The Role of Social Media as a PR Tool Research Proposal

The Role of Social Media as a PR Tool - Research Proposal Example The paper tells that the choice of the social media platform as a component of the public relation strategy for VIVA is based on strong grounds. It does not only bring together friends, families, colleagues and acquaintances together but also strangers in remarkable number through its networking characteristic. Â  It is important to note that, in Bahrain, Internet is available to 961,228 users or about 77% of the entire population. The statistics place the country as a regional Internet leader, besting most countries in the Middle East in terms of subscription, usage and freedom of access. This underpins how the social media enjoys strong popularity in the country, figuring prominently in recent upheavals such as the 2013 unrest. Depending on the point of view, such role could be positive or negative. But, for the purposes of this paper, this role is most certainly beneficial. It highlights the potency of social media as a communication tool and its ability to persuade or influence VIVA’s market to action. This proposal is divided into four parts: the objectives of the study, the literature review, methodology and the method of analysis. The first section outlines four proposed research goals. The literature review section cites and analyzes the available sources that cover the theoretical and empirical work on social media and its capability as public relations tool. The materials used include secondary and primary sources, consisted of documents published by the organization as well as books, journals and online content.

Classifications of Hybrid Electric Vehicles Essay Example for Free

Classifications of Hybrid Electric Vehicles Essay 1. Technology Although the Electric Vehicles (EVs) have been around since the earliest days of automotive industry, they were not able to live up to consumer demand in terms of price range and charging time until recently. A recent survey has revealed what the consumer demands from EVs. According to a study based on a survey conducted in 17 countries with 13,000 individuals the demanded technology and the result of the study is that EV technology is at a period of its lifecycle where the performance of the technology is not at a level that customer expects. 1. 1. Range Although there is a high consumer willingness recently to either consider to purchase EV or willing to be a first mover when it comes to EV adoption, many of them does not compromise in Range. Despite the fact that the average consumer does not exceed 50 miles per day, the consumer still demands further range capacity from EVs. The majority of the consumers correlate EVs range with conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles [1]. Also According to Hidrue, M. (2010) â€Å"range anxiety† is the primary concern of a potential EV consumer. As the figure illustrates, although the greater majority (78%) of consumers in the US drives around 50 miles, a big portion of them have expectation for EV to be able to drive around 300 miles. The current technology allows EVs to drive between approximately 100 miles between charges. The only EV that can get close to consumer demand in terms of range is Tesla S (which drives 265 miles) as of 2013. However, the average technology does not live up to consumer demand in terms of drivable range between charges currently. The main constraint for the low range is energy density. According to Deploit (2011), the forecast was revealing that with the battery technology in hand the driving range still would fall short of consumer expectations. 1. 2 Top Speed and Acceleration There are multiple schools of thought about how consumer behavior affects EV market. According to those consumers would purchase new vehicles whose attributes are superior to those of currently in the market, they would not seek alternatives which are worse than what they have currently [4]. As an example Nissan Leaf is rated up to 90 kW of power which is approximately 120 horsepower in ICE which is in line with a large number of compact and intermediate vehicles such as CW Jetta, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus. There are also better EVs in the market in terms of performance, in example Tesla S series can produce 416 horsepower and can go up to 130 mph on a highway [5]. The reason why EV generally does not go more than that is that high speeds drop the fuel efficiency dramatically. Table. 1 The performance chart of Tesla S [5] 2. Vehicle Architecture 3. 1. Vehicle Architecture. Although there are different frames that can model a vehicle’s architecture, the following one is a comprehensive way to understand the functions and interrelationships of the components. In order to adjust the high speed of the electric machine to the low speed wheels, the torque of the left and right wheels are provided by a differential. Basically, the inverter inverts DC voltage battery into three-phase AC voltage that is required by the electric machine. Furthermore, it is also important to account for losses due to the components, which are not a part of the power chain when analyzing the energy consumption. These auxiliary losses comprise lighting system, comfort system, safety systems, etc. It is also very critical that the maximum voltage of the battery is not exceeded during the regenerative braking, to prevent that from happening the architecture is reinforced by braking resistor [6]. Exhibit 1. Architecture of a typical Electric vehicle [6] 3. 1. System Architecture Electric Vehicle’s architecture is similar at certain points to ICE. Driver interface and command interpreter receives input from users through steering wheel, brakes, and gas pedal and then by considering vehicle speed and vehicle path, creates propulsion. The motion control comprises two primary blocks such as the path controller and energy management controller. Path controller gives forces and moments demands to the force distributor. The energy management controller determines the state of the charge and estimates the overall traction force to be sent to command controller unit [7]. Exhibit 2. System architecture[7] References [1] Deloitte (2011), Survey: Electric vehicle realities versus consumer expectations [2] Hidrue, M., (2010) Willingness to Pay for Electric Vehicles and their Attributes [3] Wikipedia, (2013) Plug-in electric cars in the United States: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Plug-in_electric_vehicles_in_the_United_States [4] Lee, H. , Lovellette, G. , (2011) Will Electric Cars transform the U. S. Vehicle Market. [5]Wikipedia, Tesla S (2013), http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Tesla_Model_S [6] Shaltz, E. , (2011), Electric Vehicle Design and Modeling. [7] Sinha, P. , Agrawal, V. , (2011), Evaluation of Electric Vehicle Architecture Alternatives.

Fire, Brimstone, and Greener Pastures for Religious Involvement :: Free Essays Online

Fire, Brimstone, and Greener Pastures for Religious Involvement Lacking the ready opportunity to visit a unique congregation while stuck, carless, on campus over break, I instead focus on a "field trip" that my churchs' Sunday School class took one Sunday morning last summer. Picture if you will a group of white Presbyterian teenagers hopping into a shiny church van and cruising 15 minutes south, into the poorer, blacker reaches of inner-city Memphis (where neighborhood segregation is still very much the rule). Our destination was relatively near our own church, and yet worlds apart, too. Ours was the area of stately old homes with well-kept lawns along oak- and elm-lined streets, homes filled with the genteel, white urbanites of the city. A mere handful of blocks to the south, however, lay a land of equally old but far more poorly maintained homes, streets long since denuded of any trees they may once have sported. We had left our comfortable zone of neighborhood watches and block clubs, choosing instead to spend our worship hours in a part of t he city instead known for its special police precinct and its multitudinous economic redevelopment zones. Thus did we find ourselves at the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. Venturing inside, we all noticed two things very quickly: we were at once wearing entirely too much clothing to be comfortable in the sweltering heat, and entirely too little to fit in with the rest of the congregants assembled. And yet we were welcomed with open arms. We had arrived, the Reverend Rogers L. Pruitt emphasized as we filed into the sanctuary, on a very special day. As he distributed bulletins and hearty handshakes to the rest of the group, I noticed that the front of mine read "Fragment Day." As I looked around the modest sanctuary, I wondered what the service had in store for us. The sanctuary was bare, and the pews hard. I mentally tallied a comparison between my own church's sanctuary and this. The two, I found, were similarly austere, but with theirs tending toward items of religious kitsch and our own tending instead towards polished brass. Both lacked stained glass in the windows. I suspected, however, that where our sanctuary was plain in token tribute to the long-dead strict streak of our Calvinist tradition, theirs was bare because it could not economically be otherwise. And the lack of air conditioning  ­ ! Memphis' summer heat is unbearable and pervasive, and a roof overhead does nothing against the big blanket of humid air.

The central theme of both the poems is old age. Sylvia Plath and Jenny

The central theme of both the poems is old age. Sylvia Plath and Jenny Joseph express their ideas of old age through the poems Mirror Mirror and Warning Introduction The central theme of both the poems is old age. Sylvia Plath and Jenny Joseph express their ideas of old age through the poems ‘Mirror’ and ‘Warning’. The intention of Sylvia Plath and Jenny Joseph are different. The message they want to get through to us differs. Jenny Joseph gearing us up towards old age through Warning and Sylvia Plath making old age sound terrible in Mirror. In the poem mirror, Sylvia Plath uses a lot of dull and negative words making old age sound terrifying â€Å"darkness† â€Å"drowned† and â€Å"terrible†. â€Å"Then she turns to those liars, the candles the moon† in this sentence she refers to the candle or the moon being a liar putting a negative image. Where as candles and moons are know to be a source of light making it positive. However the poem is very complicated to understand because it has a lot of hidden meanings. She use a lot of vivid language and personification meaning bringing lifeless object to life, for example when she says â€Å" Now I’m a lake† first line second paragraph. The lady also portrays her life to be like a non-living thing mirror, lake. This is because she describes her life to be less objective comparison to Warning. Here Jenny Joseph describes the lady to be quite cheerful, happy, and looking forward to old age. There is a rhythmic pattern in Warning. The repetition of the word ‘and’ and ‘ I shall’ goes on through out the whole poem. The word and suggest Jenny Joseph is writing while she’s thinking, as she goes along perhaps. This is telling the readers she is looking forward to her future and old a... ...tive, uglier. The word terrible is used in both the poems. Mirror â€Å"Like a terrible fish† giving it a negative image. And Warning â€Å"You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat† making it a positive word. The woman in Mirror is dreading old age in fear of becoming uglier. And the woman in warning looks forward to it believing that it is fun being old, like having her youth back. Conclusion I think ‘Warning’ by Jenny Joseph is more successful in getting its message across to the readers. Her message is that old age can be really fun, and after reading the poem I believe so too. On the other hand ‘Mirror’ by Sylvia Plath is also slightly effective but not as much. Sylvia Plath is trying to say old age is something to dread because of how you may look but no everything is about your appearance. Overall Warning wins for being more effective and lively.

English 100 is a course that is basically designed to assist the students

English 100 is a very important course as far as our college education is concerned. It is the basic foundation for our higher education. It equips us with skills which help us to cope with the challenges which we are bound to encounter as we pursue our college education.English 100 is a course that is basically designed to assist the students to develop critical writing and reading skills. It is a build up for what we learned in the high school only this time we are required to adapt to a college way of thinking.To be a successful student in this crucial course one must do things in the right way. In this paper I will take you through what you should do so that at the end of it all you can come out shining. It is based on my own experience as an English 100 student and also tips taken from the various     experts of this area.One of the biggest asset you have as a student is time, how you mange it will determine your destiny as a student as it will greatly influence your perform ance in this course and your studies in general.It is very important that you take control of your time as a student in this course. You should make a plan on how you are going to utilize your time as far as this course is concerned. You should prioritize the most urgent and important activities giving them ample time so that you can produce quality work which will earn you good grades.You will be given many assignments which will require your input, if you plan your time well late submission of papers will not affect you. Late submission is highly penalized and it is something you can easily avoid through managing your time properly.You should make a time table early enough allocating areas which you feel you are weak more time than the other to get enough time to tackle them. It is also important to allocate some time for interaction with your fellow students so that you can learn from them also. (Lannon, J 11 2006)Class attendance allows the student to have an interactive session with the instructors and the other students. You should make a point of attending the classes regularly to ensure you gain maximally .If by any chance miss any lesson make sure you ask what was covered and go through it before the next session.Through this you ensure that you at no any time   Ã‚  you lag behind in your studies. While in class you should participate actively without fear of making mistakes. It is only through making these mistakes that you will learn to be confident. We all learn from the mistakes we make now and then, just bear in mind nobody is perfect. If your fellow colleagues we perfect surely you would not be seated in the same class with them learning this course, they would be somewhere else.It is also very important that you learn to respect other people opinions; at no time should you laugh at other people mistakes as this can affect your studies negatively.This is a very interactive course where you will learn greatly from the other, that is why you sho uld at all cost try to maintain good relations with your fellow students and also with the instructors. (Lannon, J 18 2006)Instructors are there for us and we should make every effort to utilize them to our advantage. Any difficulties that you may be experiencing should be discussed with your instructor. Always book an appointment with your instructor to avoid disappointment since there are other students who require the same kind of help from them.Group work has helped me a lot in polishing my writing skills as I have been able to get some vital tips from my fellow students. It is also in group work where your work can be read by the other student and get their opinion about it. On the other hand you will have a chance to go through their piece of work and offer advice where necessary.  Always give an honest opinion about your colleagues work but at the same time bearing in mind not to hurt their feelings as this may come to haunt you later.Note taking is an essential part of thi s course; it is advisable that you develop an accurate method of taking notes which can be referred to later when revising. Aim at noting all the important points you come across either in the cause of group discussion or class lectures. (Lannon, J 39 2006)

Hypnosis

Hypnosis is known to many as a person taking control of another persons mind and controlling their actions. While that is a fair understanding of hypnosis, most hypnosis only works if the person being hypnotized wants to be hypnotized. After studying all the aspects and features of hypnosis, the most amazing factor is the enormous influence on a subjects suggestibility. The history of hypnosis is as ancient as that of sorcery, magic and medicine, to whose methods it belonged. Hypnosiss scientific history began in the later part of the 18th century with Franz Mesmer, a Viennese physician, who used it in the treatment of patients. Ever since Franz Anton Mesmer proposed his theory of animal magnetism more than 200 years ago, hypnosis has fought an uphill battle for scientific credibility. Hypnosis has been used in place of anesthesia to numb the pain of childbirth and major surgical procedures such as amputation and abdominal surgery. Numerous reports attest the effectiveness of hypnosis in the treatment of warts. In those who have been hypnotized, warts later disappear entirely on their own with out medicine or surgery. Since warts are virally induced, this striking phenomenon has fueled belief that hypnosis somehow mobilizes immune response. Patients can be hypnotized during amputation in order to relieve pain when morphine is not ava! ilable or when a person is allergic to medicine or if medicine is unavailable. Because of the mistaken belief that it was an occult force, which he termed animal magnetism that flowed through the hypnotist into the subject, Mesmer was soon discredited. Hypnotism or mesmerism, as it was nicknamed after Mesmer, continued to interest medical practitioners. In the mid-1880s, Sigmund Freud visited France and was impressed by the therapeutic potential of hypnosis for neurotic disorders. On his return home, he used hypnosis to help neurotics recall disturbing event...

No Furture for Humanity Essay

No Furture for Humanity Essay No Furture for Humanity Essay The Future of Humanity By: Jason Lee We live in a world where we have many different types of life. One that is exponentially grown within the past century is humanity. This type of life consists of many different aspects because of the universal expectation put on life forms. Once again, this complicated process of expectation is exclusive to humanity. It is said that one of the most influential forces in the development of humanity is religion. Religion has caused humans to find peace with themselves and others, but also have been known to disrupt the peace as well. The way religion achieves these results is by having control. To control something, is to be able to alter its state without consent or a rebuttal. Religion does this in a very intellectual way. Religions reassure that the individual is the one with the control, but the way they should use that control should be limited and/or confined. When this type of deception occurs, people become blind and are unable to reach their true potential. Of course, this ty pe of deception is passed on to the next generations until stopped. Parents and religious organizations brainwash children who are unaware that they are given the birthright to be free. Since children are unable to analyze information critically, they feel that the only right thing to do is follow the herd. If the world is filled with followers, then who’s left to lead? Only the ones who are smart enough to attain those followers are. Religion is very similar to the way the government systems and politics work, which is why they are so successful. Religion is able to strike fear in the hearts of many, without a way for them to retaliate safely. Religions have taught their followers that if they are with someone who hasn’t followed a similar way-of-life, then their opinion and thoughts shouldn’t account for anything important, or that their ideas are ‘wrong’. Some religions even impose that those who oppose their religion shouldn’t deserve to live to the end of their natural lives. Life’s questions that can’t be answered by an ordinary individual’s mindset seem to be answered by religions across the globe. The masses are unable to think freely, so they attend masses, and participate in classes, that only enforce the fact that their religion is correct. Many people are content with the ideals that religions have to offer, but to impose them on people who are unwilling is wrong. Are people willing to seek what is truly right and wrong, or are they just searching for an easy way out? Many people that follow religions don’t seem to follow the practices that an individual in the religion should. Prayer is an important aspect of staying true to one’s religion, but not many follow this sacred ritual. Communicating with the ultimate power that supposedly gave you and everything around you life and animation should be a significant part of daily routine. Thanking the force that

The South essays

The South essays The Origins, Perspectives and Conseqeunces of Reconstruction Laws The period following the American Civil War was plagued with racial violence, political and social turmoil as well as a great sense of divisiveness. The period of Congressional Reconstruction was an immensely significant chapter in the legal history of the south and the United States as a whole. In less than a decade the entire perception of the American system of government took an enormous shift towards that of federalism. These laws took the form in the period of Reconstruction of all three theoretical forms of legal evolution, Law and Custom, Structuralist and Conflict. An examination of all three perspectives The Law and Custom Theory states that law originates from the custom of society and customary practice. However the Enforcement Act as well as the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the Constitution prohibited an ingrained custom in Southern antebellum society, which was slavery. If we were to make the argument that law is a product of social custom why did so many reconstruction laws renounce a southern custom? It was in fact custom in the South for all blacks to remain subordinate to whites. In fact all over the country, prior, during and following the Civil War blacks were held in a very inferior social caste in the American social structure. It was post-Civil War Reconstruction legislation that attempted to change this, against the will of a large portion of the American populous. Law and Custom Theory also implies that to a certain extent law reflects popular will, the will of society and culture. However in response to Congressional Reconstruction laws, protests, many violent occurred all across the South and even some instances in the North. The laws and Constitutional Amendments that lead to the Reese and Cruikshank cases were not derived from custom; they were designed, written and enforced for the purpose of abolishin...

The use of foul language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The use of foul language - Essay Example Tracing the origin of the rise of foul language is a very easy task since a quick click of the remote control will you lead you to a world where the utterances of defamatory, explicit, foul language is as natural as breathing. Foul language has already invaded our living rooms and learning it will take only a few minutes. Hence, it is imperative that the government puts into practice laws to control public use of bad language. The first step that our law enforcers should do is to discuss with the students and school authorities ways which could prevent students from using bad language to each other. As the students and the young people are the ones who spend the most time watching TV, they are also the ones who use foul language the most. What's worse is that, many students use defamatory and abusive expressions to each other which sometimes cause deeper problems such as fighting and bullying. School authorities, enforcers and students should make agreements to set up the rules with regards the avoidance of abusive language within the school premises.

University of Pennsylvania and its renowned undergraduate programs Personal Statement

University of Pennsylvania and its renowned undergraduate programs - Personal Statement Example They say that the only thing constant is change. It may come to our lives that something or some circumstances changes the way we view ourselves and our surroundings. Being an active participant of the S.A. Model of the United Nations for two consecutive years and my numerous Humanitarian Works both here and abroad like in Mali and Caracas, helped me to realize how fortunate I was from somebody out there. Having a good quality education in preparation for my future career as a professional is one of the highlight of my life so that I could do my very best to become a valuable member of society. The University of Southern California being a world class university will be able to help me realize my full potentials as an individual hoping to make a world a better place to live in for me, my family and for every body. The University of Southern California, being world-renowned in the fields of communication and multimedia technologies, in the same way it has received national acclaim in the US for its ground-breaking community outreach programs, these consequently leads it to one of the US leading research university. And as such, USC will be able to help me fulfill my goals and aspirations. Poverty is one significant concern to me. This is because poverty, lessen numerous opportunities to other people in terms of health, education, employment and housing among others. No matter how industrialized the society you live in, you cannot disregard the fact of poverty in other parts of the globe. And I humbly believe that through education, poverty can be alleviated, if not eradicated. It made me realize how fortunate I am from my contemporaries in other parts of the globe, for I have better opportunities. And since I have these wide array of opportunities, I feel that to be able to become a valuable member of society, it is but necessary to extend a helping out and touch their lives and eventually make a difference. Letter to your first-year roommate at Babson Dear Room mate, Hi there! How are you I do hope your doing perfectly well. I am (state your name), from (state the city where you are currently living). I am a sports minded person and enjoys being with my friends over a hearty meal and lovely conversation. I am into humanitarian work with children among others. I have heard that Babson's pioneering undergraduate curriculum has acquired a leadership award from The Pew Charitable Trusts for taking "bold steps to reshape undergraduate programs. These together with its innovative curriculum and competent academic staff made me choose to enroll as an Economic major in the College. I am so much excited of being a part of this dynamic college. I am looking forward to the wonderful scenery of Wellesley, Massachusetts and I do hope you could help me to interesting places on my first week. Do take care and I will see you soon. Regards, Person number 1. On Boston University Boston University is a private urban research university

Hans Morgenthau and Kenneth Waltz Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Hans Morgenthau and Kenneth Waltz - Essay Example According to the conventional view, realism is apprehensive with how the humankind is in contrast with the ideal situation, this is to mean that it is an empirical rather than normative paradigm. Realism views things from a pessimistic perspective since it emphasizes on the patterns of power politics that are dominant in the global political arena manifested through wars, recurring conflicts and rivalry among nations. Issues such as balance of power and security threats and measures are the main tools that the realism uses in the study of world politics; in addition, realists consider a state as the main player in international politics. Realism pays special attention to the most powerful states as they have a greater say in international politics compared to the less powerful states, the behaviour of these states usually dictates the patterns of international relations since they are considered rational egoists whose self interests come first. In the orthodox view, four differences are evident between classical realism and structural realism; the first difference is that while classical realism tries to locate the source of international conflict and wars to the imperfect nature of human beings, structural realism attributes these conflicts and wars to the anarchic nature of the international political system. The second difference is that while classical realism recognises the state as the most superior player in international relations, structural realism recognizes the role played by agents.... Realism pays special attention to the most powerful states as they have a greater say in international politics compared to the less powerful states, the behaviour of these states usually dictates the patterns of international relations since they are considered rational egoists whose self interests come first. In the orthodox view, four differences are evident between classical realism and structural realism; the first difference is that while classical realism tries to locate the source of international conflict and wars to the imperfect nature of human beings, structural realism attributes these conflicts and wars to the anarchic nature of the international political system. The second difference is that while classical realism recognises the state as the most superior player in international relations, structural realism recognizes the role played by agents. The third difference is that classical realism recognises the original super powers and the new powers in international rel ations while structural realism recognizes states as independent and unitary actors. The fourth difference is that while structural realism uses scientific methodology to study international relations which is influenced by the behaviourist revolution of the 1960’s, classical realism studies international relations based on based on an individual’s subjective valuations. Defining power Realism believes that the actions of a country are to a large extent determined by events that happen in the international arena. Hans Morgenthau defines power as the anything that gives a man control over another person; this includes both physical aggression and psychological manipulation of the subjects. According to Hans, the most important material

Political Ideologies of American Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Political Ideologies of American Law - Essay Example Communism on the other hand, as defined by West Encyclopedia for American Law is â€Å"a theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common.†. The purpose of communism is to have common ownership of properties. The government regulates access to labor and its produce on to what is satisfactorily needed by each individual in the society. There are different kinds and forms of communism developed by several philosophers such as Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. But we shall focus on the economic reforms that both Libertarianism and Communism wish to offer.   Communism believes that the working class is the solution and that giving more power to the working class, dissolving any division in the society and avoiding any possible exploitation from the capitalist class can eliminate a division in society. This is why the government chooses to regulate the economy, and abolishes private ownership. Communism sees capitalism as a mere exploitation of the working class.   Rousseaus (1978) origin story of the bourgeois political order holds that the ideology of communism, evolves through a pledge by the citizenry, a social pact to establish equality among each other, that they will place themselves under the same conditions and enjoy the same rights (p. 76).   Libertarianism and Communism are two opposite ideology, put it simply, the first gives importance and the sanctity of an individual’s freedom, separate from any control by society. It is the free will and independence of man and his own volition that controls his fate. On the other hand, the Communist is ruled by the society, as a working class, co-equal in everything without any other class or division. It is unity between every man, without having one man better than the other.

Analyzing And Improving The Appropriateness Of The Exams Term Paper

Analyzing And Improving The Appropriateness Of The Exams - Term Paper Example To determine these factors, a myriad of assessment methods are used on the exam questions, including basic statistics to determine the performance of the students, qualitative and quantitative item analysis. In this case, basic statistics include the mean of each question in the exam and the entire test (Black, 2003). Qualitative item analysis refers to the careful reading of the contents of the exam to determine the accuracy of the exam, find proofreading errors, and determine whether any components of the exam could tip the students towards the correct answer (Triola, 2003). This paper will analyze the hypothetical psychology test presented using the methods discussed above, after which a suggested method for improving the exam is given. The first part of this analysis will focus on basic statistics, followed by the qualitative item analysis and the quantitative item analysis. The quantitative analysis will be focused on determining a difficulty-rating index for each question in th e test. The mean for the entire test is found by adding the total scores by each student, as represented by the totals column. The mean is then found by adding all the total scores and dividing the sum by the number of students taking the test (Black, 2003). As previously mentioned, the analysis of the test will include an analysis of the basic statistics, which in this case is the mean for each question and the entire test. The mean score for the first question is 1.8, which indicates that the pass rate is high among all the students.... Basic Statistics: Mean for Entire Test Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Total Student 1 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 2 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 3 2 0 0 2 0 4 Student 4 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 5 2 2 2 2 2 10 Student 6 2 0 0 2 0 4 Student 7 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 8 0 0 0 2 0 2 Student 9 2 2 0 2 0 6 Student 10 2 2 0 2 0 6 Mean 5.6 The mean for the entire test is found by adding the total scores by each student, as represented by the totals column. The mean is then found by adding all the total scores and dividing the sum by the number of students taking the test (Black, 2003). Graphs for Each Question Analysis As previously mentioned, the analysis of the test will include an analysis of the basic statistics, which in this case is the mean for each question and the entire test. The mean score for the first question is 1.8, which indicates that the pass rate is high among all the students. Question 2 has a mean score of 1.4, while questions 3 and 5 have mean scores of 0.2. Question 4 has a mean score of 2. The mean scores indicated above show the average pass rate for each question for each question, and can be sued as an indicator for the difficulty rating for each question in the test. This indicates that the easiest question is question 4, and the most difficult questions are questions 3 and 5. The mean for the entire test is 5.6, and indicates that the pas rate was evenly distributed among the students. This pass rate is depicted by the graphs shown above, which indicate the scores for each question. To determine the difficulty and appropriateness of each question, we have to conduct both qualitative and qualitative analyses.

Political Ideologies of American Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Political Ideologies of American Law - Essay Example Communism on the other hand, as defined by West Encyclopedia for American Law is â€Å"a theoretical economic system characterized by the collective ownership of property and by the organization of labor for the common.†. The purpose of communism is to have common ownership of properties. The government regulates access to labor and its produce on to what is satisfactorily needed by each individual in the society. There are different kinds and forms of communism developed by several philosophers such as Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. But we shall focus on the economic reforms that both Libertarianism and Communism wish to offer.   Communism believes that the working class is the solution and that giving more power to the working class, dissolving any division in the society and avoiding any possible exploitation from the capitalist class can eliminate a division in society. This is why the government chooses to regulate the economy, and abolishes private ownership. Communism sees capitalism as a mere exploitation of the working class.   Rousseaus (1978) origin story of the bourgeois political order holds that the ideology of communism, evolves through a pledge by the citizenry, a social pact to establish equality among each other, that they will place themselves under the same conditions and enjoy the same rights (p. 76).   Libertarianism and Communism are two opposite ideology, put it simply, the first gives importance and the sanctity of an individual’s freedom, separate from any control by society. It is the free will and independence of man and his own volition that controls his fate. On the other hand, the Communist is ruled by the society, as a working class, co-equal in everything without any other class or division. It is unity between every man, without having one man better than the other.

Neuroscience Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Neuroscience - Article Example the center 4 tiles), the amount of time a rat spent in the center of the field (i.e. the center 4 tiles), and the number of tile crossings all indicated that rats treated with LiCl had indeed reduced risk taking, locomotor activity and exploratory behavior when undergoing the open-field test compared to sodium chloride (NaCl) treated control rats. Note, the tendency of the rat to cling and spend much time on the walls of the test apparatus indicates a high level of anxiety or fear. On the contrary, a less fearful rat portrays the tendency of greater exploration within the experiment apparatus. As such, the rats that had been injected with LiCl spent much time on the walls of the apparatus – a sign of increased fear and high level of anxiety. The results obtained in this test were in agreement with other studies previously conducted. Laboratory observations have suggested an interaction between lithium chloride (LiCl) and exploratory behavior of rats. Studies have confirmed that LiCl administration tends to suppress locomotor activity in rats (Johnson et al., 1972). An open field apparatus was used to observe the exploratory behavior and the movement of the rats one hour after the injection of LiCl. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of LiCl on risk taking, exploratory behavior, and locomotor activity of rats. The behavioral pharmacology test conducted was aimed at seeing the effectiveness of Lithium chloride on the various specimens used and their response. The experiment used Lithium Chloride as the main ingredient and sodium chloride as the control solution. The main objective of the experiment was an observation of the effects of taking against not taking Lithium chloride and on the other hand taking sodium chloride. We used an Open Field Apparatus from whence we could observe the behavior of the rat immediately after the injection with the drug.

Reluctant Collectivists Essay Example for Free

Reluctant Collectivists Essay The events of the 20th century, especially of its first part had brought a lot of things to think over in political and economical sphere. The global economical crisis of the 1930ies and the War time had proved there have to be changes made in the regulation of the political and social relationships as well as in the government policy. Time showed that for consistent and stable development of the country there as to special welfare social programs that would defend all classes of the society.    Reluctant collectivists proposed that there has to be state intervention in the country’s economy that would execute the role of mechanism for making good the failure of the market to control avoidable ills, but they didn’t have a purpose of using it as the only instrument for economical change.    Two of the most known reluctant collectivists Keynes and Beveridge are known to be the founders of the British Welfare sate. They strongly believed in the concept of free market relations, and the minimization of the state intervention by their opinion would maximize the efficiency of economics, political and social freedoms.   Ã‚  Ã‚   But still reluctant collectivists argued that for a wide variety of political and economical reasons the market in the free society was not working on the ideal level as it was noted by economic theorists. The economical problems and social issues that Great Britain faced during and after WW2 motivated the need of state regulation, as they proposed. By their opinion the economical waste and instability may discredit parliamentary democracy and gave the birth to mistrust to the government.    Even though that reluctant collectivists were in favor of state regulations and intervention of state to the market and economics of the country in the serious period of economical situation, they still didn’t fully support social insurance system. By their opinion the organization of social security is not the state’s problem, the assistance schemes of the government according to reluctant collectivists should simply include the guarantee of living income for each citizen. And that’s why the living standards above the minimum wage have to be gained by individuals themselves.    The philosophical premises of the reluctant collectivism are originated in the theories of free market, which is considered to be the best mechanism that insures initiative of the individual and hence political freedom.   But here comes the question: if there has to be a need in state regulation of market and economical relations how much of the intervention is needed for that. The obvious answer is the following: the weakness and the strengths of the market have to be analyzed first. This pragmatism puts reluctant collectivists close to the conservatives, whose philosophy accepts the preserving of the best that remains from the past, while adopting new things that are most likely to change the situation for better.    Justification of their political aims and program by reluctant collectivists during the period of serious economical issues in the UK helped Conservatives to come to power in 1950ies and 1960ies. But still the theory of â€Å"reluctant collectivism† that seems to rapidly react on the changes in state’s market and economy can not fully answer the question what is good for the further development of market that doesn’t face problems. As the result the existing problems in understanding of the market development program caused the contradictions in the views of conservatives and those who belonged to reluctant collectivists. The understanding of the market virtues by reluctant collectivists didn’t give the chance for introducing and practicing economical and market reforms. As a result most of their programs lost their actuality in 1960ies. Reference George. V. Wilding, P(1985). The Reluctant collectivists. In ideology and social welfare(pp.44-68). New York: Routledge.

History and Concepts of Human Rights

History and Concepts of Human Rights A. HISTORY + CONCEPTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS 1. What were the major conceptual and historical influences on the drafting of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights? The major conceptual and historical influences on the drafting of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights had began at the beginning of the Second World War then the prominent scholars of that time started writing about the importance of Human Rights. The prominent British utopian writer H. G. Wells launched a campaign to bring Human Rights to the attention of the public at large. In yearly 1940s Wells, had written a lot of works concerning with the issue of Human Rights. Hence he entitled one of his books The Right of Man or What Are We Fighting For? He spoke or corresponded with any leading figures of the time, including Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, Jan Masaryk, Gandhi and many others, who at the end of the war would draft the preamble of the United Nations Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Right. Many other individuals and NGOs added their contributions, such as the journalist Clarence Streit published his book Union Now: A Proposal, urging all democra tic nations to unite on behalf of individual freedoms and what he called â€Å"the rights of man.† (Paul Gordon Lauren, 2003). Freeman (2002, p.32) points that the period from French Revolution to the Second World War was the dark age of the concept of human rights.. So, one can say that, at the end of the Second World War, the people had realized the importance of the concept of Human Rights. 2. What were the main contemporary events influencing the drafting of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The campaign reminds us that in a world still reeling from the horrors of the Second World War, the Declaration was the first global statement of what we now take for granted the inherent dignity and equality of all human beings.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (2008) From his words one can say that the main event which had great influence on drafting of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was the Second World War. The horror of the Second World War made international community to act towards human rights and to prevent future wars. 3. How would you describe the competing conceptions of rights that existed during the period of the Cold War? In 1976, the two conventions finally came into force with thirty-five states ratifying them. The two conventions were the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Why two covenants? The Cold War was still firmly in place, and the focus of the two political blocs (U.S. and the USSR) had very different emphases on what counted as human rights. The U.S. bloc focused on civil and political rights, while the Soviet bloc focused more on economic and social rights. The Commission wisely drafted two separate conventions to reflect this difference in focus (Centre on Law Globalization n.d.). 4. With reference to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to the concept of ‘dignity, outline the human rights perspective on torture. Article 5 of the UDHR states that â€Å"[n]o one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment†, and the prohibition against torture and abuse is now codified in a number of international and regional treaties to which many countries are a party, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture. The prohibition of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment is absolute and non-derogable. Unfortunately, violations of this most prized human right occur routinely in many prisons, although they are sanctioned by official policy (Human Rights Watch 2009). 5. Outline and characterize in not more than 75 words the relationship between religious freedom and gender equality.   Ã‚  Ã‚  To resolve conflicts between the two sets of rights, we need balancing approach based on facts. The factors that she highlights as important to consider when the rights clash include: the relationship between the equality right and the goal of gender equality, the importance of the religious practice to the right of religious freedom, the degree of infringement, the relation of other human rights to the conflict, the cumulative effects of religious limitations on womens rights, and the proportionality of restrictions on religious laws (NYU of Law 2009). 6. Why does Donnelly (Donnelly 2003, pp.22-37 204-224) argue that individuals, rather than groups, are the proper subject of human rights? Donnelly (2003 p.25) argues that if human rights are the rights that one has simply as a human being, then only human beings have human rights; if one is not a human being, by definition one cannot have human rights. Because only individual persons are human beings, it would seem that only individuals can have human rights. 7. Identify and discuss in no more than 75 words the impact of TWO events on the expansion of human rights in the last ten years. From my point view one of the events is the end of Cold War Era and second is Terrorism. The end of Cold War had opened new borders for spreading the concept of Human Rights. The second event which had an impact on the expansion of human rights is Terrorism. Nowadays Terrorism is the most threat to anyone, and this â€Å"word† is everywhere and lots of people are suffering. So these two events had a great impact on the expansion of human rights. B. INTERNATIONAL MACHINERY 8. Explain the difference between a declaration and a treaty. A treaty is a legally binding convention, coming into force upon ratification by a certain number of States. A declaration is not legally binding but carries moral weight because it is adopted by the international community (UN 2009) 9. Which international treaty has the most ratifications, and how many? More countries have ratified the Convention than any other human rights treaty in history-192 countries had become State Parties to the Convention as of November 2005 (UNICEF 2009). 10. Which rights are non-derogable under the ICCPR? What does this mean? According to the Article 4, section 2 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) no derogation from articles 6, 7, 8 (paragraphs I and 2), 11, 15, 16 and 18 may be made under this provision. Well this means that sates can not ‘take measures derogating from their obligations []‘ (International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966) 11. Identify a case under the ICCPR Optional Protocol where the Committee has found in favour of the petitioner. Supply the citation for the case and summarise the Committees view in not more than 75 words. Article I of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1976) states that a State Party to the Covenant that becomes a Party to the present Protocol recognizes the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications from individuals subject to its jurisdiction who claim to be victims of a violation by that State Party of any of the rights set forth in the Covenant. No communication shall be received by the Committee if it concerns a State Party to the Covenant which is not a Party to the present Protocol. Well, Optional Protocol allows individuals to complain to the Human Rights Committee about violations of the Covenant. 12. In 100 words state what in your view was the most significant issue raised by the UN Human Rights Committee in its recent review of Finland and why. Finlands State Secretary of Political Affairs, Dr. Teija Tiilikainen (2008), said that despite progress the country still struggles with cases of racism and intolerance. Looking through the Universal Periodic Review, I made a conclusion that Finland still facing problems like discrimination, racism and xenophobic attitudes. In my opinion the most significant issue raised by UN Human Rights Committee is racism and intolerance. The issues of racism and intolerance were raised by UN because, from the history we can see that all these destabilisations within the country like racism, intolerance were bringing the country to the humanitarian crisis. 13. How does the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child define a child? Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) defines child as, [] every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child, majority is attained earlier. 14. What has to happen before the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People enters into force? Before the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People came into force, the UN established an Ad Hoc Committee â€Å"to consider proposals for a comprehensive and integral international convention to promote and protect the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, based on the holistic approach in the work done in the fields of social development, human rights and non-discrimination and taking into account the recommendations of the Commission on Human Rights and the Commission for Social Development.† (ENABLE 2007). 15. What reservation has Argentina made to CEDAW? What is the impact of this reservation? The Government of Argentina declares that it does not consider itself bound by article 29, paragraph 1, of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Bayefsky 2008). 16. Who is the current United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons and when was she appointed? The current United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons is Ms. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo from Nigeria. She was appointed in June 2008 (United Nations Human Rights 2009). C. REGIONAL MACHINERY 17. Who is entitled to submit individual complaints under the European, American and African regional human rights systems and to which particular regional bodies? According to the Article 34 of the Convention for the protection of Human Rights (2003) the court may receive applications from any person [] claiming to be the victim of violation by []. Article 19 of the same Convention states, to ensure the observance of the engagements undertaken by the High Contracting Parties in the Convention and the Protocols thereto, there shall be set up a European Court of Human Rights, hereinafter referred to as the Court. It shall function on a permanent basis (European Court of Human Rights 2009). So basically, other regional human rights systems are established almost in the same way of European. 18. How many States are currently members of the Council of Europe? Which State is the most recent member? Which States special guest status has been suspended due to its lack of respect for human rights and democratic principles? Cite your source(s). Currently members of the Council of Europe are 47 countries. The most recent member is Montenegro, which joined the Council of Europe on 11th May 2007 (Council of Europe 2009). In January 1997 the Bureau of the Parliamentary Assembly decided to suspend the special guest status for the Parliament of Belarus. As a result, the consideration of Belarus application for membership in the Council of Europe was suspended, and the bilateral Cooperation Programme was frozen (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus 2009). 19. What Conventions has the Council of Europe adopted which offer specific protection for minorities? There are several Conventions adopted by Council of Europe for the protection of minorities, such as European Convention on the repatriation of minors, European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Council of Europe 2009). 20. When did the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture come into force and how many States are currently parties to it? What monitoring and/or enforcement machinery did the Convention establish and what does it do? European Convention for the Prevention of Torture came into force on 1st March 2002 and it is ratified by 47 states. The Convention operates in relation to persons who allege that they are victims of violations of Article3 and the main purpose of the Convention is to protect people from torture (Council of Europe 2009). 21. When did the Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons come into force? How does it define forced disappearance? The Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons came into force on May 28 1996 (The Secretariat for Legal Affairs n.d.). Article second of Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons (1994) defines that forced disappearance is considered to be the act of depriving a person or persons of his or their freedom, in whatever way, perpetrated by agents of the state or by persons or groups of persons acting with the authorization, support, or acquiescence of the state, followed by an absence of information or a refusal to acknowledge that deprivation of freedom or to give information on the whereabouts of that person, thereby impeding his or her recourse to the applicable legal remedies and procedural guarantees (The Secretariat for Legal Affairs n.d.). 22. Under what authority can States denounce the American Convention on Human Rights? When did Trinidad Tobago denounce the ACHR and why? According to the Article 78 of the American Convention on Human Rights (1969), The States Parties may denounce this Convention at the expiration of a five-year period from the date of its entry into force and by means of notice given one year in advance. Notice of the denunciation shall be addressed to the Secretary General of the Organization, who shall inform the other States Parties. The Denunciation of Trinidad and Tobago was notified in May 26, 1998, and denunciation was because of death penalty (The Secretariat for Legal Affairs n.d.). 23. When was Algerias 3rd and 4th periodic reports (submitted in September 2006) examined by the African Commission? To whom does the report say capital punishment does not apply in Algeria? Algerias 3rd and 4th periodic reports were examined by the African Commission on it 42nd Ordinary Session from 15th to 28th of November in 2007 (African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights 2009). Capital punishment is not applicable to minors aged 13 to 18.Article 50 of the Criminal Code provides that â€Å"should be decided that a minor aged between 13 to 18 must be given criminal sentence []. (Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria. African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Third and fourth periodical reports, 2006, p.13) 24. What instrument established the African Court of Human and Peoples Rights? What jurisdiction does the Court have? Is it operational? The African Court of Human and Peoples Rights was established by African Charter of Human and Peoples Rights (African International Courts and Tribunals n. d.). The Court has the competence to take final and binding decisions on human rights violations perpetrated by AU Member States. The competence of the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights is based on its jurisdiction and the law that it will apply when exercising this jurisdiction (African Court on Human and Peoples Rights n. d.).The Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Establishing the ACHPR entered into force on January 25, 2004 upon its ratification by fifteen member states. The statute of the ACHPR has not yet been promulgated and a seat for the court has yet to be determined, therefore much of the data regarding its functioning is not yet available (African International Courts and Tribunals n. d.). But the main functions of the Court has been set up, As mentioned above The Court has the competence to take final and binding decisions on human rights violations perpetrated by AU Member States (African Court on Human and Peoples Rights n. d.). All together one can say that it is operational but not all of its functions have been set up. 25. When was the Arab League established? List its current membership. Why was Egypts membership suspended in 1979? What happened as a result? When was Egypt readmitted? Arab League was established in 1945. The current members are 22 countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen (Al-bab n. d.). The membership of Egypt was stopped, because in 1979 Egypt signed a peace treaty with Israel. As a result the headquarters was moved from Cairo to Tunis. Egypt was readmitted to the league in 1989 and the leagues headquarters was moved back to Cairo (Pan Arab n. d.). Bibliography Books Donnelly J 2003, Universal Human Rights in theory and practice, 2nd edn, Cornell University Press, New York, USA. Freeman M 2002, Human Rights, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK Lauren P G 2003, The evolution of international human rights: visions seen, 2nd edn, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia, USA. Electronic Sources African International Courts and Tribunals (n. d.) The African Court on Human and Peoples Rights. Available at: http://www.aict-ctia.org/courts_conti/achpr/achpr_home.html (Accessed: 15 November 2009) African Court on Human and Peoples Rights (n. d.) General information. Available at: http://www.african-court.org/en/court/mandate/general-information/ (Accessed: 15 November 2009 ) African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (2009) Status on Submission of State Initial/Periodic Reports to the African Commission. Available at: http://www.achpr.org/english/_info/statereport_considered_en.html (Accessed: 16 November 2009) African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (2009) Peoples Democratic Republic of Algeria. African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, Third and fourth periodical reports, 2006. Available at: http://www.achpr.org/english/state_reports/Algeria/Algeria%20report_eng.pdf (Accessed: 16 November 2009 ) Articles by Brian Whitaker (n. d.) The League of Arab States. Available at: http://www.al-bab.com/Arab/docs/league.htm (Accessed: 15 November 2009) Bayefsky (n.d.) the United Nations Human Rights Treaties. Available at: http://www.bayefsky.com/pdf/argentina_t2_cedaw.pdf (Accessed: 16 November) Centre on Law Globalization (n. d.), Human Rights Fail During the Cold War. Available at: http://clg.portalxm.com/library/keytext.cfm?keytext_id=121 (Accessed 18 November) Council of Europe (2009), European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 26 November 1987. Available at: http://www.cpt.coe.int/EN/documents/ecpt.htm (Accessed 18 November) Council of Europe (2009), Complete list of the Council of Europes treaties. Available at: http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeTraites.asp?CM=8CL=ENG (Accessed: 16 November) Council of Europe (2009), Council of Europe in brief. Available at: http://www.coe.int/aboutCoe/index.asp?page=47pays1europel=en (Accessed: 16 November) Enable (2007), Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities,. Available at: http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/rights/adhoccom.htm (Accessed: 18 November) European Court of Human Rights (2009), Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms as amended by Protocol No. 11. Available at: http://www.echr.coe.int/NR/rdonlyres/D5CC24A7-DC13-4318-B457-5C9014916D7A/0/EnglishAnglais.pdf (Accessed: 16 November) Human Rights Watch (2009), Special Comment: A Human Rights Perspective on Segregating the Mentally Ill. Available at: http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/18/special-comment-human-rights-perspective-segregating-mentally-ill (Accessed 18 November) Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (n.d.), American Convention on Human Rights 22 November 1969. Available at: http://www.cidh.org/Basicos/English/Basic3.American%20Convention.htm (Accessed: 16 November) Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus (2009),International organizations. Available at: http://www.mfa.gov.by/en/multilateral/int_org/ref/e02a9ab26c54c943.html (Accessed: 16 November) New York University of Law (2009), Journal of International law and politics (Volume 24). Available at: http://www1.law.nyu.edu/journals/jilp/issues/24/24_2_Sullivan.html (Accessed 18 November) Pan Arab (n. d.) Members of the Arab League. Available at: http://www.arabji.com/ArabGovt/ArabLeague.htm (Accessed: 15 November 2009) The Secretariat for Legal Affairs (n.d.), American Convention on Human Rights â€Å"Pact Of San Jose, Costa Rica† 22 November 1969. Available at: http://www.oas.org/Juridico/english/Sigs/b-32.html#Trinidad%20and%20Tobago (Accessed: 16 November) The Secretariat for Legal Affairs (n.d.), Inter-American Convention on the Forced Disappearance of Persons 09 June 1994. Available at: http://www.oas.org/juridico/English/sigs/a-60.html (Accessed: 16 November) United Nations Human Rights (2009), Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially in women and children. Available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/trafficking/index.htm (Accessed: 16 November) United Nations Human Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm (Accessed: 18 November) United Nations Radio (2009), Finland and Indonesia undergo human rights review. Available at: http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/detail/37298.html (Accessed: 18 November) United Nations Human Rights (2009), International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Available at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.htm (Accessed: 18 November) UNICEF (2009), Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30229.html (Accessed: 18 November) UN (2009), Human Rights at your Fingertips. Available at: http://www.un.org/rights/50/game.htm#28 (Accessed: 18 November) University of Minnesota (2009), Human rights Library. Available at: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/instree/b4ccprp1.htm (Accessed: 18 November) 60th Anniversary Universal Declaration of Human Rights (2008), Universal Declaration of Human Rights: 1948-2008. Available at: http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/udhr60/index.shtml (Accessed: 18 November)

Happiness in Nicomachean Ethics and Living the Rule of St. Benedict Tod

Essay written by Elizabeth Sippel From pursuing pleasure to avoiding pain, life seems to ultimately be about achieving happiness. However, how to define and obtain happiness has and continues to be a widely debated issue. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle gives his view on happiness. According to Aristotle, different types of people pursue different ends. â€Å"The many,† or ordinary people, pursue pleasure, whereas politicians seek glory. However, people of superior refinement seek happiness. Happiness is the highest goal because it is an end desired entirely for its own sake, and it is selfsufficient. In order to define happiness, the function of man must be considered. Aristotle says that what makes man unique is his ability to reason. Thus reason must be connected to happiness in some way. Aristotle further argues that virtue is also tied to happiness. Virtue can be categorized as either intellectual or moral. Intellectual virtue, as the name suggests, corresponds to the reasoning self. Moral virtue, on the other hand, corresponds to the desiring self. Thus moral vi...

Free Essays On Shakespeares Sonnet 5 :: Sonnet essays

Analysis of Sonnet 5 Those hours that with gentle work did frame The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell Will play the tyrants to the very same, And that unfair which fairly doth excel: For never-resting time leads summer on To hideous winter and confounds him there, Sap check'd with frost, and lusty leaves quite gone, Beauty o'ersnow'd and bareness everywhere: Then were not summer's distillation left A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass, Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft, Nor ir nor no remembrance what it was. But flowers distill'd, though they with winter meet, Leese but their show: their substance still lives sweet. This sonnet is fairly easy to read and understand, but there are a few subtle ways Shakespeare makes it more interesting. First, the "which" in line 4 seems to mean "that", but a pun arises when read aloud allowing "witch" to be replaced. This is definitley an option when referring to "Those hours," significant of time, as seeing time as a witch. Shakespeare does not hold time in such high regard, and therefore we get a slightly altered reading of line 4: 'and that unfair witch hastens your increasing age by fair means'. In this reading, time is both fair and unfair, much recieved as a child getting his deserved punishment. 5-6: '"Never-resting time" always forces summer into winter, where summer is unhappily detained'; 7-8: 'Where,the sap is encroached with frost, and the leaves of the tree have vanished, beauty being overly-covered and barren everywhere:'. 9-12: 'At that time summer was remembered through perfumes, (but) beauty's effect [the scent] was subsided through the perfumes [the scent is there, but the aesthetics are gone], and there was no remembrance what it really was'.

Array Paper

Programming Solution Segments in Wooden Ring or Bowl One of the clubs that I belong to is the Savannah River Wood turners Association. We meet once a month in a friends shop down the road from where I live, and we usually have guest speakers give a presentation on aspects of wood turning. Last weekend we had a gentleman from Atlanta teach a session on segmented wood turning. Segmented turning is a type of wood turning that involves gluing together hundreds of segments to make a particular shape that you would then refine on a DOD lathe.It is a very time consuming and complicated endeavor sometimes, and the thought of a program to help with the math seemed like a great idea. The personnel involved in the project is mainly myself, but also some of the other members from the group. The aim is to be able to input the amount of segments that you would want to use in a ring and then determine the angle at which you must cut the sides of the segments. It would also be great if the program c ould output the length of each segment based on the diameter of the bowl.I say bowl loosely, building a blank with segments is usually done so that they form a ring. The final shape could be anything, but for this program it will be a bowl. In terms of the development cycle, the program will be built in five stages. The first part I am doing right now by writing this paper, this part is the analysis of the problem. The second will be the general design of the program itself. I will flesh out all of the details about input/output, what variables will be used, whatever math will be involved in the next paper.The third stage is the coding stage in which I will create a Visual Logic executable that runs the program. The fourth and fifth stage will be testing and maintenance. I suppose that I will actually test out the program by attempting to use the results that I get by creating a segmented wood blank. I will then put it on the lathe and include pictures in my final paper, as long as time permits. Turning can be a slow or fast process, and with segmented turning going fast is really not an option.Taking a modular approach will be somewhat important in the context of this reject. By using modules to separate all of the math from the input and output, it should make the academicals Logic flow chart easier to understand. The math involved in determining the dimensions of each segment is not that complicated in reality, but to me it might as well be ancient Egyptian. Luckily, I have found multiple websites and even other programs to guide me in making this. The first thing the program will do is ask the user what it wants to do.I saw that in the next paper we are required to use a selection statement, and I intend to use an if else, or maybe even a while loop to create a main menu for the program. From the desired diameter of the bowl in centimeters or they will choose to exit the program. The exact function of this menu is still up in the air, and as I move into mo re detailed design and math I will figure it out. The number of segments will be store in a variable. This variable will then be divided into 360, then divided by 2. This will give the angle to cut the pieces at.In reality the user would have to understand to cut the segments at this angle on both ides facing inwards, but that may be another variable I can output. Next the user will input the desired diameter of the ring in centimeters, this will also be stored in a variable, which will then be multiplied by 3. 14. I will add a third variable called the fudge factor, this is relative to the thickness of the segments and gives the user some flexibility in design and cutting. This number will be added to the circumference of the ring, and then the circumference will be divided by the number of segments.The final output will be the length of each segment, and the angle to cut at. Overall I hope to create a program that will aide in the math involved in this process, and one that I will be able to share with my friends. This type of woodworking is a lot of fun, but for those of us that are not so math inclined it can become frustrating. Accuracy is of the utmost importance, and hopefully this program will help me achieve it. I think this will be a lot of fun. References Segmented

History and Memory Essay

To what extent has textual form shaped your understanding of history and memory? In your response, make detailed reference to your prescribed text and at least one  other related text. The textual form of the poetry of Denise Levertov and the recount Pure Torture by Tom Moe has shaped the reader’s understanding of history and memory to a great extent. While history is represented generally as objective, impersonal, factual and static, memory is represented as subjective, personal, fragmented and fluid. Techniques applied by the composers are consistent with forging these representations. A close examination of the texts indicates that history and memory are distinct concepts, but they are also two elements which work together in an interdependent relationship to make a record of truth. A close study of A Letter to Marek about a Photograph shows how history and memory are both distinct entities, but that they work together to create a more complete representation of the truth. The poem provides a representation of the house’s history as static and objective through the adjectives used to describe the physical building: â€Å"wooden angles† and â€Å"fretted gables†. However, the composer’s memory of the context of the home provides a place filled with anxiety and worry through the use of the pun in â€Å"fretted gables†, and the metaphor â€Å"ornaments turned on the lathe of humor and trust†. While the physical photograph records in a cumulation of adjectives the â€Å"carpentered, unpainted, aging house †¦ in some white ghetto†, Levertov’s memory records the emotional context of the inhabitants of the house in the personification of the building: â€Å"the brooding face of anxiety† and â€Å"waking and sleeping†. Thus, one’s understanding of history and memory as two distinct yet interdependent elements in recording the truth has been shaped to a great degree through a close reading of A Letter to Marek about a Photograph. Similarly, in A Time Past Levertov conveys the idea of history and memory being distinct but interrelated elements in recording the past. While Levertov records the â€Å"wooden steps to the front door where I was sitting that morning† as an historic event, she intertwines the memory with the physical history of the steps. Human experience is deeply involved in the history of these steps through the senses in the tactile, aural and visual imagery. She can â€Å"feel their splinters†, the â€Å"quiet broken by no bird, no cricket†, and â€Å"gold leaves spinning in silence†. The human experience of emotion – â€Å"joy† and â€Å"love† and â€Å"cheerful, unafraid† – are captured in the record of the past. Although the memories are fragmentary in nature, like the splinters, they ironically complete the history. This fragmentary quality is captured in the various anecdotes involving the â€Å"friend and her little son who died†, â€Å"of marriage, of my son†, and â€Å"sitting alone or with my husband†. Although some memories may be blurred or faded over time – â€Å"or was it the second son who lives and thrives? † – The memories themselves do not lose their importance. While the steps play a significant place in terms of events in Levertov’s history, it is the memories involved with the steps which complete the record of truth, thus further enhancing one’s understanding of the relationship between history and memory. In Thai Binh (Peace) Province refers to Levertov’s â€Å"film† of the Vietnam War, both a physical and mental record of a past event. Textual form is very important in conveying the difference between history and memory, thus shaping the reader’s understanding of the two concepts. The historical documentation includes the repetition of the plosives â€Å"bombed†. The cumulation nouns for buildings – â€Å"hospitals †¦ â€Å"schools †¦ silk-factory† – help to convey the utter devastation of the country. This is contrasted by Levertov’s mental retreat to selectively â€Å"photograph within [her] dark sails of the river boats, warm slant of afternoon light†¦ † with the use of adjectives such as â€Å"perched, relaxed†¦ to show her retreat towards â€Å"peace within the long war†. Levertov uses juxtaposition of the â€Å"child with its feet blown off† to the â€Å"boy†¦ relaxed on a quietly grazing buffalo† effectively to provide a more thorough, comprehensive and complete record of the historical event, rather than a biased view of the history. She alludes to the history with the humanistic nature of her memory to make it more comprehensive. Thus, it is clear that the textual form of Levertov’s poem greatly enhances one’s understanding of history and memory being two distinct, yet interrelated, elements. The textual form of Tom Moe’s Pure Torture shows a clear distinction between history and memory, while it presents the notion that history and memory are interconnected to produce a more complete representation of the truth of past events. The first-person recount presented in chronological order is consistent with a recording of an historic event. Moe presents the facts of his five-year incarceration as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. As a documented memory, it presents a history, but with the added dimension of his personal perspective that only memory can provide. Moe details the horrific nature of the event, thus personalising it through the use of graphic detail and emotion giving a more accurate representation of the truth. The memory has been recorded and published about 23 years after the events occurred. The graphic details of Tom Moe’s physical harm have been depicted in Pure Torture. He describes their skin which became â€Å"waterlogged, looking like pale cheese, a crumbling coat of slimy flesh†. The use of simile and metaphor emphasise the physical effects of the treatment, personalising and individualising the experience. The memory of how his body deteriorated similarly highlights the unique human experience: â€Å"you could stick your finger into me up to your knuckle and pull it out leaving a hole that would slowly fill with fluid,† and â€Å"I was shocked at how my body looked like a bag of chicken bones. † The composer’s intention is clear; he intends to shock and fill the reader’s mind with his memory, and he is very successful in building images so that the record of history is far more accurate and comprehensive. A close examination of the documentary film Dear America: Letters from Vietnam stands as evidence that the textual form of media recording history and memory are intertwined in such a way that they give a complete record of the truth of an event. The historical record of actual footage of a soldier who has lost his foot, graphically details the man’s pain when he is in the field: â€Å"I’ve been hit †¦ (screams) †¦ I’ve been hit!! † Later, while he is being attended to by doctors, he describes the physical pain, â€Å"It’s that sharp nerve pain †¦ urning †¦ burning †¦ I know there’s not much left. I thought the whole thing was going to come off. † The witness to the event states: â€Å"I’ve never seen such bravery and guts before †¦ You should have seen my brave men. It would give you goose pimples. † This contrasts significantly with the footage: the focus on physical pain is turned in to a focus on mental and emotional qualities. The letter writer is selective in what he wants remembered: his focus is on the courage and bravery of the soldier, rather than the pain associated with it. It appears that the trauma is too close to be passed on to members of his family, and he is selective in what he records as his memory and what he contributes to their memory of the war. The footage of the night patrols is frightening, with bombardment in a montage of explosions, gunfire and fires in the jungle. The aftermath of a night patrol is recorded by a soldier who is called in to identify a body. He writes to his family: â€Å"It’s going to be hard for me to write this, but maybe it will make me feel better †¦ there on the table was a boy †¦ is eyes were open. I couldn’t really identify him. They told me his name: Rankin. I cried. God, it can’t be. But after looking at his face again †¦ it was him. It hit me like a shot. This was the first body I ever saw †¦ it was too much. I went outside and cried. It started raining at noon today †¦ it rained so hard. † The letter writer has used his memory in a therapeutic way, much lik e Tom Moe did in Pure Torture and Levertov has done in much of her poetry. The metaphoric tears from heaven helps describe the emotional impact this event has had on the soldier. This letter shows how the event moves from historic footage of a physical event to an emotional human response in the aftermath of the event. Thus, it is clear that while the historic recording of an event may communicate the actual detail of the event, the human response to the event is vital in giving a comprehensive account of that event. It is clear from the close examination of Levertov’s poetry and Pure Torture and Dear America that the responder’s understanding of history and memory is influenced to a great extent by the textual form of the text. The representations of the objectivity and the impersonal, factual and static nature of historical record is complemented by the representations of the subjectivity and the personal, fragmented and fluid nature of memory. Techniques applied by the composers to create textual form are consistent with forging these representations. History and memory are distinct concepts, but they operate together in an interdependent relationship to make a more comprehensive and accurate record of truth of past events.

How The Web change learning over e-learning to Lifelong Learning Essay

How The Web change learning over e-learning to Lifelong Learning - Essay Example With Web 3.0 on the horizon, e-Learning 3.0, with its focus on content, is not very far away. The unprecedented development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) from the early Eighties revolutionized many fields of work and activity, including learning and education which has undergone radical changes. The coming of the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW) introduced the concept of â€Å"learning anytime, anywhere and anyhow† [1]. Students and teachers could be geographically dispersed in what is termed a virtual classroom. Distance education was prefixed with ‘online’ to give what is now known as e-Learning. The roots of the present-day web can be traced back to the concept of hypertext and hypermedia which goes back to 1945 when Vannevar Bush introduced the concept of hypertext in a system called ‘memex’. Bush visualized a system in which the documents could be linked in a non-linear manner modeled after the associative nature of the human mind.[33] The same objective was echoed by Ted Nelson in 1987 when he envisaged â€Å"†¦a fast linking electronic repository for the storage and publication of text, graphics and other digital information; permitting promiscuous linkage and windowing among all materials; with special features for alternative versions, historical backtrack and arbitrary collaging†¦Ã¢â‚¬ in his Xanadu system [34], Conklin who spoke of inter-documentary links [35] and Rada [36] who dreamt of connecting text across document boundaries. Hypertext and hypermedia gave the Web its interactivity and navigational manoeuvrability. â€Å"†¦concept of ‘hypertext’ is the base of all the web evolution.†[31] Conventional learning has been restricted to the physical classroom in which the teacher teaches students according to a prescribed course and syllabi. The genesis of e-Learning can be found in the initial web sites that were developed by

Critically discuss the relationships between tourism and leisure Essay

Critically discuss the relationships between tourism and leisure behaviour, and the implications of these relationshipsfor the understanding and management of tourism - Essay Example The concept of ‘away from home’ has been constructively exploited by the enterprising entrepreneurs to lay the foundation of tourism which has now become a huge emerging new industry in the contemporary environment of globalization. Thus the intrinsic but evolving relationship between the tourism and leisure behaviour of the people has become the one of the most challenging business goals of the contemporary society. Leisure and recreation were not an option in olden times but the industrial revolution of the nineteenth century had brought about sweeping changes in the workplace, providing people with more time and improved lifestyle and was motivated towards recreational activities, involving family and friends. Alfred Llyods says ‘leisure ... is a pressing problem of the day†¦ if the new leisure in amount and importance be what it has appeared to be and if, as might be inferred, the mingled danger and opportunity of it be at all in proportion, then is civilization entering upon an adventure for romantic characters, for need of wisdom and imagination and courage far exceeding anything in the past’ (Lloyd, 1922: 171, 172). Indeed, the leisure time is important part of recreation. Bertrand Russell argues that ‘mans true life does not consist in the business of filling his belly and clothing his body, but in art and thought and love, in the creation and contemplation of beauty and in the scientific understanding of the world’ (Russell and Russell, 1923: 50). The House of Lords had also acknowledged that ‘it should make one or two hours a week available for leisure’ (House of Lords Select Committee on Sport and Leisure, 1973: xii). But Roberts challenge the perception of leisure when he says ‘Are we verging on a golden age of leisure or threatened by a wilderness of boredom?’ (Roberts, 2006: 18). Leisure times and holidays have always held a special charm for the young and the old alike. Krippendorf (1987)

Long term Care in USA vs. Europe and East Asia Essay

Long term Care in USA vs. Europe and East Asia - Essay Example The major limitation associated with this informal arrangement of long term care provision by the USA is that there is no uniformity in the manner in which the frail, disabled and the individuals with chronic illnesses are attended to. Thus, those who are dependent on private long term care insurance and out-of-pocket spending eventually end up missing on quality long term care, considering that their resources are easily depleted, to a point where they can no longer be able to cater for such medical and non-medical needs of the deserving individuals (Saltman, Dubois & Chawla, 2006). It is against this background that the U.S. Congress is assessing the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act, with a view to establishing a formal program through which uniform long term care can be offered in the USA (Campbell, Ikegami & Gibson, 2010). According to the data released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 2008, Medicaid accounted for 71% of the long term care services that were provided in the USA, while out-of-pocket spending followed at 18% and finally private long term care insurance at 7% (Harris-Kojetin, Sengupta, Park-Lee, Valverde, 2013). These statistics indicate that the only individuals who benefit from long term care in the USA are those capable of meeting the expenses through out-of-pocket paying, joining private long term care insurance or enrolling for the Medicaid plan. This leaves out the bulky of the frail, disabled and the deserving dependent senior citizens in the USA without the access of long term care services. This is contrary to the situation in Europe, where countries such as Germany, Norway and Denmark have a formalized program for supporting long term care for all the deserving citizens, without causing them to deplete their resources (Saltman, Dubois & Chawla, 2006). Additionally, long term care services in some of the East Asian countries such as

CASE STUDIES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

CASE STUDIES - Essay Example That is, the gestation period of any travel guides including Lonely Planet is an extended one due the need for extensive homework. Because of which, a somewhat, same kind of information or even a better current version is provided by the website. So, this out-datedness in the travel guide will be the issue for a number of customers who use both Internet and the books. So, the solution to reduce revenue losses or operational frictions is to promote each vehicle as different entities, according to the market’s needs. That is, there are still markets where Internet technology have not improved much, in those places travel guides should be promoted. Then, people while traveling will not be able to access Internet any time, for them the travel guides of Lonely Planet will be feasible and so this segment of markets can be targeted With the advent of Internet and wireless technologies, the scope for Lonely Planet to develop has increased, a lot further. That is, like its joint venture with Nokia, in which Lonely Planet provides city guides on mobile phones, it could provide the city guides along with digitized maps to all telecom providers. That is, if it has a joint venture with telecom companies, it can reach more mobiles. As mobiles have become a lifeless extension of hand, which can be carried anywhere including during travel, Lonely Planet could expand its base. Then for the users of Internet, it can introduce features or products like seeing a virtual image of tourist spots like what Google earth is doing. Also, all the previous issues of Lonely Planet’s Travel guide that were published from 1970’s can be digitized and made available as download able files for a fee, because all the new and young readers cannot access the previous issues in book form. So, with this launch of new products th e customer’s concerns about timeliness and currency of information can be looked after. That is, with the use of

Summaries of two articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Summaries of two articles - Essay Example The major influence on student learning and academic achievement are the children’s exposure to the quality of schools and teachers. A test based on the production function models was carried out on the quality of teachers and schools to explain their variance to a large extent on academic achievement rather than characteristics such as age, socioeconomic status and sex over which schools have little or no control over. As a result of the tests, governments have a responsibility to invest in quality learning levels by identifying the goods and services such as library resources, audiovisual equipment, different contacts and homework required and investing in them. Government resources on quality learning are weak and schools have control, but characters that the schools have little control such as preschool measures and out-of-school measures are the major effects on quality learning by schools(Little & Andy 168). Students from high income countries such as US practice preschool measures not influenced by the government or school control compared to low income countries which spend a lot of money on similar academic learning. Academic learning is of quality when it influences social achievement and students are not controlled by schools given their characteristics. The second article is on the importance of teaching as a career to first time tutors. It is necessary for any individual with an inspiration to become a teacher or enhance his or her teaching career to make an informed decision base. First time teaching requires proper understanding of the subject matter and the ability to recognize the learning needs of the students and, therefore, be able to engage them mutually according to their different learning capabilities in order to provide solutions for their success attainment and education progression. However, teaching poses numerous challenges for the first time teachers and, therefore, first time tutors should possess critical

Achilles - Greek Mythology Essay Example for Free

Achilles Greek Mythology Essay Ancient Greeks lived a very unique lifestyle in their times. They knew no one of Greece. This helped them to live by their own ways and not follow anything that happened outside of Greece because they simply could not. In parts of Greek mythology gods could not interfere with fate and gods intervened directly in mortals lives. There were many examples of these things happening. One aspect learned in the Voyage of Odysseus was gods could not interfere with fate. There were many encounters where fate overpowered gods in Greek mythology. For example, what happened with Polyphemus and Odysseus. Odysseus hurt Polyphemus by tricking him into drinking too much which left him unconscious and defenseless. Odysseus took advantage of this and stabbed him in the eye. He then left and went on his journey home. In the story Polyphemus says, I call upon Poseidon, the god of the sea, whose son am I, to avenge upon you, upon Poseidon to grant that you, Odysseus may never come to your home,or if the gods have ordained your return that you come to it after much toil and suffering, in an evil plight and in a strangers ship, to find sorrow in your home (Colum, 199-200) This proves that gods cannot interfere with fate because Polyphemus called upon Poseidon to interfere with Odysseus’ fate but Poseidon could not, Odysseus got home safely and untouched by Poseidon. He enjoyed a safe journey home. This shows how in the end, Odysseus’ fate overcame Poseidon as a god and what he wished or intended for in the story the Voyage of Odysseus. This is one of the examples of how gods cannot interfere with fate of others. Another aspect was gods intervened directly in mortals lives. This happened more than once, but one of the times was when Achilles hurt his knee during the battle between him and Hector. Achilles states in the story, â€Å"Die, hound. My fate I meet when Zeus and the other gods decree.† (Church 131) Achilles hurt his knee during the battle, and gods cured it so he could  keep running. This is one thing that happened in the Trojan War that explains how gods intervened directly in mortals live. Therefore if Achilles was not cured by the gods he would not able to keep running and would likely not be able to win the battle. Overall, during Greek mythology there were many encounters with goals but we have realized gods could not interfere with fate. Although gods could not interfere with fate they did intervene with mortals lives. After reading Greek mythology what can truly be said about it is it is a very interesting topic to learn about and great for all ages.

Developments of West End Musical Scene

Developments of West End Musical Scene Discuss the recent developments in the west end musical scene; this should include an analysis of the mega-musical mania, the trend to create new musicals based on existing songs (song migration) and stage transfers of successful films. From Sophocles through William Shakespeare to Eminem, writers have sought to use the rhythms of language to accentuate the story they are seeking to share. The pre-Caxton society relied on an oral tradition to deliver stories of fact and fiction. Cultures spanning the entire globe and all ages of civilization have instinctively adopted musical storytelling; it is prominent in various forms even now – be it around a camp fire, at a tribal ceremony, an inner city playground or on a West End stage. In todays world, language and music are at our fingertips. They are both instantaneous. And they can be married in a second. Technically, music is intricate. Most writers will say the same about language. But in an inspired moment they can conjoin and express something wonderful both sonically and linguistically. The act of constructing such a moment can be the end result of many less fruitful moments – but there is always the chance that it could just happen instantaneously. Our logistical minds tell us that it just is not possible; that we would never be able to express ourselves beautifully and eloquently in musical form. And yet the compulsion to try and do so has arrested most people, even if only for a quickly aborted solitary moment. So perhaps here lies the fascination with musicals. They show life as we know it happily residing in an alternate reality – where music and language are easy bed partners and everything goes to extremes. Or does it? The West End is one of Londons most popular tourist attractions. It has built its reputation, in tandem with New Yorks Broadway, as the commercial mecca of musical theatre. Las Vegas has the showgirls but Broadway and the West End share the showtunes. Indeed, while their identities are undeniably distinct, the relationship between them is close; same sex twins rather than identical ones. Each has their own nuances of behaviour – the younger twin Broadway hunts that bit more keenly for the next off-beat musical whirlwind; the older West End plays percentages but plays them with palpable success. The term West End was originally coined as a geographical short cut – a way of describing a part of London synonymous with theatre. Since its inception into London vernacular the phrase West End has mutated to describe something meta-geographical. While once upon a time it merely represented an actual place, now it also describes the gateway to an invented world of glitz, glamour and show. The West End may still be the home of theatre, but the kind of theatre that it houses has become very easily classifiable. The listings do not lie. And neither do they try to. The West End is a haven for small ideas done big; big names, big shows, big spectacles, big budgets, big risks. The social and artistic significance of theatre as an art form has not suffered in the time since the West End theatres were constructed. But the immediacy of rival entertainments, chiefly television and film, has undoubtedly provided so comfortable an alternative for the borderline theatregoing public that its popularity has. Ultimately, the publics relationship with theatre has somewhat inverted itself; once the entertainment of the people, theatre has become high-brow, elitist, exclusive even. Or so we are led to believe. Every year the people entrusted with running the countrys theatres are ensconced in attempts to make theatre more accessible. Nicholas Hytner at the National Theatre has incorporated a sponsorship deal with Travelex with the express purpose of enabling its shows to be available to people for as little as  £10 a ticket. Theatrical output is continuing to diversify in new directions. The National Theatre still produces the time-honoured classics that will appease their traditional supporters. But they also invited outside companies including Theatre de Complicite, Improbable, Shunt and Kneehigh to co-develop their new work. Arts Council funding dictates a certain amount of programming for in-house producing theatres throughout the country. It is impossible to equate the artistic worth of a proposed project while it exists solely as an outline on a piece of paper. But it is easier to quantify the greater social import of the same project. Therefore the involvement in various local outreach initiatives including young peoples theatre and new writing programmes serves duplicate purposes. But in doing so it runs the risk of wrestling a certain amount of control from the artistic directors, or at least diluting the intent of their work. But the West End is not really concerned with any of this. The theatres are privately owned and have little social obligation. West End theatre is a notoriously unpredictable money market. Make a big success of yourself and you can eventually buy it up – which is exactly what Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh have ended up doing. Lloyd Webbers Really Useful Group are the proprietors of twelve of the capitals larger theatres. By January 2006 Delfont Mackintosh will control another seven, and will have begun constructing the Sondheim Theatre – the first theatre to be built on Shaftesbury Avenue since 1931. The long-term plan of Delfont Mackintosh is to refurbish and modernise theatreland. But one cannot help but think that their extreme makeover will be restricted to the facilities and layout – and that the entertainment will remain as traditional as ever. The musical-as-we-know-it grew out of the 19th Century tradition of music hall, which itself was the bastard son of drink and rowdiness. After removing the alcohol from drunken singalongs, and relocating from the pub to theatres, the 1860s saw the popularity of the newly-arrived music hall go from good idea to massively popular entertainment. The humbling beginnings of the musical cannot help but reveal the nucleus of the idea; it was born of accident – of people seeking to have pure, unadulterated entertainment. In that respect, it has no one form; no one philosophy; indeed no real sense of philosophy; no real sense of purpose other than fun, fun, fun! As the musical was developing it was the bastion of popular music of the time. Through Gilbert and Sullivan, Irving Berlin, Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill and Cole Porter, the men and women behind musical were the most revered song writers at work in the Western world. Ten years into the post-war era there was a marked shift. The musical standards that made dry, wry and witty observations about upper middle class were about to be trumped by rock and roll. And John Osbournes 1956 kitchen-sink-drama Look Back In Anger was going to have repercussions outside the world of the well-made play. The birth of transmittable media was only going to swell the amount of music being produced. In the early days of the wireless radio, families gathered to listen to the songs of Ivor Novello or Noel Coward. By the mid-1960s many families had television sets in their front rooms; radio broadcasts were a competitive business; and air transport links had made the world traversable for all those who could afford it. Music was a commodity that could be sent from one side of the world to the other. And in the slipstream of the music were the musicians themselves. Through television and radio, songwriters and musicians had an identity. They became icons – the most celebrated people on the planet. And their music was nowhere near the West End stage. For the first time since their inception musicals were not using the popular music of the time. Rocknroll was being held in musical purgatory by traditionalists unhappy at its low-brow ideals. While cinema was running as fast and far as it could with the concept of the film musical, the stage was seeking to deliver variations on earlier themes. Elvis Presley made numerous musical films – as did The Beatles. In the 1960s the West End was awash with Broadway imports – the influence of Leonard Bernstein, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Lerner and Loewe and other transatlantic success stories was diluting the integrity of the West End as the older brother of the musical. But the psychedelic overtones of that time were to create musical anomalies; while some composers flirted with the conce pt of rock, others werent afraid to dive headlong into its bottomless pit. After its anti-Vietnam stance and inclusion of group nudity caused outrage on Broadway, Hair opened in the West End in 1968. From being the chosen playground of mild-mannered conservatives, the musical was being politicised – and modernised. Within five years, the Age of Aquarius had been further capitalized upon by Godspell, Oh Calcutta and even Jesus Christ Superstar – which proved to be the foundation on which the new dawn of the musical would be built. Todays twin Godfathers of musical composition for Broadway and the West End carry the bright torch of yesteryear; Stephen Sondheim represents his forefathers fascination with the off-beat, with Andrew Lloyd Webber never straying from the musically conservative beat. There are various factors that dictate the recent successes and failures in West End theatre. But the starting point for every West End production is money – a fact beautifully demonstrated by the plot of one of the West Ends most popular current productions The Producers. Essentially, the capitalist dawn that swallowed up free love has made currency the new leading man in musical theatre. Producers need big ideas and big songs to legislate for big budgets. So instead of trying to predict what people may like and creating a musical story around it, the West End decided to reduce the risk and simply take the music that people already like and create a story around that. In some ways the origin of song migration is old revue style shows – popular hits belted out with no real desire to create an accompanying piece of drama or comedy. Coupled with the screen to stage success of musical films like The Lion King, a producer was now able to weigh up potential West End shows safe in the knowledge that a stable of worldwide smash hits could enable a musical to run for years, even with a bad review. Suddenly the sheer bankability of Lloyd Webber was looking like an outlandish risk alongside the music of Abba, Queen or even (the critically lauded but never supergroup status) of Madness. Negotiations are in process for the trend to continue, with Bob Marley, The Beatles and Elton John just some of the musical legends in line to have their songs shoe-horned into some money-spinning stage extravaganza that makes almost no sense at all. Not that the public really care. They want to go and sing-a-long like the pub dwellers of the 1840s that unknowingly help ed begin the process of musical theatre. And who shall we choose to lead the sing-song? Well, preferably someone famous off the telly, of course. The West End is a remarkably lucrative place. For his unscheduled stint in the opening cast run of The Producers at the end of 2004, Nathan Lane was being paid  £42,000 a week for the lead role as Max Bialystock. It is a clear indication of the simple transaction between moneymen and talent; the star name guarantees the box office receipts. The West End has been flooded with stars – some of whom have no musical pedigree – because celebrity is deemed to have finally overridden talent. The good, bad and ugly (in no particular order) of recent years include David Hasselhoff, Martine McCutcheon and Denise Van Outen. And if you dont want to spend money on star names, then youd better be sure to have some seriously impressive stage gimmicks; Miss Saigon famously had a helicopter, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang got in to hot water when the eponymous flying car failed to take off in previews, and Phantom of the Opera has a plunging chandelier moment that will wake up anyone snoozing in the stalls. So with standard tickets averaging out at around  £40, the theatregoer demands a truly amazing experience. But amazing and original are poles apart – and thats why when the formula is right, all you need to do is repeat it. There are exceptions. The Bombitty of Errors was a rap interpretation of Shakespeares Comedy of Errors, and was a small but perfectly-formed global success. Stomp became a phenomenon through gradual word of mouth and because it is a different kind of spectacle. Jerry Springer: The Opera began life as an idea at a scratch night at the Battersea Arts Centre and grabbed the attention of every newspaper and fundamentalist Christian in the Western World. But such shows grow from humble beginnings and are swept away on public curiosity. As in any art form, there are people willing to take risks because they believe their work has a market. Bombay Dreams and The Far Pavilions identify a recently developed appreciation of Asian music and culture. The off-Broadway hit Batboy continues in the tradition of earlier pacesetters The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Hedwig and the Angry Inch for kitsch rock operas. But some of these are accidental intruders in the world of the West End. They werent sure if they were really invited but came anyway. One group that certainly were invited are blockbuster films; whether they have songs in them or not. Seemingly the films dont even have to have been that successful. The Witches of Eastwick had a successful run in the West End. But more than likely, the film will have a readymade audience. The Full Monty was relocated to middle America from Sheffield to make it a Broadway success. Billy Elliott is well into previews, but the advance word is that it will be a significant hit. Or better still, just take a film with songs already in them – you dont stand to make as much money, but the guarantee of an audience is that much stronger. Mary Poppins has been well-received by most, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is in its third year. There are currently 36 theatres in the West End of Londons theatreland. As of Monday 2 May 2005, 27 are currently housing a production. 17 of those are musicals. This ratio is fairly consistent – and shows no signs of relenting. Essentially a hit West End musical needs a hook; star name, hit songs, hit movie, famous composer, popular revival. Something that can be reduced to a two-word phrase. If you havent got any of those, then heaven help you. Because the West End public certainly wont.