Rountree (2002). For Anne, the air, water, and the earth are essential for life such that she is a vegetarian unable to hurt and kill animals even for food. Fire according to her is in her heart as her zest for life is written down for others to read and aid in the wiccan practice and religion. For her, the principles of Alexandrian Wicca or the Gardnarian wicca is important but does not have to be the ultimate guiding force into the practice if the religion allows freedom and liberty as its cardinal rule. Her parting joke to me was, â€Å"do not be afraid, the true wiccans are not into evil practice† made me see that a true religion does not impart teachings of subjugation and control to its members.

Macro Business Environment Essay

There are many different environments in marketing which will influence how successful a product will be. With a well rounded marketing plan, and taking into account the many different aspects of the environment any product can have a chance at success. The air blade fits extremely well into the macro business analysis. Aspects such as trends technology, economic, natural area, cultural will domestic will be discussed . Every area in the macro business environment is important. In this day and age technology plays a big role in this role. In terms of B2B it is essential. The air blade is new and one of a kind. There are no other products in the market quite like it and for that reason it has a big technological impact. It is more efficient more hygienic than any hand dryer on the market. For this reason the air blade is at the top of the food chain in terms of technology and has a great chance of completely taking over the market. The air blade†Making everyday products better† and in this particular area Dyson aims to be at the top. Probably its greatest advantage over any other product is its technology. The fact that the air blade is more efficient and cleaner than any other product proves that it has an edge over any other competitor. Since the air blade is such a high competitor all other companies in this market are going to have to change how they make their product so that the air blade doesn’t become a complete monopoly and put everyone out of business. There are a few uncertainties is this day and age. There are updated products coming out every day and the key is to make one so well that no one else will make an attempt. The Dyson is so new and well made its almost ahead of its time. There are no products like it and for that reason, it is certain that the air blade will be a success. In this particular area there are few trends going on. People have been using hand towels for so many years and no new trend have developed. We are now looking to develop a new trend. The demand for an efficient and cost effective product is at hand. Using high labor and cutting down trees to dry off hands is no longer an option. There are more people coming into the world every day a solution is needed to keep up with the demand . A new efficient and low maintenance product will set the new trend for a lifetime. Scenario planning for the technological aspect will is that there are advances being made every day. The whole fact that the air blade is so new even, if a better product come out which is highly unlikely the market is so small that it will likely not be affected too much. On the other hand, if nothing new id developed then the air blade will take over. For an environmental standpoint and looking at the natural and physical aspects of Dyson the air blade is a great product. Using renewable energy and learning to work more efficiently is now a new priority. The air blade is so advanced that its motor dries hands quickly and efficiently without heating, saving energy and resources. A high powered stream that is unheated saves 80% compared to not heating the air saves. Since the air blade uses a high-powered stream it saves us from having to cut down trees. Cutting down trees takes time and effort. As well as delivery and balancing the budget. It is a waste of time to use this solution any longer. Saving trees will also be better for the environment. In the future energy conservation we be one of the top issues. Products that are eco friendly will be applauded. The air blade is a new environmentally friendly solution which will make it so attractive to buy. The scenario for the air blade is that if energy continues to be cheap and available. The air blade may not take off as expected. But if energy becomes scarce then saving energy will become more important and be seen as serous issue. Energy conservation has around a 70% chance of being the major issue, while plentiful energy has only a 30% chance. These numbers are an estimate based on news reports and scientific studies. As a result this shows that energy conservation is becoming more urgent. In terms of a demographic scenario the air blade will take off and become extremely popular as the worlds population grows demanding new and more efficient solutions to  everyday life. The air blade will become a necessity for its convenient and cost effective as well as energy saving qualities. However if the world does not continue to grow then there is a chance that this aspect will not help in terms of making the air blade that much more of a necessity.

Critically discuss any one theologians account between Christianity and other religions Essay Example

Critically discuss any one theologians account between Christianity and other religions Essay Example Critically discuss any one theologians account between Christianity and other religions Essay Critically discuss any one theologians account between Christianity and other religions Essay In order to critically assess one theologians account between Christianity and other religions, it is significant to discuss what is meant by the term theologian. Theologian originates from the Greek words theo meaning God and logia meaning study. So literally, the term theology means the study of god. Usually this term is associated with Christianity, therefore theologians are often those who form there ideologies and arguments from a Christian perspective. Christians in the modern world cannot ignore the existence of other religions. 1This perhaps explains why, from Christian theology have stemmed three major approaches to other world faiths. The approaches towards other traditions, all arguably share the common core themes of salvation and grace. Salvation and grace are usually associated with the Christian tradition. The dictionary definition of salvation includes that it is a deliverance from the power and effects of sin. 2 However, these approaches all outline the different ways in which salvation can and cannot be achieved. Grace is defined as meaning unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. 3 Again, the way in which grace is achieved has diverse methods according to each of these approaches. Pluralism, Exclusivism and Inclusivism are the headings under which these approaches fall. In brief outline, Exclusivism makes the claim that only Christians and those who are aware and who have knowledge of the gospel will experience salvation. Inclusivism acknowledges that Christ is the normative revelation of God, although salvation is possible outside of the explicit Christian church, but salvation is always from Christ (Solus Christus). 4 However, Pluralism, which is often claimed to be the most liberal approach but arguably the most radical approach to other world faiths, makes the claim that Christianity and other traditions are equal and all have a valid path to the one divine reality and Christ is one revelation among many equally important revelations. 5 This attitude is in part adopted by Theologian John Hick. In order to assess, critically, the theology of John Hick it is of primary importance to understand and outline his own ideologies and what is meant by Pluralism. Pluralism does not believe in one Christian God but instead argues that instead of the monotheistic God there is the Real which is something that those from all religions can aspire to. The Pluralist Christian approach comes from a consideration of historical relativity. It claims that all religions are relative and therefore cannot claim superiority over other religions that are equally limited and which have relative ways to salvation. The contemporary congregation between Christians and members of other world faiths has also meant that the former notion of The Church and Christian civilization being morally superior has been transformed. The idea that the real unity of religions is found not in doctrine but in salvation and liberation6 could be said to have led to dialogue with other religions and liberation theology. John Hick has developed the idea of the Real and suggested a Copernican revolution in religion, which stemmed from Copernicus discovery that the planets rotated around the sun. Hick metaphorically suggested that the sun should play the role of the real and the planets should be similar to the world faiths, therefore implying that religions should move towards God or in his case the real and not towards solely Christ, this therefore concludes that his ideology is Theocentric rather than Christocentric. He also argues that Christianity has treated itself as a superior religion for a substantial amount of time which in turn has marked other religions as a less efficient and invalid means to salvation. Hick strongly opposes the idea held by inclusivists and exclusivists of Solus Christus, claiming it is incompatible with the God7 apparent within the Bible who wishes to lead all to salvation. However, Hicks theocentric ideology came under criticism as many theologians accused his theology of still being exclusive of those religions that are non-theistic for example Buddhism. Hick therefore, developed a Kantian-type distinction between noumenal reality and the phenomenal world. 8 When outlined this ideology, encompasses all the various ways in which he claims the real or Eternal One9can be understood whether or not a religion is theistic or non theistic. When confronted with the claims made by many theologians that the incarnation of Christ gives Christianity superiority over other Hick argues that the incarnation should be interpreted as being symbolic and mythological and not literal and argues that the Council of Nicaea should no longer dictate modern theology. This perhaps leads to one of the major criticisms on Hicks theology. Hicks Pluralist theology and pluralism itself has attracted much criticism. His rejection of Solus Christus could be seen to be in fact exclusive of those Christians who believe that Christ is the only way to salvation. By the same token Hicks rejection of the incarnation as being literal, which is what, is observed by numerous Christians could be seen to be undermining one of the core essential in Christianity and therefore invalidating the Christian tradition. Because John Hicks theology stems from a Christian background his pluralistic theology could be said to be un-pluralistic, as he is not a member of every world religion. His opinions on other religions are, questionably purely objective, therefore his speculation and arguments that the religions of the world should move to be more theocentric than christocentric could be seen to appear to be taking some form of superiority over other world faiths This point forces the question, without a subjective knowledge of religion, by belonging to a particular religion can one make speculation or pass judgement on what would be desired and accepted by that religion? Many theologians have also become uncomfortable with Hicks idea that his idea of the real is not specifically attached to any particular faith; this could be highly problematic for religions that have formed their social and perhaps political tradition from a particular theistic perspective. Hicks real is without a historical background, and therefore is without characteristic or instruction, many religions depend on their own god, or gods or specific beliefs for guidance, the suggestion of there merely being a reality for all religions and not a main superior God may well deter people from religion as it is arguably too vague. Hick also dismisses the history and background of various religions as he leaves no room in his ideology of the real to amalgamate the originations of the historical, sociologically and even politically backgrounds of all world faiths. This in itself shows that Hick seems to take some kind of authority over other world religions. This in turn is hypocritical to what he states about Christian superiority. The way in which John Hicks ideology is worded is also problematic as his terms are usually associated with the Christian Tradition, terms such as salvation and grace often do not feature in other religions. Hick seems to assume that all religion has one common goal and that is to achieve salvation, comparisons can be made between Christian salvation and what may be its equivalency in other world faiths but, by using the term salvation, which has Christian connotations Hick eradicates the diversity of other religion, and enforces a Christian belief upon other religions and undermines their own respective beliefs. In conclusion, although John Hicks intentions are to create equality amongst religions, and to accept other religions as having a common superiority which appears to be beneficial in theory, he uses problematic terminology and his when forming his arguments. This in turn leads to criticism, which, perhaps, claims that Hick is hypocritical and controversial in his arguments. His radical arguments at times seem to fall short of explaining and including how his theology would work for all religion. His rejection of core themes in Christianity also evokes a sense of exclusivism and superiority. Hick does not seem to have a valid explanation for why it is necessary for all religions to have a common God. His theology although it strives for equality, arguably, ironically seems to in fact have the opposite effect, as it seems to undermine the practice and beliefs of other world faiths. Pluralism like, debatably, most theologies has varied disadvantages, in part this might be due to its apparent radicalism.

Free Essays on Lawrence Vs. Texas

Lawrence v. Texas Our basic freedoms afforded to us by the Constitution have been stripped away from some individuals because of their sexual preferences. The â€Å"fundamental rights† argument tracks a line of contraception and abortion cases, holding that certain intimate, private, family-related choices may be protected from state interference. The state has no legitimate right to interfere with the right of privacy; landmark cases have shown that our Constitution has become a â€Å"living Constitution,† whether or not people like Justice Scalia like it or not. In Lawrence v. Texas, which proves that the Constitution is continually being re-interpreted by our Supreme Court System, shows this by overruling Bowers v. Hardwick and granting every individual the same rights to privacy as one another? Scalia insists that a liberty interest (under the fundamental-rights theory) needs to be â€Å"deeply rooted in tradition,† and the mere fact that some of those state anti-gay laws have since been repealed doesn’t guarantee a fundamental right. At the end of this paper, I will have shown that our Constitution affords us certain rights and freedoms that we take for granted, but others have to fight for just because they have a different sexual preference. My main concern here will be showing how Justice Scalia attempts to say â€Å"that it is alright to be gay, just as long as you don’t have sexual intimacy with person of the same sex,† which infringes on your right to privacy. The rights are based upon the work of our Founders of the Constitution, who set out to create a set of rules to protect us against our government from having too much power over each individual. The rights that we are proved with are our most basic fundamental law. Citing back to Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, when the courts ruled that birth control was an implied right to privacy of marital association from: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 9th amendments. Along... Free Essays on Lawrence Vs. Texas Free Essays on Lawrence Vs. Texas Lawrence v. Texas Our basic freedoms afforded to us by the Constitution have been stripped away from some individuals because of their sexual preferences. The â€Å"fundamental rights† argument tracks a line of contraception and abortion cases, holding that certain intimate, private, family-related choices may be protected from state interference. The state has no legitimate right to interfere with the right of privacy; landmark cases have shown that our Constitution has become a â€Å"living Constitution,† whether or not people like Justice Scalia like it or not. In Lawrence v. Texas, which proves that the Constitution is continually being re-interpreted by our Supreme Court System, shows this by overruling Bowers v. Hardwick and granting every individual the same rights to privacy as one another? Scalia insists that a liberty interest (under the fundamental-rights theory) needs to be â€Å"deeply rooted in tradition,† and the mere fact that some of those state anti-gay laws have since been repealed doesn’t guarantee a fundamental right. At the end of this paper, I will have shown that our Constitution affords us certain rights and freedoms that we take for granted, but others have to fight for just because they have a different sexual preference. My main concern here will be showing how Justice Scalia attempts to say â€Å"that it is alright to be gay, just as long as you don’t have sexual intimacy with person of the same sex,† which infringes on your right to privacy. The rights are based upon the work of our Founders of the Constitution, who set out to create a set of rules to protect us against our government from having too much power over each individual. The rights that we are proved with are our most basic fundamental law. Citing back to Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965, when the courts ruled that birth control was an implied right to privacy of marital association from: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 9th amendments. Along...

TD 3 MGT- 412 Discipline, Suspension and Termination Essay

TD 3 MGT- 412 Discipline, Suspension and Termination - Essay Example According to the writer, issues of discipline and termination should be handled according to the organizations rules and regulations. The process should be handled fairly to avoid the risk of the employee seeking legal action. Whitlock states that for an organization to successfully terminate or punish employees, they should follow the RIP approach or the GOOF method (Whitlock, 2010). The RIP approach requires that the employer should communicate rules and policies clearly, ensure that the rules/policies are well understood, and ensure that punishment is consistent with all similar indiscipline cases. By following this procedure, all the employees will be aware of the rules and little complain about discipline will be heard. The GOOF approach requires the employer to follow four steps before punishing or terminating an employee. The first step is to show that there are goals or expectations were known to the employee. The second step is showing evidence to prove that the set goals were not met. The third step is showing proof that the employee was given an opportunity to improve. The final step is swing proof that the employee still did not meet the expectation despite being given the opportunity to improve. Whitlock says that by following these steps, employees will feel that they are fairly treated, and no complaints will arise after punishment or termination ( Whitlock, 2010). Rosenfeld’s article discusses the methods of dealing with termination issues in a way that the company does not suffer in future. Larry says that the employer should device logical rules and ensures that they are well established and enforced. According to the article, rules should be communicated to the employees before they begin being implemented (Rosenfeld, 2014). The employees should be conversant with the punitive actions following breaking of the rules. In case an

Comparison of Train Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparison of Train Services - Essay Example In terms of demographics all the train services that are being analysed here, do their best to appeal to particular target customer groups based on the types of service that they offer to their clientele. Virgin Trains attract and appeal to a very up class clientele for its first class travel. Virgin Trains is by far the most expensive train service of the three that has been analysed here and therefore the demographic group that they appeal to are those that are economically well off and business travelers - as their first class passage rates are very high. National Express and the East Midlands Train lines (even though they use Virgin Trains), appeal to clients with a more economical view and therefore the demographic group that is attracted to these services are the middle class and lower middle class travelers ("MIDLAND: Take the Financial", 2006). In terms of geographical spread of the trains, the National Express Lines have the widest spread. ... On the contrary it tries to make the highest possible profit by increasing passenger numbers and providing services to the largest customer group within its area of operation (Gardiner & Matthews, 2000). In terms of psychology the three different train services uses different psychologies of the customers to appeal to them and to attract them to the respective services. In the case of Virgin Trains the psychology that is used is one of luxury and advertising, promotions as well as the first class carriages in terms of physical appearance and ambience projects an image of class as well as luxury (Cruddas, 2007). This is not to say that the first class services with the other train services do not project an image of luxury, but rather to say that they lag behind that of the Virgin Trains and therefore appeal to clients who want economy as well as luxury and are not willing to pay "top dollar" just for the sake of luxury. In terms of client behaviour, it can be stated that it goes with the territory, Virgin Trains attracts a very up-class segment of customers and therefore the manner in which they behave is very much more different than those seen in the first class service of National Express ("National Express to Change", 2007). This is because as stated in the previous sections the customers who travel in the first class carriages of the other train services are more money conscious than those traveling in the Virgin Trains. Also many politician, high ranking government servants as well are seen traveling in the Virgin Trains as opposed to the other train services ("We've Made Train Services More", 2007). Pricing Strategy Now that the author has looked at the segmentation methods that have been used by

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Economics - Essay Example Economists Brad DeLong and Stephen Cohen have expressed in their book, The End of Influence that as other nations are rapidly gaining economic power, people will soon experience a major change in life style. People have conventionally tried to associate themselves with America in terms of culture and life style because Americans, being rich, have been idealized. In the recent years, the free-market capitalism has put American economical stability into crisis and has transferred the power to the economy of emerging nations as India, China and Latin America. This transfer of economical power will soon put an end to the long sustained dominance of American ideology, culture and fashion over other nations. This will essentially be an end of â€Å"the neoliberal dream†. It is being realized that in early 2000s, policymakers in America unnecessarily became too satisfied with the trends of economical power and stability whereas the actual situation required them to think otherwise. S ome economists are of the view that banks should look forward to an inflation target of 4 % instead of the targeted 2 % so that they can manipulate things as required. Blanchard suggests that raising the inflation now would ease the monetary policy during financial crisis, and the fiscal positions would thus be saved considerably.

Marketing Essay Example for Free

Marketing Essay For any entrepreneur, marketing is an important component for the success of all businesses. Marketing can be identified as the process in which any business informs, satisfy and keep possessions of its customers. It is the main ingredient to bringing in customers to increase profits for a business. Many may think that marketing is as simple as advertisements and promotions but in the real business world to be successful, marketing is a bit more complex. A business needs a solid marketing plan to succeed and also to show the investors the company is able to return the investment the investors have given. For an entrepreneur to master the marketing skill the individual must understand the marketing mix. Marketing mix is the combination of the elements of marketing and what roles each element plays in promoting your products and services and delivering those products and services to your customers (about. com). Elements of Marketing Mix The marketing mix has four elements and until recently there have been a few new added elements which are referred to the 4 ps or the 7 ps of marketing mix. The 4 ps of marketing are product, place, price, and promotion and the additional p’s are process, people and physical evidence. When looking at it from a business sense of view it make a lot of sense because even though the added p’s can be explained in the original 4 ps, they each can stand alone. For instance process can be looked at as the protocol used by businesses for the marketing strategies and people can be seen as what they used to explain in debt the product or services. Last but not least physical evidence is what most consumers today go by which shows firsthand that a product or services does work. Product is the product and services offered to your customer, and how they are different from the competitors’ products. Businesses also have to make sure when offering a product to their customers it has to have the correct features meaning it must look good and work well and have enough to go around. Price is described as how you price your product or service so that your price remains competitive but still allows you to make a profit. In pricing businesses should also keep their targeted market in mind ensuring it is affordable to them and potential future customers. Place is describe as the distribution or where your business sells its products or services and how it gets those products or services to your customers. Place is very important because a business would want to make sure that their goods and services arrive when and where they are needed. For the promotion element it is the methods used to communicate the features and benefits of your products or services to your target customers. In today market promotion is made easier because your targeted consumer can be reached by the push of a button. With that being said businesses should keep technique and deliverance of the product and services offered into consideration also. The fifth p in marketing mix is described as people and is how your level of service and the expertise of the people who work for you can be used to set your business apart from the competitors. With the majority of products and services being offered by the click of a button, most consumers tend to rely on reviews to help them decide. If the business does not have the right people that look professional and have good ethics with the knowledge of the product or services they are selling it can hurt the business extremely. Which brings us to the saying a first impression last. Organization The Atlanta barber and beauty supply company or ABBS is an organization that supplies barber and beauty shops all around the country. They have been in business serving professional barber shops since 1946 with new, used and antique barber supplies and equipment. It is specifically marketed to the licensed barber or beautician shop owners. Just like any other organization ABBS has used the four elements of marketing mix to assist in the marketing strategy. For the product element the company has shown how each of their products are of great professional quality and last for years. Even though they sell top quality products, they also provide lower end products for those that maybe not willing or able to spend as much. They sell the same products as their competitors but they have a wider variety of clippers and shears in stock that are antiques. This allows them to provide their products to a larger consumer group from the older shops to the younger and ever changing shops. The company takes pride in having any kind of hair products in stock. Some barbers have specialty shops that only cater to an older market and likes nostalgic products and equipment to make their shop look and feel like the barber shops of the past, and ABBS has these products and items in stock and can ship them anywhere all around the world. This element does not affect the development of the company’s marketing strategy because it helps it by making sure the company keeps plenty of stock of their products. This element also gives the company a reason to look at other countries hair products to see what new products are being made and used in that country that can be sold to that market in the future. In the price element this affects the marketing strategy of the business by making the company decide how to price their products without making the price to expensive but attractive to customers to gain more customers than the competitors. The prices for the products are at competitive rates but lower than other barber supply companies because they give discounts to the owners of the barber shops. They also give a discount on shipping on all items purchased $60 and over. That is a strategy to bring in and keep more customers to use their internet website. The place element/distribution element for the ABBS is placed in 186 Mitchell St. S. W. Atlanta, GA that is the main building set for distribution of all barber and beauty products. The company utilizes its internet website by offering its products via e-commerce to a worldwide market. This affects the company’s marketing strategy and tactics in a good way by broadening their market to attract more customers. The more the clients they can generate worldwide the more the companies’ profits will increase. The internet is the best tool to advertise a business and its products these days, because of its power to reach a mass amount of people around the world in a matter of seconds. They also use catalogs to keep their existing customers updated on new products and price and can also be a good way of keeping them in the loop of new adventures to come. In past years the radio and TV ads were the top marketing tool for businesses, but it came with an expensive price to get a radio or TV ad spot it also only reached a local market so small businesses were stuck only doing business domestically. The internet made it easier and cheaper for mainly anyone to advertise anything to anyone all around the world. Now the company distributes its products from the main building in Atlanta to thousands of clients in many different countries. The ABBS Company has developed policies for its internet clients that are overseas; it also ships to APO/FPO addresses. In the promotion element the company communicates through the internet to advertise its products it also sends out catalog magazines to all new barbershops that are listed in the phone books of each city. The company is a top search when searched on Google. ABBS promotes the business in all forms of the marketing aspect, from newspaper ads, magazines, radio/TV ads, and the internet. Conclusion In conclusion new entrepreneurs understand that the marketing mix is a good tool to use when planning the marketing strategy of the business. It shows that these strategies are ever evolving with time and for a business to be and keep being successful their approach to cater to their consumer must also evolve. After identifying the four elements of marketing mix which are product, price, place, and promotion I was able to describe how each element affected the development of the company’s market strategy and tactics. I also described how each of the four elements was implemented for the business, and identified the industry in which ABBS exists.

John Miltons Paradise Lost Essay -- essays papers

John Miltons Paradise Lost John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a religious work, and is in many ways an autobiography of Milton’s own life. John Milton was raised catholic and converted to Protestantism. Later in life he became a Calvinist. His strong Calvinists beliefs can be seen throughout Paradise Lost. It was Milton’s desire to be a great poet, but he did not believe that was his purpose in life. He believed that he had been put here to serve God, and that any thing that he wrote should be in one way or another related to that purpose. In this way Milton felt that in writing Paradise Lost not only was he writing the epic poem he had always wanted to, but also fulfilling his godly purpose here on earth. At the time that Milton was writing Paradise Lost he was a prisoner in his home and to his blindness. He had been involved in the rebellion with Cromwell when the King had been executed and the monarchy had been run out of England. When Cromwell died and the King returned to power he was forced to go into hiding and no longer had any rights of an English man. If he had come out of hiding he most likely would have been executed for treason. He had also lost his sight completely and was being taken care of by his daughters. The subject of Paradise Lost is man’s disobedience and how disobedience leads to the loss of happiness. He is dealing not only with the disobedience of Adam, Eve, and Satin, but also with his own disobedience. Different autobiographical issues are dealt with through Adam and Satin. Adam seems to represent his sins against God, which led to his blindness, and Satin could represent his disobedience to the King. The first book deals with the war in heaven and the devils being sent out into ... ...ventually die for their sins. Being kicked out of the garden also has some autobiographical significance in the life of Milton. He loved gardens and both of his punishments, blindness and being imprisoned in his home made it impossible for him to enjoy them. In the last book Michael shows Adam what is to come for the human race. This gave Adam some hope for the future and makes it easier for him to carry on after falling from God. Adam sees that much good will come from his sin in the end. Bibliography: Works Cited Masson, David. Afterword â€Å"A Brief Life of Milton† Paradise Lost. By John Milton. Ed. Scott Elledge. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Scott Elledge. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. Wagenknecht, Edward. The Personality of Milton. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970. John Miltons Paradise Lost Essay -- essays papers John Miltons Paradise Lost John Milton’s Paradise Lost is a religious work, and is in many ways an autobiography of Milton’s own life. John Milton was raised catholic and converted to Protestantism. Later in life he became a Calvinist. His strong Calvinists beliefs can be seen throughout Paradise Lost. It was Milton’s desire to be a great poet, but he did not believe that was his purpose in life. He believed that he had been put here to serve God, and that any thing that he wrote should be in one way or another related to that purpose. In this way Milton felt that in writing Paradise Lost not only was he writing the epic poem he had always wanted to, but also fulfilling his godly purpose here on earth. At the time that Milton was writing Paradise Lost he was a prisoner in his home and to his blindness. He had been involved in the rebellion with Cromwell when the King had been executed and the monarchy had been run out of England. When Cromwell died and the King returned to power he was forced to go into hiding and no longer had any rights of an English man. If he had come out of hiding he most likely would have been executed for treason. He had also lost his sight completely and was being taken care of by his daughters. The subject of Paradise Lost is man’s disobedience and how disobedience leads to the loss of happiness. He is dealing not only with the disobedience of Adam, Eve, and Satin, but also with his own disobedience. Different autobiographical issues are dealt with through Adam and Satin. Adam seems to represent his sins against God, which led to his blindness, and Satin could represent his disobedience to the King. The first book deals with the war in heaven and the devils being sent out into ... ...ventually die for their sins. Being kicked out of the garden also has some autobiographical significance in the life of Milton. He loved gardens and both of his punishments, blindness and being imprisoned in his home made it impossible for him to enjoy them. In the last book Michael shows Adam what is to come for the human race. This gave Adam some hope for the future and makes it easier for him to carry on after falling from God. Adam sees that much good will come from his sin in the end. Bibliography: Works Cited Masson, David. Afterword â€Å"A Brief Life of Milton† Paradise Lost. By John Milton. Ed. Scott Elledge. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. Milton, John. Paradise Lost. Ed. Scott Elledge. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1993. Wagenknecht, Edward. The Personality of Milton. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press, 1970.

Infant and Child Development Essay

This assignment will critically review Howlett, Kirk and Pine’s (2011) study, which aims to investigate whether attendance of gesturing classes affects parental stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) attempt to examine claims, advertised by commercial products, that believe attending gesturing classes can improve child-parent communications, thus reducing parental stress. Participants gave demographic information and completed a Parenting Stress Index (PSI) questionnaire. ANCOVA was used to look at whether attending gesturing classes affected parental stress, mothers attending a gesture group and mothers attending a non gesture group were compared; with ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ controlled. Researchers found that mothers who attended infant gesture classes had higher stress scores than mothers who had attended non-gesturing classes. From these findings the following claims are made: that mothers in the gesture group had higher pre-existing stress than in the non gesture group, * that mothers attended gesturing classes in an attempt to alleviate their pre-existing stress, * that gesturing classes may cause mothers to view their child negatively. This critique will firstly provide an overall evaluation of the article with reference to strengths and weaknesses found. Flaws will also be highlighted with suggestion to how these could be rectified. Points of detail in the evaluation will then be expanded and conclusions di scussed. Overall evaluation First and foremost, the overall presentation of the article appears to lack in structure and organisation; this results in a lack of flow and clarity. In the introduction, the research question and key definitions of interest (i. e. ‘gesture, ‘non gesture’ and ‘stress’) are not discussed at the beginning. Characteristics of non gesturing mothers are instead firstly mentioned in the discussion section. The outline of categories in the background demographic questionnaire should have been made aware to readers in the methodology. Furthermore, in the results, findings from the study should have been stated in the opening paragraph. A fundamental flaw consistent throughout the article regards its lack of sufficient detail in ensuring strength of argument. In the introduction and discussion more research is needed in relation to how and why parental stresses occur to support findings. Furthermore unjustified claims are used to sustain argument which questions the validity of the research. The lack of detail regarding the direction of study also instigates ambiguity. More information is also needed about the procedure of the study so as to allow for replication. Further details as to how these flaws can be rectified are discussed later. Fundamental flaws are apparent regarding the non-random sample used and the lack of baseline stress measures. As no baseline pre-test has been conducted authors’ claims, as stated previously, can only be based on speculation. More information is provided on these flaws in the latter section. Strengths highlighted in the article include the demographic information provided. This information is useful as it allows for generalisation of results by ensuring groups are appropriately matched and offers useful information for future research in the region. (Keith, 2010). Furthermore the PSI questionnaire used, is well validated (Colver, 2006); using a creditable measuring instrument like this increases the reliability of the study. Moreover, the correct statistical test has been used, ANCOVA, and results are also provided with appropriate information. Abstract and Introduction The abstract fails to provide a rationale for the study; as this is unclear, readers may misjudge the subject matter. There is also no description of the stimuli used; the meaning of ‘gesturing’ is unexplained. Authors should elaborate upon what they mean by ‘gesturing’ so as to avoid misinterpretation. However, principal findings and design measures used in the study are stated. The introduction appears to lack in structure and organisation. No initial description of research question with reference to what it attempts to demonstrate is present; this is firstly mentioned in the third paragraph. Furthermore, authors first provide a definition of ‘gesturing’ in midpoint of this section. Considering this topic is the phenomenon of the study it would have been more appropriate to be stated at the beginning, rather than after the discussion of the benefits of gesturing; this may prevent misinterpretation. Although an explanation of ‘non-gesturing’ is provided in the discussion section, it would also be helpful for readers if it were included in the introduction; this enables differentiation between the two conditions. Similarly, a definition of the authors’ interpretation of ‘stress’ could have been stated at the start in ensuring readers’ clarity of terms. There is also no statement of hypothesis. nd authors do not provide a rationale or historical backdrop, therefore it lacks in significance and does not substantially contribute to the literature. Moreover, research discussed appears to be framed as a general review of literature and set out in list form with a lack of evaluation. For example, research has been described in relation to a study that has found no relationship between gesturing and linguistic benefits in infants (Kirk, Howlett, Pine and Fletcher), however it has not been evaluated or linked to the aims of the study. Furthermore, there are limited findings provided relating to the negative aspects of gesturing. Considering the paper is directed towards whether these classes affect parental stress, more research should be discussed in relation to the disapproval of gesturing classes, to support findings in the article. In addition, the article has included different research examples to support their view that parental stress can inhibit parent-child relationships, however there is no development in argument of how or why these stresses occur. To rectify, in ensuring clarity, more detail should be provided whereby these examples should be put in context with direct reference to the research question. Moreover, unjustified claims have been used in an attempt to sustain argument; for example, Howlett et al. , (2011) highlight ‘‘advertising claims that baby sign will reduce parental frustration and stress have little empirical foundation’. As this statement is not explained, it may seem misleading and as an ineffective use of argument. There is also no valid reference provided. In improving the structure and validity of their argument, authors should use evidence from influential papers to provide further detail in supporting their claims. The direction of study also appears ambiguous as authors switch between terms when stating the aim of the research. It is unclear whether authors are focusing on gesturing affecting stress or gesturing reducing stress. Howlett et al. , (2011) firstly state, ‘there are valid reasons to suggest that gesturing with an infant could reduce parental stress, this paper evaluates that claim’, (p. 438) they continue by stating, ‘this research investigates whether gesturing with an infant affects parenting stress’ (p438). One clear statement of what is being intended to measure needs to be used throughout the article so as to avoid confusion. The final paragraph includes a vague definition of variables whereby readers are left to determine their own assumptions. For example, it is stated that the frequency and duration of gesture use was used to measure the relationship between gesture use and stress, however it is unclear at this stage whether authors are implying ‘gesturing’ in terms of when mothers’ attended gesturing classes or their general use of gesturing; in and out of classes. The PSI is outlined, however researchers have not explained its benefits or why it have been use; this may leave readers questioning its credibility. Furthermore, it is important for researchers to include a statement of predictions, however this is not present. Methodology The authors recruited 178 participants (mothers) from the south-east of England; the sample size represents regional bias as mothers’ solely attending gesturing classes in this region is not representative of the whole country. Age range of infants used in the study is firstly mention in this section. It is stated infants ranged between 3 and 36months; however research discussed in the introduction only refers to the importance of gesturing from 9 months. Therefore authors have not justified the relevance of focusing on infants younger than 9 months; in certifying readers understanding, this could have been mentioned in the introduction. Authors have stated the measuring instruments used in the study. A strength regards the sufficient detail provided about the PSI booklet; examples of typical features such as the subscales of both the child and parent domains have been described. However no further details are provided about the background demographics questionnaire; categories are presented in the results section, however, it would be helpful for readers if details were included in this section. The potential confounding effects of using self-report questionnaires should also be noted. Social desirability bias may be apparent whereby participants may respond in a favourable light; mothers may not want to admit they are experiencing difficulties and respond untruthfully. Furthermore, as questionnaires are standardised, ambiguous questions cannot be explained; this may lead participants to misinterpret questions. Motivation for parents to complete questionnaires may also be scarce, resulting in superficial responses. In helping overcome these difficulties, authors could have stated whether participants were informed about why the information was collected and how the results will be beneficial; if participants knew the importance of their responses and were informed that negative responses were equally as helpful as positive, it may have made them want to answer more honestly. A fundamental flaw in methodology regards the fact that authors have not measured parental stress levels before conducting study. As there is no baseline stress measures prior to class attendance, there is no way of knowing if gesturing classes caused an increase in stress or what would have happened regardless of the implementation of the program; to rectify, researchers should use a pre-test methodology. Furthermore, another weakness in the methodology regards the fact that no ethic considerations are discussed. For example, authors could have included whether participant confidentiality was taken into account and whether de-briefing was offered subsequent to the study to respondents who may have expressed signs of upset. Description of procedures appears to lack in detail whereby there is no sequential pattern to how the research was carried out. There is also no precision in relation to what is investigated, to whom, and under what conditions. For example, Howlett et al. , (2011) state ‘contact was made with the infant groups’ (p. 39); more information should be provided such as how and when participants were contacted. Furthermore, no information is provided on how many classes parents had attended before the study or when the questionnaires took place; more sufficient detail is needed so as to allow replication and in ensuring consistency. There are also issues surrounding the amount of time participants were given to complete the PSI; it is stated the questionnaire takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, however, the procedure of collection differed between participants. Some gave completed questionnaires to a group leader, others were returned by post; the same conditions should be applied to all participants in ensuring standardisation. In addition, authors have not provided details of data collection or analysis undergone in the study; to avoid ambiguity it is important to include where the scores used in the analyses have derived from. An apparent fundamental flaw in the procedure relates to the fact that participants were not randomly allocated to the two groups in the study; randomisation is important as it eliminates sources of bias and ensures unpredictability. To rectify, random selection of mothers from a population could participate in the study. Results The beginning paragraph of the results is too vague; the hypothesis is not stated and no information on what statistical tests were used is provided. Furthermore, what the study found has not been not stated; it is firstly mentioned half way through this section. However, a strength in the article regards the demographic information provided for the two groups of mothers. Hours a week mothers’ work, maternal education, family income and siblings were included. It also highlights the similarities and equivalence between the two groups, making the interpretation of results valid. Another strength to this study regards the fact that researchers have applied the correct statistical tests. Two analyses of ANCOVA were conducted to measure the differences between the gesturing and non gesturing groups’ PSI scores. ANCOVA is appropriate to use as it allows to compare one variable (PSI stress scores) in two or more groups (gesture group and non gesture group) ith consideration for variability of other variables; covariates (‘sibling status’ was used as a covariate in the first ANCOVA and ‘birth order’; in the second). Controlling ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth order’ stops these conditions being confounding variables and ensures validity. As ‘sibling status’ and ‘birth control’ covariates have been controlled, it may have been more beneficial for readers if authors ma de aware of these strategies used prior to the results section as there is no discussion relating to siblings until this point. Results found from ANCOVA also confirm to readers exactly what the researchers were intending to measure; after confusion from the introduction, uncertainties are clarified and findings explain that the focus is upon whether attending gesturing classes affects parental stress. Results are also provided with adequate information whereby the obtained F value, df and level of significance have been stated. Furthermore researchers are correct in using a Pearson’s r correlation in confirming results which is used to see if there is a correlation between at two continuous variables. By doing so, it was found that there was no relationship between how long or often gesture groups mothers had been gesturing with their infant, and the mothers’ total stress scores. Therefore mothers stress levels were unrelated to frequency and duration. Furthermore, in this section descriptive statistics have been provided in two separate tables. In ‘Table One’, which shows the ‘mean (S. D) stress scores for each item on the PSI by group’, data does not seem to be explained in full. The scale used is unclear and readers have not been informed on the system used whereby there is confusion as to what the numbers mean. Tables 2 which shows the ‘summary of two ANCOVA results’, is more coherent as a brief description is displayed underneath describing the covariates. Discussion In this section, yet again, the aim of the research remains unclear; it is stated ‘the aim of the study was to investigate the impact of gesturing with an infant upon parental stress’ (p442), authors need to be more specific in their interpretation of ‘gesturing’, whether they are referring to attendance of gesturing classes or general use of gesturing is uncertain. Possible explanations for findings have been discussed, such as the view that there may have been a difference between gesturing and non gesturing mothers due to gesturing mothers feeling more stressed prior to the study. Authors continue by suggesting these mothers chose to attend gesturing classes because of these feelings of stress in hope that they would help. However, authors’ claims can only be seen as speculation as no baseline measurement was used. It should be noted that researchers have evaluated their findings and acknowledged that as baseline measures are not present, no assumptions can be made as to why mothers who attended gesturing classes had increased stress levels compared to non gesturing mothers or whether they were more stressed before attending the classes. Due to the lack of solid findings, like in the introduction, groundless claims have been used in an effort to uphold argument in explaining mothers’ cause of stress. For example, it is stated ‘mothers have high aspirations for their child and the parenting industry may, albeit unwittingly, foster maternal insecurities’(p443); no justification has been provided for this claim. Moreover, additional research is needed to support the authors’ concluding claims that attending gesturing classes may be detrimental and effect mothers’ perception of their infant in a negative light. Only Hyson’s (1991) study relating to mothers who induced academically focused activities on preschool children has been used as evidence to back up this claim, this does not justify the authors’ inflated claims. To conclude, even though this article has used creditable measuring instruments and appropriate statistical tests, Howlett et al’s claims can only be seen as speculation as no pre-test baseline is used. No findings can be validated without measuring the stress levels of mothers prior to class attendance, whether increase in stress has occurred due to attending gesturing classes in unknown. For future recommendations, authors could use a baseline measures to test mothers’ stress scores prior to the study.