Global finance

It is common knowledge that the interconnectedness of global financial system carries immense systematic risk that can hinder economic and financial welfare of a global citizen, regardless of its demographic location. Since banks ‘†¦ Provide the oil that lubricates the wheels of commerce†¦ ‘, it is imperative that they have sufficient resources to withstand economic downturns (All 2009, p. 3). This may be the underlying reason why the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision regulates commercial banks of the world and treat them on consolidated basis (Vine and Phillips 2012).Additionally, the committee has proposed new capital adequacy tankard, namely Basel Ill, to compensate for the shortcomings of Basel II. The following are the two interrelated factors that may have led the committee to consider a move from Basel II to Basel Ill. It can be argued that the global financial crisis (SGF) shook the foundation that the global economy was built upon. PAR (2012, p. 3) indicated that the primary reason behind the cause of SGF was disproportionate amount of leverage and ‘†¦ Gradual erosion of level and quality of capital base†¦ ‘ that the banking sectors had accumulated.During the onset of SGF, the holdings of the banks were insufficient to over their losses leaving some of them insolvent. Despite the popular belief, PAR (2012) explicitly claims that ‘Australia was not immune from these impacts'. It is in fact true that Australian banks didn't take on the similar banking activities on a big scale that the US banks undertook, the point still remains that the global economy is interconnected and the lack of consistency, resilience and transparency in international banking system can cause more cataclysmic crisis' (Deed 2011).This may be why the PAR, in compliance with Basel Committee on Banking Supervision has insider a move to Basel Ill with an attempt to minimize or eliminate the impact financial crisis' having on banks . Despite its full introduction in 2008, Basel II has been guiding investment decisions amongst international banks since its publication in 2004 (All 2009). All (2009) claims that regulatory framework of Basel II was the core cause of SGF and thus, Basel II was the catalyst that allowed the banks to take on excessive leverage.According to All (2009, p. 7), the quantitative Impact research (CIA) conducted by the Basel Committee shows that big financial organizations were bled to increase their capital for profitable use as they experienced capital reduction by using the ‘Advanced internal rating-based approach' and their smaller competitors experienced an increase in capital requirements by using standardized approach to calculating capital adequacy.The Committee on Global Financial System (2012) have supported All's claim as they are currently working towards improvement of measures used to provide a fair and equitable approach to capital adequacy measurements. Therefore, ind icating that the impacts of SGF on the global economy s the only factor that led to move from Basel II to Basel Ill does not paint the whole picture as the shortcomings of Basel II has led the unsustainable economic behavior of international commercial banks that gives light to the question – why the SGF happened to begin with. . 2. Basel Ill (650 words) Follow this margin and Justify paragraph 2. 3. Implications of Basel Ill (rewords) Please send me the links/PDF file of all sources used for reference list. Make sure to cite tables used Examples of cross referencing The prudent banking system in Australia was previously noted (Section 2. 1 . 1).

Evidence Based Practice Essay

The following ssion of this assignment attempts to critically appraise the venUS III randomised control trial (RTC) published in the British Medical Journal. As a student/healthcare worker who is new to critical appraisal I am aware that I do not fully understand some of the calculations involved in reporting of findings, however Greenhalgh (2006) argued, ‘all you really need to know is what the best test is to apply in given circumstances, what it does and what might affect its validity/appropriateness’. When caring for patients it is essential that Healthcare Professionals are using current best practice. To determine what this is they must be able to read research, as not all research is of the same quality or standard therefore Healthcare Professionals should not simply take research at face value simply because it has been published (Cullum and Droogan, 1999; Rolit and Beck, 2006). I am completing this assignment to cultivate the skills at enable me to effectively assess the validity of research that may shape my practice. There are numerous tools available to help reviewers to critique research studies (Tanner 2003). I have elected to use the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool. I chose CASP as it is simple, directive and appropriate to quantitative research. The research article had a clear concise and easily understandable title and abstract. Titles should be 10/15 words long and should clearly identify for the reader the purpose of the study (Connell Meehan, 1999). Titles that are too long or too short can be confusing or misleading (Parahoo, 2006). From the abstract the reader should be able to determine if the study is of interest and whether or not to continue reading (Parahoo, 2006). The author(s’) qualifications and job can be a useful indicator into the researcher(s’) knowledge of the area under investigation and ability to ask the appropriate questions (Conkin Dale, 2005). The authors of the venUS III trial were from a range of academic and clinical backgrounds and are considered experts in their fields. The VenUS  III RTC clearly set out its objective to consider the clinical effectiveness of weekly high frequency ultrasound on hard to heal venous leg ulcers, (hard to heal was defined). In cases where participants had more than one venous leg ulcer the largest ulcer would be tracked if ultrasound treatment was allocated this site received the treatment. Outcomes to be considered where clearly outlined and method of measurement/collection defined. The study screened 1488 people with leg ulcers and 337 people became participants (22. %) Participants were randomised and evenly distributed, 168 to ultrasound therapy (dependant variable) plus standard care (experimental group) and 169 to standard care only (control group) This is reported as being the largest trial undertaken on the subject of therapeutic ultrasound for wound healing and earlier studies are referenced in support this statement. The study was cross-sectional, its population was taken from both community and district nur se led services as well as hospital outpatient clinics. The 12 care settings used where taken from both rural and urban settings. A â€Å"good† sample is one that is representative of the population from which it was selected (Gay 1996) Venous leg ulcers rates rise sharply with age with an estimated 1 in 50 people over the age of 80 developing venous leg ulcers (NHS choices 2012). The age of the participants in the study ranged from 20-98 years old, however the median age overall was 71. 85 and the mean age was 69. 44 years old across the study, well below the age range where venous leg ulcers are most seen. The assignment of participant’s treatment was equally randomised: treatment was blindly allocated: 168 to ultrasound therapy plus standard care and 169 to standard care only. Randomisation was conducted by an independent agency (York trials Unit) The lack of attrition bias was a strong positive for the venUS III trial, it had a low loss to follow up rate. The nurses providing treatment where not blind to which treatment had been allocated, this may impact on construct validity as in some cases it is suggested that control subjects are compensated in some way by healthcare staff or family for not receiving research intervention (Barker 2010). Nurses who were blinded were employed to trace the ulcers. Participating patients were not blind to the treatment/s. As one of the measured outcomes was patients perceptions of health, assessed by a questionnaire (SF-12) it is reasonable to conceive that this assessment may have been influenced by the patients awareness of the treatment type they were receiving thus creating the possibility for assessment bias. Construct validity may also be impacted on peoples behaviours as a response to being observed or to the treatment because they believe it will have a positive effect. Barker 2010) Healing date was assessed remotely by independent assessors who where blind to the treatment allocation this guards against assessment bias. Overall both treatment groups were equal in size. Both treatment groups had an almost equal average age of study participants, this is important because inequality in age between the groups would represent a heterogeneous population (Barker 2010). Venous leg ulc eration is more common in woman than men in those below 85 year of age (Moffat 2004) the trial participants had a female majority. Probably the weakest element of the study was the probability of performance bias. Standard care comprised of low adherent dressings and four-layer bandaging that was high compression, reduced compression or no compression depending upon the participant’s tolerance. Any changes to the regime where recorded and where made at the discretion of the treating clinician. Standard care was practiced in accordance with local protocol and could have varied between locations the quality of standard care given may be considered to be a confounding variable. Surveys of reported practice of leg ulcer care by nurses have demonstrated that knowledge often falls far short of that which is ideal (Bell 1994, Moffat 2004, Roe 1994) and that there is a wide variation in the nursing management of people with leg ulcers in the United Kingdom (UK) (Elliot 1996, Moffat 2004, Roe 1994). Large variation in healing rates according to trial centre is a further indicator that standard care is so variable that it potentially affects the reliability of results. No treatment fidelity checks were undertaken and no observation regime beyond usual practice of the treating nurse’s practice was implemented despite nurses being new to ultrasound application. Nurses were deemed competent after one day of training, these nurses where then also considered competent to train other local nurses who would be providing treatment. The ultrasound treatment given during the venous III trial did not give any additional effect on ulcer healing or reoccurrence rate and it did not affect quality of life. As the study only looked at one ultra sound regime extrapolation of the results was not possible, a between-subjects designed study may have provided data that was of further function. Treatment effect was measured precisely; the primary outcome measured was the time that the venous leg ulcer took to heal, this was measured in days and adjustments were made in order to account for baseline ulcer area (larger ulcer would be expected to take longer to heal than smaller ulcers). A fully healed ulcer was clearly defined and the ulcers were photographed every four weeks, at the point of healing and seven days after full healing has occurred, assessment of the ulcer was completed by two blind independent assessors and where required a third assessor was used if outcome was inconclusive. In some cases no photographs were available for patients in this case the treating nurse assessed healing date, no explanation why photographs would not be available is given. 7. 8% of the sample were assessed by an unblinded nurse this presented some risk of assessment bias. The trial also considered how many patients had fully healed ulcers within 12 months. Reduction in ulcer size was measured by area, by a blinded nurse who took acetate traces of the ulcers every four weeks the method of which was considered to be accurate and reliable and its provenance clearly referenced. Quality of life was also measured with a standardised questionnaire (SF-12) which looked at both physical and mental elements. As there is no evidence to support the use of ultrasound therapy in addition to standard treatment therefore no current change in practice is indicated and standard practice should continue. The study reported significant heterogeneity in healing rates among the treatment centres. Centres that treated the most patients produced better healing overall, if there is a correlation between volume of patients treated and positive outcomes this hypothesis has the potential to impact upon the way care is delivered in the future. The trial considered not only medical outcomes but also considered changes in patient quality of life (both physical and mental). Beauchamp and Childress (2001) identify four fundamental moral principles: autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice. Autonomy infers that an individual has the right to freely decide to participate in a research study without fear of coercion and with a full knowledge of what is being investigated. Participants gave written, informed consent and recruiting nurses were trained in consent procedures. Non- maleficence implies an intention of not harming and preventing harm occurring to participants both of a physical and psychological nature (Parahoo 2006). Patients who had a high probability of being harmed if they received the ultrasound where excluded from the trial, the exclusion criteria took into account contraindications. Initially it was planned to exclude those unable to tolerate compression bandaging but after ethical consideration this was removed as these patients were identified as being particularly in need of the chance to benefit from ultrasound therapy. Beneficence is interpreted as the research benefiting the participant and society as a whole (Beauchamp and Childress, 2001). The annual cost to the NHS is estimated at ? 230-400 million (NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, 1997; Bosanquet, 1992; Baker et al. 991) some individual health authorities are spending ? 0. 9m to ? 2. 1 million (Carr et al 1999). There are psychological implications to the patient in that the ulcer increases social isolation through limited mobility, uncontrolled exudate and odour, together with pain (Lindholm et al. 1993; Charles1995). Justice is concerned with all participants being treated as equals and no one group of individuals receiving preferential treatment (Parahoo, 2006). There is no evidence to sugg est that any of the participants were discriminated against. The following section attempts to discuss how evidence based health care enhances health care- looking at the evidence base within health care Evidence-based practice (EBP) is one of the most important developments in decades for the helping professions—including medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, public health, counselling, and all the other health and human service professions (Briggs & Rzepnicki, 2004; Brownson et al. , 2002; Dawes et al. , 1999; Dobson & Craig, 1998a, 1998b; Gilgun, 2005; Roberts & Yeager, 2004; Sackett et al. ,2000). That is because evidence-based practice holds out the hope for practitioners that we can be at least as successful in helping our clients as the current available information on helping allows us to be. Evidence-based health care is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients or the delivery of health services. Current best evidence is up-to-date information from relevant, valid research about the effects of different forms of health care, the potential for harm from exposure to particular agents, the accuracy of diagnostic tests, and the predictive power of prognostic factors

Preventing Juvenile Delinquency Essay

Introduction A major problem in modern day society, of course, is criminals. It is believed by some that some people are born criminals, that they just have a genetic make up to do ‘bad things’, but for those who know better, we know this is nowhere near true. Criminals are formed by their environment, life experiences, and other situational factors. You can have the exact same two individuals and raise them in separate places and although they are genetically and physically the same, they will grow up and mature into totally different individuals because, let’s face it, our environment and society rounds us into the type of people we are. So what needs to be done? It goes without saying that criminals and delinquency needs to be stopped, it ends in thousands of pointless deaths state wide and property damages can reach into the millions. The goal is to specifically find out what breeds a criminal, or a delinquent, and try to alter or deter them from the life they are inevitab ly going to have; A life of crime. ​ Methodology If delinquency is really a rational choice and a routine activity, then delinquency prevention is a matter of three strategies: prevention by convincing potential delinquents that they will severely punished for committing delinquent acts, then they must be punished so severely, that they never want to commit crimes again, or make it so difficult to commit crimes that the potential gain is not worth the risk. The first of these strategies is called general deterrence; the second is specific deterrence, and the third, situational crime prevention. ​General deterrence concept holds that the choice to commit delinquent acts is structured by the threat of punishment. If it believed that kids are going to get away with a crime, they are more likely to commit one. On the other hand, if they believe that their illegal behavior would result in apprehension and severe punishment, then only the truly irrational would commit a crime, the rest would be deterred. The main principle to the general deterrence theory is that the more severe, certain, and swift the punishment is, the greater the  deterrence effect will be. Even though particular crimes have certain punishment, there will be relatively no deterrent if they individuals feel as if they will not get caught. Conversely, even a mild sanction may deter crime if people believe punishment is certain. So if the justice system can convince would-be delinquents that they will get caught for the commission of a crime, they may decide that the risk is not greater than the reward and avoid the illegal act a together. ​One might argue that kids are not deterred by the fear of punishment because juvenile justice is based on the parens patriae philosophy, which mandates that children be treated and not punished. This greatly limits the power of the law to deter juvenile crime. In recent years, the increase in teenage violence, gang activity, and drug abuse promoted a reevaluation of deterrence strategies. Police wisely began to focus on particular problems in their jurisdiction rather than merely reacting after a crime has occurred. In result, po lice are now more willing to use aggressive tactics called drug-busting units. The result of this would be to deter membership in drug trafficking gangs. Juvenile courts also initiated a deterrence strategy. Juvenile court judges have been willing to waive youths to adult courts; prior record may outweigh an offender’s need for services in making this decision. Legislators seem willing to pass more restrictive juvenile codes featuring mandatory incarceration sentences in juvenile facilities, and the number of incarcerated juveniles continues to increase. Adolescents are not even spared capital punishment: the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the use of the death penalty for youths over 16. ​The effectiveness of general deterrence strategies is a topic of considerable debate. A number of studies have contributed data supporting deterrence concepts. Evidence indicates that the threat of police arrest can deter property crimes. Areas of the country in which punishment is more certain seem to have lower delinquent occurrences; the more likely people are to anticipate punishment, the less likely they are to commit crimes. Although the findings are persuasive, there is actually little conclusive evidence that the threat of apprehension and punishment alone can deter crime. More evidence exists that fear of social disapproval and informal pena lties, criticisms, and punishments from parents and friends may actually be the greater deterrent to crime than legal punishments. Because deterrence strategies are based on the idea of a rational, calculating offender, they  may not be effective when applied to immature young people. Minors tend to be less capable of making mature judgments about their behavior choices. It is also possible that for the highest risk group of young offenders, the deterrent threat of formal sanctions may be irrelevant. In sum, deterring delinquency through the fear of punishment may be of limited value because children may neither fully comprehend the seriousness of their acts nor the consequences they may face. Though in the surface deterrence appears to have benefit as a delinquency control device, there is also reason to believe that is has limited demonstrable effectiveness. ​The theory of specific deterrence holds that if offenders are punished severely, the experience will convince them not to repeat their illegal acts. Although general deterrence focuses on potential offenders, specific deterrence targets offenders who have already been convicted. Juveniles are sent to secure incarceration facilities with the understanding that their ordeal will deter future misbehavior. Specific deterrence is a popular approach to crime control today. Unfortunately, relying on punitive measures may expend rather than reduce future delinquency. ​Institutions have quickly become overcrowded and chronic violent offenders are packed into swollen facilities with juveniles who have committed non-serious and nonviolent crimes. The use of mandatory sentences for some crimes means that kids who are found to have committed those crimes must be institutionalized; first time offenders may be treated the same as chronic recidivists. Literature Review Some research studies show that arrest and conviction may under certain circumstances lower the frequency of re-offending, a finding which supports specific deterrence. However, other studies suggest that punishment has little real effect on reoffending and in some instances may in fact increase the likelihood that first time offenders will commit new crimes. Why does punishment encourage rather than reduce delinquency? According to some experts, institutionalization cuts youth off from prosocial supports in the community, making them more reliant on deviant peers. Incarceration may also diminish chances for successful future employment, reducing access to legitimate opportunities. Punishment strategies may stigmatize kids and help lock offenders into a delinquent career, putting emphasis on the expression â€Å"prison breeds better criminals†. ​Rather than deterring or punishing  individuals in order to reduce delinquency rates, situational crime prevention strategie s aim to reduce the opportunities people have to commit particular crimes. The idea is to make it so difficult to commit specific criminal acts that would-be delinquent offenders will be convinced that the risks of crime are greater than the rewards. Controlling the situation of crime can be accomplished by increasing the effort, increasing the risk, and/ or reducing the rewards attached to delinquent acts. ​Increasing the effort to commit crime can involve target hardening techniques such as placing steering locks on cars and putting unbreakable glass on storefronts. Some successful target hardening efforts include installing a locking device on cars that prevents drunken drivers from starting the vehicle. Access control can be maintained by locking gates and fencing yards. The facilitators of crime can be controlled by such measures as banning the sale of spray paint to adolescents in an effort to cut down on graffiti, or having photos put on credit cards to reduce their value if stolen. Increasing the risks of crime might involve such measures as improving surveillance lighting, creating neighborhood watch programs, controlling building entrances and exits, installing burglar alarms and security systems, and increasing the number of private security officers and police patrols. The installation of street lights may convince burglars that their entries will be seen and reported. ​Reducing the rewards of crime could include strategies such as making car radios removable so they can be kept at home at night, marking property so that it is more difficult to sell when stolen, and having gender neutral phone listings to discourage obscene phone calls. ​Although there is really no way to completely predict which children will behave in delinquent and criminal ways in the future, there are a multitude of risk factors that have been shown to correlate with these behaviors. Fetal substance exposure, prenatal difficulties, an abusive and violent family are all risk factors related to poorer executive functioning. This weakness is then shown to lead to violent behavior (Zagar, Busch, and Hughes 281). Other precursors to later frequent offending include poor child-rearing practices, poor parental supervision, criminal parents and siblings, low family incom e, large family size, poor housing, low intelligence, and low educational attainment (Zigler and Taussig 998). Physical and/or sexual abuse are specifically risk factors for homicidal  behavior (Zagar, Busch, and Hughes 288). It has also been shown that early-onset antisocial behavior is associated with more severe outcomes compared with antisocial behavior that occurs later, and it is more likely to persist into adulthood (Olds et al. 66). In short, delinquent behaviors are said to be controlled by three factors: General deterrence which suggests a practical solution to crime: increase the certainty and severity of punishment. Punishment can be made proportionate to the seriousness of the crime, and increasing the severity of punishment will reduce delinquency. The specific deterrence concept provides a simple solution to the delinquency problem: punishing more delinquents will reduce their involvement in criminal activity. Lastly is situational crime prevention which shows the importance of situational factors in delinquent act. It can be aimed at reducing or eliminating a specific type of delinquency, rather than eliminating all delinquency through social change. ​These strategies are certainly arguable, because I stand strongly on the premise that every crime does not deserve institutionalization because prison/ jail just breeds better criminals. For example, if a kid was to shoplift video games from a store, the practical, common, and fast thing to do would be arrest, conviction, and late jail, but for what? So he or she can be institutionalized then pick up on other crimes and be released from prison a better criminal. All the prisons I have seen and or visited are loosely called â€Å"correctional institutions†; I do not think there is any type of correcting going on behind those walls. Conclusion Our justice system really needs to focus on better ways of rehabilitating our youth, or so I feel. On the other hand, I do like that some crimes have very harsh punishments because those are the ones that I see are committed less often. We also have to keep in mind that it is not society’s responsibility to raise our children, real teaching starts at home with proper parenting. In some parents’ defense, some kids are hard to maintain, but that’s when further measures should be taken, for example jail visits and the scared straight program. To reinstate, in the future there should be better prevention techniques for delinquents, a way to make them regret their actions, but in the same way, not turn them into hardened criminals or ruin their lives based on one mistake. References: Saminsky, A. (2010). Preventing juvenile delinquency: Early intervention and comprehensiveness as critical factors. (02 ed., Vol. 02, p. 3). WEB Siegel, L. (2006). Juvenile delinquency . (9 ed., p. 587). Canada: Thomson Wadsworth.

Article Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Review - Article Example Job levels limit allied health practitioners to fulfill the staff-level clinical roles. Professional growth in hospital-based employment is slow; thus, employees seek new jobs. As a result, hospitals become understaff and experienced personnel are loss, leading to increase hospital costs laid on training of new employees. To increase job satisfaction and employee retention, intrinsic satisfiers such as work itself, achievement, recognition, responsibility, and opportunities for growth and advancement must be addressed; therefore, sense of autonomy, responsibility, and authority will retain the allied health practitioners (Bender, 2005, 365). Most of the health care providers mistakenly thought that one’s clinical expertise is enough to achieve professional growth and development without even analyzing that other factors such as patient’s appreciation or promotion might contribute to job satisfaction. Experienced allied health professionals have the capacity to transcend into administrative positions. In addition, they could also help in other hospital tasks such as risk management or quality improvement. Climbing the ladder is not easy; allied health professionals must take the step to go beyond the box and enter the administrative and policy-making positions. This can be done by conducting an annual review performance, opportunities analysis, threats analysis, and planning for a career direction. Aside from professional skills preparation, networking or developing an interpersonal relationship with other people from non-clinical field will also help in achieving administrative roles as this will emphasize administrative roles as a distinct area of specialization. Aspiring for an administrative or managerial position may not interests most of the clinicians; however, this type of marketing strategy will help the hospitals and other allied institutions in attracting new staff or employees that will help in providing quality care. Purpose and Intend ed Audience. The purpose of the article is to encourage members of the allied health professions to aspire for managerial or administrative positions. Furthermore, the article also aims to address the different factors that may enhance job satisfaction and employee retention. The article’s intended audiences are the members of the allied health professions and different hospitals. Review/Reflection The article relates to the allied health by stating that most of the problems in terms of realizing one’s maximum potential are observed in allied health professions. Slow progressions make these allied health professions dissatisfied and later on seek new employment. Clinical experience is related to the article as the article emphasized clinical experience as one of the motivating factors for clinician in achieving professional growth and development. The mastery of skills increases employee satisfaction which culminates skills from novice to expert position and creates op portunities for administrative training that enhanced autonomy, authority, and sense of responsibility. The strengths of the author’s main points include: the lack of opportunities for allied health professions for professional growth in most of the hospitals because they are typically hired for clinical staff positions but career development is slow; innovative staff developments will be able to retain experienced employees;

The Ethics of Embryonic Stem Cell Research Essay

The Ethics of Embryonic Stem Cell Research - Essay Example However, the technology has had unethical, reprehensible and morally repugnant connotations in cases where it has been used for human reproduction. Cloning involves use of cells to produce or create an identical copy of the original. This owes its' tributes to the fact that stem cells can be influenced to develop to most of the 220 types of cells found in the human body such as the brain cells, blood cells, muscles, heart cells etc. since the development of antibodies research have taken practical inclination to this phenomena as a potential way to alleviate human suffering (221). The United States has long and proud history and record as a world-leading example towards advocacy for advances in sciences and medicine that improve human life. Simultaneously as the boundaries of science and knowledge are expanded, the United States leads the world as a proponent of maintaining the highest standards of moral ethics. In view of this bio cloning has both sides of positive contribution to scientific development in favor of man and adverse effects to human moral ethics. There is great potential hope and promise held by human stem cells for therapies development towards damaged organism regeneration. The ultimate result of this is healing people suffering from harsh diseases. Unlike the cases of using embryo as the source of the cell researchers have established other potential sources of diverse adult tissues. These include; umbilical cords discarder after babies are born, human placenta, bone marrow, fat, nerves, amniotic fluid, pulp of baby teethe and muscles. All these have been found to be a source of versatile stem cells. Such serious disease like childhood leukemia, juvenile, diabetes, Alzheimer's Parkinson, spinal cord injuries, heart diseases, multiple sclerosis, cancer, burns have found their cure (Hams, 35). The achievement made so far regards these diseases and methods used have not violated the moral ethics respect and dignity of the human person. Effects of bio cloning to moral ethics. Embryonic stem cell research is a leading controversy of a series of moral hazards. Embryonic stem cells exhibit indefinite replication ability in a culture dish offering unlimited generation for therapy, research and industrial application. Embryonic stem cell research refers to a mode of research where cells obtained from destroying human embryo at their late first week of age are used for therapeutical purpose, there are two sources of the embryo (Hams, 70 ). First embryos may be created from intro fertilization. The ethical use of intro fertilization is helping infertile couples to get a child. Fertilization is done outside the mother's womb. Not all embryos are planted in the womb and the remaining otherwise called leftovers are frozen and stored for future use. The surplus embryos of invitro fertilization may be used in any of the four methods named below: May be donated for research Many be donated to other infertile couples May be preserved at very low temperatures May be discarded In case of use for research, the entire embryo is destroyed to facilitate harvesting stem cell. This is

Underground transportation in NYC in the 20th century Essay

Underground transportation in NYC in the 20th century - Essay Example New York has the second-oldest subway system in the United States (after Boston). It ties together five boroughs in a way that allows the residents of one of the largest metropolitan areas of the world to claim that they live in the same city.The subway is more than just a means of transportation. It has been an object of warring city planners, of graft and corruption, and of scandals which have generated hundreds of pages in the local newspapers. It serves as a part of New Yorkers' daily lives, as a place for some to sleep, and for others to practice their trade as beggars and buskers.This paper is about the subway system in New York during the 20th century. The story begins in 1868. Alfred E. Beach asked the New York State Legislature for permission to build a network of pneumatic tubes under the City of New York in which he could move mail. His real plan was to build a pneumatic subway-moving people the way pneumatic tubes in Paris and London moved paper (Tannenbaum 1995). His pla ns never got past the digging of a test hole-only 14 feet long. He also dug a 312 foot pneumatic tube under Broadway, which showed that an underground system could be completed, but he never continued with the invention.The actual New York Subway system opened first in 1904, four years after the groundbreaking ceremonies. Mayor Robert van Wyck shoveled the first clump of dirt into his top-hat, to take home (NYT 1900). The line was financed by the city, but was originally operated by private companies. The first line, called the "IRT Ninth Avenue Line," continues with that name to this day. The IRT, which stands for "Interborough Rapid Transit," was one of two lines which were privately run, the other being the BRT, or Brooklyn Rapid Transit. IRT was the first of these private operating consortia, but there were several others. The name "IRT" survives to this day, which described the original line for which the concession was granted. Although the names have been changed to letters, numbers and colors, such as the "red number 2," locals still refer to the "IRT," or the "Bayshore Line," which makes it difficult for non-New Yorkers to understand what they are talking about. Although the IRT Ninth Avenue Line was the first "sub"way, 40% of today's subway lines are actually above ground. The oldest part of the subway system is the Lexington Avenue Line, which is part of the BMT Jamaica Line in Brooklyn. This line was opened in 1885. Figure 1: Map of the IRT, Circa 1906 The Subway was not the first public transport in New York by any means. It was preceded by the "elevated lines," which had opened 35 years earlier. Early 20th Century: The Expansion of Urban Transit The 9th-Avenue Line was a tremendous success, and was followed by municipal expansion projects. The City wanted to unite the five boroughs through public transportation. The City fathers looked upon the subway as a way to spread out the population and allow for greater growth (Fischer 1998). There was a debate about whether the city's growth could be better assured by elevated railroad lines rather than the more-expensive underground tracks. As the City was growing at a tremendous rate, and land values were climbing, those arguing for more elevated lines lost the argument (NYCSubway.org 2005

Knowledge management issues in the new global economic order Essay

Knowledge management issues in the new global economic order - Essay Example At the same time technology is playing a major role in the development and existence of the Trans national companies. The Board, chief executive officers and top level of the management always think about new strategies and systems to maintain the growth and prospects of their organisation. However the growing competitive environment and emergence of new industry houses from developing markets are compelling existing multi national companies to give shape for solid action plan for the long term existence. With the opening up of economies world over the capital flow has now become more free and margins have come down significantly. Most of these companies are now working on shoestring margins or carrying out specific cost saving measures to increase their competitive advantages. The major challenge these companies are facing today is the high competitive advantage for companies in the emerging economies such as India, China, Brazil and other East Asian countries. Companies from these areas have an inherent competitive advantage due to the availability of cheap labour, raw material and skilled human resources. Also these companies have good knowledge of their domestic market, which is now emerging as the largest global market. It is in these geographical areas that a two third of the global population lives. Also companies from these economies are also aggressively entering into the markets in developed world such as United States, European Union and United Kingdom. While they were compelled to decrease the cost of production, it was necessary to improve technology and product quality to sustain in this highly competitive global trade scenario. It is in this scenario that multi national companies are thinking of a new approach for growth. During the post liberalization, globalization and privatization period companies have started to invest heavily on Research and Development and technology. Today technology is playing a major role in the evolution of industrial organizations working in both manufacturing and service sector. They have no choice but undergo drastic change in the organizational structure. When we talk of adapting changes, it is easy to say than practice. For a long time organizations are working in a designed frame work and there will develop an internal inertia against any change from this framework. Employees, shareholders, customers and other stakeholders of the company will view brining in any change in the total working atmosphere and structure of the organization suspiciously. So there should be a keen strategy to win the minds of these stakeholders before introducing any change. In the first part of the 21st century global trade system has seen large number organizational initiatives in a bid to increase competitive power of the organization. It was in this period that the word outsourcing got more attention. It means that companies in developed economies, where cost is higher, will transfer jobs to cost effective emerging economies to increase their competitive strength. Initially most of the outsourcing happened in manufacturing sector. Many multi national companies had shifted their manufacturing facilities to the low cost economies such as China, Korea, Brazil and other south East Asian countries. This was followed by services sector. Here India and Philippines have emerged as new hot destinations due to their English knowledge. Though

Effect of Bcl-2 on Lung Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Effect of Bcl-2 on Lung Cancer - Essay Example To be able to obtain an accurate and strongly reliable research finding and study conclusion, the research method should always be aligned with the research hypothesis at all times. Back then, it was hypothesized in the study of Xu et al. (2013) that there can be a strong connection between Bcl-2 with a person’s susceptibility to lung cancer and its prognosis among the Chinese men. Specifically, the research hypothesis of Xu et al. (2013) is very much in-line with its chosen research method. It means that the authors’ decision to make use of its research method is good enough to determine whether or not the research hypothesis presented in the said study should be accepted or not. For example, in the process of selecting and genotyping a total of 3 Bcl-2’s tagSNP (i.e. rs1564483, rs 1801018, and rs 2279115) in 1017 couple of Chinese male with lung cancer using the TaqMan assay, the authors were able to find out that the genotypes of rs1564483GA, AA, as well as GA+AA, were strongly related to the decrease in Chinese men’s susceptibility to lung cancer whereas the allele of rs1564483A increases Chinese men’s susceptibility of developing lung cancer particularly those who had family history of cancer and previous smoking habit. In this study, the clinical term â€Å"prognosis† is all about being able to foretell the possible long-term effects after a person has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Using the same research method, Xu et al. (2013) found out that research participants with Bcl-2 rs1564483 GA+AA genotypes are the ones who can experience longer survival rate and reduced risks of untimely deaths as compared to those Chinese men with rs1564483GG genotype. The primary exposure of interest in this study was genetic factors, in particular, the polymorphism of the Bcl-2 gene in the Chinese men. This was measured by genotyping using the TaqMan method that used a sequence detection system (Xu et al, 2013).

Marketing Research Practices Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Marketing Research Practices - Essay Example The main purpose of these developments was to develop products that could be used in everyday life. The research involves finding potential problems in the present applications used and resolving them by updating them or using new products. The researchers found the flexibility of a product enables it to be used by more clients. Another important factor probably the most important one is the cost. If the final product is expensive there will be only few takers for it. Therefore research has been done to use cost effective products. Qualitative research methods are more often used as it involves observation of data that helps in finding solutions to the problems. Qualitative research has been categorised into three categories named as positivist, interpretive and critical. Positivist research methods involves attempt to test theory that to understand the predictive element of the phenomena. It involves formal propositions, hypothesis testing, measuring of quantifiable variables, etc. In this type of research it is assumed that the objectives are given in reality and can be measured by their properties. Interpretive research method involves sharing of information and social constructions such as language.

Media Freedom and Regualtion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Media Freedom and Regualtion - Essay Example try in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Media and Sports to come up with a White paper in 1998 which proposed the creation of a single super-regulatory body that would consolidate the powers and functions of all existing regulatory bodies, merging in effect the operations of such bodies into it. After extensive consultations conducted by the government on these proposals, the Office of Communications Act of 2002 was passed by Parliament finally making possible the creation of that regulatory body. A year later, the Communications Act of 2003 laid down in detail the powers and functions of OFCOM. The obvious advantage that OFCOM brought to UK broadcasting is that it has made simple and clearer communications regulations as it becomes the one single repository of communications authority, in addition to the comparatively efficient savings in costs that a single operating agency result as opposed to the total sum of costs of five different regulating bodies operating at once. Any discussion of UK broadcasting will not be complete without knowledge of its historical beginnings and thus, this paper will begin by tracing the history of UK broadcasting which is really synonymous with the birth of BBC to the present age of digital media. This is necessary to explain the unique status of UK broadcasting in the world, the enviable position of BBC in UK broadcasting and the sticky issue as to why even super-regulatory body OFCOM cannot completely placed BBC under its total remit. Likewise, it will provide a backdrop to the inevitability of creating a single regulatory body and provide a contrast to regulation pre-OFCOM and after OFCOM. It will then discuss OFCOM in detail, outlining its creation, nature, powers and functions after which the paper will attempt to delve on the accomplishments that OFCOM has, so far, brought into the UK broadcasting landscape. Thereafter, the paper will also consider what it sees as lapses or shortcomings in OFCOM operations in its

Original writing-persuasive writing-DRAFT Essay Example for Free

Original writing-persuasive writing-DRAFT Essay Are you aged eight to eighteen and searching for the hottest and latest games? Look no further. Join CGS the computer games society and we will certainly fulfil your gaming needs. Be it Nintendo, Xbox or even playstation/2 we know what you want and weve got it. CGS has been running for a simple 3 years and has already spread its wings nationwide. With just over 2 million members CGS is undoubtedly the fastest growing games society ever. We have all the experience, the inside and out knowledge and indeed the numbers to keep you up to date with whats hot and whats not. Here at CGS we give you what you want, we take in your ideas and criticism and channel it towards giving you what you need. With the number of members we have attained here in the UK we are assured success when we choose to go international. Visit our website at www. cgs. co. uk, we have just recently refurbished the site so be sure to visit and check out the new games forum where you can discuss, debate and argue the latest issues about consoles and games. We have a new games attachment (compliments of macromedia flash player) where you and your mates can battle it out to get the highest score. With over 60 brand new free online games your sure to be entertained, and if they dont why dont you check out our other batch of brand new downloadable games and no internet broadband system is needed, they can simply be downloaded with the 56. 6kb of your average computer. We also have the latest movie and games downloadables including pictures, backgrounds and wallpapers also for you to enjoy. Enter the new chat-rooms where we have a full-proof system of no one being able to see your details so you are completely protected. CGS was founded in 2001 by a group of young teen game fanatics. They had a large collection of games (300) between the four of them and they, just like you, loved playing, swapping and talking about games. Wherever they would go they would dispute about what was the coolest game out. They would test out each others games and criticise it. Sometimes they would hold tournaments and invite loads of their mates around. Soon they had their own sub-culture in school like the grungers, nerds, dossers and townies, they were known as the game-boys. More and more people started to join their little clan until it grew and they gave their selves a new name, CGS computer games society. They told their parents about the success of their group and they found out they could make a career out of this. Opportunity came their way when one of their parents company were looking for a new business opportunity. The father pessimistically agreed to ask the company if they were willing to sponsor CGS, much to every ones surprise the company agreed. As you can imagine they were over the moon and CGS has been an absolute success ever since. The boys, who were at the time sixteen are now nineteen year old young men who are doing what they love and getting paid for it. This is every young game fanatics dream and you can be a part of it. CGS is paving the way for young gamers giving you articles on careers in gaming yes thats what I said, careers in gaming, from games tester to official games critic. To be a games tester all you need to do is fill out a form that can be found on the CGS website. Unfortunately you have to be over eighteen to be an official games critic but dont let that demoralise you as there is probably a lot more game watching than playing! Apply now to make your dreams come true. Here at CGS as you can imagine we get a lot of post and email on how to make the company better suited for you but recently weve been getting post and email specifically telling us about rumours for the CGS magazine. Well we can definitely tell you that those, outrageously, notorious rumours are. TRUE. CGS are most definitely looking forward to publishing the first issue of the CGS magazine. The new magazine is fantastically entertaining with full graphic screen shots, published reader articles, amazing news on all the latest gossip for the new games and consoles, great new competitions with mind-blowing prizes. Be sure to carry the first ever issue of CGS magazine and enter the competitions so you can be in with a chance of winning one of the three top prizes; a fantastic holiday for you, an adult and 3 of your mates to Japan to visit the international centre of Nintendo in Tokyo, or you could win a trip to the XBOX party in London where you can test out there newest releases and get a wild goody bag, or you could even win a chance to come to CGS head quarters and interview our CEO and the founders of CGS. You must agree these prizes are undoubtedly cool! And you can enter, just simply log on to our website and subscribe to the new CGS magazine out on the thirteenth of September and with these few easy steps you could win one of these wicked prizes. As you probably have now established CGS is what everyones talking about and a full platinum membership is definitely top dog this Christmas. So grandma, dont go and knit them a grotty, un-cool woolly jumper, simply log on to the CGS website and apply your grandkids to the platinum membership where they will be in with a chance of winning the top prizes, a full monthly subscription to the brand new CGS magazine and much, much more. For more details please contact us at our free call 24 hour hotline; 0800-477 477.

The Cause and Effects of the Great Depression Essay Example for Free

The Cause and Effects of the Great Depression Essay Many people speculate that the stock market crash of 1929 was the main cause of The Great Depression. In fact, The Great Depression was caused by a series of factors, and the effects of the depression were felt for many years after the stock market crash of 1929. By looking at the stock market crash of 1929, bank failures, reduction of purchasing, American economic policy with Europe, and drought conditions, it becomes apparent that The Great Depression was caused by more than just the stock market crash. The effects were detrimental beyond the financial crisis experienced during this time period. The first and most obvious known factor in the development of The Great Depression is the stock market crash of 1929. The Money Alert website states that, â€Å"When the stock market crashed in 1929, it didn’t happen on a single day. Instead, the stock market continued to plummet over the course of a few days setting in motion one of the most devastating periods in the history of the United States† (The Money Alert). Many investors would buy stocks on a margin where they would purchase the stocks with borrowed money. This was a great option for buyers when the stock market was on the rise. However, when the stocks plummeted, the financial institutions that had loaned the money for the stock purchase went to collect the capital that had been loaned out and were unable to do so. This, in effect, caused banks to lose money as a result of being unable to collect on the debt, and the investors were unable to collect their losses. In addition to private investors, banks and businesses were investing in margin loans as well. So, these poor investment strategies led the banking industry to lose the majority of their assets, including money from bank customers that had no knowledge that their money was being used for this purpose. Since no government regulations were in place to protect investors and banks in this circumstance, this ultimately led to the effect of the stock market crash, which paved the way for America to go into The Great Depression. The banking industry’s reaction to the stock market crash, would be the next major cause of the Great Depression. The banking industry as a whole after the stock market crashed was going bankrupt due to not being able to carry the â€Å"bad debt† that was created from using customer money to buy stock. Because the banks were out of money, they were unable to cover customer withdrawals from their bank, causing many bank customers to lose all of their savings. With the uncertainty of the future of the banking industry, many people withdrew all of their savings, which caused more than 9,000 banks to close their doors and go out of business (Kelly). Due to the effects of the Great Depression, and the collapse of the banking industry, the government created regulations to prevent similar failure in the future. For Example, the SEC, (or Securities Exchange Commission), which regulates the sell and trade of stocks, bonds and other investments was created as a result of The Great Depression. The FDIC (or Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation), was created to insure bank accounts so that that the consumer would be protected if the bank were to go out of business (Kelly). The Great Depressions effect on the banking industry led to many useful changes to the banking industry and helped restore confidence in banks in the American people. The next major factor that contributed to the Great Depression was the reduction of goods being purchased during the time period. After the stock market crashed, consumers from all economic classes in America were uncertain of the stability of the economy, and stopped purchasing consumer goods. The effect of not purchasing goods caused many companies to begin to produce a surplus, or an excess of goods, which caused companies to reduce their unneeded workforce (Kelly). Since so many people were out of work, they too were unable to purchase goods, and soon a domino effect was created and many companies went out of business. During this time period, many people purchased goods on payment plans, similar to the modern credit system we use today, and their inability to pay caused many companies to repossess the purchased goods. This caused companies to have additional inventory of products that contributed to the lack of need to manufacture additional products (Kelly). By this time, more than 25% of the workforce was now out of work, and due to the overproduction of goods and overstock of inventory, there weren’t enough consumers to purchase these goods (Kelly). Another major contributing factor to The Great Depression was America’s economic policy with Europe. During the midst of the depression, the government decided to create the Smoot-Hawley Tariff to help protect American companies by taxing import goods from Europe. The government initially created the Smoot-Hawley Tariff to protect America by making foreign agricultural goods more expensive than domestic products so that foreign goods would cost more than local grown goods(Kelly). Due to many revisions during the initial stages of the tariff, many other American businesses were included in its protection. The effect of the tariff on trade with Europe caused unstable relations with European countries. Also, many of the European nations began to boycott goods sold by American companies in an act of retaliation for the tariff (Kelly). Having this tariff in effect during the Great Depression caused a prolonged recovery in the American economy due to the decline in Europe purchasing consumer goods from America, in addition to the decline of domestic goods purchases. The final major contributing factor in the great depression was the massive drought that took place during the 1930s. Though the drought wasn’t a direct cause to the depression, it did, however, add to the turmoil that was taking place during this time period. The drought of the 1930s had a very drastic effect on many reigns of the United States which caused both economic and ecologic problems to the country. The economic problems caused by the Great Depression were mostly concentrated in the Mississippi valley, where farmers were unable to pay the tax on the land and most were left no choice but to sell their farms for no profit. This caused a decline in agriculture goods available in America, due to the lack of farming during this time period (Kelly). The ecological effects of the drought, combined with the effects of over-farming the land, caused the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl was caused by over-farming the land and not correctly rotating the crops. By not rotating the crops correctly, the top soil became damaged. Because of the damages to the top soil, the land became infertile, and many people were forced to abandon their land or sell off their property. The timing of the drought, along with the effects that it had on the economy, forced the Great Depression further into turmoil and made recovery even more out of reach for the country (Bonnifield). The stock market crash did, however, act as the match that lit the fire that was The Great Depression. Along with the stock market, the cause of the depression was also contributed to the banking industry’s inability to cover losses sustained during the stock market crash. Also, the reduction of manufacturing and purchasing goods caused a toxic cycle of workers not being able to work, in turn not being able to consume goods, which further sank the country into financial hardship. With the tariffs in effect with Europe, the consumption of America’s goods by foreign nations greatly decreased, which caused the country to fall further behind in recovery of the economic turn-down. In addition to these circumstances, the timing of the drought that occurred in this time period caused many of the farmers supporting our agriculture to fold, and created one of the largest man-made natural disasters in history. Careful of these factors shows that it took more than a crisis in the stock market to cause America to go into the greatest economic slump ever experienced in the history of our country.

The Aspect Of Healthy Eating Children And Young People Essay

The Aspect Of Healthy Eating Children And Young People Essay The object of research is to determine how things are as compared to how things might be. Children and young people spend a considerable amount of time between the ages of three and sixteen in school. Therefore, school is a place to send out constant messages on healthy eating. This exploration aims to evaluate health promotion in a primary school. It will focus on the aspect of healthy eating as part of health promotion in schools. The Irish heart foundation (2011) state that one in four primary school children are overweight or obese and this is why this research is relevant. They also state that knowledge on healthy eating can be considered as one of many factors that influence eating habits. This investigation also aims to explore childrens knowledge on healthy eating in line with the curriculum and the Food Standards Agency (equivalent in Ireland). This investigation will show childrens knowledge of healthy eating by conducting a focus group. Adequate nutrition and physical acti vity in childhood is fundamentally important for growth, development and long-term health in adulthood (Sheppard, 2008). The author completed three weeks in a primary school on work experience. The researcher noticed that there was a lack of knowledge on healthy eating and it would be a relevant topic for a dissertation. The researcher asked the children aged eleven and twelve; what vegetables did you eat for dinner yesterday? One of the answers was rice which suggested a lack of knowledge of different food groups. Promotion of healthy heating in schools is one of the most important opportunities to ensure that children can choose a healthy diet now and later in life (Health promotion department, 2005). Exploring factors of childhood ability to understand the impact of nutrition will be basis to this study. Evaluating health promotion within the school will also be key. The national council for curriculum and assessment (NCCA) states that Developing health-promoting practices through his/her time in school can encourage the child to take increasing control over his/her own health and help to establish and maintain healthy behaviour from an early age. Healthy eating promotion ought to be taken serious in schools as children and young people are not in school forever and it can have a major impact on their lifestyles. One seeks to find out if the children know what they are eating is healthy and how different foods fall into different food groups. The Irish Heart Foundation (2011) State that maintaining a healthy weight involves balancing the energy taken into the body (food) with the energy used by the body (activity). Energy balance means that the amount of energy consumed is equivalent to the amount of energy expended and there is no storage or depletion of the bodys reserves (Bouchard, 2000). Children should know about good fats and bad fats in food to get a steady energy balance. It has been evidenced through research that following a healthy diet can significantly reduce the perceived health risks amongst children. A healthy diet will positively influence a childs current and future health status, reducing the risk of many chronic diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes (The department of Public Health, 2011). Food Standards Agency UK has set out a framework for food competences on core skills and knowledge children for young people. It states that children of a certain age should have certain skills and certain knowledge on nutrition. One will find the equivalent in Ireland and put the selected focus group to the test to see if they have adequate knowledge on healthy eating. Health Behaviour in school-aged (HBSC, 2006) report has shown that many young people have poor eating habits. Food and drink are a vital part of our daily lives. They play the essential role in the development of the human being (Healthy food for all 2012). For young people to achieve their full potential, it is necessary that they eat healthily. There are many factors that can affect future health status in children and young people. During the mid-1980s the school as a health promoting situation was a somewhat under-developed idea in Ireland. Schools lay the foundations for children to carry lifestyles into adult life. Initially led by the health sector, a partnership approach between health and education has enabled the more widespread acceptance of school-based approaches to health maintenance and improvement (Gabhainn, OHiggins Barry 2010). Ireland was one of the first to adopt the Health Promoting Schools (HPS) approach. Schools remain one of the few places where children are reasonably protected for commercial interests. (NCCA) set out the curriculum for primary schools in Ireland in 1999. A compulsory subject known as social, personal and health education (SPHE) was introduced. It is designed to run with the whole school approach to health promotion (Department of education and science, 2000). The curriculum is presented in six subject strands comprising of 11 subjects. One of strands is called (SPHE). SPHE provides particular opportunities to foster the health and well-being of a child. Through the SPHE programme children can develop a sense of personal responsibility for their own health and for the decisions and the choices they make. The Irish Governments National Health Promotion Strategy was set in place between 2000 and 2005. Its aim was for every school to promote healthy eating habits and a healthy body image among school-going children and young people. Every school had to facilitate the implementation of health education and health promotion programs. Food Dudes is one of the many programs which schools got in partnership with. It was developed by the food activity research unit at Bangor University, Wales, to encourage children to eat more fruit and vegetables both in school and at home. Eating habits throughout life are established at a young age. Therefore, learning to choose and enjoy different foods in childhood provides the foundation for healthy food choices in childhood (Department of health and children, 2011). As children are in school thirty seven weeks of the year, schools have the potential to play a significant role in promoting healthy eating habits amongst children. The researcher will use children aged eleven and twelve because they are about to make the transition from primary school to secondary school and as per key stages 2 in Wales and The Food Standards Agency UK, they should have sufficient nutritional knowledge. The researcher will take the approach of a qualitative method. A focus group is a group interview with four to twelve people (OLeary, 2010). Focus groups will be considered to conduct the investigation. Questionnaires will also be considered but a focus group would get more of and in-depth knowledge from the participants. One of the advantages of a focus group is that it can develop its own dynamics, and will explore an issue with minimum intervention from the researcher (Oliver, 2010). The aim of the focus group is to use rich discussion draw out depth of opinion and knowledge that probably would not occur from direct interviews. Children at the age of eleven and twelve will be selected at random to for the group. The researche r will then ask questions to get an idea of the childrens knowledge for the grounding of the study. Probes will then be used to elaborate on some of the answers. The researcher will stimulate the discussion and will use some food as focus materials to help the group focus on the topic of study. The Meeting will be recorded for further observation. It allows for non verbal as well as verbal data. It deals not with what people say but what they actually do to the extent that their behaviour is open to observation (Gillham, 2008). The researcher will collect data by taking records. One will also observe and analyse the recorded video of the session. First of all, the recorded text will have to be read. Secondly, the researcher will watch and listen to the tape recording many times. As the researcher observes the tape one will make note of any impressions that maybe useful at a later stage. One will focus on the information given in many ways as there will be different individual or group reaction on different questions and topics. The data will be organised by question to look across all answers so the researcher can identify consistencies and differences. All data from each question will be put together. The researcher will set specific categories in advance and then observe for the data in these categories. The categories should provide a path on where the researcher wants to go. Connections between the categories and within the categories should start to take place. One will count how many times a topic com es up as this should show which categories are the most important. With this all done the researcher will use topics and connections to explain findings. A hard copy and an electronic copy of all information will be kept. By having an electronic copy, text can be moved around very easy and one may wish to copy information onto excel for tables for example.

Joy Luck Club - The Struggles of Life :: essays papers

Joy Luck Club - The Struggles of Life A giant total has been assessed onto an assignment. The team has spent weeks of preparation. In moments the presentation of this project will commence. But, some team members aren't ready. The whole project crumbles and ultimately results in a failure. Disciplined workers have no control over it, but they must overcome this obstacle. Only this way can they become better people and know how to handle similar situations in the future. People must overcome hardships to have stronger personalities, just like the women in Amy Tan's The Joy Luck Club. People learn from their mistakes. For Suyuan Woo, she over packed and failed to make it to a relief area. "After a while, she left the suitcases behind, keeping only the food and a few clothes. And later she also dropped the bags of wheat flour and rice^ ." (p. 324). After leaving all this, she continued, but she was already too fatigued to walk anymore. Her energy was burned up from her body, like fossil fuel from the Earth. Finally, too much was used. She learned that no one could ever take everything with them. They must make sacrifices to survive. An-mei Hsu survived a great hardship, like when hot soup scorched her young neck, leaving her with a scar. "I could not speak because of this terrible choking feeling. I could not see because of all the tears that poured out to wash away the pain." (p. 39). Her tender skin survived the intense heat, and her character developed. When she was older, another crisis erupted when her mother killed herself with opium. At this point, Wu-Tsing's house was nothing, only a hive of polygamy. From this, she learned that she could gain respect that her mother could never fully achieved. "And on that day, I showed Second Wife the fake pearl necklace she had given me and crushed it under my foot. And on that day, Second Wife's hair began to turn white. And on that day, I learned to shout." (p. 272). She resisted, and refused to succumb to the pressures in her life. Planned marriages were a common practice when the Joy Luck mothers were still young. For instance, when Lindo was 12, she was forced to marry into a very harsh family. From it, she learned patience. Soon, after her marriage, she longed to be free again. "On the morning of that day, I woke up Tyan-Yu and the entire house with my wailing. It took Huang Taitai a long time to come into my room.

Times Oldest Debate :: essays research papers fc

Time's Oldest Debate Raffikki Period 2 According to recent studies, planet earth formed approximately four and a half billion years ago. Since then, the earth has undergone many evolutionary changes. Earth began as a swirling gas which condensed to create an immense land mass. The ancient earth was basically the same as today's earth except for the environment. The atmosphere of the ancient earth was quite different, containing more carbon and nitrogen gases than oxygen. The former atmosphere is where much of present day organic molecules such as proteins, lipids, and enzymes were created in abundance. By chance or simply because of the laws of nature, those life producing compounds bonded together to create the oldest known life form on earth -- a bacterium. Other life forms evolved from the bacterium through natural selection. These microscopic organisms formed symbiotic relationships with each other and produced larger, multicellular organisms, such as man. It may seem like a gigantic leap, bacterium to man, but given billions of years, it is certainly possible. It is true that The Bible holds certain truths which would imply a reliable source of information; however, some parts of The Bible are not true at all. According to science, life evolved in the following order: bacterium to fish, fish to various land animals, and animals to man. Coincidentally or divinely, The Bible states that God said, "Let the waters teem with fish and other life...let the earth bring forth every kind of animal...Let us make man" (Genesis 1:20-26). The Bible accurately depicts the order in which life was established. But how could the primitive people who wrote The Bible know the order of which life was created without science to aid them? This evidence would stand to prove that The Bible truly is the word of God Himself. However, evolutionists would prefer to believe that the writer of The Bible was an incredible guesser. That is because many parts of The Bible seem to be written based on conjectures of what people of the time thought was correct. An example of this would be from Genesis, "God made two great lights -- the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the greater light is the sun and the lesser light is the moon; however, the moon is not a light, it is a planet that reflects light. The people who wrote The Bible did not know that the moon was a planet; nor did they know that other planets even existed. So, they described the moon as a source of light just as the sun is a source of light.

Blus Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka Essay -- Book Reviews Lois Ann Yama

Blu's Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka Blu's Hanging by Lois-Ann Yamanaka tells a sad and realistic story of the Ogata family. With the absence of a mother and an uncaring father, the three children, Ivah, Blu, and Maisie, face insurmountable obstacles. Furthermore, various outside forces, such as sexual violence, poverty, and racism, make it even harder for them to cope with the harsh society. In spite of these hardships, it is the mother's invisible presence that keeps the three children together and guides them, although it also contributes to the unintended indifference of father, and the children's vulnerability of societal attacks. Eleanor, "the mother", is often presented in the story even though she is dead, in terms of her ideas and family's memory of her. The children's effort to include their mother in family events and not forgetting what she has said to them show how naturally they think of their mother's existence with them. When Poppy asks "O-kay, who's first?" (98) on a Christmas day for gift exchange, Blu says "You and Mama" (98), as if his mother is still there with him. The children do not forget to visit Mama's grave on special occasions, such as mother's day. These rituals regarding their mother indicate the presence of her in the family. Poppy's longing for Eleanor is also demonstrated when he frequently sings the song "Moon River" throughout the novel, and tells Ivah that "your Bradda's voice-thass your Mama singing right out his throat" (140). The lyrical content of the song "Moon River" shows how much he misses her, and finding mother's resemblance in Blu's voice shows that Poppy has n ot forgotten about her. The family remembers her, and will not forget her, which keeps her alive in the n... ...ides to "walk back ... stay there till I fix what I did wrong the first time ... take my sulfones too with Eleanor" (258), and leaves with Ka-san, a representation of Eleanor. This ending also shows the contradicting effects of the mother's invisible, yet existing characteristic, illustrating how Poppy was unable to let go of Eleanor, but the children were able to do so. This result is understandable since Poppy is the one who spent more time with Eleanor and the children are used to having her only spiritually. In Blu's Hanging by Yamanaka, the absence of mother leads to two opposing outcomes in the family: Poppy's downfall, the children's vulnerability to societal attacks, and at the same time a force to bond the family members together and guide the children to the right direction. Works Cited: Yamanaka, Lois-Ann. Blu's Hanging. New York: Avon, 1997.

Language and Power

Language is the medium of expression of human beings. Animals may have their own charter of language, but we hardly know about any, that too authorized. Even in our dreams we need the help of language to muse or soliloquize or interact with others. Language, of course, varies with situations and contexts. It goes without saying that language has tremendous power to fit and necessarily mould itself according to the requirements of the given situation. At the dawn of civilization when man had yet to discover a language to communicate among themselves, the exchange of ideas and feelings hardly remained withdrawn. The sign language born out of gestures came to fill in the hiatus for a given period of time. Yet, the communication without language was lacking in that particular power. Thereafter with the invention of language, man felt comfortable to express his ideas, feelings, sentiments, emotions more effectively. Along with the advancement of language, man now knows the varied forms of its use in different contexts. Mostly, this exercise is not deliberate, but spontaneous. Language sometimes becomes extraneous in some relationships. It is learnt from authoritative sources that whenever Beckett used to meet Joyce at his residence the duo hardly talked to each other, rather felt the need of feeling each other silently. It is also known that sometimes Joyce spoke up breaking the ice, â€Å"How could the idealist Hume write a history?† Beckett’s reply used to come pat and dry, â€Å"A history of representation.† Such dry conversation can hardly certify any relationship   with deep roots. But in such cases silence has a tongue of its own. Language, no doubt, changes along with the context. Why not take a specific case of a man who has to play several roles at the same time? While, as a caring husband he coos sweet nothings into the ears of his once-upon-a time-lover wife, his language is driven by true heartfelt emotion, and naturally tends to be poetic. When the same man takes his subordinate in the office to task, he has the most harsh language that he hardly desists to utter and again when he is a loving ‘dad’ at home, the sweetness of his language can win any heart, can pacify the umbrage of any irate tiny tot! See him again as a responsible son of an incapacitated, wizened father and his soothing, caressing words will assuage any wound his once-doting father might have nursed! This is to show how a person automatically responds to a certain situation with his dynamic, protean language.   Language is like a river, it has ripples, it can change its course as and when required, topping all, it has tremendous power to influence, to move, to mesmerize. Are we not reminded of Milton’s Paradise Lost Book One, where infuriated, adamant Satan utters five powerful speeches to rouse the fallen angels in the Lake of Fire, in this context? How is the language of Satan here? Rabble-rousing, inspiring, fiery demagoguery! If Satan spoke in ordinary language asking them formally to get to their feet to wage war against God, would they be so surcharged with the fiery enthusiasm? As Satan thunders, â€Å" What though the field be lost All is not lost-the unconquerable will,/And study of revenge, immortal hate,/And courage never to submit or yield:/And what else not to be overcome?† When a political leader delivers a harangue, effective in rabble-rousing, it goes without saying that the speech is fiery, that is to say, imbued with an unseen force, that works wonder on the public, by and large. The effect ,otherwise, would have been drab, run-of –the-mill! Language has its own power to fit into any given situation successfully. If it had not been so, the volatility of language would stand questioned. That is why, it is rightly said that the situation moulds and demands the language. Take the case of the Professor in J.M.Coetzee’s Disgrace. After having emotional and physical relation with the girl, good enough to be   his own daughter, he feels remorseful, his words fail him. He is so repentant that he pays a visit to the girl’s family. He is such guilty in his own eyes that he does not defend himself when an Enquiry Commission is run in order to give him a chance to defend himself and absolve himself subsequently. He has no power or zeal to speak out in his own defense. Language has tremendous power to change the mind of a convict as we have seen in The Bishop’s Candlesticks. Bishop with his enthusing, assuaging, unctuous speech can dissuade the convict from pilfering the gold candlesticks. The words of the Christian Father are replete with affection, warmth. Such is the force of language that even an incorrigible convict can be brought to the path of virtues from that of vices and knavery. A doctor has the power of boosting up the mental strength of an ailing patient by his soothing, encouraging and positive words, a reassuring pat on the back and in most cases supported by proper treatment ,this contributes a lot in coming round of the patient. Kiran Bedi, the Indian I.P.S Officer has already proved that if the prisoners in a jail are given humane, compassionate treatment   they can easily and obviously change into better leaves. She experimented with the recidivists in Tihar jail, New Delhi, India, and reported of   favorable   results in almost cent percent cases. In lieu of harsh language they were treated with soft, friendly words. And, it brought back their lost self-respect and they began to teem with a new-found energy and confidence in themselves and their stigmatized lives. A successful lawyer with the force of language along with proper witness and evidence can make his client win the case. A teacher can hold the attention of the students day after day with his power of words, and of course, the content catered   interestingly.. The man who can fit his language into the demands of the situation successfully hardly loses the love of anybody. He is considered to be the ‘witty’ person around. Shakespeare’s Othello was an honest lover, an emotionally surcharged person, but his Iago was an ‘artist in crime’ not just for his sinister actions but for his witty, deliberately-contrived language that enabled himself to achieve his objective. In Macbeth, the three witches’ equivocal language veers the direction of the play, quite considerably. In King Lear ,too, Cordelia’s plain , un-ornamental, unexaggerated language did not go well with situation. The situation demanded a little more adulation from Cordelia. Only because of the lack of filigree in the language, she suffered throughout her life till she breathed her last! Thus,language has several shades of its own. Hundreds of situations demand hundreds of treatments and responses. When the subordinate employee approaches his boss for a leave of a couple of days for an immediate assignment, can he talk rudely? No, never. He has to keep his boss in good humor, so that his request may not be turned down in a jiffy. Man has to remain cautious about the use of language. Even a slip of tongue can end a husband-wife-bond of warmth and togetherness .Similarly a word of pride can trigger off an internecine war between two nations over years. No doubt, language can make or mar anything and everything. It is absolutely true!!         

Bonnie and Clyde: Beginning of a New Hollywood Era

BONNIE AND CLYDE : â€Å"Beginning of the New Hollywood Era. † Bonnie and Clyde is a 1967 American crime film about Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the criminal version of Romeo and Juliet, the true story of the most beloved yet infamous outlaws, robbers and convicts who journeyed the Central United States during the Great Depression. The film was directed by Arthur Penn, and stars Faye Dunaway as Bonnie Parker, and Warren Beatty as Clyde Barrow. Bonnie and Clyde is reckoned as one of the 60s' most talked-about, volatile, controversial crime/gangster films combining comedy, terror, love, and ferocious violence, and regarded as one of the first films of the New Hollywood era, in which it broke many taboos and was so popular amongst the younger generation. After its success, it encouraged other filmmakers to be more forward about presenting sex and violence in their films. The film was intended as a romantic and comic version of the violent gangster films of the 1930s, updated with modern filmmaking techniques. To begin with the film opens with a lap dissolve from a golden, old-style Warner Bros shield, grainy, unglamorous, blurry, sepia-toned snapshots of the Barrow and Parker families (at the time of Bonnie and Clyde's childhood) play on a black background, accompanied by the loud clicking sound of a camera shutter (The credit titles are interspersed with flashes of more semi-documentary, brownish-tinged pictures) to an extreme close up of Bonnie applying ruby red lipstick. The implication of the lap dissolve is that they will be linked in the film, and that love will be involved. The sound bridge also emphasis love, as the song concludes with the words â€Å"deep in the arms of love† and further links Clyde and Bonnie. So from the start, Penn introduces the love story as central to the film, and view everything that follows from within this framework. A subsequent pan right results in a close up of Bonnie reflected in a mirror, revealing her face and her styled hair. The camera does a clever little dance insuring that Dunaway shows plenty of skin without really revealing anything, as jagged jump cuts slice away whenever her motion within the rame threatens to bring her nudity across the line of acceptability. The medium shot that follows shows the water marks in the ceiling and wall of her low-income frame house, indicating her dire financial straits. When she she flings herself down on her bed, the bars both run diagonally across the screen and cast shadows across her face indicating for us the prison she feels she feels she’s in as she repeate dly strikes the cage surrounding her. Based on how she saw herself in the mirror, she clearly thinks she deserves better. The following close up (when she grabs the bars) and zoom into an extreme close up of her eyes reflects her torment. As the camera holds her face, we can see the resignation in her face as she turns to get dressed for work. Bonnie is trapped in a dead end life. By stressing this aspect of her life, Penn has us initially glimpse Bonnie in the best possible light. This scene also explains Bonnie’s following actions in two ways. First is that she understands exactly how Clyde must have felt in prison when they later meet, establishing an immediate bond between them. The second is that, when Clyde tells her that he cut off two of his toes to get out of a work detail, she believes him for the man of action he portrays himself to be , (â€Å"Boy, did you really do that. †). This compares favorably with her desire to rise above her own dull circumstance and take action within her own life. It's understandable then when Bonnie rides off in the car stolen by a man who has robbed a grocery store, who she has only known a few minutes (but has connected with emotionally. ) The idea of a decent young woman in a dead end town working a dead end job during the Great Depression escaping with a convicted felon is made even more acceptable by the mise-en-scene and cinematography. The deep focus of the opening scene allows us to see her room humbly decorated with a small, vulgar collection of porcelain figurines and a rag doll, and a few family photographs are tacked on the drab wall. These details allow us to see Bonnie as an ordinary person. Likewise, Clyde is portrayed as a clean cut gentleman with white fedora hat, white shirt, and tie and jacket, and a bright white smile. His jacket, a warm brown earthy brown, softens any inclinations we may have of him as a criminal after Bonnie catches him about to steal her mother’s car. The mise-en-scene on the long tracking shot down an empty Main Street (except for one elderly Negro sitting on a bench in front of the barber shop) in the small, rural, Southwest Texas town allows us to connect the hard times and limited opportunities (boarded up stores) that surround Bonnie and Clyde and then a close-up of Clyde’s face. Clyde’s mouth is dominated by objects, like the Coke bottle and the match, which demonstrate his confidence. Perhaps, a close-up shot is used instead of the standard wide shot is to emphasize this aspect of Clyde’s personality. When Bonnie rubs the tip of the bottle of coke across her lips and flicks her tongue in her mouth as she watches Clyde gulped his and smiles, the shot is closed-up to emphasize Bonnie’s sexual curiousity. In a longer shot, Bonnie both turns aways from Clyde, but then turns back toward him in order to give him another opportunity to prove his violence, Clyde pulled out his gun and clandestinely showing it to her. The wide shot allows this action to play out on screen – both her change in attitude as well as his last effort. The wide shot also manages to obstruct the gun from the audience’s view by not showing it in close-up until later. From this still frame, it’s even difficult to see what the object that he pulls from his pocket is exactly. Then, a quick close-up of Bonnie’s face presents her intrigue at seeing Clyde’s gun. to a close-up of Clyde’s gun as he holds it at his waist and points it in her direction. The Coke bottles are now put away and missing from the last couple close-ups as their relationship moves onto the next stage. The establishing shot of the main street in town introduces the flat, empty, barren country all around them. After Clyde robs the grocery store and during their first escape in the stolen car, the scenes are pretty much rough cuts of Bonnie smothering Clyde with hugs and kisses as they careen down the dusty country road. During the hurried getaway, banjo music by Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs (â€Å"Foggy Mountain Breakdown†) plays on the soundtrack – theme music that accompanies their escapes. This piece of music later will be repeated in lots of scenes. In the end of the clip, We’ll be introduced to the us-against the world theme, where Bonnie and Clyde engaged in a rather serious conversation where after Clyde diverting her physical arousal, entices Bonnie into a glamorous life with his own unrealistic, ignorant and childish fantasies of freedom, wealth and fame. He encourages her to think of him as the answer to her dreams – they could make history together. The fact is, on the whole, Bonnie and Clyde is driven by the quality of its performances, by the multiple layers and nuances these actors bring to their legendary characters. Most of the characters are portrayed as accurately as possible, however, it seems like the life of Bonnie and Clyde were simplified and exaggerated in the film, in order to keep the film exciting and also convey the emotions and ideas that scenes are trying to get across. Like in the scene when Bonnie first realizes that Clyde isn’t much a â€Å"loverboy†, it pours out loads of bullshits about how Clyde, nevertheless, saw something special in Bonnie, which Bonnie buys it, when if you’re realistic enough considering her insecurity and desperation to escape her small town ennui, but the director seems to expect the audience to buy it as well, to see this tale as a Hollywood tragic love story. And of course in the end, this is an exceedingly shocking film, that brings tragedy full circle, all that more affecting with the disarming comedy, which always seemed to intensify the serious tone. However, overall, Bonnie and Clyde has succeeded as one of the first films to bring a new, tougher sensibility to mainstream Hollywood filmmaking, a sensibility that would come to define the new American cinema as the 60s transitioned into the 70s. It is an openly violent and sexualized vision of the famous criminal couple, testing the boundaries of screen representation. And that’s pretty much the time when we say hello to the New Hollywood Era.

Tagore’s Gitanjali

From my LP class days, I have heard of Tagore. The loud speaker from the local church used to play songs took from this great book in the early morning. I used to tell the story of ‘golden grain of corn’. Recently, I was reading Kahlil Gibran and saw that his books are ‘inspired’ by Tagore. I thought, ‘enough is enough†¦here I am determined to read ‘Gitanjali’ first, before reading its further ‘inspirations’. And the travel was beautiful! Tagore was born in a very Rich family but he was a child without freedom. A prison View next photo er in his own house, â€Å" The child who is decked with prince’s robes and who have jeweled chains round his neck loses all pleasure in his play; his dress hampers him at every step† Gitanjali VIII (VIII). â€Å" O fool, to try to carry thyself upon thy own shoulders! O beggar, to come to beg at thy own door! † (IX) Such a childhood Tagore had to live and no wonder, he found his happiness and god’s presence with light and flowers â€Å" The light of thy music illuminates the world. The life breath of thy music runs from sky to sky † (III) â€Å" Pluck this little flower and take it. Delay not! I fear lest it droop and drop into the dust†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Though its colour be not deep and its smell be faint, use this flower in thy service and pluck it while there is TIME †. (VI) â€Å" Light, oh, where is the light? Kindle it with the burning fire of desire! .. † (XXVII). The burning desire in Tagore prayed for strength. The basis of prayer is hope. â€Å" †¦Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows; †¦. to make my love fruitful in service†¦. never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might†¦.. to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love. † (XXXVI) â€Å" That I want thee, only thee – let my heart repeat without end. † ( XXXVIII ) â€Å"When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one, thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder †. (XXXIX) â€Å" Life of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon my limbs†¦. thou art that truth which has kindled the light of reason in my mind†¦. drive all evils away from my heart and keep my love in FLOWER, knowing that thou hast thy seat in the inmost shrine of my heart. And it shall be my endeavour to reveal thee in my actions knowing it is thy power gives me strength to act . † ( IV ). â€Å" Has not the WORD come to you that the flower is reigning in splendour among thorns? Wake, oh, awaken! Let not the time pass in vein! At the end of the stony path, in the country of virgin SOLITUDE, my friend is sitting all alone. Deceive him not. Wake, oh, awaken! † (LV) The condition of the poor villagers who work in his farm land evoked Sympathy in him, at the same time he envisioned an India where the poor is empowered with light of knowledge. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic WALLS; Where the words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection; where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by th ee into ever widening thought and action – Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake . † The God concept of Tagore is the basis of his philosophy. God in our self and our self in God. Our life is only a passage a boat journey with God. Throughout the songs the author is present and the presence of God too. For Tagore, his existence and strength is closely related to the presence of god. The last judgement toWaiting Virgins with lamps to ‘Maya’ to Vishnu with Sword – Tagore do not counter any existing religious believes but find correct meaning for it and free the God from the WALLS of temples and churches. He it is, the innermost one, who awakens my being with his deep hidden touches † (LXXII) He visualized God as a loving father, â€Å" When I bring to you coloured toys my child, why there is such a play of colours on clouds, on water, and why flowers are painted in tints † (LXII), â€Å" The sleep that flits on baby’s eyes – does anybody know from where it comes? † (LXI) â€Å" Thy eyes look down on my eyes, and my heart has touched thy feet . ( LIX ), â€Å" on the seashore of endless worlds is the great meeting children † ( LX ) The mystery of death always haunted Tagore. When he was young, his brother’s wife who was his first inspiration to start writing is dead. His mother, his lonely symbol of love and freedom too left him in his childhood. This forced Tagore to find the truth that â€Å" Life and Death as twin brothers †. He absorbed the pain in his life, â€Å" †¦shall I bear in my heart this honour of he burden of pain, this gift of thine † (LII) â€Å" It quivers like the one last response of life in extacy of PAIN at the final stroke of DEATH †. ( LIII ) The reason the ‘Mahabhagawata’ was written, why not to worry to die, Tagore visualize death as only a change of foam. â€Å" I dive into the depth of the ocean of foams, hoping to gain the perfect pearl of formless. No more sailing from harbour to harbour with this my weather-bea ten boat†¦. I am eager to die into the deathless † (C) Tagore is said to be taken inspiration from Kabir Das in his poems. I can see the life of Jesus been there with him as well as the style from psalms . A bit of Shakespeare is visible (to my limited knowledge of Shakespeare) as well. Great works like ‘ THE PROPHET ’, KAHLIL GIBRAN is highly inspired by GEETANJALI. And I can undoubtedly say that this is the best book which filled my heart, mind and soul with thoughts and the presence of God. A MUST NOT MISS BOOK . â€Å" Thy love which is greater than theirs, and thou keepest me free † (XXXII). The choice is ours.