Middle Class and Hard Work

In life, all individuals want to stand out. They want to be the diamond in the rough, but only a few of them can ever be such a thing. According to Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers, he asserts that individuals who are granted opportunities and advantages, which not everybody is given by fate, are more successful. He implicates that opportunity, hard work, birthdate, 10,000 hours rule, and the background of the person are essential factors when being an outlier.Out of these aspects, working ard would have to be the one factor that surpasses the rest in this scenario. Malcolm Gladwell emphasizes many characteristics on what being an outlier is. The most important is hard work, â€Å"†¦ [for] if you work hard enough and assert yourself, and use your mind and imagination, you can shape the world to your desires†(1 51). Without hard work, nothing will ever be accomplishable. Tonina Hoang, a McDonald's franchisee, writes, â€Å"l work hard to ensure that they stay motiva ted and develop their careers†¦ Nothing ever comes without having to work for it.Everyone who is famous, or a doctor, or a lawyer has gotten through the baby steps and have overcome many obstacles to reach where they are now. Gladwell states that, â€Å"No one who can rise before the dawn three hundred sixty days a year fails to make his family rich†(137), further emphasizing that success is achievable if hard work is put in. Hard work will eventually pay off in the end. â€Å"A Success Story' an article in the Infotrac Newsstand claims that â€Å"hard work, patience and dedication helped Muhammad Ayub of Wasa] become assistant director (legal) from a Junior pump operator. Always have optimism because one may think people do not notice what one does, but in fact, everyone notices whether one is putting effort or Just going through the motions. Gladwell touches on how â€Å"We overlook Just how large a role we all play–and by ‘we' I mean society–in determining who makes it and who doesn't†(33). Sometimes people do not see how big of an impact they have to the society, but everyone is essential in order for the society to function properly. Gladwell fortifies diligence when he asserts â€Å"Hard work is only a prison sentence when you lack motivation†(42).In order to be successful, the individual must have the motivation to pursue their ambitions without feeling obligated to. Although working hard is a critical aspect in becoming an outlier, there are other factors that are important but not as critical. Gladwell claims â€Å"It comes from our time: from the particular opportunities that our place in history presents us with†(58). People are given different opportunities; they all depend on the time one was born nd how each and everyone's background began.Not everyone had the same openings. For example, a lower class family would not have had the same chances as a middle class family. Gladwell affirms, †Å"It's knowledge that helps you read situations correctly and get what you want†(87). Being highly intelligent is perhaps another key factor in becoming an outlier, for not being so, one would not have as much success as others. However, none of these things would ever be possible if one does not push oneself and commit to work harder than others.Outliers play a huge role on society It we did not nave them, some ot the high quali corporate items, like Apple products, would have never been created. Success does not come as easy as it may seem. However, if one decided to stand out from the rest of society with Gladwell's guidelines, they could possibly become the next outlier. Outliers are not Just born out of the blue (although some may be); they work hard, take the opportunities when they are given the chance, and overcome their social status.

Blozis Company Essay

New computer based information system will be taking into consideration for improving procurement efficiency, but only after process improvement has achieved to the desired level. But there are some competitive advantages that Blozis has in order to make the necessary changes to improve its operations in general:1) Blozis’ sales are 16 million mainly of units designed to customer specifications. 2) The Company produces its own products to be sold off-the-shelf. Part 6: Alternatives An alternative to the Company is to hire a consulting firm in order to make a diagnosis of the Supply Chain as a whole with the purpose of reorganizing the supply chain activities as well as the human resources that it seems is completely out of control. If this study is conducted will be eliminating some of the practices such as the president likes to operate â€Å"informally† which is seen as a normal practice to the employees. Also, certain suppliers issue products to Blozis without a receipt of a PO. This business practice is a result of â€Å"good faith† but results in mismanagement of product creating loses to the company and poor customer service. Part 7: Recommendations In order to set up the proper procedures in the Supply Chain, Blozis will need to take the first step on investing in an ERP/EDI and encourage its suppliers to do the same in order to correct the malfunction when placing and receiving orders. The main purpose is to improve the whole Supply Chain processes as well as Human Resources and Account Payable. New computer system – System unable to support new changes, then try to modify the original design. 3. Unable to implement new procedures – continue the talks with key department teams and management teams in order to reach new agreements. 4. Unable to test the system – continue working with the different areas in order to gather all the information and resources necessary. Part 10: Conclusion and Management Plan In conclusion, Blozis is facing a challenging situation due to lack of procedures leading to a complete disorganization among departments. The situation is not different from other organizations but others have been able to find the solution by establishing clear procedures and investing in new technologies. Blozis makes $16 million on sales, amount large enough to develop a 5-Yr plan to incorporate new software to its systems. The results should be a more efficient Supply Chain that it will allow the Company to achieve its targets, improve internal and external customer service, and generate savings throughout the organization.

Select an organisation of your choice and provide an in-depth analysis Assignment

Select an organisation of your choice and provide an in-depth analysis and evaluation of this organisation with respect to any T - Assignment Example Lloyds TSB Group acquired HBOS in 2009 and was effectively renamed Lloyds Banking Group, the name it uses in its operations up to date. The Banking Group had been largely successful in its operations, and it was evidenced by its expansion through mergers and acquisition. The mergers and acquisitions were carried out in attempts to consolidate its customer base and network. However, the bank was among the institutions that were affected by the financial crisis in late 2008. The effects of the financial crisis on the bank were severe and thus requiring its bailout by the government under strict conditions (Chambers and Mcmillan et al. 2010). The conditions set for the bank by the government in order to conform to the European Union established standards included the sale of some of its branches as well as renaming of the bank by the end of 2013. The paper gives an in-depth analysis of the organization’s code of conduct and the ethical implications of the company’s interna tional operations. The organization’s code of conduct The organization’s vision sets out the tone for the establishment of its code of conduct at the personal and business level. The organization’s vision is for the banking group to be recognized as the best bank for customers. The banking group has its presence all over the United Kingdom. ... 1-13). The general code of conduct for the organization has been designed to ensure that the five pillars of the organization are incorporated. The pillars that govern the operations of the organization include being the best company employees can work for, reducing the environmental impact of the organization, placing customers at the front of the organization’s activities, investing in communities as part of the corporate social responsibility (CSR), and working responsibly with external stakeholders. The company’s employees and any person who acts on their behalf are acquainted to the code of conduct towards their consumers. The compliance of the codes of responsibilities on a personal level contributes largely to the delivery of the five pillars and achievement of the company’s vision (Group Corporate Affairs 2013, pp. 1-13). Employees and agents are expected to understand the codes of conduct and carry out their transactions in line with the codes. The manag ement expects employees and agents to keep vigilance over their colleagues and act responsibly by reporting those who persistently violate the laid down rules. The organization has set up mechanisms that ensure the identity of whistleblowers is not revealed. All cases of violation are investigated with stringent measures taken against guilty parties. The organization’s code of conduct firstly dictates the relationship between the customers and its staff. The employees and agents of the organization are supposed to think about the customers first in all their actions. The designing and delivery of products to customers by the organization's staff should always place importance on their customers’ needs and changes in the global

Company Law contracts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Company Law contracts - Essay Example However, in Twycross v Grants1, Cockburn CJ went so far to state that a promoter is one who undertakes to form a company with reference to a given project, and to set it going, and who takes the necessary steps to accomplish their purpose2. In Whaley Bridge Calico Printing Co v Green3 Bowen J explained that the term promoter is a term not of law, but of business, usefully summing up in a single word a number of business operations familiar to the commercial world by which a company is generally bought in to existence. A promoter is an agent of the Company, as someone cannot be an agent of a non-existent principal Kelner v Baxter4. He is not a trustee (Re Leads). However, a promoter can be regarded as a Fiduciary (Finn, Fiduciary obligations 1977)5. Fiduciary obligations are duties owed to a third party to act with 'loyalty and good faith in dealings which affect that person' (Penner 2006). This means that the duty to act more than just acting honestly and fairly but rather the fiduciary 'must act to secure his principal's best interests and must not follow his interests. Lord Cairns LC explained the particular position of promoters as opposed to other type of fiduciaries such as trustees and directors in Erlanger v New Sombrero Phosphate Co (1878): They stand on my opinion, undoubtedly in a fiduciary position. ... They has in their hands the creation and mounding of the company; they have the power of defining how, and when, and in what shape, and under what supervision, it shall start into existence and begin to act as a trading corporation. The core duty of a promoter is not to make a secret profit from his position. In Kelner v Baxter6 promoters of a hotel company entered into a contract on its behalf for the purchase of wine the company, when incorporated, ratified. The wine was consumed but before payment was made the company went to liquidation.7 The promoters, as agents, were sued on the contract. Erle CJ, rejecting this argument and holding the promoters personally liable. It was exemplified by Natal Land & Colonization Co v Pauline Colliery Syndicate8, which the court from enforcing a pre-incorporation contract prevented the company made on its behalf. In Erlanger v New Sombrero Phosphate Co, a syndicate purchased a mine for 55,000.The syndicate then formed a company an through a nominees sold the mine for it for 100,000 without disclosing their interest in the contract. The mining operations were fruitless and the shareholders removed the original Directors and the new board successfully brought an action to have the sale rescinded. In Salomon v Salomon & Co Ltd9, the House of Lords took the view that if the Board was not independent, disclosure to all material facts should be made to the original shareholder. But note that in Gluckstein v Barnes10 the House of lords refined the duty further by holding that disclosure to original shareholders will not be sufficient if they are not truly independent and the scheme as a whole is designed to defraud the investing public11. As with directors, a promoter of a company selling property

Poverty in the U.S Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Poverty in the U.S - Research Paper Example First of all, let us understand how poverty has risen in the U.S. and how it affects the poor. Seccombe (384-393) asserts that poverty can be defined as having an inadequate income that can make a family stay â€Å"below the poverty line†. In the United States, poverty is concretely defined in dollar figures by the Social Security Administration. By determining the amount of money needed to survive on food, and then multiplying that number by three, the Social Security Administration sets the poverty line. For example, if the SSA decided that the amount of money needed to sustain a survivable diet during a year was $4,000, then it would set the poverty line at $12,000. Thus, any individuals whose income was less than this amount for a year would be considered to be living in poverty. According to Flik and Praag (311-330), poverty line is essential for determining who receives welfare benefits in U.S. Poverty does not seem to be an evenly distributed social problem. In America, African Americans and Latinos have, by far, the largest poverty rate. Many factors such as poor wages for women and the increase of single-woman parented families have caused an increase in the percentage of women among the poor. elderly, however, fill a much smaller percentage as they receive benefits as social security. Macionis (216) concluded that in 2003, the government classified 12.5 percent of the U.S. population as poor, which makes 35.9 million of men, women and children. Research suggests that the home environment adds to poverty because most homes that look in disrepair mean that the family living inside might not have the income to fix things. When a family is in the poverty zone they feel bad and inadequate, which can make them unwilling to ask for help (Brooks-Gunn & Duncan). This can be harmful to children because they do not have a say when the adults need help. Poverty is an unkind and brutal way for children to live. It manifests in physical, emotional and social ways. Impoverished children have social, emotional and behavioral problems due to poor health and serious mental health problems stemming from the persistent poverty level in which they live. Serious health problems come with poverty, such as preventable diseases like Influenza, Measles, malnutrition and AIDS due to lack of proper health care. Public assistance offered in most states does not cover all that the poor children need to live a normal lifestyle. Now, we describe how poverty is beneficial for the rich of the society despite its negative outcomes related to the poor. According to the sociologist, Herbert Gans (20-24), occupations and professions like criminology, social work, journalism, and public health exist with the help of existence of poverty. Gans has listed manifold functions of poverty that are beneficial to the rich of the society. The dirty work in the society gets done with the help of the poor who work at low wages and indecent salaries. The poor help in subs idizing the economy because they pay taxes, buy cheap products and go for low-cost services that are just ignored by the wealthy community. The existence of poverty acts as a guarantee for the rich people’s status, because if there would be no poor, there would be no identification left for the rich. The rich people give charity to the poor

Italian Renaissance Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Italian Renaissance Art - Essay Example The models given by early buildings and works performed by the art also stimulated the expansion of new imaginative techniques and the desire to re-build the forms and styles of classical art (Joost & Christiane, 47). The main development of Renaissance art was the emergence of the artist as a maker, required after, and appreciated for his erudition and imagination. Art became treasured not only as a medium for spiritual and communal didacticism, but also more as a mode of personal, illustration appearance. Even though the development of Italian Renaissance art was a nonstop progress, it is divided into three major phases: Early, High, and Late Renaissance. The last stage has been the focus in new existence of multifaceted interpretation that identifies many contending and complementary trends. Some scholars mark the start of the Italian Renaissance from Giotto di Bondone’s appearance, in the initial years of the 14th century, while others stare his abnormal success in naturalistic art as an remote occurrence (Campbell & Cole, 54). The major members of the first generation of Renaissance artists were Donatello in statue, Filippop Brunelleschi in structural design, and Masaccio in painting. They had common significant characteristics necessary to their philosophy, a faith in the hypothetical foundations of art and the confidence that growth and advancement were not only likely but important to the life and worth of the paintings. Ancient art was valued, not only as a stirring replica but also as a documentation of test and fault that could disclose the successes of former great artists. Intending to repeat the imaginative method, Early Renaissance artists required to make art forms reliable with the appearance of the normal world and with their knowledge of human personality and behavior. By the late 15th century, the innovation of the first volatile advances of Renaissance style had given way to a general receipt of such basic ideas as amount,

Design and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK Essay

Design and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK - Essay Example Precisely this report examines the designing and planning of commercial and domestic buildings in the UK. The UK has set aggressive national goals in the building industry meant to increase efficiency and safety of buildings. It has identified emission reduction targets for 2020 and 2050 to be 34 percent and at least 80 percent in that order (Willars 2011, p. 1). To ensure that buildings are playing their role in achieving these targets, regulations have been put in place to ensure that designing and planning is undertaken in a manner that will make buildings environmental friendly. DESIGNING AND PLANNING OF BUILDINGS IN THE UK Designing and planning of buildings take place in different phases. In all these phases there are procedures which ought to be followed. Basically as shown in the diagram below designing and planning of building projects is undertaken in four stages: prepare, design, construct and use. Table 1 (Different standards for planning and designing in the UK) It is ad visable that these phases are followed so that the construction work is completed to the set standards. Failure to follow regulations set is a violation of the law and is punishable. Importantly, such negligence will likely cost the public in one way or another. Building regulations are categorized into 14 sub-categories: Part A - structural safety Part B - fire safety Part C - site preparation Part D - toxic substances Part E - sound insulation Part F - ventilation Part G - hygiene Part H - drainage and waste disposal Part I - combustion appliances Part J - protection from falling and impact Part K - energy efficiency Part L - access to and use of land Part M - glazing Part N - electrical safety This report will utilize the RIBA Plan of Work 2007 in discussing the designing and planning of commercial and domestic building in the UK. The RIBA Plan of Work is chosen because it will enable the achievement of the objective of the report in the best manner possible since it has been the â€Å"definitive UK model for the building design and construction process since 1963† (RIBA 2013, para. 2). RIBA Plan of Work 2013 is due to be released mid this year therefore the 2007 is appropriate for this report. However, much care is taken to integrate the ideas from Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), OGC Gateways (Scottish Government 2013), PFI procurement stages and National Audit Office Framework where necessary. The RIBA Plan of Work 2007 is divided into five phases with a total of eleven sections. The five phases are: preparation (A & B), design (C, D & E), pre-construction (F, G & H), construction (J & K) and use (L) (RIBA 2007, p. 1). The following sections examine each of these phases in great details, pointing out the technicalities involved and the expectations. Care is taken to ensure that each section addresses the requirements of domestic and commercial buildings as per the UK regulations. PREPARATION PHASE Under the prepare pha se, as categorized by CABE, the activities which cut across the board for RIBA plan of works, OGC Gateways and National Audit Office Framework are basically those involving getting ready to start off the project. They can basically be said to be feasibility tests to find out if the project can be completed. According to CABE (2011), a client needs to be very much engaged in running a building project especially in the very initial stages. It is important that the procurement process is understood well by the client. CABE has gone ahead to outline the skills that

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

Discussion prompt - Essay Example When I previously thought of Vodou, of course the dolls came into my mind first. I thought of practitioners of Vodou were like witch doctors. I thought of it more as a witchcraft type of religion. I can presume that my opinion of this religion was based only on what I had learned from the media, primarily in movies. I had stereotyped the religion and thought of it as a practice with male hierarchy who worked in the Bayou in Louisiana. That is simply not the case with Mama Lola as a priestess of Vodou. She is everything that is good and is very welcoming to the people who need help. Mama Lola is actually one of the most well-known priestesses in Vodou. She learns from the spirit what people’s problems are. Anyone can come to her regardless of their own religion, status, class, ethnicity or some other classification. She teaches more about Vodou to others and she is strong in her belief system. She simply wants to help others based on what she has learned from the philosophies of the religion of Vodou and the worship of the spirits. Much of Vodou is practiced through various traditions such as songs and chants. It is not through the use of Vodou dolls. Mama Lola introduces the humanism and spiritualism that are intertwined within the practice of her religion. Any theology about Vodou that I previously assumed was void. Her religion is a lifestyle and it her entire life encompasses the belief. Vodou actually encompasses more than what meets the eye as well. As long as she has a faith in what she is doing and is able to practice and help others, she is doing what she truly believes she was put on this earth to do. That is what I believe religion actually is now. I think it is finding a way to discover a meaning to life and making it count for something. We may never know our purpose here on earth but through religion, we can look at the bigger picture. No one way could be the right way but as long as we have some

Violence by Gilligan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Violence by Gilligan - Essay Example Violence by Gilligan How do we react to violence or a violent individual or group physically hurting us or other members of our society? Dr. James Gilligan, author of ‘Violence: Our Deadly Epidemic and Its Causes’, using his experience of over 35 years in dealing with prisons and the criminals of violent crimes, explains how instrumental our perceptions and reactions to violence are in eliminating it. The concept of a harmoniously balanced society with ‘no violence’ is a resultant of mutual care and support between the members of that society (Duen Hsi Yen). This emanates from respect for each other, the absence of which internally hollows the structure of a society even though it may be apparently working harmoniously. The effects of this hollowing can be witnessed in the increasing violent crime rates, even in countries with efficient crime control agencies like the FBI and Department of Justice in the U.S. This implies a critical analysis of the different theories of Violence. The earliest theory by the founder of the field of Psychoanalysis, Freud himself, declares that violence is but a natural impulse in all human beings. But the first hand experience of Dr Gilligan with violent criminals reveals the opposite. Violence is caused rather than natural, and society may very well be one of its major causes. In his description of the different perceptions of violence and their affects, Gillian identifies three categories of reaction towards violence; pathos, moral plays and understanding violence as tragedy.

International Studies(History) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

International Studies(History) - Essay Example The migration of technology and cultures can be represented by the Semites, Indo-Europeans, and Chinese. While there is mingling of cultures, agricultural advancement also takes place in isolation. Still, there is widespread and diverse opinion about the roots of the revolution and the spark that ignited this great change. The fragmented historical record reveals that the Neolithic Revolution was propelled by the confluence of a number of positive feedback loops. Positive feedback loops in nature dictate that a small change instigates another force, which magnifies the original change. It is often debated whether the population expansion dictated more agricultural production, or if the increase in the availability of food resulted in more people. Prior to the Neolithic period, man domesticated dogs, presumably for the purpose of hunting (McNeill, 1963, p.8). This would be followed by the domestication of the "cow, sheep, goat, pig, and horse" (Diamond, 1999, p.159). In each case the animal served a purpose, such as transportation, packing cargo, or as a source of food. However, the keeping of animals also allowed the tribe to become less nomadic and more sedentary in their lifestyle, and demand that the tribe cultivate its plant food sources. As the animals provided work and food, the need to feed them would necessitate agricultural techniques that would form a positive feedback loop to increase the available food supply and expand the popul ation. As tribes began to settle in one area, the production of food became the paramount concern. Large draft animals made the plow and large-scale tillage possible by 4000 BC (Diamond, 1999, p.89). These improvements would allow the formation of villages and permanent residences occupied year around. Plant breeding and selection for the best producing crops could take place. This would allow a larger population and would make long-range expeditions more likely as they would be able to

Growing telecommunication in society Essay Example for Free

Growing telecommunication in society Essay It is clear that growing telecommunication will help increase the effectiveness of business. Some consulting companies can do not need to hire office, to buy expensive equipment. People can stay at home to do your business. they dont need to strictly come to the office. This is much more convenient than ever before. However life is harder. People both yough and old seem to stick to their computer all the time for their work or and for their entertainment. It is true that there are so many things in a computer. People can explore a lot of things. They can easily contact with a friend far away by email, they can know what is happening and even they can go to the market though Internet and there are many other services in the Internet that I cannot count. But the problem is that some people are now addicted to computers and they lose other habits in life. People become stricter because face to face communication is increasingly dwindling. They spend less time to enjoy the beauty of the nature which is very beautiful with alive scenes with sunshine, with fresh air and a variety of things. As a result, human emotion is also reducing. People are not developed fully in mental and physical strength. In addition, as shown recently by research of scientists , sitting in front of computers for long time will affect people health. The eye is seriously affected. The number of myopic people is increasing. Sitting in a place also makes people feel tired and stressed. Beside, the whole society seem to be running in a strict mechanism which is facilitated by the computer system. If there appear a problem, this system will collapse rapidly. It can be easily seen many cases of computer hacking which cause great damage to the society and business, for example the virus love , originated in the Philippines caused great damage on the global scale in the United States and in south east Asia. The power of the damage is very strong.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder Major Depressive Disorder Preface Today, there are so many people suffering from so many diseases. Likewise, so many people started to feel depressed without a reason. Maybe there should be a reason but most people fail to find it and live their life as it goes by. Now, depressive disorder has become one of major diseases. Boys, girls, teenagers, 20s, 30s, 40s, most people regardless of their age are suffering from major depressive disorder. Because of this, suicidal rate has been increased far more than ever. Maybe, because of technological revolution, many people started to feel as if they are alone, for people talk through internet, telephone, and so on, they do not feel as if somebody is beside them. Because of this, I wanted to research on ‘major depressive disorder to figure out what are causing this and what are some ways to prevent this. Symptoms and Signs Major depression is a serious illness that affects a persons family and personal relationships, work or school life, sleeping and eating habits, and general health. Its impact on functioning and well-being has been equated to that of chronic medical conditions such as diabetes. A person suffering a major depressive episode usually exhibits a very low mood, which pervades all aspects of life, and an inability to experience pleasure in activities that formerly were enjoyed. Depressed people may be preoccupied with, or ruminate over, thoughts and feelings of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt or regret, helplessness, hopelessness, and self-hatred. In severe cases, depressed people may have symptoms of psychosis. These symptoms include delusions or, less commonly, hallucinations, usually of an unpleasant nature. Other symptoms of depression include poor concentration and memory (especially in those with melancholic or psychotic features), withdrawal from social situations and activities, reduced sex drive, and thoughts of death or suicide. Insomnia is common among the depressed. In the typical pattern, a person wakes very early and is unable to get back to sleep. Hypersomnia, or oversleeping, is less common. Appetite often decreases, with resulting weight loss, although increased appetite and weight gain occasionally occur. The person may report multiple physical symptoms such as fatigue, headaches, or digestive problems; physical complaints are the most common presenting problem in developing countries, according to the World Health Organizations criteria for depression. Family and friends may notice that the persons behavior is either agitated or lethargic. Depressed children often display an irritable rather than a depressed mood, and show varying symptoms depending on age and situation. Most exhibit a loss of interest in school and a decline in academic performance. They may be described as clingy, demanding, dependent, or insecure. Diagnosis may be delayed or missed when symptoms are interpreted as normal moodiness. Depression may also coincide with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), complicating the diagnosis and treatment of both. Older depressed persons may have cognitive symptoms of recent onset, such as forgetfulness, and a more noticeable slowing of movements. Depression often coexists with physical disorders common among the elderly, such as stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, Parkinsons disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Causes The biopsychosocial model proposes that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a role to varying degrees in causing depression. The diathesis-stress model posits that depression results when a preexisting vulnerability, or diathesis, is activated by stressful life events. The preexisting vulnerability can be either genetic, implying an interaction between nature and nurture, or schematic, resulting from views of the world learned in childhood. These interactive models have gained empirical support. For example, researchers in New Zealand took a prospective approach to studying depression, by documenting over time how depression emerged among an initially normal cohort of people. The researchers concluded that variation among the serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene affects the chances that people who have dealt with very stressful life events will go on to experience depression. Specifically, depression may follow such events, but seems more likely to appear in people w ith one or two short alleles of the 5-HTT gene. A Swedish study estimated the heritability of depression—the degree to which individual differences in occurrence are associated with genetic differences—to be approximately 40% for women and 30% for men, and evolutionary psychologists have proposed that the genetic basis for depression lies deep in the history of naturally selected adaptations. A substance-induced mood disorder resembling major depression has been causally linked to long-term drug use or abuse, or to withdrawal from certain sedative and hypnotic drugs. Biological Monoamine hypothesis Most antidepressant medications increase the levels of one or more of the monoamines—the neurotransmitters serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine—in the synaptic cleft between neurons in the brain. Some medications affect the monoamine receptors directly. Serotonin is hypothesized to help regulate other neurotransmitter systems; decreased serotonin activity may allow these systems to act in unusual and erratic ways. According to this permissive hypothesis, depression arises when low serotonin levels promote low levels of norepinephrine, another monoamine neurotransmitter. Some antidepressants enhance the levels of norepinephrine directly, whereas others raise the levels of dopamine, a third monoamine neurotransmitter. These observations gave rise to the monoamine hypothesis of depression. In its contemporary formulation, the monoamine hypothesis postulates that a deficiency of certain neurotransmitters is responsible for the corresponding features of depression: Norepinephrine may be related to alertness and energy as well as anxiety, attention, and interest in life; lack of serotonin to anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions; and dopamine to attention, motivation, pleasure, and reward, as well as interest in life. The proponents of thi s theory recommend the choice of an antidepressant with mechanism of action that impacts the most prominent symptoms. Anxious and irritable patients should be treated with SSRIs or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and those experiencing a loss of energy and enjoyment of life with norepinephrine- and dopamine-enhancing drugs. Schematic of a synapse between an axon of one neuron and a dendrite of another. Synapses are specialized gaps between neurons. Electrical impulses arriving at the axon terminal trigger release of packets of chemical messengers (neurotransmitters), which diffuse across the synaptic cleft to receptors on the adjacent dendrite temporarily affecting the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the latter neuron. Once released the neurotransmitter is rapidly metabolised or pumped back into a neuron. Antidepressants influence the overall balance of these processes.In the past two decades, research has revealed multiple limitations of the monoamine hypothesis, and its explanatory inadequacy has been criticized within the psychiatric community. Intensive investigation has failed to find convincing evidence of a primary dysfunction of a specific monoamine system in patients with major depressive disorders. The medications tianeptine and opipramol have long been known to have antidepressant properties despite the fact that the former is a serotonin reuptake enhancer and the latter has no effect on the monoamine system. Experiments with pharmacological agents that cause depletion of monoamines have shown that this depletion does not cause depression in healthy people nor does it worsen symptoms in depressed patients—although an intact monoamine system is necessary for antidepressants to achieve therapeutic effectiveness. According to an essay published by the Public Library of Science (PLoS), the monoamine hypothesis, already limited, has been further oversimplified when presented to the general public as a mass marketing tool. Other theories MRI scans of patients with depression have reported a number of differences in brain structure compared to those without the illness. Although there is some inconsistency in the results, meta-analyses have shown there is evidence for smaller hippocampal volumes and increased numbers of hyperintensive lesions. Hyperintensities have been associated with patients with a late age of onset, and have led to the development of the theory of vascular depression. There may be a link between depression and neurogenesis of the hippocampus, a center for both mood and memory. Loss of hippocampal neurons is found in some depressed individuals and correlates with impaired memory and dysthymic mood. Drugs may increase serotonin levels in the brain, stimulating neurogenesis and thus increasing the total mass of the hippocampus. This increase may help to restore mood and memory. Similar relationships have been observed between depression and an area of the anterior cingulate cortex implicated in the modulation of emotional behavior. One of the neurotrophins responsible for neurogenesis is the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The level of BDNF in the blood plasma of depressed subjects is drastically reduced (more than threefold) as compared to the norm. Antidepressant treatment increases the blood level of BDNF. Although decreased plasma BDNF levels have been found in many other disorders, there is some evidence that BDNF is involved in the ca use of depression and the mechanism of action of antidepressants. Major depression may also be caused in part by an overactive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) that is similar to the neuro-endocrine response to stress. Investigations reveal increased levels of the hormone cortisol and enlarged pituitary and adrenal glands, suggesting disturbances of the endocrine system may play a role in some psychiatric disorders, including major depression. Oversecretion of corticotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus is thought to drive this, and is implicated in the cognitive and arousal symptoms. Depression may be related to the same brain mechanisms that control the cycles of sleep and wakefulness.Depression may be related to abnormalities in the circadian rhythm, or biological clock. For example, the REM stage of sleep, the one in which dreaming occurs, may be quick to arrive and intense in depressed people. REM sleep depends on decreased serotonin levels in the brain stem, and is impaired by compounds, such as antidepressants, that increase serotoninergic tone in brain stem structures. Overall, the serotonergic system is least active during sleep and most active during wakefulness. Prolonged wakefulness due to sleep deprivation activates serotonergic neurons, leading to processes similar to the therapeutic effect of antidepressants, such as the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Depressed individuals can exhibit a significant lift in mood after a night of sleep deprivation. SSRIs may directly depend on the increase of central serotonergic neurotransmission fo r their therapeutic effect, the same system that impacts cycles of sleep and wakefulness. Research on the effects of light therapy on treating seasonal affective disorder suggests that light deprivation is related to decreased activity in the serotonergic system and to abnormalities in the sleep cycle, particularly insomnia. Exposure to light also targets the serotonergic system, providing more support for the important role this system may play in depression. Sleep deprivation and light therapy both target the same brain neurotransmitter system and brain areas as antidepressant drugs, and are now used clinically to treat depression. Light therapy, sleep deprivation and sleep time displacement (sleep phase advance therapy) are being used in combination quickly to interrupt a deep depression in hospitalized patients. The hormone estrogen has been implicated in depressive disorders due to the increase in risk of depressive episodes after puberty, the antenatal period, and reduced rates after menopause. Conversely, the premenstrual and postpartum periods of low estrogen levels are also associated with increased risk. The use of estrogen has been under-researched, and although some small trials show promise in its use to prevent or treat depression, the evidence for its effectiveness is not strong. Estrogen replacement therapy has been shown to be beneficial in improving mood in perimenopause, but it is unclear if it is merely the menopausal symptoms that are being reversed. Other research has explored potential roles of molecules necessary for overall cellular functioning: cytokines and essential nutrients. The symptoms of major depressive disorder are nearly identical to those of sickness behavior, the response of the body when the immune system is fighting an infection. This raises the possility that depression can result from a maladaptive manifestation of sickness behavior as a result of abnormalities in circulating cytokines. Deficiencies in certain essential dietary nutrients, particularly vitamin B12 and folic acid, have been associated with depression; other agents such as the elements copper and magnesium, and vitamin A have also been implicated. Prevention A 2008 meta-analysis found that behavioral interventions, such as interpersonal therapy, are effective at preventing new onset depression. Because such interventions appear to be most effective when delivered to individuals or small groups, it has been suggested that they may be able to reach their large target audience most efficiently through the Internet. However, an earlier meta-analysis found preventive programs with a competence-enhancing component to be superior to behaviorally oriented programs overall, and found behavioral programs to be particularly unhelpful for older people, for whom social support programs were uniquely beneficial. Additionally, the programs that best prevented depression comprised more than eight sessions, each lasting between 60 and 90 minutes; were provided by a combination of lay and professional workers; had a high-quality research design; reported attrition rates; and had a well-defined intervention. The Coping with Depression course (CWD) is claim ed to be the most successful of psychoeducational interventions for the treatment and prevention of depression (both for its adaptability to various populations and its results), with a risk reduction of 38% in major depression and an efficacy as a treatment comparing favorably to other psychotherapies. References http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depressive_disorder#Prevention

A Film Analysis Of An Inconvenient Truth Politics Essay

A Film Analysis Of An Inconvenient Truth Politics Essay The film chosen for the analysis is An Inconvenient Truth. This is a documentary film made in 2006, directed by Davis Guggenheim and presented by Al Gore, the former Vice-President of USA and a US presidential Candidate. The film deals about global warming and climate change and it presents and explains to the public a crisis that impacts and will impact us all. This film, although not a Canadian production, was chosen for several reasons. First climate change and global warming is a global issue, affecting all people on Earth, regardless of their nationality, religion or social status. It is also a Canadian issue because Canada is a part of this global community but it also a Canadian issue because of very specific environment in the north of this country. Also, Canada is one of the biggest polluters in the world and is ranked amongst the dirty dozen: the twelve biggest producers of greenhouse gases. Second, climate change has in the last couple of years become a very important poli tical issue. The issue of global warming and other environmental issues have been widely discussed in the Canadian press while the politicians have been increasingly debating this topic. Since the public awareness about the climate change has grown (partly because of this film!), Canadian voters have made the environment a very important, if not the most important issue in deciding which party to vote for. Third, climate change and global warming have been in the center of media attention because of Canadas recent withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol. Also the Conservative governments decision to develop a national plan for the reduction of the greenhouse emissions (instead of joining the international effort) additionally raised public attention Stephen Harpers government claims that the Kyoto commitment would be too disruptive to Canadas economy, and hence the change. Finally, the global warming theorists have responded to the documentary with their counter argument; some are good, and others are weak. The proposal of this essay is to attempt to present both sides; what is presented in the film documentary, how it is debunked by supporters of the global warming theory, and what information presented in the documentary and in the response can be debunked; and what is left after the debunking. What science remains after applying science to both arguments? The film follows Al Gores lectures to mass audiences on global warming and climate change. As Mr. Gore states himself, he has given the lecture a thousand times in cities all over the world. To an average person a retired politician giving a lecture on a complex science issue may seem like something that one would probably sleep through. Yet, Gore is very passionate on the subject; the lecture is very well conceived, prepared and presented. In the film the lecture is combined with dramatic images and facts thus giving it a feeling like a good action movie. Gore is eloquent, funny and entertaining. The facts are presented in a very simple yet extraordinarily effective manner. The lecture as well as the film is most likely aimed at people who know little about this issue. However, even those who believe to know a lot may still be in for several surprises. For example, I was shocked to find out that US cars couldnt be sold in China since they do not meet the Chinese environmental standa rds! In fact, Chinese mileage standards are better than the mileage standards in Canada. An Inconvenient Truth is an excellent film, primarily because it manages to get its message across. For the first time, global warming has become a mainstream issue and everybody is talking about it. Even those who criticize the film and call it a lie are nevertheless thinking about it and acting on it. The issues of global warming, climate change and their relationship with the increase of greenhouse gases are not new. In fact as Mr. Gore states in the film, the evidence that there is an increase in CO2 levels in the global atmosphere has been around since the early 1960s. Despite this fact a controversy around this issue arose in past decades. Some sources claimed that the increase in the concentration of green house gases is not a product of human activity at all but is rather a natural process. However, this controversy was not created by the scientific community. There is no doubt amongst scientists that the current global warming is caused by human activities. They have also pr esented a range of effects that we can expect to occur. The controversy is a political creation perpetrated by popular press. As Mr. Gore eloquently tells us, there is no controversy about these facts. Out of 925 recent articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals about global warming, 0% said that that the causes of global warming are uncertain. The success and the impact of the film can be attributed to many dramatic images that are used to show the effects of global warming and which the creators use to punctuate the facts they are presenting. A good example is a photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, Africa. The film begins and ends with image of the Earth, landscapes, seas, lakes and sunsets. The first photo is from the 1970 and then several follow up until 2005. Each show an increasing and alarming reduction of snow and ice at the peak of the mountain with the progression of time. On the last photograph there is hardly any snow. The emotional impact is heightened with dramatic images of New Orleans after the hurricane Katrina. The hurricane was directly linked to climate change and global warming because one of the effects of global warming are more severe storms. Another segment which was chosen to touch US viewers was the one in which Mr. Gore discusses the fate of certain low-lying regions in the worst-case event of melted icecaps raising the sea-level by twenty some feet. The film does a nice job also of giving some perspective to Mr. Gores passion. He talks openly and emotionally about his son being hit by a car at the age of six, and how thinking he was going to lose his beloved child made him reconsider his priorities and what he was doing with his life. The emotion of two other events in Mr. Gores life and how they inspired his environmental activism also come across in the film: his defeat in Florida to Bush, the death of his sister, a lifelong smoker, from lung cancer and the fact that his family farmed tobacco and didnt stop until after her death. However, these are very briefly covered but still are an important piece of the story. Furthermore, Mr. Gores presentation is very straightforward, simple and precise. He gives it flavour by adding jokes, literary quotes and by using a sleek, savvy and sophisticated power-point slide show. These details make up for the lack of literally any other person addressing the audience. Al Gore and the makers of this film go to great lengths to emphasize that the problem of global warming and the issues related to climate change as well as the urgency of the need to do something about it should not be political issues. To Mr. Gore this issue is so important and the potential consequences so dire that it is necessary to put aside all political differences and to go beyond politics. Yet in the film, the authors cannot help but criticize the Republican Party for their attitude towards the environment. The scenes in New Orleans after Katrina link the consequences of the current US Administrations lack of action against global warming with the Administrations failure to act and help the people of New Orleans after the hurricane. There is a scene in which two Republican Presidents are commenting on global warming as a non-issue, an attitude that seems ridiculous at best. To Mr. Gore global warming and its consequence go beyond politics and borders: it is a moral issue. If we do not do something to stop it we will be acting unethically. Nevertheless, he does not steer clear of politics. He compares our current attitude of doing almost nothing against global warming to the attitude of world powers in the 1930s while the Nazi were rising to power in Germany. Although it should not be a political issue because global warming is a fact and not an opinion or one partly or the other, nevertheless it is clear that it is now exactly a political issue. People are divided amongst two groups. In the first group are those who agree that global warming is taking place, that it is caused by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and that it is causing dire consequences. In the second group are those who believe that the current global warming is a natural occurrence and that it is not caused by human activity and that therefore nothing needs to be done about it. The first group are usually liberal, environmentalists; the second group are people in the oil and automobile industry, conservatives, Republicans. Hence, in this way global warming and problems surrounding it actually become a political issue. Mr. Gore states in the documentary that he wants to reach as many people as possible one city at a time. However it is more likely that p eople who share views with him will be the ones that will watch the film. Those who oppose them, will not want to see it. Yet the film will also reach those that are undecided or more importantly know little or nothing about global warming. Some may know a little bit about global warming but be unaware of the far-reaching consequences it may have on the global climate. It is these people that the movie is targeting. The main message of the first movie is that global warming is real and is happening, that humans play a significant role in what is happening, and if we continue to neglect what is happening the future could bring catastrophe on a global scale. What Mr. Gore and the authors of the film are doing is simply offering up the growing mountain of scientific evidence that backs this argument to as many people as possible in a simple and approachable fashion. The idea of the film, much like the idea behind Mr. Gores lectures is to inform as many ordinary people as possible. Global warming has become a political issue, although as Mr. Gore argues it is an issue that goes beyond politics. The political aspect cannot be ignored particularly because of Mr. Gore political history and because the USA is currently all but ignoring the topic of global warming. The film documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle (2007), by director Martin Durkin, features some of the worlds and certainly the United States most highly credible and respected scientists in a discussion on global warming. The scientists are taking the position that global warming is occurring, but that it is more scientifically seen as the natural forces of nature as opposed to the man-made greenhouse gasses or CO2 put into the atmosphere by mankind. Their argument about global warming as a natural occurrence is compelling, and convincing. At the foundation of this argument, which has garnered great support, including celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, and political force, like former Vice President Al Gore who has made a film about mans abuse of fossil fuels; is the notion that global warming is bringing about climate change that is responsible for everything from the melting of the icebergs at the north pole, to tidal waves and hurricanes (Gore, A., An Inconvenient Truth, 2006, motion-picture). In response to the allegations that mankind and, especially, that CO2 regardless of who put it into the air; mankind, plants, the residual of the decaying plant and life processes. A group of scientists, including highly respected Professor Tim Ball, of the University of Winnipeg; Professor Niv Shaviv, University of Jerusalem; Professor Ian Clark, University of Ottawa; Professor John Christy of the University of Alabama and lead author International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Professor Philip Stott, University of London; Professor Richard Lindzen, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and others from Harvard and other highly respected universities around the world. Have come together on film, loaded with scientific information which, if it does not refute mankinds responsibility for global warming, at least demonstrates that there is a lack of scientific evidence to support that contention. Because it is highly controversial, and because these scientists have taken the unpopular position of anti-CO2; they have now been called names like heretic and have even been the subjects of death threats because of their outspokenness. It is not, they emphasize, to be unpopular to contrary to a popular notion, but to refute bad science, they say, that they come together in this way to present the other side, the scientific side, of global warming that is not found in Al Gores very popular film on mankind generated global warming, An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Anytime a cause has the huge special interest of the environmentalists, responsible for preventing exploitation of fossil fuels in the pristine Alaskan range; and add to that mix the celebrity of Hollywood and the political clout of the man from whom the 2000 presidential election was stolen from, Al Gore, then you have an emotional, but highly powered, or fueled, group of advocates. It is not that their goal of alternative fuels is not an admirable goal; only, contend the scientists of The Great Global Warming Swindle, that it is, at best, bad science, and, at worst, responsible for keeping the third world nations in the dark because of their support and influence in preventing development or industrialization in third world nations. Carbon dioxide, the scientists of The Great Global Warming Swindle, contend, has always had a fluctuating presence in the earths atmosphere, and that it is a relatively small amount in the atmosphere. The data, they contend, shows that there is a surface warming of a slight level, but no atmospheric warming. The recent warming of the earth, they contend, happened in the early part of the 20th century, and, if the CO2 theory were valid, it would be reflected in the data that shows that the most significant increase in human generated CO2. Professor Ian Clark has examined ice samples going back thousands of years, but that link between CO2 and the weather, but that the CO2 levels lag behind the temperature increase by 800 years. So when the temperature rises, behind it, consistent with historical data, the CO2 rises. The most fundamental assumption of climate changes because of CO2 is proven wrong, the scientists say. In fact, that the CO2 increases in the atmosphere is more easily proven scientifically to be consistent with global cooling, than global warming. Other natural bodies, like the oceans, are the source of CO2 than is the modern technology of mankind.The scientists say that the global warming, now, is a result of coming out of a mini-ice age, and that during that time, which predates modern civilization, the temperatures were much cooler than those times going back to the little medieval period, when in fact the temperatures were much higher than temperatures today, and during a period when mankind could not have had any responsibility for putting CO2 into the atmosphere. It is not, these scientists contend, CO2 that drives climate change. They do agree that climate change is occurring, that the global warming is occurring; but that it is more related to the activity of the sun, solar flares, solar winds that pass close to the earth, than mankinds generating CO2 into the atmosphere. It is important to understand that these scientists do not disagree that there is a need to find alternative fuel sources, or that environmental conscientiousness is a good thing; they do, however, adamantly maintain that they cannot stand back as scientists and allow to be put out as fact and good science, when in fact it is not.

Steven Spielberg :: Essays Papers

Steven Spielberg Steven Spielberg is an American motion-picture director, producer and executive, who has achieved great commercial success and is among the most popular film-makers of the late 20th Century. Spielberg made his first film at the age of 12. In 1969, his short film â€Å"Amblin† came to the attention of Universal Pictures and he signed a seven-year contract with them. His earliest commercial efforts were television movies, which included the f m â€Å"Duel† made in 1971, and which gained him wider recognition. In 1975 Spielberg made the film â€Å"Jaws†, a thriller based on Peter Benchley’s novel about a great white shark. â€Å"Jaws† proved to be a tremendous success and quickly established Spielberg’s reputation and fame. After this, with only few exceptions, almost every motion picture that Spielberg has handled has become a box-office hit, and he has been increasingly regarded as a film-maker of genuine artistic ability. Subsequent films have included â€Å" Close Encounters of the Third Kind†(1977), â€Å"1941†(1979), â€Å"Raiders of the Lost Ark†(1981) and it’s sequels: â€Å"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom†(1984) and â€Å"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade(1989), also â€Å"E.T.† (1982) which has been said to have been his greatest achievement, â€Å"The Color Purple† (1985), â€Å"Empire of the Sun†(1987), â€Å"Always†(1989) and â€Å"Hook†(1991). In 1993 Spielberg released two films that had tremendous commercial and artistic impact. â€Å"Jurassic Park† featuring computer-createad dinosaurs, which within four weeks of it’s release became the top-grossing motion picture up to that time. He als released â€Å"Schindlers List†, an epic of the Holocaust, this proved him to be a director of grear power and sensitivity, he received an academy award for best director and best picture. In 1987 he had received the Irving Thalberg Award. In 1994, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, Spielberg formed a new studio, Dreamworks SKG, they also annouced the formation of a creative partnership with Microsoft Corporation - Dreamworks Interactive - to produce interactive games, videos a teaching materials.

Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory Essay example -- Anti Discri

Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory The "2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals" held that those business practices that have had a disparate impact effect on the older workers are now considered to be actionable under one national anti-discrimination law (Hamblett, 2004). The case does reaffirm a second Circuit precedent that had been set but which is at odds with what a majority of federal courts have held. The appeals court supported the idea that a layoff plan had been properly brought under the The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) although the company did not have the intention of discriminating. The case Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory did in fact uphold the jury's findings that employees who are on the older side had lost their jobs through a layoff plan. This discrimination was unintentional. However, the policy did have an impact that was deemed discriminatory and the firm could have reached its goals through a different method that would not effectively discriminate. The reason for the suit had to do with the fact that thirty of thirty-one people who were laid off were over the age of forty. There were 26 plaintiffs who did go to trial while some of the others settled with the company on their own. In the end, the jury awarded plaintiffs a total award of $4.2. The case was appealed and at the time, Knolls argued that the law really does not allow disparate impact claims, citing Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins, 507 U.S. 604 (1993), where a claim involved disparate treatment and what was needed was proof of intentional discrimination. The Court claims that the Ha zen Paper Court had not resolved the appropriate use of ADEA in terms of disparate impact. It was further stated that the decisions to come from other circuits do not necessarily overrule prior cases. The idea that disparate impact claims may not be allowed under ADEA is therefore rejected. It seems that the major issue here is whether or not one can use age as a factor in terms of discrimination when the discrimination was not intentional. If for example it turns out that the people who are laid off are over the age of 40, even though no malicious intent is discovered, it still may be construed as age discrimination. This issue has been somewhat controversial for some time, as most litigants in age discrimination lawsuits realize that they ... ...g went to the fact that even though the business did not purposely discriminate, it did in fact due to a policy that is discriminatory in nature. In other words, the true reason for the firing was directly related to substance abuse. Although the employee was technically not let go due to the abuse specifically, the fact that this occurred in fact is enough to render the policy unfair. I feel that this law provides great value to my workplace as, it protects those who have made mistakes at the workplace due to a disability. In this case it was substance abuse, but the same concept could be applied to other conditions that alter behavior. References Hamblett, M. (2004, August 26). 2nd Circuit: Impact of Employer Acts Grounds for Suit: Court rules on disparate impact theory of recovery. New York Law Journal. Retrieved April 4, 2005 from http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1090180422885 SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES RAYTHEON CO. v. HERNANDEZ: CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT. No. 02—749. Argued October 8, 2003–Decided April 2, 2003. Retrieved April 4, 2005 from http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/02-749.ZS.html

Stereotypes and Stereotyping - Stereotypical Female in Im Your Horse i

A Stereotypical Female in I'm Your Horse in the Night  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Luisa Valenzuela's short story titled "I'm Your Horse in the Night" is a thought provoking piece of literature. The story is written in such a way that the reader must interpret what is meant by what is being said. Although it is easy to go into depth when describing the elements of this piece, the storyline is rather simple. The story contains an assortment of characters; with those characters being Chiquita, Beto, Andres, and several policemen. The time and location are unknown. The telephone tells us that the time period is of somewhat modern times, and the Spanish ethnicity would most likely relate to the setting being that of a Spanish colonization. The narration of the story is first person persona told by Chiquita throughout. Aside from the geographic location of the setting, it is the home of a woman who lives on her own. She is in love with a man who she calls Beto. The woman hasn't heard from Beto in months, but she practically fantasizes about him every night. One morning she is awaken by   a mysterious phone call. She thought it was a man she calls Andres, but then the man hangs up and she is left hearing that Beto is dead. Chiquita called the police. They showed up only to harass her and tear apart her house, asking questions about Beto, which Chiquita was unable to answer. The police conclude their search by taking Chiquita to jail. She is left to ponder what is going on with Beto, the man she loved. The short story summarized above illustrates the common stereotypical theme of a female wanting to be loved by a man who in turn only wants the woman for her sex. The characters in this short story would have to be... ...ng and complexities, making it into a complete literary piece. Certain areas of the story were open for interpretation, giving the story line more than one path to go by, making it an ambiguity within itself. Every sentence adds to what the reader is able to see and comprehend as far as this particular story goes. Overall the theme is clearly that of a female simply wanting to be loved, and a male wanting sexual pleasure. This piece just glorifies the common occurrence with the verisimilitude of the main characters making the story come to life for the reader. The main characters within the story are a good example of reality when it comes to seeing the differences between males and females during an event such as this. Valenzuela's story does a good job of taking a common theme, and turning it into an exciting, thought provoking piece to read. Stereotypes and Stereotyping - Stereotypical Female in I'm Your Horse i A Stereotypical Female in I'm Your Horse in the Night  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Luisa Valenzuela's short story titled "I'm Your Horse in the Night" is a thought provoking piece of literature. The story is written in such a way that the reader must interpret what is meant by what is being said. Although it is easy to go into depth when describing the elements of this piece, the storyline is rather simple. The story contains an assortment of characters; with those characters being Chiquita, Beto, Andres, and several policemen. The time and location are unknown. The telephone tells us that the time period is of somewhat modern times, and the Spanish ethnicity would most likely relate to the setting being that of a Spanish colonization. The narration of the story is first person persona told by Chiquita throughout. Aside from the geographic location of the setting, it is the home of a woman who lives on her own. She is in love with a man who she calls Beto. The woman hasn't heard from Beto in months, but she practically fantasizes about him every night. One morning she is awaken by   a mysterious phone call. She thought it was a man she calls Andres, but then the man hangs up and she is left hearing that Beto is dead. Chiquita called the police. They showed up only to harass her and tear apart her house, asking questions about Beto, which Chiquita was unable to answer. The police conclude their search by taking Chiquita to jail. She is left to ponder what is going on with Beto, the man she loved. The short story summarized above illustrates the common stereotypical theme of a female wanting to be loved by a man who in turn only wants the woman for her sex. The characters in this short story would have to be... ...ng and complexities, making it into a complete literary piece. Certain areas of the story were open for interpretation, giving the story line more than one path to go by, making it an ambiguity within itself. Every sentence adds to what the reader is able to see and comprehend as far as this particular story goes. Overall the theme is clearly that of a female simply wanting to be loved, and a male wanting sexual pleasure. This piece just glorifies the common occurrence with the verisimilitude of the main characters making the story come to life for the reader. The main characters within the story are a good example of reality when it comes to seeing the differences between males and females during an event such as this. Valenzuela's story does a good job of taking a common theme, and turning it into an exciting, thought provoking piece to read.

Childhood: The Best Phase in Life Essay

If there exists only one truth in this world than it’s the fact that there are no days like childhood. Childhood is the best phase of everyone’s life. The good thing about those days is we are immature. Immature to truly understand the world, immature to understand relationships. Perhaps one chocolate is more than enough to make someone our friend. When some one asks us to choose between a hundred rupee note and few iron coins, the child in us shall always choose the iron coins. We have been given extraordinary power of weeping that is sufficient to melt anyone’s heart. I was the naughtiest child anyone can ever imagine. I had been a reason of irritation for many of my relatives and neighbours. This post of mine is dedicated to my favorite hobby of that time, The hobby of pressing doorbells. I remember there didn’t exist a single house in my colony which was not a victim of my hobby. The worst of all had to bear by Sharma Uncle, whose door bell got sick of ringing. There were nearly twenty houses between the place my school bus dropped me and my home. There existed a timetable of on which day which houses’s bell need to be rang. But as said by someone that all bad things come to an end one day, so does good that include my hobby. It was an ordinary summer noon. My vacations were going on and I were enjoying the vacations. My father had gone office and I was all alone with my mom in my big and sweet home. My mom asked me to bring wiper from a nearby shop. When I got out, I found that street were all empty without any human soul and the whole universe including the street were convincing me that there caouldn’t be a better time for practical implementation of my wonderful hobby. How could I ignore when the whole universe were wishing something from me. I saw left, I saw right but how stupid I was I wouldn’t seen the straight. Alas! Sharma aunty were coming. The operation was implemented and the bomb had been triggered, my hands had already done something that I wouldn’t forget for next 20-30 years. I had no choice but one i. e. to run. I wished india was the host of Olympics in that year and I was the first one from india to win gold in athletics, but who cares for the dreams of a poor child. The only wish I wished was that she wouldn’t had recognised me, while running, but not every wish is destined for accomplishment. I returned back with that bloody wiper and unlike other time with no chocolates. With the hope that if the case had been tracked and accused were detected than there should be consideration of the fact that that the accused had sacrificed his lovely hocolates. My mom was eagerly waiting for me at the main door of my home and behind were standing the stone hearted Sharma aunty. She opened the gate and then what happened I can’t write it in words. The only thing I remember is I had been again sent for bringing wiper after 2 hours, the old one had got sacrificed and I had gained 2 inches in my dimensions. That was an end of my wonderful hobby but the creation of an everlasting mesmerizing memory. Who said pain doesn’t give us smile..? I’m smiling today remembering the sweet pain that I got on that day

Animal Farm †Man Farm Essay

What if we were all animals instead of humans? The Animal Farm by George Orwell is about animals overthrowing humans so they can live a better life. On the farm the pigs are the smartest. They teach the other animals how to read and write. The pigs also came up with ways to make the animals’ jobs easier. Since the pigs were the smartest they decided to be in charge. Over time the pigs start to adapt to human life. They start wearing clothes and have conversations with humans. Once the farmer is gone the animals have to adapt to human society. To survive the pigs have to adapt to a more human life. The pigs are smart. â€Å"They explained that by their studies of the past three months the pigs had succeeded in reducing the principles of animalism into seven commandments.† (p. 24 Orwell) just like the animals humans have the Ten Commandments. These commandments lead to law and order for the land. Further more they have their own national anthem. â€Å"It is called Beast Of England.† (p. 12 Orwell) The Star Spangled Banner is the national anthem for the humans. The animals are able to come up with many things that are thought of as human things. There are more common ground between animals and humans. Besides written things the animals have also come up with new inventions. They want to make a windmill to save energy. â€Å"Snowball’s plans for the windmill were fully worked out. The mechanical details came from mostly three books which had belonged to Mr. Jones.† (p. 49 Orwell) The pigs could read very well that how they got so many crazy ideas like the windmill. They got into many â€Å"battles† with the other farmer, hence their new system of awards. â€Å"’Animal Hero, First Class,’ which was conferred there and then to Snowball and Boxer. It consisted of a brass medal† (p. 44 Orwell) Award ceremonies like these are like ceremonies for the people who serve in the army. Just when you think there are not any more similarities there are more. The pigs began looking through Mr. Jone’s house and they found some of his old stuff. â€Å"have the privilege of wearing green ribbons on their tails on Sundays.† (p. 114 Orwell) The pigs are breaking on of the commandments. They are never to wear clothes. They didn’t just break one rule; they broke many. â€Å"And the news leaked out that every pig was receiving a ration of a pint of beer daily,† (p. 115 Orwell) The animals aren’t suppose to drink beer, but Napolean has been changing the rules himself. Napolean changes the rules every time he breaks them. The Animal Farm is a fable. It is a satirical allegory of Soviet totalitarianism. The animals chase away the farmer because they want a better life. Later, they realize that life ruled by the pigs is worse. They pigs start to treat the other animals like slaves.

The Impact of Scale on Francesco Borromini’s Sac Carlo Alle

San Carlo Quattro Fontane, known in popular speech as â€Å"San Carlino’ in reference to its small size, is Roman Catholic Church built between 1638- 1648 by an Architect named Francesco Borromini from Ticino, precursor to the modern day Switzerland. San Carlo Quattro Fontane is located in Rome, Italy on the crossing of Strada Felice and Via Pia was built originally for the Spanish Trinitarians as an extension of their already existing monastery .San Carlo alle Quattro Fontanne is often considered Borromini’s most iconic masterpiece of Baroque architecture for his signature use of undulating surfaces, pure mathematical forms and conforming geometrical shaping. San Carlo is significantly small given the magnitude of baroque constructed during Borromini’s time however does this hinder San Carlo’s architectural effect and impact as a classified baroque form of architecture? Francesco Borromini was a stone mason by trade and started off as a stone mason in hi s early career.Under directions of his father, he was sent to Milan for perfecting his skills in stone cutting when he was introduced to the craft of architecture before moving to Rome in the early 1600’s and started work for his distant relative and architect, Carlo Maderno. Only after Maderno’s death did Borromini became acquainted with the great Gian Bernini. Bernini became Borromini’s great friend and colleague as they worked on projects such Maderno’s Palazzo Barberini and the Baldachin in Saint Peter’s Cathedral.Bernini was impressed with Borromini’s novel formulation of architectural detail, something he has greatly perfected as a stonemason. The pair would become prime influences of the Italian baroque movement in Rome of the 1600s in advance of Pope Sixtus V ‘s â€Å"Roma in forma sideris† plan of Rome. Unlike Bernini’s character traits of being able to please aristocratic and the powerful, Borromini was a lonely , withdrawn man who looked to become an independent architect who prided himself on his specialized training and gained the most modest degree of recognition.As a Result Borromini began to part ways, both stylistically and personally, with Bernini and set about finding his own projects. On Borromini’s later works, Bernini criticized Borromini in abandoning the anthropomorphic nature in building design. At the time it was argued that building proportions should be derived from the proportion of the body of a man, the proportions of the Vitruvian man (as seen below), as it was argued that the proportions of the man was modeled in the image of God.Boromini however believed in the science of mathematics and how the idea of geometry and nature being inseparably connected, much like what Gallaleo wrote about, and he tries to bring light and shape to the fore of his style. After being commissioned by the Cardinal Francesco Barberini of the Spanish Trinitarians, Borromini’s fi rst independent commission, Borromini departs from the orthodox interpretations of antiquity and takes up his own style in reference to his ideals on geometry and mathematical proportions. As a result of Borromini’s freedom to create in the image of his ideals, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane has elements of unparalleled spatial complexity and Curvilinear Facades. The entire exterior facade of the church is an example of Borromini’s predilection for convex and concave forms which creates an undulating surface which transforms the movement of the facade from static to highly dynamic, or as observers would observe, almost like a wave.In addition to the curvilinear form the front of the church, the front facade is divided into two stories by projecting cornices and laterally divided by four ionic columns with capitals. The main body of the church is an undulating ovular shape with a ovular dome and a lantern on top of it to let light into the body, just like oculus in the pantheon. However the basic concept of the plan does not derive from an oval but from the main theme of the order of religion, The Spanish Trinitarians, which believes in the holy trinity.The plan and direction of the church is orientated based on the diagram below where the holy trinity, symbolized as the triangle is put back to back to form a diamond shape. This diamond shape is then inscribed on the outside making an oval shape, the shape of the main body of the church. Within this oval shape two circles are drawn and from those circles lines can be drawn from one point to another from the church and thus making those lines the direction of the architecture . The interior of the church can be vertically divided into three principal arts of the lower order at ground level, the transition zone of the pendentives and the ovular dome with it’s oval shaped lantern. Dividing the lower part of the church to the upper part is again the occurrence of undulating lines above the ioni c columns which envelop the lower part of the church. The ovular dome shape is made of interconnected squares, crosses, hexagons and octagons which diminish in size as they rise up towards the oval shaped lantern which allows natural light to pass in and dramatize the all white interior of the church.The scale of the church is relatively small compared to the monumental likes of grand architecture such as the Piazza di San Pietro by Bernini, as it was noted that the size of the San Carlo Church can fit in the one of the dome columns at Saint Peter’s basilica However Borromini exploration with small buildings on complicated ground planes which presented, often, irregular spaces, led to a new form of architectural expression which was extremely radical at the time.His ability to maintain architectural unity with the use of curvilinear of both the interior and exterior of the church, along with the mixture of classical components from ancient Greece, highlights the significance of the San Carlino Church as a new form which broke away from the contemporary architecture which mainly derived from Vitruvius’ ideals, seen widely expressed during that time period.However such a radical change in contemporary architecture at the time was too radical and Borromini’s work was met with critical harshness. Due to his poor critical response from art and architecture critiques at the time, he received very little acclaim during his life and consequently didn’t receive as many opportunities to create such as the likes of his old colleague Bernini and often worked for religious orders rather than the papal church.Thus arriving at my opinion that if Borromini was given the chance to design on a much larger scale for example the papal church, his architectural forms and thinking would have been taken more serious and thought about more and would have no doubt had greater influences on architecture which preceded it. Due to the lack of funding of his pr ojects, the scale of San Carlo all Quattro Fontane was extremely small yet it was packed with such elegance and adorned with such detail. In my opinion if improvements could be made, the location and the scale of the church could’ve further highlighted the architectural genius of Borromini.

Book Review: Trashing the Planet by Dixy Lee Ray Essay

In Trashing the Planet, Dixy Lee Ray marshals the evidence of knowledge to perforate the fragile hot air balloons of the global warming, ozone reduction, and acid rain theorists. With scientific facts and sound philosophy she also demolished the nonsensical arguments behind the hysterical crusades against pesticides, alar, dioxin, PCBs, radon, asbestos, and nuclear power. Few of us have escaped the green propaganda onslaught unscathed; virtually everyone has been victimized with needless worries over alleged dangers lurking in the most common and benign substances in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Few of us have the academic background, the access to the scientific data, and the time to investigate the validity of the continuous outpouring of environmental doomsday scenarios. Ray covers a wide range of environmental topics, including acid rain, the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion, pesticides, etc. She attempts to use available scientific data to â€Å"clarify environmental issues, to separate facts from factoids, to unmask the doom-crying opponents of all progress, and to re-establish a sense of reason and balance with respect to the environment and modern technology.† (Merline, 14) In the course of this exercise, several interesting facts are presented, among them (Merline, 2001): The amount of ultraviolet radiation reaching the earth has decreased since 1974, contrary to what one would expect if the earth’s protective ozone layer (which filters out most of the sun’s ultraviolet rays) has been depleted from the use of chlorofluorocarbons.    Several known carcinogens, such as arsenic, cadmium, and chromium, are found naturally in human cells. As Ray argues, â€Å"it is the dose–the size or amount of exposure [to carcinogens]–that is important.† (Lee Ray, pg. 58) In addition, 11% of the radiation we are exposed to comes from our own bodies. A total of 82% of our exposure to radiation comes from natural sources, including radon, cosmic rays, elements in the earth, etc. The remaining 18% comes from man-made sources such as medical X-rays (11%), nuclear medicine (4%), consumer products (3%). All other sources, including nuclear power, account for less than 1% of our exposure to radiation. (Lee Ray, 1991)    Concerning radon gas, Ray notes that energy conservation as urged by the U.S. government will approximately double the number of cancer deaths due to exposure to radon gas, because â€Å"sealing up a home for the purpose of energy conservation inevitably leads to higher levels of indoor radon.† (Lee Ray, pg. 69) Yet despite this, no warnings have been issued about the dangers of this form of energy conservation. In fact, as Ray points out, â€Å"our government has actively promoted energy-efficient homes with everything from do-it-yourself literature to tax breaks for insulating your home.† (Lee Ray, pg. 78) Ray’s three assertions-that ozone would be produced in the lower atmosphere regardless of human activity, that it is produced by the interaction of sunlight and hydrocarbons, and that those hydrocarbons are largely produced by plants-are, respectively, a technical truth hiding a falsehood, a sloppily garbled half-truth, and a bit of these two mixed with an outright lie. Specifically, sea-level ozone is formed when sunlight splits nitrogen dioxide into nitric oxide and atomic oxygen. The atomic oxygen reacts with molecular oxygen to form ozone. Now it is technically true that, in nature, oxides of nitrogen are produced by certain bacteria, forest fires, and lightning, so that a small amount of sea-level ozone would indeed be produced in the absence of human activity. However, the main source of oxides of nitrogen in southern California is combustion: nitrogen combining with oxygen at high temperatures. So whether it’s from gas water, heaters and ovens, coal-fired power plants, or automobiles, most of the nitrogen dioxide in the air-and, thus, most of the sea-level ozone-is directly produced by human beings. (Lee Ray, 1991) As for Ray’s second claim, hydrocarbons contribute to increasing the level of ozone in smog by a very indirect route. Ozone in the lower atmosphere often reacts with water to form hydroxyl radicals. These hydroxyl radicals will either react with impurities in the air to break them down or react at night with nitrogen dioxide to form nitric acid, which is either washed out of the atmosphere by rain or broken down by sunlight the next day into hydroxyl radicals, nitric oxide, and atomic oxygen (Merline, 2001). In L.A. smog, the soupy mix of unburned and partially burned hydrocarbons reacts with hydroxyl radicals and oxygen to form organic peroxides. These, in turn, react with nitric oxide to form nitrogen dioxide. By generating even more nitrogen dioxide than was produced by combustion, these peroxides contribute more of the source material that sunlight will turn into ozone (Lee Ray, 1991). Thus, the ozone level goes up when hydrocarbons are added to the soup, but ozone is not created by a simple interaction between sunlight and hydrocarbons, as Dr. Ray asserted. As for Ray’s third claim-that hydrocarbons come from trees-here she was particularly devious. Her characterization of hydrocarbons as those wonderful things that you smell coming off pine trees is technically correct to the degree that the terpenes, which are indeed given off by trees, are a family of hydrocarbons. (One of these terpenes is pinene, which gives pine trees their pleasant smell; terpenes also react with oxygen and ozone to form a bluish haze in forested areas.) However, hydrocarbons comprise a huge family of compounds, encompassing everything from methane (natural gas) to such plastics as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene (Styrofoam) (Lee Ray, 1991). Just as the hydrocarbons in smog are not from Styrofoam, neither are they from trees; they are, in fact, unburned gasoline vapors-compounds such as ethane and ethylene. Moreover, pinene reacts with ozone to form pinol, which combines with water to form a hydrate that has a melting point higher than the boiling point of water. (Merline, 2001) As for my assertion to the thoughts developed by Dixy Ray that acid rain releases plant nutrients and is thus beneficial to forests, this is a sterling example of twisting the truth. The acidity of rain does, indeed, break down silicates and oxides, converting them to clay and sandy soils, and releasing ions of such beneficial metallic elements as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese in the process. However, when the rain is too acidic, it not only burns the leaves of trees but can also release aluminum ions, which are toxic to fish, into rivers and lakes. Much of the concern voiced by environmentalists stems from a belief that technological advances are fouling our nest. The author takes pains to point out that technology often improves our environment, making it safer and cleaner for humans to live in. One example is with food irradiation. Deemed harmless by several heath groups, including the World Health Organization, irradiation helps to eliminate microorganisms that can cause food spoilage. Despite the obvious benefits to consumers from low spoilage rates, many consumer groups have fought irradiation for health reasons. References Lee Ray, Dixy (with Lou Guzzo). 1991. Trashing the Planet: How Science Can Help Us Deal With Acid Rain, Depletion of the Ozone Layer, and Nuclear Waste (Among Other Things). Regnery Gateway. Retrieved on October 6, 2006. Merline, J.W. 2001. Trashing the planet. Consumers’ Research Magazine. Retrieved on October 6, 2006.

Global warming Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Global warming - Research Paper Example The author has rightly presented that global warming refers to climate change that represents an increase in the average temperature of the Earth. It is defined as â€Å"increase in the earth’s atmospheric and oceanic temperatures widely predicted to occur due to an increase in the Greenhouse Effect caused especially by pollution†. The definition explains the climate change, which is increase in average temperature of the planet. The climate change is linked with the Greenhouse Effect. The effect will be discussed in detail later, but the major element causing the effect is the amount of greenhouse gases present in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is the major component of the greenhouse gases. Therefore, a link can be drawn between climate change and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This relation was first discovered in a study explaining the Ice Ages. The outcome of the study suggested that the lower level of carbon dioxide gas might explain the Ice Ages. The major contributing scientists in establishing this relationship and predicting global warming were Arrhenius and Chamberlin. Arrhenius was the first to calculate the magnitude of the effect on global temperature in 1896 and bought up the possibility of future warming. The calculations were done mainly to explain Ice Ages and the possibility of global warming was not stressed upon. Furthermore, the idea was not widely accepted by scientists. This idea was revived in 1938, but was not widely accepted till early 1960s. ... It is, therefore, important that we know the cost of our lifestyle and the direction we are heading towards. 1.2 The issue is of prime importance as it relates to our home, earth. The degradation of the environment will ultimately affect us or our next generations in particular. The magnitude of the effect is increasing at an alarming rate and its consequences are beyond our wildest imagination. The issue came into limelight with rising sea level and in particular the melting of the polar caps. As we discover more we realize its importance. Every system on earth is interlinked and its consequences are widespread. Currently, the measures taken are inadequate and not at an international level. Any change in atmosphere or our environment affects complete earth and we all become sufferers for our collective actions. The world needs to unite to solve this issue and an international policy must be made to fight against global warming. Survival has always been the most important priority fo r any living organisms. The issue relates to the survival of our kind, but it is not given due importance which it deserves. 1.3 Without the atmosphere, the earth would be much colder, when related to the distance of our planet from the sun (Postma 2). In simple, earth is much warmer than it should be because of its atmosphere. It was first discovered by Tyndall in 1859 that gases can trap heat rays (Reville 1). The most important of these was simple water vapor. Carbon dioxide, though in very less quantity was also found to be very effective. This effect was later called â€Å"Greenhouse Effect†. The question arises; is Greenhouse Effect the main cause for global warming? This question forms the basis for this research paper and after

Treaty of Versailles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Treaty of Versailles - Essay Example The Elbe, the Oder, the Niemen and the Danube were declared as free international routes.The Versailles-Washington system has created a lot of large and small problems, which together led to war. So, East Prussia was cut off from the rest of Germany and had no train and motorway connections with it. The separate existence of the city of Danzig did not satisfy either Poland or Germany (German population totally prevailed in the city). USSR lost almost all bases of the Baltic Fleet. The Soviet fleet could be based only in Leningrad after the Treaty.Germany was unable to pay huge reparations to the Western countries. This was the reason why the French army occupied the Ruhr in 1923, which was the most developed industrial region of Germany. 10% of the German population lived in the Ruhr. It produced 40% of steel, 70% iron and 88% of coal were mined there. Occupation of the Ruhr only exacerbated the economic crisis in Germany.Many problems were not resolved during the Versailles Conferen ce and after signing the Treaty. The new treaties were called to deal with the unsolved challenges: Treaty of St. Germain(1919), which established the current borders of Austria; Treaty of Trianon (1920) of the victorious nations and Hungary; Washington Naval Conference (1921-1922), etc.The direct consequences of the Great War and the Treaty of Versailles were so-called small wars: Romania and Serbia against the Hungarian Soviet Republic (1919); Greco-Turkish War (1919-1921); Soviet-Polish War (1920).

Journal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 12

Journal - Assignment Example nducted by three institutions jointly, namely New Buildings Institute, Skanska-Sweden and International Living Future Institute is intended at acting as an eye opener to the District taking into consideration its findings and recommendations. Largely, the District’s official perceives the report as essential in the sense that it would greatly enable them to achieve their policy goals based on the study’s presented framework; thus, attain the slashing of the rate of energy used by the District to half of its 2010 consumption in 2032. Subsequently, the study’s report is targeted at enabling the District to obtain data that it can use to back up its green technology projects, starting with the reduction of energy use. According to Bill Updike, who is a specialist in green building in the District Department of the Environment, the District’s history in relation to the uptake of progressive policies in green building has been outstanding and with the new report, the District’s efforts will be aided further in the advancement of the building industry to curtail more invigorating and irrepressible structures. This takes into consideration the key findings of the study that are as described herein. First, the District can be able to make energy consumption savings in new developments it has by about 60% based on the added initial cost of construction by about 1 to 3 percent. Second, there is an increase in the percentage of energy’s efficiency return on investment from about 6% to 12%. This figure may be deemed to rise further to between 33% - 36% should the net-zero energy be modeled through the use of solar power. Third, the study suggests the adoption of advanced measures in the conservation of water with the aim of reducing the consumption of the same and the amount that is lost in storm water runoffs from buildings in the District by about 1% to 3%. Subsequently, the study seeks at enhancing a return on investment rate by 5% to 10% through a further