Legal Limits to Press Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Legal Limits to Press Freedom - Essay Example The paper chose this topic on the belief that the right to privacy and right to fair trial are inter-related in a particular way: the right to privacy of a defendant in a court case is violated twice over if news reporters run commentaries that tend to prejudge the case. In fact, these citizen's rights are lumped together as primary concerns of the European Convention on Human Rights, which exhorts member states to adopt measures that would balance the right of the public to be informed and the right to privacy and to fair and unimpeded administration of justice (5). Trial by publicity and media intrusion into the private affairs of citizens are common practices in UK, where tabloid journalism had become so licentious that the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) was reorganized and strengthened in 1991 to deal with media abuses on a self-regulatory basis. On invasion of privacy, hardly a week passes by without a movie celebrity, politician or royalty suing a media organization in London for such intrusion. Violation of the 1981 Contempt of Court Act is also rampant. This paper focuses its attention on the perceived problem regarding UK media's frequent attempt to cross the line between press freedom and the right of individuals to privacy and to fair trial. ... with media abuses on a self-regulatory basis. On invasion of privacy, hardly a week passes by without a movie celebrity, politician or royalty suing a media organization in London for such intrusion. Violation of the 1981 Contempt of Court Act is also rampant. This paper focuses its attention on the perceived problem regarding UK media's frequent attempt to cross the line between press freedom and the right of individuals to privacy and to fair trial. Consequently, the essay looks into the recorded cases of specific media violations of these two citizens' rights, as well as of laws that address those abuses. A significant portion of the paper will illumine the outcomes of the relevant cases after they were brought to court as a tort or criminal complaint. Some of the questions the rest of the essay will seek answers to: Have there been any UK media men penalized for such offenses What was the line of defense used by those favored by the courts What damage does violation of these media laws do on the lives of private citizens Does faithful observance of media laws affect and limit the performance of media men in unearthing the truth and safeguarding public interest 2. Media Practice In UK, government control of media exists only in matters relating to the Official Secrets Act and violation of the existing libel laws. Outside of these two areas, media practice is practically free of any kind of restraints, guided only by a Code of Practice set by the PCC under a climate of self-regulation. There are 16 provisos in the Code, at least half of which concern people's right to privacy while the other half relate to media coverage of court cases. The clauses involving privacy intrusion include harassment,

Effectiveness of Second Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor

Effectiveness of Second Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Susmi Suresh Effectiveness of Second Generation Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in the Treatment of Chronic Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia: a systematic review Abstract Background: Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML), a cancer of the myeloid lineage, affects around 15 per 100,000 people per year in the UK. Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI) oral therapy is used to target the causative BCR-Abl protein. Second-generation TKIs namely dasatinib and nilotinib are understood to be more potent than the first-generation prototype imatinib. However, cost-effectiveness is hindering the widespread use of second-generation TKIs. The patency of these drugs will expire in the immediate future and so, the prices of these are expected to fall. A clear understanding of the efficacy of the potent second-generation TKIs will aid decision-making bodies such as NICE UK to form guidelines on front-line drugs. This review aims to collect and examine evidence from current literature on the effectiveness of second-generation TKIs in the treatment of chronic phase CML. Method: A systematic search of major databases was carried out and the results were screened using specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Five major randomised controlled trials were identified. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were carried out using standardised forms developed specifically for RCTs by the Cochrane Collaboration. Quality assessment of the trials was performed using the CASP tool. Results: The five chosen RCTs were the DASISION trial, the S0325 trial and the SPIRIT 2 which compared dasatinib with imatinib, and the ENESTnd trial and the ENESTchina trial which compared nilotinib with imatinib. A participant pool of 2692 patients had a mean age of 61 years and similar features. A total of n=789 and n=697 patients were randomly assigned to dasatinib and nilotinib arms. Second-generation TKIs were associated with greater response rates in patients than imatinib; for example, dasatinib was associated with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.0803 (95%CI 0.0434 to 0.1489 Pin the S0325 trial, and nilotinib OR= 0.1772 (95%CI 0.1217 to 0.2581 Pin the ENESTnd trial. Conclusion: Current evidence points to a greater efficacy of second-generation TKIs, namely dasatinib and nilotinib, than imatinib. Adverse events (AEs) were reported for all three drugs. Due to the lack of a direct comparison between second-generation TKIs, the effectiveness of dasatinib over nilotinib could not be inferred. In order to aid bodies such as NICE to choose the most apt and safe TKI for use as a first-line treatment choice, it is suggested that future studies aim for a direct comparison. Toxicity data should also be generated to supplement this process. Introduction       Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia (CML), a cancer of the myeloid lineage, accounts for 8% of adult leukaemias in the UK (1). This acquired genetic disorder causes the pluripotent myeloid stem cells in the bone marrow to undergo unregulated growth (2). A proliferative advantage thus results in patients having abnormally increased levels of serum leukocytes. The WHO ICD-10 classifies this disease as a malignant neoplasm with Philadelphia positive, t(9:22) (q34:q11) translocation and crisis of blast cells. With an annual incidence of 14.8 per 100,000 per year (3), leukaemia, along with its subtypes, is the twelfth most common cancer in the UK. The disease has a male predominance and its incidence increases with age (4). Although no causative environmental leukomogens have been identified, several studies have observed higher incidence in patients exposed to very high doses of ionising radiation (5). CML is often triphasic, with an initial chronic phase (CML-CP) followed by the advanced phases of accelerated (intermediate) phase and a final blast crisis- all with deteriorating laboratory profiles and clinical signs. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) oral therapy has been used to extend the clinical course (particularly that of CML-CP). CML today is one of the fewest cancers which can be treated to attain 79% survival rates (6). Since the introduction of TKIs, there has been a significant reduction in mortality rates in the UK- from 1.5 per 100,000 in 2000, to 0.6 in 2010 (7); TKI-attributed mortality reduction is however debatable (8). Currently, imatinib is used as first-line treatment and is available to patients in the UK. Approved by the FDA in 2001, imatinib has been shown to be very effective in the treatment of CML. Prognosis is excellent with an increase in 5-year survival rates by 32% since its introduction (9). Hailed as the magic bullet against cancer (10), there have been several setbacks since introduction. Firstly, patients soon developed resistance. This was counteracted with the development of second-generation TKIs: nilotinib and dasatinib for imatinib-resistant (or intolerant) patients (2). Secondly, TKIs are deemed as one of the most expensive cancer drugs. For instance, in countries such as India where the generic forms are used, the cost difference for a month course, when compared to that in the UK, is an astonishing  £4200 and  £620 for imatinib and dasatinib, respectively (11). As a result, the availability of TKIs is strictly regulated by NICE. Whereas NICE recommends nilotinib as a first line drug if the manufacturer makes Nilotinib available with the discount agreed as part of the patient access scheme (PAS), dasatinib is neither a part of PAS nor is it recommended in CML-treatment (12). NICE explicitly comments on the low cost-effectiveness as the major reason for this despite it acknowledging these drugs to be more effective (13). It is to be reminded that NICE uses clinical as well as economic data to form its guidelines. Prices are expected to fall when the patency of TKIs expires in the future. For example, the patency for imatinib will expire in December 2016 in the UK. This may lead to possible alterations in the NICE recommendations and the use of second-generation drugs for first-line treatments may be favoured. Knowledge on the effectiveness of second-generation TKIs will help us shape the choice of appropriate TKIs in the future, when the pharmaceutical industry will be flooded with their generic versions. As such, this review aims to examine current evidence on the effectiveness of second-generation TKIs in the treatment of CML-CP patients. The molecular basics of CML CML is an acquired neoplasm resulting from the formation of an aberrant gene. In the myeloid stem cells of patients, the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) on chromosome 22 and the Abelson murine leukaemia (c-Abl) on chromosome 9 undergo a (9;22) translocation (Figure 1) . This results in the formation of the aberrant BCR-Abl fusion gene which is seen in 95% of patients (who are so referred to as Ph+ve). The BCR-Abl gene is translated into the leukemogenic protein p210BCR-Abl, an aberrant tyrosine kinase (TK) enzyme that is capable of constitutive activity. TKIs inhibit these aberrant TKs. c-Abl, the non-aberrant version of the gene, has a kinase domain which houses the ATP-binding pocket, an SH2 upregulating domain and an SH3 inhibitory domain. The kinase is strictly auto-inhibited and shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. However, the BCR-Abl TK is localised in the cytoplasm and this is implicated in its constitutive TK activity (Figure 2). In the cytoplasm, it undergoes auto-dimerisation which activates the enzyme by triggering structural alteration. c-Abl works by phosphorylating the Grb2 substrate protein. This activates the SoS effector molecule which facilitates the conversion of Ras-GDP to Ras-GTP. This further activates Raf due to which MEK1/2 is phosphorylated. As a result, ERK, a critical regulator of Cyclin D is also activated. ERK induces the synthesis of Cyclin D, which along with cdk4, determines whether the cell cycle is allowed past the G1 Restriction point. Once past this checkpoint, cell cycle cannot be reversed and so, the resultant daughter cells are produced. Cyclin D phosphorylates retinoblastoma (Rb), which in its inactive state is unphosphorylated and attached to E2F (a transcription factor), and releases E2F. This allows the cell to enter into the S phase (14) to begin DNA replication. Expression of the BCR-Abl gene upregulates proliferation by constitutively activating the Ras signalling pathway (Figure 3); cyclin D is continuously produced. BCR-Abl expression also facilitates anti-apoptosis and disrupts adhesion (Figure 4). A disrupted adhesion to stromal cells and the extracellular matrix reduces the regulatory effect transmitted via focal adhesions (15). Also, clonal expansion is aided by the evasion of apoptosis. Thus, uncontrolled Ras signalling, upregulated anti-apoptosis and disrupted adhesion are understood to lead to the ultimate manifestation of CML   (16). TKIs inhibit these aberrant tyrosine kinases. Imatinib is a competitive antagonist of the tyrosine kinase domain of BCR-Abl (16). Tyrosine kinases exist in active or inactive states, depending on whether the activation loop located on the C-terminal domain is open or closed (Figure 5).In the inactive state, the activation loop is closed and folds towards the ATP-binding pocket (17). Imatinib and nilotinib bind to the inactive conformation (Figure 6) whereas dasatinib binds to both conformations. Several studies have shown second-generation TKIs to be more effective in treating chronic phase CML (18-20). One such study showed that dasatinib was 325-fold more effective than imatinib at inhibiting BCR-Abl in vitro; this is attributed to its ability to bind to multiple conformations (21). Methods (Appendix A) Results Five randomised controlled trials were identified (Table 9). These included three trials- DASISION, Second Phase S0325 and SPIRIT 2- that compared dasatinib with imatinib and two trials- ENESTnd and ENESTchina- that compared nilotinib with imatinib. All of these together show better outcomes for CML-CP patients treated with second-generation TKIs. The primary end point of all these trials, except DASISION and SPIRIT 2, was MMR rates at 12 months. The DASISION trial looked at CCyR at 12 months. The primary endpoint of SPIRIT 2, the largest dasatinib trial, is event-free survival at 5 years. This will only be measured in March 2018 but nevertheless, secondary outcomes such as CCyR rates at 12 months have been published. All other studies also measured CCyR at 12 months as the secondary outcome. The Dasatinib versus Imatinib Study in Treatment-Naive CML Patients (DASISION) (22) The study aimed to find whether patients given dasatinib had a higher CCyR by 12 months of treatment. CCyR and MMR at 12 months were compared for both drugs and it was concluded that dasatinib may improve long-term outcomes in CML-CP patients due to its shorter response time than imatinib (Table 9; Appendix B: CCyR and MMR measurement methods and scale). Considered as a landmark study, these results proved to be pivotal in accepting dasatinib as a standard second-generation TKI. A 5-year follow-up was conducted to understand whether dasatinib can be continued to be considered as a standard therapy for CML-CP patients. The results (Table 10) supported the original finding (23). The Second Phase S0325 Intergroup (South Western Oncology Group, East Cooperative Oncology Group, Cancer and Leukemia Group B and NCI Canada Clinical Trial Group) Trial (24) The study aimed to compare the response rates for dasatinib- and imatinib-treated patients. Following standard clinical measurement of CCyR rates (Appendix B), dasatinib was found to produce more early short-term cytogenetic and molecular response rates (Table 9). However, the study also noted Grade3-4 toxicities in 58% patients in the dasatinib arm, compared to only 35% in the imatinib arm. Toxicity data were not reported in DASISION or SPIRIT2. ST1571 Prospective International Randomised Trial (SPIRIT 2) (25) CCyR response rates for dasatinib- and imatinib-treated patients were compared. The study observed an increased response rate for dasatinib compared to imatinib (Table 9). With these results, the study concluded that dasatinib was favoured in CML-CP treatment. Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials- Newly Diagnosed Patients (ENESTnd) (26) A multicentre three-arm trial, this aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of nilotinib compared with imatinib. Two groups of patients given different doses of nilotinib were compared to those treated with the standard imatinib dose. CCyR was found to be higher in both nilotinib arms, compared to the imatinib arm (Table 9). The study thus concluded that nilotinib at either doses produced a clinical response better than imatinib. A 5-year follow up (Table 11) aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes in patients taking nilotinib; MMR and 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of these patients were examined (27). Patients treated with the higher dose of nilotinib were found to have more AEs. Despite this, due to the short-time with which MMR and CCyR were achieved, the study concluded to recommend nilotinib at 300mg twice daily over imatinib. Current evidence provided by DASISION trial and the works of Quintas-Cardama A et al., 2009 and Hochhaus et al., 2009 were referred by the researchers. These directly link shorter response time with increased long-term benefits and reduced risk of progression (28, 29). Evaluating Nilotinib Efficacy and Safety in Clinical Trials- China (ENESTchina) (30) The trial, conducted in Chinese patients, aimed to observe MMR rates at 12 months in nilotinib and imatinib treated patients. Also, conclusions on whether genetic and ethnic factors affect response to treatment were drawn using the results. Whilst MMR showed a similar pattern as seen in the original ENESTnd trial, CCyR at 12 months for the nilotinib arm was lower than the imatinib arm by 3.6%. Since CCyR at 6 months showed an increased rate for nilotinib (66.4% vs 57.1% for imatinib), the study noted this inconsistency to be favouring nilotinib. Previous studies were cited to have observed early CCyR indicative of better response (31, 32). Thus, it was concluded that nilotinib was more effective.   Study Intervention Dosage n Males (%) Median age Lost to follow up (%) CCyR at 12 months MMR at 12 months DASISION Dasatinib 100mg daily 259 56 46 15 83% (95%CI 78-88; P-value 0.01) MMR3x 46% (95%CI 40-52 P-value Imatinib 400mg daily 260 63 49 19 72% (95%CI 66-77; P-value 0.01) 28% (95%CI 23-34; P-value S0325 Dasatinib 100mg daily 123 60 47 na* 84% (95%CI 74-92; P-value 0.040) MMR3 59% (95%CI 48-68; P-value 0.059) Imatinib 400mg daily 123 63 50 na 59 % (95%CI 56-80; P-value 0.040) 44% (95%CI 34-55; P-value) SPIRIT 2 Dasatinib 100mg daily 407 61.4 53 0 53.4% (P-value MMR3 58.4% Imatinib 400mg daily 407 59.2 53 0 41.6% (P-value 43.1% ENESTnd Nilotinib 300mg twice daily 282 56 47 16 80% (P-value MMR3 44% (P-value Nilotinib 400mg twice daily 281 62 47 18 78% (P-value 43% (P-value Imatinib 400mg daily 283 56 46 21 41.6% (P-value 22% (P-value ENESTchina Nilotinib 300mg twice daily 134 67.9 41 na 77.6 (66.4 at 6 months) 52.2% (95%CI 43.4-60.9; P-value Imatinib 400mg daily 133 60.9 39 na 80.5 (57.1 at 6 months) 27.8% (95%CI 20.4-36.3; P-value Table 9 Study Characteristics; (*na= not available; x See Appendix B: Parameters for measuring effectiveness of TKI) Study Intervention Dosage MMR MMR4.5x 5-year OS (HR 1.01; 95%CI 0.58-1.73) Adverse Events* : Drug-related Pleural Effusion DASISION 5-year Follow-up Dasatinib 100mg daily 76 (P-value= 0.0022) 42(P-value= 0.0022) 91% 28% Imatinib 400mg daily 64 (P-value= 0.0251) 33(P-value= 0.0251) 90% 0.8% Table 10 DASISION 5-year Follow-up Study (*No new adverse events were reported; x See Appendix B: Parameters for measuring TKI effectiveness) Study Intervention Dosage MMR4.5 OS Overall Adverse Events ENESTnd 5-year Follow-up Nilotinib 300mg twice daily 54% 93.7% (95%CI 90.8-90.6) 32.9% Pleural Effusion: 1.8% Nilotinib 400mg twice daily 52% 96.2% (95%CI 93.9-98.5) 41.4% Pleural Effusion: 0.7% Imatinib 400mg daily 31% 91.7% (95%CI 88.3-95.0) 32.7% Pleural Effusion: 1.1% Table 11 ENESTnd 5-year Follow-up Study Discussion The pooled data from 2692 patients show that the second-generation TKIs were more effective than the first-generation TKI imatinib. The results from the three RCTs which compare dasatinib with imatinib give an average absolute risk reduction (ARR) of 26.0%; for nilotinib, average ARR is 24.6% (Table 12). Together, second-generation TKIs produce a very promising complete cytogenic response in 253 per 1000 patients per year. As a comparison, a Cochrane systematic review conducted by Aguilar MI et al., 2005 to understand the efficacy of oral anticoagulants in preventing ischemic heart attacks, collected data from five RCTs with a pool of 2313 patients. This showed that warfarin gives an ARR of 4.05% and so the use of warfarin as a common anticoagulant was continued to be supported (33). Hence, a very high combined ARR of 25.3% shown in this review emphasises the potency of second-generation TKIs in treating CML-CP. With continuous treatment using these TKIs, remission can be attained. à ‚      RCT Intervention Odds Ratio Absolute Risk Reduction (ARR %) ARR per 1000 population (per year) DASISION Dasatinib 0.5242 (95%CI 0.3437 to 0.7997 P=0.0027) 0.11089 (11.1%) 110.9 S0325 Dasatinib 0.0803 (95%CI 0.0434 to 0.1489 P 0.55409 (55.45%) 554.1 SPIRIT 2 Dasatinib 0.6217 (95%CI 0.4713 to 0.8203 P= 0.0008) 0.11825 (11.8%) 118.3 ENESTchina Nilotinib 1.1871 (95%CI 0.6578 to 2.1426 P=0.5691) -0.04282 (-4.28%) -42.82 ENESTnd Nilotinib (300mg) 0.1772 (95%CI 0.1217 to 0.2581 P 0.40358 (40.4%) 403.6 Nilotinib (400mg) 0.2025 (95%CI 0.141 to 0.2925 P 0.37672 (37.7%) 376.7 Table 12 Data processed by the review author Dasatinib Trials The DASISION trial was industry-sponsored and as such, the results are to be approached with caution due to a possible risk of bias. However, the largest dasatinib trial, SPIRIT 2 also shows a very similar ARR of 11.8%. Moreover, the European LeukemiaNet Panel used the results from the DASISION and other similar studies to set the 2013 guidelines in the management of CML-CP (34). Hence, the results are widely acknowledged by the scientific community. However, due importance must be given to toxicity data generated from these studies whilst interpreting the results. Whilst DASISION stated that adverse events (AEs) for both arms were similar, toxicity data were not explicitly reported in DASISION and SPIRIT 2 studies. The S0325 trial addressed this issue (See Results). The team suggested that the choice of TKI should only be made based on a patients individualised risk of progression, pre-existing comorbidity and compliance (24). With reference to this, the 5-year follow-up of DASISION emphasised that there were no new events reported outside of the initial 12 month period (23). Nonetheless, both teams reiterated the quick response of dasatinib in treating CML-CP as an indication of its greater efficacy. However, this increased effectiveness becomes equalised in the long-term, with both dasatinib and imatinib producing similar overall survival rates five years post-treatment (23). Nilotinib Trials Compared to dasatinib, the risk of AEs was only slightly increased in nilotinib patients. Unlike the other RCTs, ENESTnd trial observed imatinib-treated patients to have a high risk of AEs. Nausea and diarrhoea were reported in a very high percentage of patients- 41.1% and 46.1% respectively. The molecular mechanisms of AEs are not currently understood and no studies have been trialled in patients to quantify and assess TKI-related AEs. Hence, a clinically-relevant conclusion was not drawn from these results. Limitations One main factor limiting this review is the absence of direct comparative studies between dasatinib and nilotinib. The S0325 trials observed that the standard dose of dasatinib produced more AEs than imatinib and the ENESTnd trial showed that the higher dose of nilotinib produced more AEs than imatinib. However, these observations alone cannot be used to highlight nilotinib over dasatinib. Another limitation is the possibility of selection bias. Currently, numerous on-going clinical trials worldwide aim to compare the various TKIs. However, much data is yet unpublished. These could not be included in this review due to the lack of an appropriate critical appraisal tool, other than the CASP tool used in this review, with more rigorous criteria. Despite these, conclusions drawn from a large pooled study population of 2692 patients remain reliable. Nonetheless, inconsistencies on both efficacy and AEs data were present when comparing the five trials. The ENESTchina trial observed a better result with imatinib at twelve months than nilotinib (OR= 1.1871; 95%CI 0.6578 to 2.1426 P=0.5691). Additionally, the ENESTnd trial reported imatinib to be associated with higher AEs than dasatinib. However, the pooled data show a greater efficacy of dasatinib and nilotinib than imatinib. Dasatinib is also associated with more AEs than standard dose nilotinib and imatinib. The comparability of ENESTchina to other trials could be questioned. Patients from all ethnicities was a definite inclusion criterion and hence this study could not be excluded. The primary aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nilotinibà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦vs imatinibà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (in) patients with newly diagnosed P

Tecumseh Essays -- essays research papers

Tecumseh ,Shawnee war chief, was born at Old Piqua, on the Mad River in western Ohio. In 1774, his father, Puckeshinwa, was killed at the Battle of Point Pleasant, and in 1779 his mother, Methoataske, accompanied those Shawnees who migrated to Missouri, later died. Raised by an older sister, Tecumpease, Tecumseh would play war games with other fellow youths in his tribe. Tecumseh accompanied an older brother, Chiksika, on a series of raids against frontier settlements in Kentucky and Tennessee in the late 1780’s. Chiksika had a vision that he would not survive the battle at Buchanan’s station he went ahead as plan and attacked the stockade and was mortally wounded and was carried from the battle field and the dying warrior asked not to be buried but to be placed on a hill. Tecumseh and the other’s retreated back to a Cherokee village where most went back to Ohio while Tecumseh and some other warriors stayed behind. After that Tecumseh went on mostly hunting but occasionally attacking settler’s. After that moved back towards home and come to find out that the Shawnee’s had moved on to where it’s much safer. The battle of Fallen Timber’s broke confidence in British assistance as well as many casualties. Pissed off by the Indian defeat, he refused to sign the Treaty of Greenville (1795). In the 1800’s Tecumseh began to show signs of a prominent war chief. He led a group of yong Indian warriors to a village on the White River in east-central Indiana. There in 1805 Lalawethika ex...

Shangri-La Hotels and Landmarks Berhad (Malaysia)

For the hospitality industry, the average revenue they earn through their continued operations within year 2007 to year 2009 increased in year 2008 and then decline in year 2009. The reason revenue decline in year 2009 is probably is the side effect of the bad economy during end of year 2008. For Landmarks Berhad, their business decline for three years continuously. This shows that their management level is not done their job perfectly. The average revenue for year 2008 should be higher than the previous year; this is happened on the Shangri-La Hotels but not on Landmarks Berhad. They could use the bad situation of our economy as the main reason for the decline in revenue for year 2009 but not for year 2008. Besides that, when we look at the average liquidity of hospitality industry, their average should be around 1. 5 or less since the largest inventories held by a hotel are in the form of guest rooms, and these are included under property, plant and equipment which is a part of fixed assets. Therefore hotels can operate with a liquidity ratio less than 1. 5. Creditors might prefer to see a high ratio of current assets to liabilities since it provides a positive indicator of that particular company’s capability to repay its debt obligations. However for the owner of the company in hospitality industry, a high ratio in liquidity may indicate that more money is being tied up in working capital and is not used nicely. Generally the owner of a hotel company will try to maintain the current ratio which is at the acceptable to ownership and creditors. Furthermore, when we look at the activity ratio, Landmarks berhad’s average collection period and average payment period is much higher than Shangri-La Hotels; and the inventory turnover ratio shows that Landmarks is not being used their total asset effectively. These show that the risk taking by the company operation is higher as well. May be we can’t deny that the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 is very higher compare to the average revenue of Shangri-La Hotels, but majority of the earnings of Landmarks Berhad in year 2007 were earned by sold their current asset (total asset held for sale) from discontinued operations. The average revenue of Landmarks Berhad gained from sale was actually much lower than the average compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. This shows that their return is very unstable compared to the Shangri-La Hotels. Thus, we could suggest that Shangri-La Hotels (M) Berhad is the best company compared to Landmarks Berhad.

Broadening Your Perspective Essay

In this paper the Broadening Your Perspective Exercise 18.1 is completed. The exercise is about Martinez Company that has decided to introduce a new product to its product line (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011). Two methods are evaluated to determine what is the best method to use either capital-intensive or labor-intensive method. Exercise 18-1 A In this part of the exercise the break-even point in annual unit sales of the new product is calculated for the capital intensive manufacturing method and labor-intensive manufacturing method (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011). To calculate the break-even point the total fixed cost has to be computed first. For the capital-intensive method the total fixed cost is fixed Manufacturing cost-2508000 plus incremental selling expenses of 502000 equaling 3010000. The next step is to find the contribution margin per unit. For the capital-intensive method the contribution margin per unit is calculated by the selling price of 30.00 minus the variable cost of direct materials-5, direct labor-6, variable overhead-3, annual expense-2, thus equaling $14.00. Then the break-even point in unit sales for the capital-intensive method is calculated by the total fixed cost-3010000 divided by the contribution margin per unit of 14, thus equally the break-even point in unit sales for the capital-intensive meth od is 215000 units. Next we calculate the labor-intensive method. To calculate the break-even point the total fixed cost has to be computed first. For the labor-intensive method the total fixed cost is fixed manufacturing cost-1538000 plus incremental selling expenses of 502000 equaling 2040000. The next step is to find the contribution margin per unit. For the labor-intensive method the contribution margin per unit is calculated by the  selling price of 30.00 minus the variable cost of direct materials-5.50, direct labor-8.00, variable overhead-4.50, annual expense-2, thus equaling $10.00. Then the break-even point in unit sales for the labor-intensive method is the total fixed cost-2040000 divided by the contribution margin per unit of 10, thus equally the break-even point in unit sales for the labor-intensive method is 204000 units. Exercise 18-1 B In the next part of the exercise it states to determine the annual unit sales volume at which Martinez Company would be indifferent between the two manufacturing methods (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011). To determine the indifference point of the annual unit sales of the capital-intensive and labor-intensive method the total fixed cost and contribution is used. This is calculated by capital-intensive total fixed cost of 3010000 minus labor-intensive total fixed cost of 2040000 divided by the difference of the contribution margins of capital-intensive-14 and labor intensive-10. Thus totaling 242500 units as the indifference point of the two manufacturing methods. Exercise 18-1 C The last question to complete the exercise states, Explain the circumstance under which Martinez should employ each of the two manufacturing methods (John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2011). Depending on the goal or forecast of how much sales are to be reached determines the manufacturing method that should be used. If the business expects to reach sales beyond the indifference point of 242500 units then the capital-intensive method would be the best manufacturing method to be used. If sales are forecasted to be below 242500 then the labor intensive method should be used. Thus the ationale to choose the manufacturing method depending on sales of units assures that the higher profit margin is obtained. References John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (2011). Accounting, 4E, Exercise 18-1. Retrieved from: www.ecampus.phoenix.edu/wileyassignment

Economic progress essays

Economic progress essays The economy is a mechanism that allocates scarce resources among competing uses. One of the most crucial parts of any country which can make it powerful and outstanding is economic. Economic activity is what people do to cope with scarcity. It is obvious that any of us deals with things which are related to the economy every day. From a long time ago economist try to analyse the economy of each situation, to predict the future economics and to describe the function and working parts of an economy. The three most famous economists whose theories were studied in this course were Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Robert Malthus. When we read these three economist's theories we recognize that Adam smith was optimistic while David Ricardo and Malthus were approximately pessimistic. In 1776, new technologies were being invented and applied to the manufacture of cotton, wool, Iron, transportation and agriculture in what came to be called the "industrial revolution". Adam smith was keenly interested in these events .he wrote the treatise that founded economic science, An inquiry into the nature and causes of the Wealth of nations. Adam smith who is called the father of economy believed in capitalist's system which contains market regulates the prices, production and income and the government do not interfere (Laissez-Faire) and the "invisible hand" which he used to demonstrate how self-interest guides the most efficient use of resources in a nation's economy, with public welfare coming as a by-product. When each person makes the best possible economic choice, that choice leads as if by "an invisible hand" to the best out come for society as whole. Smith's belief that competition, the market's invisible hand, would lead to proper pricing played a large role in hi s economic policy recommendations. He therefore strongly opposed any government intervention into business affairs. Trade restrictions, minimum wage laws, and product regulation were a...

A Look into the Journals of Mi essays

A Look into the Journals of Mi essays It has been ages since I last wrote in a journal, but the most unusual thing happened to me last night. I heard noises in the kitchen, so I took a candle to reveal the source of all the racket. Upon entering the kitchen, I saw a man, a young man it seemed, eating. Although it was difficult to tell by the candlelight, I dont believe he was white, but then he was not really dark skinned either. He looked more like the color of parchment. It is typical for some of the neighboring Negroes to come by, but that is usually in the daytime and they normally have some sort of greeting. I didnt mind though, I said to him, If its just food you want, you will find that, I figured that I am not one to bother a man who is obviously as close to death as one can get by being so hungry. I guess that is a result of the lesson that my father taught me, the words that I will never forget, they repeat constantly through my head. I remember very little of my father, but he did tell me once that in order to rise, you must raise the shadow with you. That shadow, of course referring to the darker skinned races. That actually explains a lot about my father actually. You see, he actually married a woman with dark skin named Juana, (the woman I am named after,) and together they had a light skinned son, much like the man who was visiting me last night. Their son, my half-brother, was named Calvin and he was a great man. He was shot along with my grandfather by one white soldier; my father loved him so much. His love was so great that the people of the town ostracized him and his whole family and will probably continue to until the end of time. I have been living out here in this great house, with only the comfort of the visiting Negroes, and it is for their company that I am further cast away by society. The fact that my family is from the North, yet living here in Jefferson, Mississi ...

Future Years ACT Test Dates 2019, 2020, and Beyond

Future Years' ACT Test Dates 2019, 2020, and Beyond SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Future ACT dates are only confirmed a little more than a year in advance, but at PrepScholar, we’ve researched patterns from previous testing years to predict future ACT test dates. The ACT test dates for 2019-20 have been officially released, but I’ll also provide the confirmed and likely dates for 2020-21 and 2021-22. From the data we’ve looked at, we can predict these dates with a fair degree of confidence. 2019-2020 ACT Test Dates Here are all the ACT dates, registration deadlines, and score release dates for the current 2019-20 school year. All dates and deadlines have been confirmed by ACT, Inc. Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Online Score Release* Sept 14, 2019 Aug 16, 2019 Aug 30, 2019 Sept 24; Oct 10, 2019 Oct 26, 2019 Sept 20, 2019 Oct 4, 2019 Nov 12; Nov 26, 2019 Dec 14, 2019 Nov 8, 2019 Nov 22, 2019 Dec 24, 2019; Jan 7, 2020 Feb 8, 2020 Jan 10, 2020 Jan 17, 2020 Feb 18; Mar 3, 2020 Apr 4, 2020 Feb 28, 2020 Mar 13, 2020 Apr 14; Apr 28, 2020 June 13, 2020 May 8, 2020 May 22, 2020 June 23; July 7, 2020 July 18, 2020** June 19, 2020 June 26, 2020 July 28; Aug , 2020 *The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out, and the second date is when complete scores become available**No test centers scheduled in New York for this date. 2020-2021 ACT Test Dates This is the anticipated schedule for the ACT test dates, registration deadlines, and score release dates for the 2020-21 school year. All dates are based on our own projections. Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Online Score Release* Sept 12, 2020 Aug 7, 2020 Aug 21, 2020 Sept 22; Oct 6, 2020 Oct 24, 2020 Sept 20, 2020 Oct 4, 2020 Nov 3; Nov 17, 2020 Dec 12, 2020 Nov 6, 2020 Nov 20, 2020 Dec 22, 2020; Jan 5, 2021 Feb 6, 2021 Jan 8, 2021 Jan 15, 2021 Feb 16; Mar 1, 2021 Apr 10, 2021 Mar 5, 2021 Mar 19, 2021 Apr 20; May 4, 2021 June 12, 2021 May 7, 2021 May 21, 2021 June 22; July 6, 2021 July 17, 2021 June , 2021 June 25, 2021 July 27; Aug 10, 2021 *The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out, and the second date is when complete scores become available 2021-2022 ACT Test Dates Finally, let's take a look at the projected dates and deadlines for the 2021-22 ACT testing year. As noted above, all of these dates are our own projections. Test Date Deadline Late Deadline Online Score Release* Sept , 2021 Aug 6, 2021 Aug 20, 2021 Sept 21; Oct 5, 2021 Oct 23, 2021 Sept 19, 2021 Oct 3, 2021 Nov 2; Nov 16, 2021 Dec , 2021 Nov 5, 2021 Nov 19, 2021 Dec 21, 2021; Jan 4, 2022 Feb 5, 2022 Jan 7, 2022 Jan 14, 2022 Feb 15; Feb 28, 2022 Apr 9, 2022 Mar 4, 2022 Mar 18, 2022 Apr 19; May 3, 2022 June , 2022 May 6, 2022 May 20, 2022 June 21; July 5, 2022 July 16, 2022 June 10, 2022 June 24, 2022 July 26; Aug 9, 2022 *The first date is when multiple-choice scores come out, and the second date is when complete scores become available How Accurate Are These Future ACT Test Dates? The 2019-20 ACT test dates and registration deadlines have been confirmed by ACT, Inc. All other dates are our projections based on the testing patterns from previous years' schedules. The ACT test dates and registration deadlines for future years should be fairly accurate, as there's little variation from year to year. The score release dates for all years are less predictable, but scores should come out within a week of the anticipated score release dates. Also, note that not everyone receives their multiple-choice scores at the same time. How to Use These ACT Test Date Projections Most of the future ACT dates in this article should be correct. If you have an idea of the month and year you want to take the test, you can check to see whether your test date is on the same day as, say, prom or your birthday. Basically, these charts make it easy to figure out whether you’ll have any possible conflicts. If any of the test dates are off, they’ll most likely be exactly a week earlier or later. Remember, though, that there is some margin of error and these are still just projections. You can plan your ACT schedule using our projections, but definitely check again within a year of the test for the confirmed dates. Nevertheless, the above dates should give you a good idea of when future ACTs will take place. What's Next? Are you wondering when you should sign up to take the ACT for the first time? This guide to choosing the right ACT test date describes the most important considerations to help you choose the best test date for you. Starting your ACT prep? Check out our guide on the best ways to study for the ACT for all the tips you need to know to reach your goal score. In addition, learn how to make your own study plan. Practice tests are an important part of ACT prep, and our guide to using ACT practice tests will explain everything you need to know about how to use them correctly. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Philosophical foundations of education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Philosophical foundations of education - Essay Example However, there are some general strategies that work effectively. The essential thing to keep in mind about managing the learning environment is that it needs an on-going process in which the teacher must be a keen observer, facilitator, conversationalist, and manager. Different strategies are being used by teachers, and key school personnel to promote learning and to create a positive learning environment. Manning observations stated that "there is a growing consensus that a positive and safe learning environment is one that emphasizes cooperation, collaboration, and peaceful existence, and is one that is free from threats of psychological or physical harm-- that is, an environment that reflects caring and concern for all students" (2000). Establish the type of environment and the desired behaviour for the students - It requires set of goals, general and specific objectives, and the necessary skills needed to be developed, in order to decide what behavioural goals the facilitator is trying to attempt to achieve with the students. Behaviour development is necessary for students' growth and learning. This strategy can promote a positive learning environment when initially done within the learning process. ... uld be geared so students can achieve the essential skills to carry on the desired behaviours, once students understand the set behavioural goals and objectives. "The surroundings in which children learn can greatly influence their academic performance and well-being in school. The architecture, layout, decor and facilities of the [their] school all play a vital role in shaping the learning environment" as cited in World Wide Web (Teachernet.gov.uk). Generally, student behaviour is dependent on teachers' behaviours. If a teacher is attentive on the effect of his or her behaviour towards the students, he/she can change it to direct them toward the desired behavioural goals. According to McFarland, a teacher influences his or her students by both content and contact and can leave a long-lasting impression (2005). As a role-model of the students, the behaviour of the teacher could help create positive impact to students in achieving the projected behavioural goals and objectives, leading to a positive learning environment. Promote respect when dealing with students - Ralph Emerson said, "The "secret of Education lies in respecting the pupil." It is not for the teacher to choose what the pupil will know and do, but for the pupil to discover "his own secret." The teacher therefore must "wait and see the new product of Nature" (1888, pp.125-59). The teacher must have confidence that his/her students also desire to do the right thing. Students' positive expectations will become self-gratifying and transmission of these expectations to students happens in a number of ways. One of the most understandable and prevailing way is through personal relationships in which teachers and other school personnel converse to students, 'This work is important; I know you can do it; I

The importance of Coaching within Raising Employee Perfomance Research Paper

The importance of Coaching within Raising Employee Perfomance - Research Paper Example When there individuals within an organization that need to enhance their skills for better operations, coaching thus is done on them to improve their delivery potential as well as make those individuals more productive to the organization (Charness, 2014,pg.87). Coaching therefore will target areas such as skills that need to be developed or strengthened; the lapses that exist in work; behavior and performance output of individuals. When these weak areas are recognized within an organization, the employees are taken through coaching by the managers or supervisors depending on the organizations policy (Charness, 2014, pg.35). A case study that reveals the benefits of coaching can be drawn from the UK rail industry where up to 13 coaches were tasked with the responsibility of increasing the skills of customer service for about 350 people in their organization (customer hosts). As a tool to improve employees output, coaching has had other numerous benefits to UK rail industry including: nurturing and improving an individual’s talent; setting expectations about the employee and making the organization managers accountable; engaging leaders in organization activities; professional satisfaction; boost of employee morale; and overall improvement of the organizational goals. This report therefore aims to discuss coaching explaining its purposes; benefits; and challenges. Additionally, the report will give a brief conclusion on the topic of study. Coaching can be defined as process that enables an individual to learn and develop skills from a direction and advice provided by a seasoned expert or professional (Crane, & Patrick, 2014, pg.89). Additionally, coaching can be understood as a process that involves directing, training as well as instructing an individual or a group of persons to develop certain skills necessary to achieve some goal. Directions can be given through motivational talks while trainings offered through seminars and

Social work (choose any two different topic to write on) Research Paper

Social work (choose any two different topic to write on) - Research Paper Example es, there is a dire need of benefit programs to assist the struggling drug addicts, but such programs should not be used to finance the illegal use of drugs. According to the article, many individuals miss on employment opportunities if they fail the drug test. The editorial supports this liberal view. Liberals emphasize that discrimination will maintain the illegal status of the distribution and sale of illegal drugs. According to liberals, such forced drug testing will hurt the right of individuals such as civil rights and welfare transfers to the poor citizens. Liberals advocate for drug abuse legalization rather than forced drug testing or decriminalization in the welfare transfers. Liberals generally assert that drug abuse problem is as a result of social, cultural or psychological causes and mainly stems from inequality in the society. According to liberals, controlling drug problem should entail rehabilitation through education, employment opportunities generation and social skills enhancement. According to liberals, the solution to drug abuse would be to legalize drugs since individuals are capable of making rational choices of their happiness and lifestyles and abstain from drugs that are relatively harmful such as cocaine. The liberals support government-funded drug abus e treatment with minimum punishments and drug testing as an unwarranted intrusion on people’s privacy and liberty (Yee, 3). On the other hand, conservatives advocate for stringent crime control models like discrimination in social welfare transfers or lengthy imprisonment terms for people convicted of drug abuse. Conservatives try to maintain the status quo by asserting the drug abusers generally fail to succeed in the overall economic or political system thus making irrational choices that puts them in to trouble with the authorities. Conservatives advance the use of threat of punishment in order to control drug abuse thus rewarding a drug user with social benefits is immoral.

McHam_Donatello's David & Judith_x Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

McHam_Donatello's David & Judith_x - Assignment Example the controversial message that the family’s role in Florence was the same as that of respected Old Testament autocrat slayers and saviors of the people that emblematically inverted the increasing accusations that the Medici had developed tyranny that took all the power from the republican institutions in the city (McHam 32). The sculptures were mainly used as focal points of the courtyard and the garden that were linked. David was raised on a high base at the middle of the courtyard and could be seen when the palace’s main entrance was open. The exact location of the Judith and Holofernes in the plot is not known as the orchard was immediately behind the quad, it may have been noticeable from the quad if it was located on the bloc between the orchard and the quad (McHam 32). The placement of the sculptures reveals that they could easily be viewed by the desired audience since the courtyard could be accessed by palace visitors and the garden could be accessed by an invited group. 2) What evidence does McHam provide that suggests Donatello’s earlier marble version of David was interpreted in political terms? How would the placement of the artist’s later version of David been understood? (p. 34) The inscriptions in the manuscripts which describe the Palazzo della Signoria validate the speculation that had earlier been unproven that they might have been added to the sculpture before 1416 before Danatello recut the figure to emphasize a political role for David as being the defender of Florence (McHam 34). This was done by baring his one of his legs and removing the scroll that had previously used to identify David as being a prophet. The placement of the bronze version of David in the courtyard can be understood as a self-conscious allusion to the previous marble analogue and the inscription it was associated with. It was also a sign that the Medici were closely associated to the regime and supported their principles. 3) According to the author, what was

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business plan - Essay Example Fakiri will manage day-to-day operations of the business. Both have strong management and administration skills. In addition, Ms. Fakiri has experience as she began working with children as baby sitter when she was at the University of Reading. Those skills support Master Minder’s goals. The UK’s changing demographics have led to families becoming more fragmented with parents of young children often finding they have little or no close family support when they start a family. But professional babysitting agencies are an emerging business trend as they provide a cheap form of childcare and represent an attractive option for busy mothers who need help not only with childcare but also with light house hold duties. Childcare provision is a clearly segmented market, as a result of legislation1 and constantly changing market needs. British parents pay high childcare bills and despite Government initiatives and tax changes, there is a growing need for the expansion of private sector services. Service, price and reputation are essential success factors in the childcare services industry. Master Minders will compete well in this industry by offering competitive prices, high-quality childcare services and by maintaining an excellent reputation with parents. Our target customers are dual-income, upper-middle-class families mainly managers and senior officers who value the quality of education for their children. We will start our business on the First January 2009, starting with an initial enrollment of 20 baby sitters. Our first office will be based in Reading. We project healthy revenues and a high net profit for the four first years. The long term vision includes a number of offices through out UK. The high profit will help the company to achieve its long-term goal which is to franchise and/or to become multi-location. Master Minder’s mission is to contribute to the community by filling a need for qualified baby sitters. Master Minders only works with

Observational films - Corporation Documentary Research Paper

Observational films - Corporation Documentary - Research Paper Example Furthermore, in order to assess the personality of the corporation, there is a checklist employed which uses diagnostic criteria and standard tools of psychologists. These standards are applied to ensure that the organizational principles are human. But the organizational principles that are applied are highly self-interested, amoral, deceitful, and they breach the legal and social standards just to get the profits. The organization does not even suffer with guilt. â€Å"The Corporation† starts with a fast juxtaposition of familiar company logos and specific images, which supports the narration. And narration is giving you facts about the content. I realized that after the first couple of sentences my focus was so much on the visuals that the second time I watched it, I noticed I had missed some key information from the narrative. I understand that the filmmakers wanted to have gripping beginning and wanted to hit you with the important, interesting facts however I rather have something (visuals) that would allow me to think about the narration more. Also I would like the narration to be a bit slower. The bad apple metaphor is a good way to begin. It is a good example and preparation of what the documentary will sum up. It’s true that a big portion of the documentary is using archive footage to support the audio. Even though I found the selection of archival footage very specific and extraordinary, sometimes it gets a bit too literal. First time we see a face in the movie, it ends up with a good twist. The man (Ira Jackson) who is looking right at the camera (audience) finishes with a joke. This part gives you a brief break from all the â€Å"serious† stuff and hints out that this â€Å"boring† documentary about corporations will not be as tedious and boring as it seems to be. Besides having the subject looking right at

Business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business plan - Essay Example Fakiri will manage day-to-day operations of the business. Both have strong management and administration skills. In addition, Ms. Fakiri has experience as she began working with children as baby sitter when she was at the University of Reading. Those skills support Master Minder’s goals. The UK’s changing demographics have led to families becoming more fragmented with parents of young children often finding they have little or no close family support when they start a family. But professional babysitting agencies are an emerging business trend as they provide a cheap form of childcare and represent an attractive option for busy mothers who need help not only with childcare but also with light house hold duties. Childcare provision is a clearly segmented market, as a result of legislation1 and constantly changing market needs. British parents pay high childcare bills and despite Government initiatives and tax changes, there is a growing need for the expansion of private sector services. Service, price and reputation are essential success factors in the childcare services industry. Master Minders will compete well in this industry by offering competitive prices, high-quality childcare services and by maintaining an excellent reputation with parents. Our target customers are dual-income, upper-middle-class families mainly managers and senior officers who value the quality of education for their children. We will start our business on the First January 2009, starting with an initial enrollment of 20 baby sitters. Our first office will be based in Reading. We project healthy revenues and a high net profit for the four first years. The long term vision includes a number of offices through out UK. The high profit will help the company to achieve its long-term goal which is to franchise and/or to become multi-location. Master Minder’s mission is to contribute to the community by filling a need for qualified baby sitters. Master Minders only works with

Sports Economics Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sports Economics - Case Study Example (FAI) The history also cited about the growth of the football clubs, among them was the Ulster based Protestant Clubs which later found to have clamored especially when selecting sides for international matches. This had led to the rising of nationalism in 1916 that had pushed the Southern affiliates to take an aggressive approach in their dealings with IFA.(FAI) During this time also, there was always a threat of breakaways of member clubs which created crisis with in the IFA interfere in the final game of two teams in favor of another football club. This conflict led to the formation of football association of the Irish Free State in the meeting of Southern Association Clubs in 1921 in Molesworth in Dublin. This was apparently to prevent the break ups of the different football clubs. Nevertheless, it did not help improve the situation and FAIFS were blacklisted by all the Home Nations Associations.(FAI) But anyhow, the FAI and the League of Ireland has merged forming a new national football league system which is now the FAI Eircom League of Ireland. This new system has ended the 1921 inaugurated administration system run by the league of clubs and replaced it with a new system under the management of FAI, which created their own management system in the promotion of matches as well as in granting of specific licenses. This paper therefore aims to evaluate this new licensing system under FAI Eircom League.(FAI) Brief Summary of the FAI Eircom New System of Management and Licensing Under the FAI Eircom League system, the league contains 22 clubs and is split into two divisions. The premier division consists of twelve teams, and the FAI first division consists of ten teams. These teams were formerly playing under the old league which was invited to play but they first have to undergo an independent assessment on the following: criteria, the scoring and the detailed breakdown notes, as discussed in the Wikipedia. The criteria involves the 2002/03 - 2005 seasons, the 2006 seasons, infrastructure, governance and finance, sustainability, benchmarking, youth and development, and strategic planning. Target markets which items with corresponding scores of 30%, 20%, 10%, 15%, 15%, 10% respectively. Those first twelve teams who got high percentages on scoring and on the detailed analysis for each of the criteria attains an A license and therefore will be in premiere division. While the remainder gets the B license and will compose the FAI First Division. As the FAI Eircom League Independent Assessment reports, "the 21 clubs which took part in the process were ranked on the basis of points scored as a result of their achievements over the past five seasons on the pitch and they measured up against specific criteria."(Wikipedia) The Licensing system Participation in the FAI Eircom League was subject to "granting of specific participation licenses," as emphasized in the rules of licensing of FAI. Those who attains the A license participates in premiere division, while those who gets the B license play in FAI first division. According to UEFA, this license to participation is "an attempt to maintain a consistent standard of quality as well as promote development." There are also rules that clubs must sign in order to

Strain Theory by Robert Merton | An Analysis

Strain Theory by Robert Merton | An Analysis In criminology, the strain theory describes social structures inside society that may support people to carry out crime. Following the work of Emile Durkheim, Strain Theories have been supported by Robert King Merton, Albert K. Cohen, Richard Cloward and Lloyd Ohlin, Robert Agnew, and Steven Messner and Richard Rosenfeld. Strain may be either: Structural: this applies to the procedures at the community level which break down and impact how one judges their requirements, i.e. if specific social controls are insufficient or there is little regulation, this may alter the individuals outlook as to methods and prospects; or Individual: This term represents the hostility and barriers faced by persons as they look for ways to fulfill their needs or desires, i.e. if the norms of a society become important to a person, in fact accomplishing them may become more significant than the methods. The History of Strain Theory Strain theory was created from the work of Durkheim and Merton and derived from the theory of anomie. Durkheim concentrated on the reduction of societal control and the strain that was caused at the individual level, and Merton analyzed the cultural connection that is present between the individual and the standards of society. Anomie can be split into two separate levels. The first of these levels is the macro side of anomie, which is apparent in the capacity of society to establish restrictions on societal norms and goals, and ultimately control an individuals conduct. The micro side of anomie, also called as strain theory, is focused on the motives underlying the bigger probability of deviance that accumulates from the breakdown of society. In accordance with this micro side of anomie, the reduction in societal controls generates more desire to perform deviant actions (Agnew Passas, 1997:2-3). Agnew and Passas (1997) dealt with the similarities between the macro level of anomie and control theory; however, they claimed that the micro level theory of strain should be judged in a distinct way different from the control theory. Agnew (1992:48) also contrasted and compared strain theory to control theory and social learning theory. The theories vary in the kind of social relationships that they emphasize and the motivations on which they are established. The control theory hinges on the notion that the breakdown of society frees the individual to carry out crime; strain theory is motivated on the strain that is put on the person to carry out crime (Agnew, 1992). Social learning theory is founded on the fundamentals from a group that bring about a constructive or positive view of crime (Agnew, 1992). In accordance with strain theory, individual deviance is created due to negative treatment from others, and this causes anger and disappointment (Agnew, 1997a). Control theory, tho ugh, is founded on the lack of significant relationships with non-deviant others, i.e. family, church, and social learning theory is based on positive interactions with other that are considered deviant. (Agnew, 1992). The attractiveness of strain/anomie theory began in the late 1960s owing to the need of data presented by analysts and the political and social environment of the decade (Agnew Passas, 1997). The lack of supporting evidence can be due to many deficiencies in the original methods used by the analysts (Agnew Passas, 1997). Generalization of the theory and an ignorance of the earlier revisions caused a body of work that distorted the original definition of anomie/strain theory (Agnew Passas, 1997). Together with these deficiencies, modern theorists have claimed that empirical evidence in fact supports the theory (Agnew, Cullen, Burton, Evans, Gregory 1996). Mertons Strain Theory: Economic Goals, Educational Means Delinquency In the history of modern criminology, few theories have realized the impact of Mertons (1983) theory of strain and deviance. It has withstood a half-century despite a sizeable amount of literature opposed to its theoretical basis. Disillusionment with its empirical verification, on the other hand, has caused many to discard it as a possible explanation for delinquency (Hirschi, 1969; Johnson, 1979; Kornhauser, 1978). In view of the fact that the strain theory incorporates both mental and structural account for crime, its dismissal would be a critical loss to criminology. Together with reservations about the significance of social class in the birth of crime, the denial of Mertons theory of structurally induced strain could create a typical shift toward theories of individual behavior lacking structural context. The historical significance and unique contribution of strain theory deserves a re-examination before its final rejection. Mertons original explanation of strain was criticized for its theoretical uncertainty (Cohen, 1955; Lindesmith Gagnon, 1964). For instance, Merton gave examples of deviance perhaps linked with different methods of adjustment although he did not offer any statements regarding the methods by which each adaptive method might impact various crime results (Clinard, 1964a). The consequences of this type of vagueness are apparent in trials for the research of strain impacts on juvenile delinquency. The theory appears to mean that innovation causes utilitarian kinds of delinquency although does not state whether strain clarifies common kinds of juvenile crime for example sabotage or personal crimes of a non-utilitarian character (Gibbons Jones, 1975; Thio, 1975). The theory is implied as to whether strain should foresee crime prevalence or frequency or both, or critical against non-critical types. Akers operationalization of Agnews theory: Sources of strain Akers (2000) has operationalized Agnews version of the Strain Theory, as follows: Failure to achieve positively valued goals: the gap between expectations and actual achievements will derive from short- and long-term personal goals, and some of those goals will never be realized because of unavoidable circumstances including both inherent weaknesses and opportunities blocked by others; and the difference between the view of what a person believes the outcome should be and what actually results increases personal disappointment. Frustration is not necessarily due to any outside interference with valued goals, but a direct effect on anger, and has indirect effects on serious crime and aggression. Agnew and White (1992) have produced empirical evidence suggesting that general strain theory was positively able to relate delinquents and drug users, and that the strongest effect on the delinquents studied was the delinquency of their peers. They were interested in drug use because it did not appear to represent an attempt to direct anger or escape pain, but is used prim arily to manage the negative affect caused by strain. Up to this stage, strain theory had been related with types of strain as opposed to sources of strain while the stress of ones surroundings can be shown to involve with the expectations of just and fair results. These may be major events or minor hassles that build up and discourage over time. Frustration causes disappointment, bitterness, and anger all the emotions normally linked with strain in criminology. It is normal for persons to feel pain when they are refused fair compensations for their efforts, especially when measured against the endeavors and compensations given to others for similar results. Agnew (1992) deals with anger as the most decisive emotion as it is almost always aimed outwards and is generally linked to breakdowns in relationships. Study shows that the stress/crime relationship seems to hold regardless of guilt emotions, age, and capacity to deal with when events take place simultaneously or in close sequence. Robert Agnew In 1992, Agnew maintained that strain theory could be fundamental in describing crime and deviance, however that it required review so that it was not attached to social class or cultural standards; however, re-focused on self standards. He mapped out a general strain theory that is neither structural nor interpersonal; however, emotional and motivated on an individuals direct social status. He claimed that an individuals concrete or anticipated failure to realize positively valued objectives, actual or expected removal of positive values, and actual or anticipated presentation of negative motivation all results in strain. Strain appears from negative relationships with others. If persons are not dealt in the way that they anticipate or want to be dealt, they will lose their trust in the role others play for achieving goals. Anger and disappointment support unconstructive relationships. This will generally involve more one-sided action since there will be an innate wish to avoid unwanted rejections, supporting more general isolation. If specific rejections are general feelings that the situation is unjust or unfair, stronger and more negative feelings may inspire the person to engage in crime. This is especially true for younger people, and Agnew proposed that study concentrate on the overall , currency, duration, and grouping of such stressful events to find out whether a person deal with strain in a criminal or compliant way. He especially found temperament, intelligence, factors interpersonal skills, relationship with criminal peers and conservative social support important factors of self-efficacy. Robert Dubin Dubin (1959) judged deviance as a task of society, disputing the hypothesis that the deviant action resulting from circumstances of anomie is essentially damaging to society. For instance, a person in the ritualistic environment is still playing by the regulations and contributing to society. The only deviance lies in discarding one or more of its prescribed objectives. Dubin maintained that Mertons concentration on the interactions between societys stressed objectives, and institutionalized agreed methods was insufficient. Dubin thought an added difference should be made between cultural objectives, organizational methods and organizational standards since individuals identify standards individually, explaining them and operating them in a different way. The individual educational skills, principles, and behaviors may influence a person to internalize a norm one way. Another individual with different experiences may justifiably internalize in a different way. Both may be doing realistically in their own terms; however, the behavior is different. Dubin also expanded Mertons classification to fourteen, with particular focus in Innovation and Ritualism. Merton put forward that the new response to strain was linking the objective, although discarding the organizing agreed methods of realizing the objective. The connotation appeared to be that not only did the person discard the methods, he must vigorously innovate unlawful methods as a replacement which would not always be correct. Dubin also believed that a difference should be made between the real behavior of the individual and the principles that pushed the behavior. Rather than Innovation, Dubin put forward Behavioral Innovation and Value Innovation. Likewise, in Ritualism, he put forward Behavioral Ritualism and Value Ritualism (Dubin, 1959). Merton (1959) remarked on Dubins changes, claiming that although Dubin did make suitable contributions, they took the motivations off of deviancy. Operationalizing Strain for Juveniles Merton termed strain as an individuals response to a dysfunction between objectives and accessibility to the socially accepted methods for their achievement. Mertons original writings (1938; 1957) appear to spell out clearly that economic wealth is a principal goal in the meritocratic society and that education is the conservative ways for realizing wealth. At present, for instance, a college degree is usually considered as a minimum requirement for entry to a good job or professional job. Strain would be possible when a person is firmly dedicated to making much wealth nevertheless considers college as outside attainment. It is thought that structurally induced strain amongst juveniles would be considered correctly as the dysfunction between economic objectives and hopes for finishing college. On the contrary, the preferential operationalization of strain in delinquency researches has been the difference between educational aims and hopes. The argument for using this evaluation is that job expectations are less helpful as objectives for juveniles since these expectations are too far removed from their conscious concerns (Agnew, 1986, 1984; Elliott, Huizinga, Ageton, 1985). This normally used measure deviates considerably from Mertons theory. If strain is redefined completely in the field of education, the educational methods in Mertons original theory become both objectives and methods, and the central theoretical significance of economic objectives is lost. The basis for this version of strain for juveniles is challenging. Although juveniles may have trouble in thinking about future jobs, their financial aspirations may be strong and clear. For both hypothetical and rational motives, as a result, juvenile strain is a product of the dysfunction between economic objectives and educational prospects rather than as a dysfunction between educational aims and prospects. Conclusion In 1969, Hirschi proposed within a control outlook that high expectations to customary objectives performed as limitations on delinquency (1969) and that the calculation of a measure of strain would not enhance the descriptive competence of dedication alone. As against the strain position that high expectations in the presence of low expectations raise the chances of delinquency, Hirschi (1969) presumed that the (negative) relation between aspirations and delinquency (supportive of control theory) does not reverse when expectations are held constant. His assessment using educational expectations showed that while higher goals reduced the chance of delinquency in his sample, differences in educational expectations are not significant in the causation of delinquency for two reasons: few boys in the sample have expectations considerably beyond their expectations; and those boys whose expectations far exceed their expectations are at no greater risk to be delinquent than those boys whose expectations are the same (1969). More researches by Liska (1971) with several data sets strengthened Hirschis result. Similar to Hirschi, Liska computed juvenile strain as the dysfunction between educational expectations and reported results showing that Mertons stress proposition might be interpreted more simply by dedication or control theory. Therefore the most overwhelming criticism of strain theory relates to its noticeable failure in empirical research, mainly its failure in relation to control theory (Johnson, 1979; Kornhauser, 1978). In contrast, the majority of the studies supporting such results ignored the importance of economic success objectives in creating strain (Bernard, 1984). Hirschi recognized the possible value of income expectations in testing control and strain proposals (1969). His and Liskas denial of strain theory, though, depended on the assessment of objectives and methods as educational expectations Is EC Law Compatible with Parliamentary Sovereignty? Is EC Law Compatible with Parliamentary Sovereignty? Is the primacy of EC law over inconsistent UK statutes compatible with the doctrine of Parliamentary Sovereignty? The notion of Parliament as the supreme law-making body in the UK is a long-standing shibboleth of the British constitution[1]. Acts of Parliament have traditionally been deemed to be the highest form of law in the UK, and the courts were denied the authority to challenge them[2]. In 1972, however, the signing of the Treaty of Rome brought the UK within the scope of EC law[3]. The European Court of Justice has emphasised the primacy of EC law over the national law of its member states[4] and national courts are expected to recognise this. The British courts’ apparent capitulation[5] might suggest that Parliamentary sovereignty has now been usurped by the primacy of EC law. If true, this would be a major upheaval in our constitutional framework. However, on a closer analysis it seems that accession to the EC has had a less revolutionary effect on the British constitution than was initially feared. This paper will consider the relationship between these two seemingly irreconcilable doctrines and examine the question of whether they are capable of co-existence. Parliamentary Sovereignty Parliamentary sovereignty has a lengthy history in British constitutional law[6]. The definitive analysis was provided by Albert Dicey in the late 19th Century in his text Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution[7]. Essentially, the principle provides that Parliament is the highest law-making authority in the UK. It â€Å"has the right to make or unmake any law whatever; and further, that no person or body is recognised by the law of England as having a right to override or set aside the legislation of Parliament.†[8] Dicey expands on this assertion to emphasise that Parliament was competent to pass laws on any subject[9]. The only thing that it could not do is bind its successors[10]. Furthermore, the courts lack the authority to challenge any statute that has been enacted using the correct procedure[11]. Primacy of EC Law Britain acceded to the European Communities in 1973, with the signing of the Treaty of Rome. EC law was given effect in Britain through the enactment of the European Communities Act 1972, which gave direct effect and application to EC law[12]. Article 10 of the Treaty of Rome, as amended, states that there is a duty on all member states to comply with Community law and not to impede its application and the European Court of Justice has vociferously emphasised its expectation that EC law will prevail where it conflicts with the domestic law of member states[13]. In Costa, for example, the ECJ states that â€Å"the precedence of Community law is confirmed by Art 189 (now 249) EC, whereby a regulation â€Å"shall be binding† and directly applicable in all Member States†[14]. In other words, EC law takes primacy over domestic law. The British courts have since demonstrated their willingness to comply with this instruction[15]. In Factortame No. 2[16], for example, Lord Bridge stated that â€Å"under the 1972 Act, it has always been clear that it was the duty of a UK court when delivering final judgment to override any rule of national law found to be in conflict with any directly enforceable Community law.†[17] Conflict between the doctrines The potential for conflict here is self-evident. The courts cannot serve two masters but, as long as these two competing doctrines co-exist, this effectively appears to be what they are being asked to do. On the one hand, Parliamentary sovereignty dictates that the courts have no right to question an Act of Parliament. On the other, EC law, which declares itself to be supreme, expects national courts to declare Acts of Parliament invalid to the extent that they are inconsistent with EC Law. On a practical level, it appears that the primacy of EC law has overwhelmed Parliamentary Sovereignty. The UK courts have grown more comfortable with applying EC law where it conflicts with UK statutes and EC law has become an accepted part of the British legal system. As Munro points out, however, it is important to remember that Parliamentary sovereignty is a legal doctrine[18]. It is not concerned with the political or practical effects of accession upon the authority of Parliament, but with whether, legally speaking, parliamentary sovereignty is preserved[19]. This is an important consideration. In cases that followed the enactment of the 1972 Act, Lord Denning attempted to reconcile the apparently conflicting norms[20]. He argued that, although EC law was treated by the courts as prevailing over conflicting domestic law, EC law was only offered this status on the basis of an Act of Parliament, the 1972 Act. As the 1972 Act has no greater status than any other parliamentary statute, it could be repealed by an express provision in a subsequent Act of Parliament. The legal concept of Parliamentary sovereignty is therefore preserved.[21] The 1972 is not presented as being in any way superior to a normal Act of Parliament[22]. Indeed, during the ministerial discussions that preceded the passing of the Act it was acknowledged that any attempt to do so could readily be overturned by a subsequent Parliament[23]. Of course, the doctrine of implied repeal cannot operate in respect of the 1972 Act since it is not considered to be overridden by subsequent contradictory enactments. As Munro points out, however, this is a characteristic shared by other legislation and does not necessarily threaten the sovereignty of Parliament[24]. Ward believes that parliamentary sovereignty is an archaic legal fiction that ignores political realities and serves no purpose in a modern setting shaped by the twin influences of globalisation and decentralisation of power[25]. He considers that we would be best served by abandoning the idea of Parliamentary sovereignty in favour of a â€Å"new constitutional order†[26]. However, even he acknowledges that, on the legal plane at least, the concept of Parliamentary sovereignty undoubtedly continues to exist alongside EC law[27]. Conclusion As Munro has argued, is important to distinguish the legal concept of Parliamentary sovereignty from a political or pragmatic interpretation of the term. While it may be that repeal of the 1972 Act and withdrawal from the EC would be impossible in real terms, Parliament retains the legal option to do this. Therefore, it is theoretically possible to reconcile the apparently conflicting doctrines within our constitutional framework. BIBLIOGRAPHY Barnett, H.A. Constitutional and Administrative Law (Cavendish: London) 2004 Bradley, A. â€Å"The Sovereignty of Parliament – Form or Substance?† in Jowell, J. and Oliver, D. The Changing Constitution (Oxford University Press: Oxford) 2004 Dicey, A.V. Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (Macmillan Education: Basingstoke) 1959 Goldsworthy, J.D. The Sovereignty of Parliament: History and Philosophy (Oxford University Press: Oxford) 1999 Munro, C. Studies in Constitutional Law (Butterworths: London) 1999 Ward, I. A Critical Introduction to European Law (Butterworths: London) 1996 Ward, I. The Margins of European Law (Macmillan Education: Basingstoke) 1996 Algemene Transport en Expeditie Onderneming Van Gend en Loos v Netherlands Inland Revenue Administration [1963] C.M.L.R. 105 Costa v. Ente Nazionale per lEnergia Elettrica (ENEL) [1968] C.M.L.R. 267 McCarthys Ltd v Smith (1979) 3 All ER 325 R v Secretary of State for Transport ex p. Factortame Ltd (No. 2) [1991] 1 A.C. 603 (HL) 1 Footnotes [1] See generally Goldsworthy, J.D. The Sovereignty of Parliament: History and Philosophy (Oxford University Press: Oxford) 1999 [2] Bradley, A. â€Å"The Sovereignty of Parliament – Form or Substance?† in Jowell, J. and Oliver, D. The Changing Constitution (Oxford University Press: Oxford) 2004 (hereinafter â€Å"Bradley†) at 28 [3] Barnett, H.A. Constitutional and Administrative Law (Cavendish: London) 2004 (hereinafter â€Å"Barnett†) at 192 [4]Ibid [5] Bradley supra note 2 at 46 [6] See e.g. Munro, C. Studies in Constitutional Law (Butterworths: London) 1999 (hereinafter â€Å"Munro†) at 127 [7] Dicey, A.V. Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (Macmillan Education: Basingstoke) 1959 (hereinafter â€Å"Dicey†) [8] Dicey supra note 7 at 39 [9] Ibid [10] Dicey supra note 7 at 44 [11] Dicey supra note 7 at 45 [12] Munro supra note 6 at 201 [13] See e.g. Algemene Transport en Expeditie Onderneming Van Gend en Loos v Netherlands Inland Revenue Administration [1963] C.M.L.R. 105 (hereinafter â€Å"Van Gend en Loos†) and Costa v. Ente Nazionale per lEnergia Elettrica (ENEL) [1968] C.M.L.R. 267 (hereinafter â€Å"Costa†) [14] Costa supra note 13 at 271 [15] Bradley supra note 2 at 46 [16] R v Secretary of State for Transport ex p. Factortame Ltd (No. 2) [1991] 1 A.C. 603 (HL) (hereinafter â€Å"Factortame†) [17] Factortame supra note 16 at 659 [18] Munro supra note 6 at 206 [19] Ibid [20] Ward, I. The Margins of European Law (Macmillan Education: Basingstoke) 1996 (hereinafter â€Å"Margins†) at 76 [21] See e.g. McCarthys Ltd v Smith (1979) 3 All ER 325 [22] Munro supra note 6 at 204 [23] Bradley supra note 2 at 47 [24] Munro supra note 6 at 207 [25] Margins supra note 7 at Chapter 4 [26] Margins supra note 7 at 82 [27] Margins supra note 7 at 85

Prejudice Runs Deep in To Kill A Mockingbird Essay -- Kill Mockingbird

Prejudice Runs Deep in To Kill A Mockingbird    To Kill A Mockingbird takes place in small town Maycomb, Alabama, a depression era town where people move slowly and twenty-four hours seems longer.   The narrator of the story is a six-year-old girl named Jean Louise Finch, a tomboy who hates wearing dresses and goes by the nickname "Scout."   Scout's being a tomboy is of no little significance because while we are treated to a sweet and affectionate portrayal of Maycomb at the novel's opening, we will find it is a town where racial prejudice, hostility and ignorance run deep below the surface.   Not only are the majority of the townspeople prejudiced against blacks, maintaining a feeling of superiority to the whole of their race, but there are also well-defined social roles based on gender.   To Kill A Mockingbird reflects many themes, but three of the most significant ones are courage, prejudice, and education.   Through characterization and behavior the author demonstrates the connection of these themes as crucial for manifesting real humanity within individuals.   Education and courage produce a higher level of humanity in human behavior, particularly because they allow individuals to walk in the skins of other people before judging them.   Education and courage allow for a neutralization of prejudice because they lend a broader understanding to the individual concerning others.   Atticus, the father of Scout and Jem (Jeremy Finch), often teaches the lessons of education and courage to his children.   Atticus' brand of courage and education is different than that of most people's in the town.   Atticus' brand of courage disdains the use of guns, as we see when he refuses to use one to protect Tom Robinson (a black man accused of... ...th, as surely as mockingbirds are shot because they are considered "ugly."   Education and courage allow individuals to manifest a level of humanity that is color blind and does not criticize or judge based on circumstantial evidence or before walking in the skin of another.   In the author's view the type of justice and social conditions that exist in Maycomb, Alabama, are, mirroring the words of Jem after the guilty verdict for Tom, not right "It ain't right" (Lee, 1960, 214).   Prejudice and discrimination run rampant underneath the seemingly sweet and affectionate portrayal of Maycomb at the novel's outset.   It is these two elements that will unjustly condemn an innocent man to death, two elements Lee considers a sin as surely as Atticus views killing a mockingbird as sinful. Works Cited Lee, H.   (1960).   To Kill A Mockingbird.   New York, Warner Books, Inc.

Pro Wrestling Essay -- Wrestling Sports Entertainment Essays

Pro Wrestling Bret Hart: Wrestling with Shadows Written and Produced by Biography Special Interview 15 December, 1997 Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling Narr. Steve Allen Written and Produced by A&E Special Documentary A&E New York, New York 1 March, 1998 WCW/nWo: Sting Unmasked Narr. Toni Shiavone Written by Eric Bischoff, Produced by Turner Broadcasting Co. Special Interview, Turner Entertainment Atlanta, Georgia 5 May 1998 Nagurski, B. â€Å"Professional Wrestling† Microsoft Encarta `99 (Electronic Version). Copyright INSO Corp. 1993-1998 PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING: SPORT OR ENTERTAINMENT? I. Introduction â€Å"Do you smell what the Rock is cookin?† shouts The Rock. This is the new crude face of professional wrestling. But it wasn’t always like this. Haven’t you ever wondered about the real history of pro wrestling, not the ‘history’ of what happened last week on Raw or Nitro? People either watch it or don’t, or some watch it and don’t admit it. In any case, what is it really? Some call it a controlled riot with commercial breaks, a melodrama of mayhem, or a brawl with a referee. Whatever you call it, it’s an old form of entertainment with plenty of ups and downs, but recently, it has become a part of mainstream America. II. The Early Years Wrestling is as old as human history. It has always been used for dominance or competition. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Arabs all were great wrestlers. Plato’s name literally means broad-shouldered, and he wrestled in his early days. The Irish used it as a way to settle differences. In fact, it was Irish immigrants living in Vermont who brought the sport to America. Because of this, Vermont would produce the best wrestling talent for the next 50 years. Presidents like Washington, Taft, and Coolidge were all rasslers, and Abraham Lincoln was very much a professional wrestler. Professional wrestling began when veterans from the Civil War used the skills they had picked up in camp to grapple for money. Wrestling in the late 1890’s was a very successful international sporting event. It was the most popular spectator sport in the United States. It was seen as more scientific than boxing, and football and basketball hadn’t appeared on the national level. The use of magaz... ...im. Nevertheless, they are the reason their chiropractors are so successful. (A&E, Unreal) So why do over 5 million people tune in to watch wrestling in a week? Because they want to see the dramatic reenactment of rituals, like belonging to a group that reflects who you are, like the nWo, The Corporation, The Four Horsemen, or Ministry, and the sign language that goes along with it, of course. It’s a soap opera, and just like one, issues are never resolved, or new ones develop. (Dr. Gerald W. Morton, Wrestling to `Rasslin V. Conclusion Is wrestling fake? Well if we look at it as fake, we are judging it for trying to be something that it wasn’t intended to be. It is drama. So is Shakespeare. Would we call his work fake? No, because that word is irrelevant. It is said that a society can be judged by how it entertains itself. At least we aren’t throwing Christians to the lions, and when we celebrate violence, it isn’t real. Professional wrestling is only as real as the imagination allows. The father of professional wrestler Jeff Jarrett once said, â€Å"For those who believe, no explanation is needed. For those who don’t, no explanation would do.†

Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler is a story of great tragedy, with a web of controversies and a tangle of secrets. In such a beautiful irony, it portrayed that the small town wherein the heroine resides with her husband, is inflicted with gruesome gossip and twisted tales of conflicted interests. Hedda Gabler, a born aristocrat who marries to a class beneath her, has to do with a lifestyle far inferior than what she is used to. The writer used a conversational tone to portray Hedda’s manipulative nature as she controls those that surrounds her. The story revolves around this young wife, as she plays with people’s feelings and affairs, and meddle with things so much so that they work out to her advantage. In this tragedy, it pays to ask the question: what provoked Hedda to marry Tesman? II – Marriage of Different Lifestyles I am interested with Ibsen’s idea of Hedda Gabler being an aristocrat who had to get used to a different lifestyle. There were many analysis offered for the play Hedda Gabler, yet only a handful of them displayed this very obvious fact. The fact that Hedda is manipulative and is using her husband, Jà ¼rgen Tesman, is evident from the first scene of the play, when Tesman commented how fat Hedda is getting, when in fact his wife is pregnant and he has no idea. Even Tesman’s aunt, Aunt Julle, picked up upon this very noticeable change in Hedda, yet Hedda dismissed her with curt replies. SparkNotes (2009) even commented the tyranny of Hedda over Tesman’s household, wherein Berte, the maid, is scared of not being able to please her, and Aunt Julle is tormented by her. Tesman lived to do his wife’s every bidding. In fact, Tesman did everything he can to make sure that they afford the lavish house they are living in, just because Hedda happened to mention that she would want to live in that particular house. When further analysis from SparkNotes (2009) revealed that Hedda only said she wanted that house because she cannot think of anything else to say. To Hedda the house is a joke, a sign of Tesman’s unwavering devotion and faithfulness, to Tesman, the house is a fulfillment of his wife’s wish. Along the play, Tesman followed his wife’s every bidding. There was in instance wherein Hedda was rude to Aunt Julle and Tesman reprimanded her afterwards. Still, basically Tesman’s role in the play was to follow Hedda’s wishes. When Hedda burned the novel of Ejlert Là ¶vborg, Tesman was delighted. He actually thought that Hedda did it because she wanted to help him advance in his academic profession, when in fact Hedda burned the novel because she didn’t want to be reminded of the romance between Ejlert and her. This is interesting to notice, seeing as in other cultures, it is actually discouraged that people from different social standings to marry. With Hedda and Tesman, it is plain that she had to adjust to a different lifestyle, and because of this, she was bored, and living with Tesman does not excite her, as she confides to Judge Brack. This brings me back to my original thesis: what provoked Hedda to marry Tasman, seeing that he is a man of lower class, and he cannot afford her lavish lifestyle? We could only grope Ibsen’s wisdom. Perhaps it is because through Tasman, Hedda can forget about her past relationship with Ejlert, or perhaps, through Tasman, Hedda can still indulge herself a playmate whom she can take advantage of. We can never be certain, until Ibsen partakes the real reason for the two’s matrimony. III – Secrets Revealed Throughout the play, there were numerous secrets disclosed. SparkNotes (2009) mentions the secrets, such as Hedda taking advantage of all the men in the play, Hedda’s affair with Ejlert, which scarred the latter for life, the relationship between Mrs. Elvsted and Ejlert, among many others.   The author cleverly reveals each secret little by little, dragging the audience to the edge of their feet before giving the final picture. Throughout the play, the audience is captivated by how many more secrets will be revealed, and how will Hedda manipulate people to tell her what she wants to hear. I love the irony discussed with the last scene, wherein Aunt Julle returned to the household that is now filled with mourning, what with Aunt Rina’s passing and the horrible incident with Ejlert. Aunt Julle was very welcoming and still hints at Hedda for children, and was oblivious to the fact that so many changes happened within the home, and to pretend that nothing happened is otherwise insane. Yet the author was able to get away with such a tricky symbolism, as the audience is sure to applaud the wit and charisma Aunt Julle brings into the last scene. Also worth mentioning is the way Tasman was horrorstruck when he found out that his wife had burned Ejlert’s novel. However when he thought she was doing it out of love so that he will be able to secure the teaching post he so much wanted, he would have gladly embraced Hedda. How could someone be blinded so much by a manipulative woman? I’ve known that some people say that love is blind, but in Tesman’s case, the clichà © is very much overrated, seeing as she was fooling him in his own home. How can a man not see that his wife is pregnant, and yet would opt to commend on her new curves and new body? Does he not see the baby that is growing in Hedda’s belly? With this, perhaps the pregnancy is the reason why Hedda is manipulative and very sarcastic. Women who are pregnant are prone to mood swings and irrational thinking, yet what would contribute to Hedda’s dark nature? Is she really being sarcastic and arrogant because of her proud upbringing, or is she acting this way because she is pregnant and she has no feelings for the child in her womb and with the baby’s father? Overall the play is very satisfactory. Even in the ending wherein Hedda committed suicide, the audience could rest their breaths, knowing that Tasman is in the arms of a capable woman, Mrs. Elvsted. SparkNotes (2009) describes Mrs. Elvsted as a competent woman who bounces off from men to men, according to her needs. She met Mr. Elvsted by working for him, and afterwards they were married. With Ejlert, the Elvsteds hired him to be a tutor for their children, and Mrs. Elvsted turned out to be Ejlert’s assistant in his research and writing. After Hedda burned the novel, Mrs. Elvsted mentioned that she knew some parts of Ejlert’s manuscript because she helped him research for it. She and Tasman immediately tried to reconstruct the manuscript that Ejlert wrote. Now that Hedda is out of the picture, and the original author of the manuscript is also gone, then Mrs. Elvsted is free to make her move in regards to Tasman, and the two of them can prove to the audience that in their dreary old town, it is still possible for love to exist.

Beneatha Younger

Beneatha Younger, an important character in A Raisin In The Sun , values good people. She does not think   of herself as black, she thinks of herself as an American human. She knows George Murchison and Mama and Ruth want tem to get married. He's a black American as well, but sees absolutely no reason to honor their African heritage. George sees himself as an American first and foremost and thinks that blacks who spend a lot of time worrying about Africa are wasting their time.Unsurprisingly, Beneatha seems to not be into George at all. Then after a strange turn of events she starts to love Joeseph Asagai and wants to learn about Africa. Benetha values a great education. She is aspiring to be a doctor an is attending college. College education has helped to make her progressive, independent, and a total feminist. She brings politics into the apartment and always talks about civil rights. During this play, she fights with her identity as an African-American woman.Asagai criticizes h er, saying that she's â€Å"assimilated,† meaning that she tries to hide her African-ness by acting white. He uses her hair as an example. Asagai can't understand why she and most other black women in America straighten their hair instead of leaving it naturally curly. Unlike the rest of her family, Beneatha looks beyond her immediate situation in an effort to understand herself as a member of a greater whole. As she becomes more educated, it becomes increasingly hard for Beneatha to relate to the rest of her family.Sometimes she can be a bit condescending and seems to forget that her family members (especially her mother) all work very hard to help put her through school. However, this character flaw only serves to make her seem all the more understandable and human. Ultimately, Beneatha is a kind and generous person, who seeks to become a doctor out of a desire to help people. In conclusion, Beneatha Younger, a main character in A Raisin In The Sun values many things. She v alues good people , good education and Independence.