Case study and analysis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

And analysis - Case Study Example Frozen food is also brought in from the kitchen and taken upstairs to the loft where the customers are seated (http://www.rom.on.ca/en/visit-us/shopping-dining/food-studio-caf%C3%A9). On the other hand, c5’s seating arrangement is in a lounge and there are no open spaces to view the kitchen. The lounge is however free from the kitchen noises as it uses a conventional system where the kitchen is far away from the lounge itself. c5 opens from Monday to Sunday between 11am and 3 pm but also has evening services where they have no minimum fee for food and beverages and the charges usually are $1000. According to the Royal Ontario Museum website, both food cafà © and c5 restaurant lounge offer great services including provision of 10% discount to the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) members (Royal Ontario Museum, n.d., Shopping and Dining). The c5 restaurant lounge website (http://www.c5restaurant.ca/) portrays the restaurant seems as being more elegant and hence will attract highly rated and elegant clients and especially so because of their scenic location (at the pinnacle of the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal with its amazing architecture). It is designed in a lounge manner hence offering privacy, comfort, superb atmosphere most rich and highly classed people normally require and their menu is also on the elegance side (Medicoff, 2007). On the other hand, food cafà © seems to be a food court that is attended by â€Å"the common man† who is mainly in a hurry and does not mind the location, seating arrangement or comfort as long it is convenient enough to grab a quick bite and leave. This is the exact reflection of this cafà © with its open loft space seating around 350 people hence no privacy or comfort, there is noise from the open kitchen and a lot of diners and hence their equipment does not fully serve the pur pose and they may require to expand on their space especially during the peak season where there are many people and less production equipment to serve

Are juvenile more likely to be dysfunctial from single parent homes Essay

Are juvenile more likely to be dysfunctial from single parent homes - Essay Example Reynolds has referred to the comment of Yoshikawa (2004) that while the average expense for pre school intervention for a child is about 5000 USD, the average yearly expense for juvenile detention or incarceration is more than 30,000 USD and the results are not guaranteed in the latter case. Inner city region of Chicago was chosen as the program was implemented in the poorest neighbourhoods that have been associated with high unemployment, low social control and low quality schools that are predictors for delinquency and anti social behaviour. Reynolds (2008) points out that the tests conducted where based on certain indicators of delinquency such as school attendance, promiscuous behaviour, theft, aggressive behaviour and fighting and so on. Parents were encouraged and asked to attend counselling sessions for children. The author reports that delinquency incidents for children where both parents attended the sessions and homes where both parents were present showed a reduction of 30%. On the other hand, children who came from homes with a single parent, typically the mother who worked the whole day showed a remarked reported increase in the incidents of delinquency by as much as 47%. There were other factors such as education of the parents, income levels, if the single parent was an alcoholic or drug addict and so on. While the research was very professionally conducted, the author has hypothesised that Juvenile Delinquency is only in poor and black neighbourhoods. Studies should also be performed among middle class white youths to form a relational study that children from single parent homes have a higher tendency to commit juvenile delinquency incidents. Demuth (2004) has researched the occurrence between juvenile delinquency and single mother family versus two-parent family and single father family. This study was designed to identify the means by which single parent increases delinquency and if effect is mainly a function of parental

Strengths To The Tourism Industry In Greece Tourism Essay

Strengths To The Tourism Industry In Greece Tourism Essay Secondly, Greece has a family-friendly environment, making it ideal for tourists of all nationalities and creeds. One of the factors that contribute to this is its hot, dry Mediterranean climate, with an average of 290 days of sunshine a year. The capital city, Athens, has an average of only seven days of rain during summer and daytime temperatures in the low thirties  [4]  . These ideal climate conditions make it more accessible for tourists to experience the plethora of outdoor activities that are available, from swimming at Greeces picturesque beaches and yachting, to more rigorous activities such as mountain climbing and long-distance trekking to see some of the countrys most ancient landmarks and artefacts in the most inconspicuous locations. Finally, Greece has a sense of individuality and uniqueness to it. In comparison with other European countries that may claim to have a long history, Greece has one of the oldest civilisations and cultures outside of the Middle East. Infact, many historians perceive Greece as the cradle of Western civilisation, as well as the origin of democracy, the Olympic games, Western literature, political science, Western philosophy, and major scientific and mathematical principles  [5]  . This is validated by the fact that 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites  [6]  can be found around the country. Therefore, many foreigners see the countrys rich culture and history as a major attraction that intrigues them and inspires them to visit Greece. However, amidst the current strengths in tourism industry are some weaknesses and barriers to the tourism industry development. One of the strengths mentioned earlier has also proven to be a weakness: climate, or more precisely, seasonality problems. Mediterranean climates are characterised by hot and dry summers, and also have mild and wet winters. The peak season for travel to Greece is May-September, which is further supported by the fact that an overwhelming 75% of all tourists who travel to Greece travel during this period  [7]  . That means only a paltry 25% of the tourists travel between October-April. Although the cooler months in Greece dont have sub-zero temperatures like its other Eastern European neighbours, the large amount of rain the country receives during this period serves as a deterrent for people who enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing. Therefore, the revenue levels of a lot of local businesses that rely heavily on tourism decrease substantially during th is period of time. Another major weakness is the lack of public transport infrastructure and accessibility. While countries such as Singapore, Japan, United Kingdom and Germany have reputable public transport systems; it is a hassle to travel to some of the most majestic and beautiful parts of Greece. This is because the country as very spread out and the population density, when compared to its European counterparts, are very low, ranked 115th in the world with 85.7 people per square kilometre  [8]  . A lot of people may see the public transport infrastructure as a negative, because they want to travel between locations with minimal complications. Other major weaknesses and barriers include marketing and management. Although countries like France and Germany have managed to modernise themselves despite their long histories and have made themselves more cosmopolitan and attractive to younger people, Greece has, to a large extent, chosen to remain stuck in the past and relied heavily on its 3500+ year history to promote its tourism industry. This is an obstacle when it comes to targeting potential tourists who may not have the same level of appreciation for things related to historical matters. In other words, Greece tourism promotion and marketing hasnt evolved with the times, leaving potential tourists with a fixed stereotype of the country and hence little opportunity for surprise. The weaknesses and barriers to the tourism industry development lead to an issue that may benefit the Greek tourism industry as a whole: what are the opportunities to enhance the tourisms economic contribution? Well, as one of the weaknesses mentioned earlier, there is an opportunity to improve the public transportation. An improvement in this area could lead to a vast increase in tourism for the Greek Islands off the mainland of Greece, and overall, an increase in tourism for Greece. Places such as Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes and Kassos could all experience a large inflation in tourist numbers, hence leading to increased revenues and profits for the local businesses in those respective areas. Continued improvement in infrastructure and technology will also go a long way towards enhancing the tourisms economic contribution. Giving the country a modern appeal will help to counteract the weakness mentioned earlier about Greeces outdated marketing techniques in the area of tourism promotion. Finally, a decrease in accommodation prices may lead to an influx of tourists. As we know, not everyone can afford to stay in four or five-star accommodation. In 2009, Athens was named the city with the 10th most expensive hotel prices in the world, with the average hotel in Athens costing AUD $321 a night  [9]  . This price is deemed to be very expensive for people in the middle and lower-class income brackets and may deter them from visiting Greece in the first place. Affordable accommodation may be able to break the mindset that Greece is an expensive place to travel. There are various threats that need to be overcome, in order to enhance Greeces reputation as a safe and hospitable tourist destination. The first issue is riots. Major riots occurring in December 2008  [10]  and more recently, May 2010  [11]  , have tarnished Greeces reputation as a safe destination. This has had adverse effect on the tourism industry, with pre-bookings being down 8% for the peak-season in comparison to last year. With tourism being absolutely pivotal to Greeces economy, equating to 17% of its Gross Domestic Product, any sharp decline in this amount could be detrimental to the Greek economy on a whole. Also related to the issue of safety are two terrorist attacks that occurred last year  [12]  13. Environmental pollution is another threat to the tourism industry that needs to be confronted. This problem emanates back to the 1970s  [14]  , when rapid industrialisation began to take place in Greece. This industrialisation culminated in serious air pollution in Athens during the 1980s. Smog (carbon monoxide) and exhaust fumes from cars became prevalent in Athens and even resulted in 87 industries and 73 factories being order to cease production  [15]  , due to the governments concerns over the effects the pollution was having on peoples respiratory systems. The widespread ramifications of this problem dont stop there. Various species of mammals, reptiles, birds and freshwater fish are on the brink of extinction because of failure to minimise the pollution5  [16]  . The issue of political intervention appears as a threat to the tourist industry. The recent riots in May 2010 were the result of protests against the governments austerity decisions to combat the countrys large sovereign debt levels  [17]  18. Countries with political instability and countries that impose austere decisions, which are likely to lead to civil unrest, make the country less attractive to foreigners and hence will find it very difficult to attract potential tourists. So far, we have discussed the current strengths, weakness and barriers of the Greek tourism industry, as well as potential benefits and threats that could either enhance or decimate the industry. Combining the main points discussed in this research, we can extrapolate implications for specific strategies of industry, government and the community to enhance the economic impacts of tourism in Greece. In our opinion, we believe there are three main implications. Firstly, there should be a strategy to consolidate on the profitable and competitive Greek tourism industry, both in the short-term and more importantly, long-term future. Possible techniques to achieve this objective include improving the marketing and promotion, aim to increase levels of tourism and try to promote different types of tourism to appeal to a wider variety of people. Improvements in these areas should lead to a considerable increase in revenues and profits for businesses in Greece that rely on tourism and will allow Greece to maintain strong percentages of tourism in its GDP (as mentioned earlier, 17% of GDP in the Greek economy is derived from the tourism industry). Secondly, there should be an increasing need to cultivate and maintain Greek tourist destinations and attractions, which thereby will lead to economic prosperity in the future. This strategy is concerned with improving the environment, public transportation infrastructure, general infrastructure and decreasing pollution. By improving the standard of public facilities, making transport more accessible for tourists and improving legislation to decrease pollution, not only will it appeal to more potential tourists, but furthermore, Greece will develop a reputation as a nation that cares for the general wellbeing of people and will take the respective measures to make a tourists experience as enjoyable and pleasant as possible. Finally, there should be a strategy for improving the general satisfaction of tourists. This may be achieved through improving general services and also promoting different types of tourism for the people of varying economic backgrounds. For example, the Greek tourism industry should promote certain holiday packages for the higher-income earners who may want to experience a bit more extravagance and luxury, packages for families with small children, packages for those who are on a budget and so on. Certain types of lifestyles (attributed to the amount of money the tourist is willing to spend) should be targeted to achieve this objective.

Hitler - A Great Leader :: essays research papers

In my opinion, being a good leader firstly he should be able to take full advantage of favorable circumstance, able to rule the country under a chaotic situation. Besides he made attractive promises to gain popular support, skilled in using of propaganda, amoral. Moreover he should have the organizational ability and has the ambition to make his country powerful in the world. In addition, he could use his words to twist and manipulate the minds of people into believing that what he was saying. Using this power, he could get people to do anything for him, which prove his amorality. He should be skillful in carry out successful policy to bring the country to economic prospect, since economy is very important to a country. I think Adolf Hitler is the one. Adolf Hitler was one of the 20th century’s most powerful dictators. He was responsible for World War II and the death of millions. Hitler saw a nation in despair and used this as an opportunity to gain political power. He saw a nation of unemployed and hungry citizens and promised them economic prosperity in return for absolute power. Someone once said â€Å"The Nazis rose to power on the empty stomachs of the German people†. Although he did not live a very long life, during his time he caused such a great deal of death and destruction that his actions still have an effect on the world nearly 50 years later. I am sure that he is a great leader. Adolf Hitler joined a small political party in 1919 and rose to leadership through his emotional and captivating speeches. He encouraged national pride, militarism, and a commitment to the Volk and a racially "pure" Germany. Hitler condemned the Jews, exploiting anti-Semitic feelings that had prevailed in Europe for centuries. He changed the name of the party to the National Socialist German Workers' Party, called for short, the Nazi Party. By the end of 1920, the Nazi Party had about 3,000 members. A year later Hitler became its official leader Fà ¼hrer. From this, we can see his potential of being a leader and his development in his propaganda. In about 1923 Adolf Hitler's attempt at an armed overthrow of local authorities in Munich, known as the Beer Hall Putsch, failed miserably. Hitler, were subsequently jailed and charged with high treason. However, Hitler used the courtroom at his public trial as a propaganda platform, ranting for hours against the Weimar government.

Preparing to Conduct Business Research

On September 12, 2012 the New York City Health Department voted eight-zero with one vote abstaining, to enact a city wide ban on sugar-sweetened beverages in containers over 16ounce in size (Susman, 2012). At the urging of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg the health department is hoping that this ban will have an impact on the growing obesity problem among New York citizens (Susman, 2012). Opposition to the ban was evident before the final vote by citizens believing violations of his or her freedom are occurring and vendors who see the choices in what he or she serve the customers under dictation from city hall.Perhaps the group with the most to lose is the beverage industry; the ban limits servings of sugar sweetened drinks to 16 ounces or less in the city’s 24,000 restaurants, delis, movie theaters, sports venues, and street carts (Petrecca, 2012). This means no 20-ounce bottles, no super-sized drinks, no monster drinks at the movie theater, the fact is most of these es tablishments consider a 16-ounce beverage a small or medium drink (Petrecca, 2012). So smaller drinks mean smaller profits; however, it may be possible that this is not the case.The ban does not limit the number of 16-ounce drinks a person may purchase; the possibility for additional sales does exist (Petrecca, 2012). Because only restaurants offer free refills, it is possible that the smaller size drinks will result in greater quantities of sales at the other locations. Business Research The CEO of the Coca Cola Company is communicating with Learning Team A, hiring Learning Team A to research potential issues and opportunities resulting from the ban on containers over the limit of 16 ounces of sugar sweetened beverages in the city of New York.Coca Cola is showing interest in learning what the consumer thinks of the ban; how the customers believe it will affect his or her recreational and dining experiences. Coca Cola is not only showing interest in this information as it pertains t o New York City but also because the interest this ban is attracting from other large cities and what it would mean to the company if this became common practice in other locations (Koebler, 2012). HypothesesTeam A offers several hypotheses to the ban and the effects it will have on the citizens, vendors, and distributors of sugar sweetened beverages: ? Team A hypothesizes that the ban on sugar sweetened beverages will cause a decrease in beverage sales that contain sugar, costing the Coca Cola company millions of dollars in sales. ? Team A hypothesizes that the ban on sugar sweetened beverages larger than 16 ounces will cause consumers to purchase multiple quantities of beverages in replacement of what they use to purchase.Also the sale of sugar free beverages will rise; this will cause an increase in revenue for the Coca Cola Company. Team A hypothesizes that the public will be unreceptive to the ban and believes that the government body responsible for it has overstepped their bo unds. The public will think that the removal of this choice goes against the constitutional rights every person has and that he or she will attempt to find a way around the ban. ? Team A hypothesizes that although there will be citizens upset in regard to the ban, the citizens will embrace the law proving a measurable difference on the obesity problem in New York City. Variables to Consider and Questions to AskIn an effort to offer to the Coca Cola Company the most complete information, the best recommendations, and a reliable foundation on which to base future changes it is necessary to research as many variables as possible. Variable questions to include in the research include: 1) â€Å"The various age groups of the consumers, and their drink preferences. † 2) â€Å"How the vendors plan on handling this new rule and will the vendor adjust the prices, add free-refills, implement buy one get one programs, and add additional drink dispensers to accommodate customers. ) †Å"How these bans encourage customers to leave the city limits and visit establishments in the suburbs? † 4) â€Å"How the consumer understands the reasoning behind the ban and the obesity issue with the removal of beverage choice? †5) â€Å"Coca Cola currently holding a 70% market share in New York; this is a significant margin over the competition (Petrecca, 2012). It is important to research if the customer loyalty level will hold up to â€Å"deals† by the competition and how aggressive Coca Cola is going have to be with marketing and pricing. 6) â€Å"Is Coca Cola willing to embrace this ban, explore ways to market their diet products and fruit juices as an alternate to the sugar sweetened beverages? † Ethical Considerations Ethics play a critical role in conducting research projects (Donald R. Cooper, 2011). It is critical to examine how the results of the research issue breach the rights of the citizens. In the case of the New York City law that limi ts the sales of sugar sweetened drinks there are several ethical questions that arise.The strongest being, â€Å"how will this state law infringe on an individual’s rights to choose the size of their desired beverage? † The motivation behind the law is the unhealthy factors of sugary drinks, targeting one unhealthy option. Supporters of the law believe that this law will help prevent obesity; however, opposition believes it is unfair to place the weight of this issue on one product. Also at question â€Å"Is it ethical to restrict a consumer’s right to choose what he or she wants to drink?Along with sugar sweetened beverages there are other unhealthy products available that have proven effects on weight with no restrictions. Vendors and beverage makes can argue that the law shows bias and is discriminatory. This leads to another ethical issue; does the law give preference or competitive vendor advantage over consumer’s advantage. A consumer, who may wish to purchase a larger drink, may find the need to purchase multiple drinks, thereby increasing the sales of the company but yet not eliminating the risk of obesity.Also under consideration is the ethical question, â€Å"does the beverage company have a responsibility to their customers to reduce the chance of obesity, knowing that these beverages offer empty calories with no nutritional value? † Conclusion Moving into the future it is important to understand what difficulties a company will be facing. Knowledge from research projects provide companies the possibility to develop contingency plans and reduce the chance that the unknown will alter the course of a successful business plan.Earlier this month the New York City Health Department passed a law that has altered the way beverage makers and vendors conduct their business and altering the freedom consumers have in choosing something as simple as the beverage he or she drinks. The Coca Cola Company is looking to go forward armed with the knowledge they will need to maintain their superiority in the New York Market. This task has fallen on Learning Team A, as they will research and discover what the market and consumers will demand to remain customers of Coca Cola.

The Hardest Decision I Ever Made

The Hardest Decision I Ever Made It was about 3 months ago when everything started; I woke up one day and got ready to go to work. Since it was the summer break my father had asked me if I could help out in the hotel because the receptionist had a surgery and couldn’t come to work for a whole month, so I accepted. I finished getting ready and left. On my way out I stopped by our letterbox because something was stuck there, (A leaf I think). I opened the letterbox and there it was: the leaflet that changed my whole life.That leaflet was not any leaflet: it was a publicity leaflet for the best rhythmic gymnastics club that was moving its training location to the public school near my house. While I was reading the leaflet, it brought back to me the memories of the years in elementary school when all of my friends did rhythmic gymnastics and I was the only one who was forced by her mother to do every single day 3 hours of ballet after school. I would always look at them playing w ith the ribbons they would bring to school or try to teach me how to do a handstand.Flexibility wasn’t a problem since in ballet I needed to be very flexible when doing the jump-split*(it’s when you jump in the air and do a sideways split while you’re in the air) also in my category I was the only girl to be able to do the perfect-split (when you do a sideways or frontal split and lean backwards and forwards with your upper body and touching the ground with your nose). Looking at the paper made me regret even more the decision I had made to quit ballet when I turned 14. The lame excuse was that studying got harder and exams were more frequent, the conclusion was: no more ballet.My mother, after a lot of convincing, accepted my decision and I no longer did ballet. Such a silly decision. I should have continued, because of that most of my flexibility is gone. On the leaflet there was a name and a phone number, it also said the first day of tryouts is free, I had a bsolutely nothing to lose, the tryouts were free, the day of the tryouts I was free, and the place was literately a 5 minutes’ walk from my house. I had no excuse not to go. The time to leave for the tryouts was close and my nerves grew bigger, What if I suck? What if I can’t do the split anymore? What if I get laughed at?All sorts of questions started to pop up in my head at the speed of light, I was really looking forward to it but at the same time I was dreading the minutes that passed by. I took my phone out and dialed my dad’s number to cancel but then it hit me, I was not the only one who was going for tryouts, other girls were going too. Other girls who might have never done rhythmic gymnastics as well! That’s why it is called tryouts, silly me! I took my bag and left the office. The weather outside was sunny but the wind was strong and cold, what’s new! The weather almost always was cold and windy here even though it was still in mid-august .We arrived and entered the building. The school gate was big and somewhat outdated, there were trees blocking the view, only a path made of stones was visible. My dad made his way through the trees and I followed behind. I trusted my father, since when he was in high school, he attended this school. The narrow stone path led to a wide and big playground outdated too, we climbed up the stairs and entered the gymnasium, once inside the teacher greeted us and told me to go over to the girls and introduce myself, I made fast friends with the girls and the lesson started.In all my 12 years of ballet and other hobbies, none made me feel so excited and happy like rhythmic gymnastics. I felt the same feeling of elegance and grace that I had felt in ballet in rhythmic gymnastics, but there was another feeling, a feeling that had been missing in ballet, I felt for the first time that I wasn’t doing it out of obligation for my mom. For the first time I was willing to go on my own.

Platos Allegory of the Cave in Pleasantville Essay Example

Platos Allegory of the Cave in Pleasantville Essay Example Platos Allegory of the Cave in Pleasantville Paper Platos Allegory of the Cave in Pleasantville Paper Writer and director Gary Ross captured the essence of Plato’s philosophical views in his movie, Pleasantville. The movie is about two siblings, David and Jennifer, who live in completely different high school social scenes. Jennifer is the wild, extroverted teen who is obsessed with partying and boy drama. David, on the other hand, is a social outcast and spends most of his time watching TV, specifically, his favorite show, Pleasantville. David idolizes the show because of the perfect town in which everyone is accepted and there is never anything that goes wrong. When the siblings’ mother goes away, the two are left arguing over what TV channel to watch. As their fighting develops, they eventually break the remote, which leads to the plot twist when the two are transported into the town of Pleasantville. This movie directly relates to Plato’s philosophical beliefs, specifically his conclusions about the Allegory of the Cave. However, the movie can also be loosely related to Plato’s noumenal and phenomenal realms in the sense that it is hard to tell the difference between the intelligible and sensible realms. Plato’s beliefs are interpreted and modernized in the movie, which demonstrate the four truths that Plato realizes in his Allegory of the Cave conclusions. Pleasantville helps the audience understand the conclusions Plato draws from the Allegory of the Cave. Plato’s first conclusion explains why gathering knowledge and education can be difficult. The movie is a parallel because David and Jennifer’s cave is the life they lead as high school students. They are brought to the light when they are transported to Pleasantville. There, they must adapt to a different lifestyle and confront the truths about themselves that they ignored in the superficial world they once inhabited. When they are brought to Pleasantville, they also act as a philosopher who is bringing knowledge to the small town. For the people that live in Pleasantville, they are stuck in a cave and David and Jennifer are their keys to the light. The movie contrasts parallel universe’s, showing that perspective is what makes someone stuck in a cave. Because the people of Pleasantville and David and Jen learn new things about themselves, they all escaped the cave and gathered knowledge. The road to enlightenment was not an easy road, however. David and Jennifer had a difficult time maturing and leaving behind their old masks; the town of Pleasantville had a very difficult time gaining a new perspective- the town leaders tried everything they could to forbid people from leaving their perfect little world. This parallel of the cave explains Plato’s first conclusion of how education can often be difficult because it means turning your back on everything familiar. The movie also very clearly identifies with Plato’s second conclusion that explains why philosophers are often ridiculed. When Jennifer and David were transported to Pleasantville, they were immediately hated for disrupting the order in the town. They had to learn how to cope with a completely different world, while also instilling in others their new perspective and experience. While Pleasantville is black and white, the town represents the ignorance that people in the cave feel. However, when the town begins to turn to color, the people are finally seeing the light and escaping from the cave. This I somewhat ironic because, for both the people of Pleasantville and David and Jen, they all begin their journey in black and white. This is interesting because, from Jen and David’s perspective, the two had already experienced the world and were sent to Pleasantville to not disrupt anything. They, however, were very mistaken. They were just as ignorant as the people of Pleasantville, just in a different way. Jen’s radical actions of having sex when she goes on a date in Pleasantville do not make her turn to color because her actions are what would be expected from her back in her own cave. She only turns to color when she gets in touch with her emotions and relieves some insecurities that had hindered her from being her full self. The people that first turn to color are ridiculed by town leaders and people that had not yet left the cave. This explains why philosophers are often ridiculed; the people that were in color, representing philosophers, had divorced mundane concerns and found their true inner spirit. Plato’s final two conclusions describe the nature of education and the role of the philosopher, which are also dramatized in the movie. Plato tells that the role of an educator is to point their students in the right direction. In Pleasantville, the people are both students and teachers. They are teachers to Jen and David; the townspeople teach Jen and David the importance of tradition and good values. The townspeople are also students: they learn from Jen and David how to ignite their inner flame and break from the cave that Pleasantville once was. Similarily, Jen and David are also both students and teachers. They are students in that they take the lessons from the people of Pleasantville in order to help them reach the sun and gather knowledge about a world they were unfamiliar with. They are teachers in that they help orient the people of Pleasantville to get in touch with their daring and adventurous side. In this way, being a teacher is the role of the philosopher- the teacher must help others escape from the cave to experience life. Everyone that turned to color towards the beginning of the movie were the â€Å"philosophers† or â€Å"teachers† that helped instigate everyone else to turn to color. They helped share their knowledge and encouraged people to reach the sun and gather all new kinds of knowledge. Plato’s final two conclusions explain the nature of the philosopher in educating others and how the student has all the information inside them, they just need to tap into their inner mind to retrieve it. Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Gary Ross’s Pleasantville each were very insightful in helping understand the other. By studying the allegory, it was very easy to understand the themes and symbols present in Pleasantville. Conversely, by watching Pleasantville, it was very easy to understand and modernize the conclusions Plato draws in his allegory. Through comprehending both, it is easier to understand Plato’s four truths: why knowledge can be difficult; why philosophers are ridiculed; the nature of education; and the role of the philosopher.

Free Essays on The Turn Of A Screw

This novel was, surprisingly, in a way that was not all too completely unaware to me – for I could discern my own thoughts concerning the book – interesting. The intensely complex and intricate (if not confusing!) sentences, upon first thought, made me expect an experience of complete, utter, and total confusion; however, they served not only to keep my interest in the novel – for I had to concentrate to grasp the full, rich meaning of his thoughts – but also to create in me a sense of enjoyment, that of being enriched with the experiences of the main character so that my life and that character's became inseparable, only it occurred not only with the main character, but with the entire plot at once – all characters, all scenes (to which I shall come late), all conversations... everything. I have never seen a man so able to express so much in one sentence, and still be able to have the reader follow his thoughts throughout the entire process. Henr y James was a master of expression and grammar. His ability to form a complex, yet coherent sentence did nothing but add to the quality of the novel. The characters alone added to the quality of the novel. It is not so much as they were entirely believable, but they were believable to the extent of their being in a ghost story. The things that happened to these poor characters were not natural in any sense, but they were completely acceptable from within a ghost story. Miles, for example, was too beautiful in action, too simple in thought, and too tempting in appearance (for both the governess and Mr. Quint) to be considered real; however, he is not too extreme in any of those respects to not have the capacity for existing within a reader's mind. The same is true of Flora. Her childish innocence and elderly cunning create an ambiguous character that is capable of existing. (Is that not an ambiguity of its’ own?) As far as completely realistic and believable characters –... Free Essays on The Turn Of A Screw Free Essays on The Turn Of A Screw This novel was, surprisingly, in a way that was not all too completely unaware to me – for I could discern my own thoughts concerning the book – interesting. The intensely complex and intricate (if not confusing!) sentences, upon first thought, made me expect an experience of complete, utter, and total confusion; however, they served not only to keep my interest in the novel – for I had to concentrate to grasp the full, rich meaning of his thoughts – but also to create in me a sense of enjoyment, that of being enriched with the experiences of the main character so that my life and that character's became inseparable, only it occurred not only with the main character, but with the entire plot at once – all characters, all scenes (to which I shall come late), all conversations... everything. I have never seen a man so able to express so much in one sentence, and still be able to have the reader follow his thoughts throughout the entire process. Henr y James was a master of expression and grammar. His ability to form a complex, yet coherent sentence did nothing but add to the quality of the novel. The characters alone added to the quality of the novel. It is not so much as they were entirely believable, but they were believable to the extent of their being in a ghost story. The things that happened to these poor characters were not natural in any sense, but they were completely acceptable from within a ghost story. Miles, for example, was too beautiful in action, too simple in thought, and too tempting in appearance (for both the governess and Mr. Quint) to be considered real; however, he is not too extreme in any of those respects to not have the capacity for existing within a reader's mind. The same is true of Flora. Her childish innocence and elderly cunning create an ambiguous character that is capable of existing. (Is that not an ambiguity of its’ own?) As far as completely realistic and believable characters –...

Cost-Push Inflation vs. Demand-Pull Inflation

Cost-Push Inflation vs. Demand-Pull Inflation The general increase in the price for goods in an economy is called inflation, and it is most commonly measured by the consumer price index (CPI) and the producer price index (PPI). When measuring inflation, it is not simply the increase in price, but the percentage increase or the rate at which the price of goods is increasing. Inflation is an important concept both in the study of economics and in real life applications because it affects peoples purchasing power. Despite its simple definition, inflation can be an incredibly complex topic. In fact, there are several types of inflation, which are characterized by the cause that is driving the increase in prices. Here we will examine two types of inflation: cost-push inflation and demand-pull inflation. Causes of Inflation The terms cost-push inflation and demand-pull inflation are associated with Keynesian Economics. Without going into a primer on Keynesian Economics (a good one can be found at Econlib), we can still understand the difference between two terms. The difference between inflation and a change in the price of a particular good or service is that inflation reflects a general and overall increase in price across the whole economy.   Weve seen that inflation is caused by some combination of four factors. Those four factors are: Supply of money goes up  Supply of goods and services goes downDemand for money goes downDemand for goods and services goes up Each of these four factors is linked to the core principles of supply and demand, and each can lead to an increase in price or inflation. To better understand the difference between cost-push inflation and demand-pull inflation, lets look at their definitions within the context of these four factors. Definition of Cost-Push Inflation The text Economics  (2nd Edition) written by American economists Parkin and Bade gives the following explanation for cost-push inflation: Inflation can result from a decrease in aggregate supply. The two main sources of a decrease in aggregate supply are: An increase in wage ratesAn increase in the prices of raw materials These sources of a decrease in aggregate supply operate by increasing costs, and the resulting inflation is called cost-push inflation Other things remaining the same, the higher the cost of production, the smaller is the amount produced. At a given price level, rising wage rates or rising prices of raw materials such as oil lead firms to decrease the quantity of labor employed and to cut production. (pg. 865) To understand this definition, we must understand the aggregate supply.  Aggregate supply is defined as the total volume of the goods and services produced in a country or the supply of goods. To put it simply, when the supply of goods decreases as a result of an increase in the cost of production of those goods, we get cost-push inflation. As such, cost-push inflation can be thought of like this: prices for consumers are pushed up by increases in cost  to produce. Essentially, the increased production costs are passed along to the consumers. Causes of Increased Cost of Production Increases in cost could relate to labor, land, or any of the factors of production.  It is important to note, however, that the supply of goods can be influenced by factors other than an increase in the price of inputs. For instance, a natural disaster can also impact the supply of goods, but in this instance, the inflation caused by the decrease in the supply of goods would not be considered cost-push inflation. Of course, when considering cost-push inflation the logical next question would be What caused the price of inputs to rise? Any combination of the four factors could cause an increase in production costs, but the two most likely are factor 2 (raw materials have become more scarce) or factor 4 (demand for raw materials and labor have risen). Definition of Demand-Pull Inflation Moving on to demand-pull inflation, we will first look at the definition as given by Parkin and Bade in their text Economics: The inflation resulting from an increase in aggregate demand is called demand-pull inflation. Such inflation may arise from any individual factor that increases aggregate demand, but the main ones that generate ongoing increases in aggregate demand are: Increases in the money supplyIncreases in government purchasesIncreases in the price level in the rest of the world (pg. 862) Inflation caused by an increase in aggregate demand  is inflation caused by an increase in the demand for goods. That is to say that when consumers (including individuals, businesses, and governments) all desire to purchase more goods than the economy can currently produce, those consumers will compete to purchase from that limited supply which will drive prices up. Consider this demand for goods a game of tug of war between consumers: as demand increases, prices are pulled up. Causes of Increased Aggregate Demand Parkin and Bade listed the three primary factors behind increases in aggregate demand, but these same factors also have a tendency to increase inflation in and of themselves. For instance, an increase in the money supply is factor 1 inflation. Increases in government purchases or the increased demand for goods by the government is behind factor 4 inflation. And lastly, increases in the price level in the rest of the world, too, causes inflation.  Consider this example: suppose you are living in the United States. If the price of gum rises in Canada, we should expect to see fewer Americans buying gum from Canadians and more Canadians purchasing the cheaper gum from American sources. From the American perspective, the demand for gum has risen causing a price rise in gum; a factor 4 inflation. Inflation in Summary As one can see, inflation more complex than the occurrence of rising prices in an economy, but can further be defined by the factors driving the increase. Cost-push inflation and demand-pull inflation can both be explained using our four inflation factors. Cost-push inflation is inflation caused by rising prices of inputs that cause factor 2 (decreased supply of goods) inflation. Demand-pull inflation is factor 4 inflation (increased demand for goods) which can have many causes.

Prostitution in Victorian Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Prostitution in Victorian Society - Essay Example The streets of London immortalized by Dickens in their fascination and horror were in many ways embodied by the spectacle of prostitutes, many little more than children, plying their trade. Prostitution became a symbol of the worst excesses of Victorian Britain, and as such were a focus for attempts at change. As with many social ills that attract a variety of attention, prostitution was viewed through a number of different lenses according to the interests of the viewer. By the beginning of the 1840's a number of different groups:- mainly religious groups, major news organizations and women's social groups - began to take notice of the problem of prostitution. One of the major reasons for this new attention, as William Acton noted in his landmark study, Prostitution (1870) was the sheer number of prostitutes now visible on metropolitan streets in general, and London streets in particular. Acton estimated that there were at least 40,000 prostitutes actively working in London alone. It had become impossible to simply ignore the activity as it was so prevalent. The very title of Acton's book shows the variety of different perspectives that were taken on the subject: The basic foundation for the study was moralistic in nature, but as was often the case in Victorian thought, it needed at least a veneer of the rational, scientific thought that had come to such dominance during the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. Thus the "social" and "sanitary" aspects also need to be considered. The concentration on "London" and "Other Large Cities" reflects the concern that these massively growing conurbations were essentially out of control. Prostitution was a visible, terrible sign of this lack of control. Various reasons were put forward to explain why there were so many prostitutes. The idea of the "fallen woman" was prevalent among these, as Walkowitz (1982) suggests. The fallen woman archetype was, of course, an essential element of the Christian theology of the period which often associated any expression of sexuality, and specifically any embodiment of female sexuality, as innately evil and something to be avoided. The "fallen woman" was in fact any woman who had sexual relations with a man outside of marriage, whether she had a single lover or slept with dozens of men a day as her profession. Prostitution was seen as a moral and social problem by many of the writers of the time such as Charles Booth and Henry Mayhew (Walkowitz, 1992). One major 'reason' given for prostitution by contemporary commentators was the rather surprising gender disparity that had been revealed by the 1851 census. This showed that there were 4% more women than men. This implied that about 750,000 women would remain unmarried because there were not enough men to go around. These unmarried females began to be known as "superfluous women" and/or "redundant women" (Bartley, 1999). These designations are telling: a woman's worth is seen purely within her ability to marry a man. Any woman who cannot marry because of a shortage of men is at risk for becoming a prostitute. The doubtful logic that this rather large leap relied upon was that unmarried women had no man to support them and so would need to support themselves through illegitimate means. The idea that all unmarried women would be tempted to

Neurology Clerkship Thesis Chapter 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Neurology Clerkship Chapter 4 - Thesis Example In addition, the problems and sub-problems that directed the researcher were defined in detail. This research explained the effectiveness of instructional materials used by medical lecturers when preparing medical students for future tasks. From this chapter, it will be evident that the principles of effective teaching of the past decade have come of age. Nowadays, technology has evolved, and there is a need for effective teaching techniques for doctors. The research has demonstrated the existence of a technology-driven era of medicine. From statistics, it is clear that there have been increases in the use of modern technology in the field of medical education. The first chapter enlisted modern technology used in medical schools. This includes interactive whiteboards, and Apple’s iPad and the iBook that are used to access the eBook. More recently, as evidenced in the first chapter of this research, many medical colleges have incorporated E-learning in their educational strategies, especially the use of eBooks. Educational experts argue that eBooks are often portable and facilitate learning ‘on the go.’ Moreover, medical institutions prefer eBooks because it encourages self-directed learning, which is very essential to every doctor in the practice. The chapter concludes by listing the main assumptions used while conducting this research. There was a total of six assumptions, and all this concentrated on the issue of familiarization with eBook applications. Furthermore, there was the definition of all necessary terms to be used in the research, and the main limitations encountered during the research process. The second chapter examined the body of language that exist in the developing and designing of an instructional eBook for medical students within a clinical setting. There was a systematic review of the literature and the chapter started off by discussing the best practices for clinical instruction. It is important to

Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on US evolution Assignment

Impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on US evolution - Assignment Example The Emancipation Proclamation did not merely seek to end slavery, but rather to unite the populace. However, through ending slavery, the civil war, which was sparked by the standpoints on whether it should end, was halted. Further, it persuaded some Confederate leaders to seek peace before the deadline in January (McPherson and Hogue, 2010). After the Proclamation, Great Britain was persuaded against the Confederacy and the British dramatically shifted their support to the Union during the Civil War. Further, Northerners were tired with the war, and thus the Proclamation brought considerable relief. From the 1820s to 1860s, the political field was controlled and dominated by Democrats. The southern Democrats controlled favored and protected slavery until 1860 when the Northern and the Southern disagreed on choosing a candidate. Therefore, the two sides nominated their candidates; John for the South and Lincoln for the North. Lincoln won the election and the secession and war gave him a background to liberate the slaves through the Emancipation Proclamation, changing the political scene. The Civil War was a defining time in American history, and the Proclamation brought further

FINAL EXAM PAPER. strengths and weaknesses in american society between Term Paper

FINAL EXAM . strengths and weaknesses in american society between 1900 and present - Term Paper Example The 20th century started with the passing of the Gold Standard Act, which controlled the value of the dollar (McCulley 39). In 1901, inclusion of Cherokee, Seminole, Muscogee, Chickasaw and the Choctaw boosted cultural diversification of America. In 1907, America experienced a state of economic panic caused by a fall in the stock market (U.S. Department of the Treasury 1). The incidence affected the country’s economic performance. The year 1924 saw the granting of citizenship to Indians through the enactment of the Indian Citizenship Act (Sadiq 11). The year 1991 saw the involvement of America in the formulation of the treaty of Versailles, which positioned her as an influential country in the world. The American art industry saw which covered the civil war and the aftermath consequences. The film also  featured  the  incidence during the  assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Arnold Schoenberg influenced the music industry through the development of the twelve-tone music composition method. The year 1917 saw the buying of a war bond by the America as an initiative to support war against the central powers. Eliot, T.S. wrote the poem â€Å"The Waste Land† poem, which covers the cultural problems that resulted after the World War I. The poem marked a revolution in the art sector of the country. The Great Depression started in 1929. The consequences of the incidence were increased unemployment and the massive closure of many of the U.S banks. Franklin Roosevelt advocated the New Deal in 1933, whose aims were to set up programs to solve the economic state of the country (Boyer et al. 737). The primary social occurrence of this period was the increased support of the isolationism. Due to the profound negative effects of the world war, the Americans thought that it was wise to withdraw from their involvement in the European issues. In 1938, Mexico expropriated foreign oil companies operating in the country. As a reaction to

Dissertation style research, geothermal piles and carbon accounting Literature review

Dissertation style research, geothermal piles and carbon accounting - Literature review Example In geothermal pipes, the pipes are vertically laid for the construction so that they can be incorporated into the foundations of piles. The structural piles are converted into heat exchangers through the addition of one or more plastic pipes down their length. During the construction of the geothermal pipes, the diameter of the pipe and the length need to be designed in order to resist the applicable structural loads. They are not designed to suit the requirement of the geothermal. When constructing the geothermal piles, first the soil is extracted from the ground. Later the welded and rigid reinforcement cage is inserted (Ghasemi-Fare & Basu, n.d.). Various close-ended loops consisting of polythene plastic and absorber pipes are evenly fixed around the reinforcement cage for the entire depth. The close-ended loops are fabricated with off-site and composed of the heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid consists of the saline solution or water with the antifreeze. The loops are fitted with the manometer and locking valve at the pile cage top. Before the concreting process, the absorber pipes undergo pressurised for integrity test, and in preventing collapse because of the fluid concrete. The pressure is maintained, as it waits for the concrete to harden and reapplied prior to enclosure of the absorber pipes. During the concreting process, the pipes tops are withdrawn to avoid the damage and the tremie pipe is positioned to the pile base. Then concrete is poured into the tremie then raised until the pipe is filled with concrete. After finishing the pile, the absorber pipes are the then connected to heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to the pipe’s secondary circuit in the walls and floors of the building construction. The geothermal heat exchangers is one of the most technological heating, refrigerating, and cooling method any enclosure need to condition. The principle behind the

Potential Possibilities and the Limitations Involved in Formal Essay

Potential Possibilities and the Limitations Involved in Formal Theories of Quantification for Natural Language - Essay Example Jon Barwise and John Etchemendy in Language Proof and Logic give a very understandable argument as to the reasons for quantifiers and the reasons they are not always accurate in their use. A very pertinent consideration for their argument starts out their ninth chapter in Language Proof and Logic by saying, "In English and other natural languages, basic sentences are made by combining noun phrases and verb phrases." (1. Chapter 9 page 227, Language Proof and Logic.) The consideration continues further in that Barwise and Etchemendy contend that, "Quantification takes us out of the realm of truth-functional connectives." (2. Chapter 9 page 227, Language Proof and Logic.) This gives us reason for the consideration that quantifiers are not always the most useful method for determining natural language tendencies. Quantifiers, according to Barwise and Etchemendy, have a tendency to dull the truthfulness of sentences giving them a generalisation that may not bear an ounce of truth within them. In the case of first-order logic, the process assumes that there would be an infinite list of variables so there would be no possible way to run out of these variables, regardless of a sentence's complexity. Theorists like Fitch would understand all of these separate variables involved, of which there are many, but others like Tarski's World would not, in that Tarski's World uses six in place of infinite variables as Fitch would manage. This would in fact present a rather expressive limitation in Tarski's World of language use. Expanding the set of terms of language usually means adding variables to it. At this point, only individual consonants, also known as names would be considered the sole amount of basic terms. Obviously, first-order logic, in the eyes of Barwise and Etchemendy believe a complex series of quantifiers is necessary to describe natural language. They consider universal and existential quantifiers in their equations. Universal quantifiers are those that are all enc ompassing and ultimately considered unconditional. Existential quantifiers are more limiting in scope in giving a value but not a limitless value toward the quantification. W. Tecumseh Fitch, from the University of St. Andrew's School of Psychology wrote a treatise titled The Evolution of Language: A Comparative Review. Fitch says in his work that the study of language evolution is often considered little more than speculative story-telling. Fitch further states that this has actually had little to do with the development of many fields which would touch upon it. Those fields include linguistics, evolutionary biology and neuroscience. Over the last fifteen years increasingly productive study of language evolution has occurred in various different quarters and there is far more collaboration and exchange in relation to this increasing study. There in fact would be three key innovations which should be explained in language evolution. The first critical step would be to distinguish among the various component abilities in languages. Mechanisms that are both

Dissertation style research, geothermal piles and carbon accounting Literature review

Dissertation style research, geothermal piles and carbon accounting - Literature review Example In geothermal pipes, the pipes are vertically laid for the construction so that they can be incorporated into the foundations of piles. The structural piles are converted into heat exchangers through the addition of one or more plastic pipes down their length. During the construction of the geothermal pipes, the diameter of the pipe and the length need to be designed in order to resist the applicable structural loads. They are not designed to suit the requirement of the geothermal. When constructing the geothermal piles, first the soil is extracted from the ground. Later the welded and rigid reinforcement cage is inserted (Ghasemi-Fare & Basu, n.d.). Various close-ended loops consisting of polythene plastic and absorber pipes are evenly fixed around the reinforcement cage for the entire depth. The close-ended loops are fabricated with off-site and composed of the heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid consists of the saline solution or water with the antifreeze. The loops are fitted with the manometer and locking valve at the pile cage top. Before the concreting process, the absorber pipes undergo pressurised for integrity test, and in preventing collapse because of the fluid concrete. The pressure is maintained, as it waits for the concrete to harden and reapplied prior to enclosure of the absorber pipes. During the concreting process, the pipes tops are withdrawn to avoid the damage and the tremie pipe is positioned to the pile base. Then concrete is poured into the tremie then raised until the pipe is filled with concrete. After finishing the pile, the absorber pipes are the then connected to heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to the pipe’s secondary circuit in the walls and floors of the building construction. The geothermal heat exchangers is one of the most technological heating, refrigerating, and cooling method any enclosure need to condition. The principle behind the

Determinism is the Incompatible with Free

Determinism is the Incompatible with Free Will Essay Free will defined in Webster’s Dictionary is the power of making free choices by outer agencies, and the ability or judgment to choose. In the Christian point of view, free will is what separates us form the animals. It is because we have free will we are able to identify what is good and bad. Free will is understood that all human beings have the ability to due what they want to do, and live there life by there own choices. But how can we know if we truly have free will, what if free will is only an illusion that the human mind has created for us. Do we really make choices in our life because we want to or because we have to? According to Holbach, free will is an illusion that the human mind has created for us. He claims that free will is caused by the environment around us and that motivates our choices in life. These motives can create wish in our mind that can effect our actions. He says that our actions are a result from our choices that we make, and every choice that we make is a result from a cause. He believes that there is no such thing as a pure choice out of free will. He thinks that our actions are made not because we want to but because we need to. These choices can be a result from past experience or motivations from time situations. To give an example a student that goes to school, you could say that the student is going to school because he wants to go, but why would a child want to go to school? The answer is simple It is because there are motives that are making the student want to go to school. These motives can be subconsciously made for the student. This example proves that to make a choice out of free will then the student must make his choice whether he wants to go to school with out any motive, but for the human mind this is an impossible decision. To succeed in life one must attend school, and to succeed in school one must study hard. This leaves the student with no choice but to attend school, so the student’s choice of going to school is not driven by his desires but rather of his motive to succeed in life, and if the student chooses not to attend school then he might be driven the choice not to attend school because he does not like studying which makes the idea of free will false. The student might decide not to go to school because in school he would have to study which he has no desire of doing and if he does go to school he is going not of free will but rather of survival for is own future. , which makes the basic idea of free choice false. In otherwise, the actions of humans are never free; they are always influenced by other sources such as for our own happiness, opinions, past, and daily experiences. Holbach says that having the option of choice does not necessarily mean that one is given free will. Hey says that choices are more like a necessary motive that has been created in front of us, just like the student that goes to school. He is driven by his own desires. Then how can someone say that he is free if his choices that he makes are decided with a reason to it. Men are guided in each step of their lives by their own driven passion, which makes all there choices calculated for a curtain outcome. All of our actions that we make in life are a result form our choices. If a man tried to kill him self what are some motives that will stop the men from killing himself. One will say that if he killed himself then he will die and that would be meaningless. In another situation let say that the men wanted to test his own God given free will and decides to kill himself, this action makes him no different from the man who does not kill himself. They are both driven with different motive that makes them result in their actions. Our actions result in our choices that we make. Every choice that is laid out for us has a motive in the beginning, and in eventually these motives turn into determinations which drives the human brain to respond in curtion ways. The result of the human mind and the illusion of free will is that the human actions are moved by the cause. If all people were able to see their motions carefully they will all discover that there fantasy of free will is only but an illusion. Even though our actions appear to be due to free will, but all actions are actually predetermined factors. They are choices in our heads that has already been made for us. This means that our lives have already been chosen for us even before we decide it. One major objection that I have from this argument is that if people don’t have free will, then that means that all people wouldn’t have any moral responsibility for there actions, but people are morally responsible for their actions. If we did not have free will then that will mean that their will be no good people in the world. If every decision was made because of our own desires then that will mean that we will choose most of the time the bad choices, because most of our desires are self centered. It is because of free will we are able to define what is good and bad. The reasons that we have motives are because they sometimes conflict between what is good and bad. It is because we have free will that we try to due the right things. Moral effort cannot exist without a motive. I believe this to be good objection against the idea that free will is only an illusion created by the mind. If all actions were a result from a cause and motive that we already know of. Then all actions should be predictable, but most actions are not predicable they have many outcomes. If motivation was the only thing that drives us to choose in our lives then their will be no point of living. It is because of the idea of free will we wake up in the morning, knowing that we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow. The illusion of freewill talks about the possibility of a deterministic world, but determinism is such a depressing view of the world. Free will is what powers the world, creates societies, and maintains order. Maybe the illusion of free will is for the better for all mankind.

What Is Carbon Monoxide And Its Effects Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is Carbon Monoxide And Its Effects Environmental Sciences Essay Carbon monoxide (CO), also known as carbonous oxide, is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas produced by incomplete combustion of the fossil and carbon-based fuels, when there is not enough oxygen to produce Carbon Dioxide. Normally, carbon (C) and oxygen (O2) combine to produce carbon dioxide (CO2), when combustion of carbon is complete, in the presence of plenty of air. When combustion of carbon is incomplete, there is a limited supply of air, and only half as much oxygen adds to the carbon, forming carbon monoxide (CO). Many sources of carbon monoxide include: Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves; generators and other gasoline powered equipment; automobile exhaust from attached garages; and tobacco smoke. Carbon monoxide is not only formed from incomplete combustion, it is also formed as a pollutant when hydrocarbon fuels (natural gas, petrol, and diesel) ar e burned. Carbon Monoxide gas is produced from the partial oxidation of  carbon-containing compounds and it consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom. Carbon Monoxide is also the simplest oxocarbon, and is an anhydride of formic acid. The symbol equation for the formation of carbon dioxide is: (hydrocarbon) + O2 CO + H2O Effects on humans Despite Carbon Monoxide being perfectly harmless to humans at low exposure, it is extremely poisonous, often fatal, to humans at higher levels. When Carbon Monoxide enters the body through the respiratory system, it binds very strongly to the  iron  atoms  in haemoglobin, the principal  oxygen-carrying compound in blood. Haemoglobin, a protein present in the red blood cells, normally binds oxygen to form oxyhemoglobin and transports it to all parts of the body. When Carbon Monoxide enters the bloodstream, it competes with oxygen and binds to haemoglobin to form carboxyhemoglobin.  Carbon monoxide is attracted to haemoglobin over 200 times more strongly than oxygen. Therefore, in the blood, the presence of carbon monoxide prevents some of the  haemoglobin  found in red blood cells from carrying sufficient oxygen around the body, sometimes resulting in death. Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide poisoning The symptoms of mild carbon monoxide poisoning may be non-specific and similar to those of viral cold and flu infections, food poisoning or just simple fatigue. But, unlike flu and many viral infections, carbon monoxide poisoning doesnt result in a high temperature. At low concentrations, the poisoning produces symptoms such as abdominal pain; dizziness; sore throat; dry cough; fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, the effects many include: impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; and nausea. At extreme levels of exposure, fast and irregular heart rate; hyperventilation; difficulty breathing; Seizures and loss of consciousness may occur. Some symptoms can occur a few days or even months after exposure to carbon monoxide, and may include confusion, loss of memory, problems with coordination; and unusually pinkish skin and cheeks, or bright red lips. Most of the symptoms and effects produced by exposure to carbon monoxide are generally reversible, as the effects disappear following removal from exposure. Despite this, if extremely high exposure does not result in death; permanent damage to the body is likely to occur, mostly to the nervous system. Many of the serious effects include:  · loss of memory  · increased irritability  · impulsiveness  · mood changes  · violent behaviour  · verbal aggression  · personality changes  · learning disabilities  · mental deterioration  · instability when walking Many people are more at risk of Carbon Monoxide poisoning; due is to their greater need for oxygen or an impaired ability of their bodies to provide an adequate supply. Those at most risk include:  · pregnant women  · the physically active  · older workers  · heavy smokers  · sufferers from respiratory diseases  · sufferers from heart disease Prevention Even though carbon monoxide poses a big threat to human health, the effects of exposure to it, both short-term and long-term, can be prevented if all the necessary precautions are carried out. The most important measure to protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning, is to have a Carbon Monoxide detector fitted in your home. The detectors can come in an alarm form, similar to fire detectors, or a passive form, which are adhesive detectors with a circle on the indicator that will turn grey or black, depending on the concentration of CO in the room. According to the National Fire Protection Association 93% of homes have smoke alarms, yet the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that only 15% have carbon monoxide alarms, which greatly contributes to the high numbers of poisonings. The second precaution that you should take to protect yourself is to have your heating system; water heater; chimney and flue; and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances to be serviced by a qualified technician every year. You should also make sure that all your cooking appliances and furnaces are inspected for adequate safety and ventilation. Another precaution to take is to make sure not  use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, garage or near a window, as charcoal is very susceptible to producing carbon monoxide when burned. To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, you should not run a car or any other automobile inside a garage attached to your home, or any enclosed space, even if you leave the door open, as Carbon Monoxide could become trapped. Making sure not to burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isnt vented, is also another life saving precaution to take. With a combination of all of the advice and techniques to prevent carbon Mmnoxide exposure within your home, you can protect yourself and others from the deadly and life threatening problem of Carbon Monoxide poisoning.

The Influence Ineffective Coping Has on Adolescent Development Essay

Introduction Adolescence is the stepping-stone to adulthood. During this developmental milestone individuals critically develop physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually (Wetherill & Tapert, 2013). Amidst these changes adolescents develop higher cognitive skills and begin to establish their sense of self. This developmental process can be hindered when the adolescent experiences a loss of a loved one. Currently limited research has been conducted on the physical response of the adolescent population. Coping strategies identified to be used by adolescents included avoidance behaviours and self-medicating. The following paper investigates the influence ineffective coping has on adolescent development. Areas that will be comprehensively evaluated include: the physical responses of bereavement, avoidance and efforts to self-medicate. Physical Responses Restlessness, concentration difficulties and sleep disturbances act as physical stressors on the body and contribute to an adolescents’ ability to successfully facilitate the bereavement process. A study assessing the implementation of a Body Awareness Programme, targeted adolescents to develop their understanding of the bereavement process and physical symptoms (Bugge, Haugstvedt, Rokholt, Darbyshire & Solvi, 2012). The authors desired to introduce strategies that would support bereaved teens and offer possible techniques to effectively cope with the circumstance (Bugge et al., 2012). Results of the research demonstrate the necessary need to invest in bereaved adolescents due to debilitating effect it may have on them and their development (Bugge et al., 2012). This reinforces the negative effect ineffective coping has on this particular population and the need to intervene ea... ...ed youth. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 74(8), 828-833. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.lib.ryerson.ca/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1450179429?accountid=13631 Liang, H., Olsen, J., Cnattingus, S., Vestergaard, M., Obel, C., Gissler, M., . . . Li, J. (2013). Risk of substance use disorders following prenatal or postnatal exposure to bereavement. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 132(1-2), 277-282. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.02.015 Monk, T. H., Germain, A., & Reynolds,Charles F., I.,II. (2008). Sleep disturbances in bereavement. Psychiatric Annals, 38(10), 671-678. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3928/00485713-20081001-06 Wetherill, R., & Tapert, S. F. (2013). Adolescent brain development, substance use, and psychotherapeutic change. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 27(2), 393-402. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0029111

Twelve Who Ruled Essay -- essays research papers

Twelve Who Ruled Book Review The year of terror is one of the most complex and misunderstood periods in the French Revolution. Palmer, in his book, Twelve Who Ruled, however, takes this period and skillfully turns it into a written masterpiece. The book is narrated from the point of view of someone with an omniscient knowledge of the subject matter, who is reflecting back on the period from the outside. The book tells the story of a brief moment in history when twelve men (Robespierre, Barere, Saint Just, Couthon, Lindet, Carnot, Saint-Andre, Prieur, Varenne, Herbois, Scholles, and Duvernois) ruled France; even though they were technically under the control of the Convention. Palmer begins by giving the reader an overview of who the twelve men were before they became rulers of a nation. He then goes on to discuss the purpose of the Committee of Public Safety, and the organizational structure of the terror. Palmer then smoothly moves on to discuss the "foreign plot" and how the committee dealt with it. He goes on to explain the "Doom at Lyons" by giving a very detailed description of the events that went on there. Palmer then procedes to depict the missions at Alsace and Brittany. In the last few chapters of the book, he slowly and carefully shows the winding down and eventual collapse of the Committee of Public Safety's power. Throughout this book, Palmer does an exquisite job painting the collage of the twelve men's ride to the top upon the horse of the committee of Public Safety. He wonderfully combines each man's individual actions with the more general problems that the Committee of Public Safety confronted. He discusses in detail the policies adopted to defend the Revolution, as well as how and why they were put into effect. The layout of the chapters in the book is extremely logical; they are basically put in chronological order. The fact that Palmer takes the time to give a full historical background of the twelve men shows that he wanted this book to be accessable to people who held no prior knowledge of the subject or time period. He gives a very lurid account of the most influential people on the committee, - namely Robespierre, Varenne, Carnot, Saint Andre, and Saint Just. In the first pages of the book,... ... they would not normally have acted. Due to the effectiveness of Palmer's presentation of the terror, the reader might get the idea that if he were involved in the Revolution, he might be afraid to speak up and voice his opinion. This is due to the fact that it might upset or oppose any person in power who might overhear what he said. These are the psychological repricutions of the terror. In his book Twelve Who Ruled, Palmer eloquently writes this narrative, "weaving the biographies of the twelve into the history of their time," and provides a coherent and convincing explanation of the terror. The book is not only educational for someone interested in the time period when these twelve men ruled the nation of France, but it is also enjoyable from the perspective of a person reading the book solely for interest in revolutions and how they affect the people who are involved in them. The book deals with a brief period of time during the French Revolution, namely the year of terror. The book ventures to interpret the foundations and rationale for the terror and Palmer illustrates his speculations on the subject through gracious, flowing writing.

Environmental Resources Worksheet Essay

Using the assigned readings from Week Four, write a 50- to 75-word response to each of the following questions. Your responses will be assessed according to the accuracy of the content. Minerals 1. How do minerals affect society? Minerals have aided in the continuous growth of developing nations and also, â€Å"had abundant mineral deposits that enabled them to industrialize† (Berg, 2013). However, as a consequence of industrialization, â€Å"these countries largely depleted their domestic reserves of minerals so that they must increasingly turn to developing countries† (Berg, 2013). Also, minerals affect the global economy. For example, China â€Å"controls more than 90 percent of the global supply of rare earth metals, has also reduced its exports to other countries, in a move that could affect market prices† (Berg, 2013). 2. What is the difference between metallic and nonmetallic minerals? Provide two examples from each category and discuss their uses. Minerals are divided into two categories: metals and nonmetallic minerals. Metals are â€Å"malleable, lustrous, and good conductors of heat and electricity†, while nonmetallic metals â€Å"lack these characteristics† (Berg, 2013) . Gold is a metal used for currency and iron is a metal used for steel buildings. Gypsum is a nonmetal that is used for drywall. Silicon is another nonmetal that is used for electronic devices. Mining 1. How are minerals extracted from the Earth and processed? There are two ways to extract minerals from the Earth, either surface mining or subsurface mining. Surface mining is done when minerals are closer to the surface. Subsurface mining is used when the minerals are too deep to be removed by surface mining. Smelting is the â€Å"process in which ore is melted at high temperatures to separate impurities from the molten metal† (Berg, 2013). 2. What are the different ways minerals can be mined? Provide a brief  description of at least three types of mining. What effect does extracting minerals have on the environment? Other than land damage, extracting minerals causes air pollution of the air, soil, and water. Also, it destroys vegetation and causes soil erosion. Possibly most importantly it affects the water supply. Mineral extraction â€Å"exposes large areas of dissolved toxic substances to precipitation, greatly accelerating polluted runoff† (Berg, 2013). Soil 3. What is your definition of soil? What is soil composed of? Why is soil important to the environment? Soil is the uppermost layer of the Earth and supports life on earth. Soil is composed of four parts: mineral particles, organic matter, water, and air. Soil is very important to the environment because various organisms depend on soil for life and â€Å"supports virtually all terrestrial food webs† (Berg, 2013). 4. What types of organisms are found in soil? Determine the relationship between soil and organisms. Ants, moles, snakes, and earthworms are just a small number of the many organisms that are found in soil. Essentially, organisms and soil depend on each other to remain balanced. Organisms that live in soil provide â€Å"ecosystem services, such as maintaining soil fertility, preventing soil erosion, breaking down toxic materials, and cleansing water† (Berg, 2013). 5. What is soil erosion? How can soil become polluted? What effect does soil erosion and pollution have on the environment? Soil erosion is the â€Å"wearing away or removal of soil from the land† (Berg, 2013). Being that soil erosion reduces the amount of soil in an area, vegetation growth can become very limited. As a result, it disrupts the balance of the ecosystem by eliminating food sources. 6. What is the purpose of soil reclamation? Soil reclamation can be executed by â€Å"(1) stabilizing the land to prevent further erosion and (2) restoring the soil to its former fertility. To stabilize the land, the bare ground is seeded with plants that eventually grow to cover the soil, holding it in place† (Berg, 2013). Once the soil is returned back to its original state, the land can be used again. Forestry and Rangeland Resources and Management Strategies 7. Differentiate between government-owned and public lands. Which government agencies are involved with government-owned lands? What is the purpose of government-owned lands? Government owned lands â€Å"provide vital ecosystem services that benefit humans living far from public forests, grasslands, deserts, and wetlands† (Berg, 2013). These places include national parks and provide protection for endangered species and flood and erosion control. Public land is available for recreational purposes such as hiking, swimming and boating. 8. Why is the forest an important ecosystem? What is your definition of forest management? What is its purpose? Describe the concept of sustainable forestry. The forest is an important ecosystem because it â€Å"provides many goods and services to support human society† (Berg, 2013). They also provide employment for millions of people worldwide. Forest management is the managing of timber production. The purpose of forest management is to produce as much timber as possible. 9. What effect does the harvesting of trees and deforestation have on forests and the environment? Is there a preferred method for harvesting trees? Explain. Both the harvesting of trees and deforestation result in â€Å"decreased soil fertility† (Berg, 2013). The vital minerals that are needed by soil are washed away because there are no trees to absorb them. Also, this takes away food sources and shelter for various organisms. This disrupts the delicate balance of ecosystems. Selective cutting, is when a small group of mature tress are individually cut or in small clusters. This means that the rest of the forest is left undisturbed. However, this method is expensive and does not generate timber needed quickly enough. 10. What is a rangeland? Describe rangeland degradation and desertification. What effect does degradation and desertification have on the environment? Is there a preferred method for harvesting trees? Explain. Rangelands are â€Å"grasslands, in both temperate and tropical climates, that serve as important areas of food production for humans by providing fodder for livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats† (Berg, 2013). Degradation is â€Å"both a natural and a human-induced process that decreases the future ability of the land to support crops or livestock† (Berg, 2013). Desertification is progressive degradation that produces desert-like conditions on land that was used previously and was plentiful. 11. What is  overgrazing? What effect does this have on rangelands? What strategies can be employed for managing and conserving forests and rangelands? Overgrazing is a â€Å"situation that occurs when too many grazing animals consume the plants in a particular area, leaving the vegetation destroyed and unable to recover† (Berg, 2013). When rangelands are overgrazed, â€Å"plants die, the ground is left barren, and the exposed soil is susceptible to erosion† (Berg, 2013). The rangelands have to be taken care of by practicing techniques that are environmentally friendly. Agriculture 12. What is the difference between industrialized and subsistence agriculture? What effect do these methods have on the environment? Industrialized agriculture are modern â€Å"agricultural methods that require large capital inputs and less land and labor than traditional methods† (Berg, 2013). Subsistence agriculture supports on the farmer and their family with little reserves. Industrialized agriculture causes pollution and lowers an ecosystem’s biodiversity. Subsistence agriculture relies on more human and animal labor and has a much smaller impact on the environment. 13. What is one agricultural challenge, other than soil erosion, that society faces? Explain your answer. One agricultural challenge that society faces is the lost of agricultural land. Countries are starting to expand and grow rapidly. With so much space being needed for expansion, this takes land that could have been used for agricultural purposes. The loss of rural land means that food will have to travel longer and use more resources to do so. 14. How would you describe sustainable agriculture? How does it affect the environment? In regards to agriculture, what are the advantages and disadvantages involved with genetic engineering? I would describe sustainable agriculture as agriculture that is better for the environment and leaves less of a footprint on the Earth. It also promotes high diversity. It has minimal long term impacts on the environment by using less pesticides and using biological diversity instead (predator-prey relationship). The advantage of genetic engineering is that any organism can be used and it takes less time to engineer another breed. The disadvantage is that there is yet to be seen what long term effects  genetic engineering has on the environment or on humans. Works Cited Berg, L. (2013). Visualizing Environmental Science (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Presidential and Parliamentary Systems of Government Essay

Introduction and Main Distinguishing Features of Both Systems: A presidential system of government is one in which there is a head of government, i.e. the executive branch, who is separate from the legislature and is not accountable to it. Generally, the legislature does not hold power to dismiss the executive. This system can be traced back to the monarchal system in the medieval ages which countries such as France, England and Scotland followed where the Crown held all executive powers and not the parliament. When the office of the President of the United States was created, this system of separate powers of the executive and legislature was replicated in the U.S. Constitution. In contrast, a parliamentary system is different from the above because its executive branch of government needs the direct or indirect backing of the parliament to stay in power, which is generally expressed through a vote of confidence. However, the mechanism of checks and balances is different from one found in a presidential republic because there is no distinct separation of powers between the legislature and the executive. In parliamentary systems, the head of government and the head of state are distinct entities, where the former is the prime minister and the latter is an elected president or a hereditary monarch. The U.K. follows a parliamentary form of government, where the prime minister and the cabinet govern using their executive power on a daily basis, but actual authority is held with the head of state.[1] In distinguishing between presidential and parliamentary systems, three points must be considered. First, in a presidential system the head of government (the president) is elected for a fixed term and will serve this unless there is the ‘unusual and exceptional process of impeachment’, whereas in a parliamentary system the head of government (prime minister or equivalent) is dependent on the confidence of the legislature and thus can be removed (along with the whole government) by a motion of no-confidence. Second, in a presidential system the head of government (the president) is popularly elected, if not literally directly by the voters then by an electoral college popularly elected expressly for this purpose, whereas in a parliamentary system the head of government (prime minister or equivalent) is ‘selected’ by the legislature. Third, in a presidential system there is effectively a â€Å"one-person† non-collegial executive, whereas in a parliamentary system the executive (i.e., the cabinet) is collective or collegial.[2] For his part, Sartori like Lijphart, makes three basic points in that ‘a political system is presidential if, and only if, the head of state (president) i) results from popular election, ii) during his or her pre-established tenure cannot be discharged by a parliamentary vote, and iii) heads or otherwise directs the governments that he or she appoints’. There are two distinctions between Lijphart and Sartori worth noting here. First of all, Lijphart refers to the president as the head of government whereas Sartori refers to him or her as the head of state. Second and related, Sartori conceives of the government as being broader than the individual president. As such, Sartori rejects as too narrow the notion ‘that the head of state must also be the head of government’ in favor of a looser notion that authority flows from the president down – perhaps via a separate head of government.[3] Mainwaring attributes two distinguishing features to a presidential democracy. First, the head of government is elected independently of the legislature in the sense that legislative elections and post-election negotiations do not determine executive power. In countries where the chief executive is selected by the legislature, not as a second alternative when the popular vote does not produce a clear winner but as the fundamental process, the system is either parliamentary (the vast majority of cases) or a hybrid (as in Switzerland). Post-election negotiations that determine which parties will govern and which will head the government are crucial in many parliamentary regimes, but they are not part of the selection process of chief executives in presidential systems. The chief executive in a presidential democracy is usually elected by popular vote, although some countries, notably the United States, have an electoral college rather than direct popular elections. Even so, in the United States, the popular vote has a virtually binding effect on Electoral College votes. In other presidential systems, including those in Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile (before 1973), the congress votes for a president if there is no absolute majority in the popular vote. Yet the popular vote is the first criterion, and in Argentina and Chile, tradition has dictated that congress will select the candidate with the most popular votes. Note that it must be the head of government-not simply the president-who is elected by popular vote or an electoral college. In Austria, Iceland, and Ireland, the president is elected by direct popular vote but has only minor powers and is therefore not the head of government.[4] The second distinguishing feature of presidential democracies is that the president is elected for a fixed period of time. Most presidential democracies allow for impeachment, but this practice is rare and does not substantially affect the definition because of its extraordinary character. The president cannot be forced to resign because of a no-confidence vote by the legislature, and consequently, the president is not formally accountable to congress. In a parliamentary system, in contrast, the head of government is elected by the legislature and subsequently depends on the ongoing confidence of the legislature to remain in office; thus the time period is not fixed.[5] Implications for Policy Making and Democracy: Whether a regime is parliamentary or presidential has a major impact on significant aspects of political life: how executive power is formed, relationships between the legislative and the executive branches, relationships between the executive and the political parties, the nature of the political parties, what happens when the executive loses support, and arguably even prospects for stable democracy and patterns of domination. The proponents of presidential claim that presidential systems claim that such systems ensure that the president’s power is a legitimate one because the president if, in most cases, elected directly by the people. The United States follows a different system in which the president is elected by an electoral college but is still considered to be popularly elected. Parliamentary executives can not claim to be elected via a direct vote of the people. Separation of powers is another benefit which the presidential system provides because it established the executive branch and the legislative as two distinct structures which allows each body to supervise and oversee the other and prevents abuse of the system. In a parliamentary system, the executive is not separate from the legislature, reducing the chances of criticism or scrutiny, unless a formal condemnation in the form of a vote of no confidence takes place. Hence, in a parliamentary system, a prime minister’s unethical deeds or instances of misconduct might never be discovered as Woodrow Wyatt (former British Member of Parliament) said while writing about the famous Watergate scandals during the presidency of Richard Nixon, â€Å"don’t think a Watergate couldn’t happen here, you just wouldn’t hear about it.†[6] In a parliamentary system, even though the option of a vote of no confidence is available, it is an option resorted to only in extreme cases. It is considered extremely difficult to influence or stop a prime minister or cabinet who has already decided to pass legislation or implement measures. Voting against important legislation is tantamount to a vote of no confidence, as a consequence of which the government is changed after holding of elections. This is a very tedious process because of which it is a rare occurrence in some parliamentary countries. Britain for example has only rarely undergone such a situation. Therefore, it is often believed that in a parliamentary system, because of the lack of separation of powers, the Parliament can not actually exercise any real control over the executive. However, there can be a downside to separation of powers. Presidential systems can lead to a situations where the President and Congress both evade blame by passing it to the other. In the words of former Treasury Secretary C. Douglas Dillon as he described the United States, â€Å"The president blames Congress, the Congress blames the president, and the public remains confused and disgusted with government in Washington.†[7] Woodrow Wilson agreed in his thesis, Congressional Government in the United States, as he said, â€Å"†¦how is the schoolmaster, the nation, to know which boy needs the whipping? . . . Power and strict accountability for its use are the essential constituents of good government. . . . It is, therefore, manifestly a radical defect in our federal system that it parcels out power and confuses responsibility as it does. The main purpose of the Convention of 1787 seems to have been to accomplish this grievous mistake. The `literary theory’ of checks and balances is simply a consistent account of what our constitution makers tried to do; and those checks and balances have proved mischievous just to the extent which they have succeeded in establishing themselves . . . [the Framers] would be the first to admit that the only fruit of dividing power had been to make it irresponsible.†[8] Separation of Powers has mixed implications. It can lead to gridlock, i.e. when it becomes next to impossible to pass items on the party’s agenda because the legislature is almost equally divided, usually an occurrence in the U.S. when the Senate and House of Representatives are dominated by opposing parties. However, the upside to gridlock is that it often prevents radical policy changes. Another problem with the presidential system is that while it is inherently stable because the president is elected for a fixed term, this also compounds the issue of the presidency being a zero-sum game, where winner takes all. As Linz (1990, 56) states, â€Å"The danger that zero-sum presidential elections pose is compounded by the rigidity of the president’s fixed term in office. Winners and losers are sharply defined for the entire period of the presidential mandate†¦losers must wait four or five years without any access to executive power and patronage. The zero-sum game in presidential regimes raises the stakes of presidential elections and inevitably exacerbates their attendant tension and polarization.† Parliamentary elections can also lead to one party winning an absolute majority, in most scenarios a number of parties gain representation through these elections. Power is often shared and coalitions are formed, as a consequence of which the position holders give due weight to the needs and interests of smaller parties. In turn, these parties expect a certain share in power and as is obvious, are stakeholders in the overall system, instead of non-entities. Now if, as is the case in presidential systems, one sole person believes that he has independent authority and a popular mandate, he might start to develop a tendency towards authoritarianism. When he develops such notions about his standing and role, he will not react appropriately to the inevitable opposition to his policies, finding it annoying and unsettling, as would a prime minister who considers himself a mere representative of a temporary governing coalition and not the sole voice of the nation. Hence the examples of Venezuela and Colombia, where when democracy was reestablished in times of great political instability, and when the written constitutions warranted a presidential government, the leaders of chief political parties opted for consociational agreements whereby the rigid, winner-take-all consequences of presidential elections were â€Å"softened†.[9] While stability is often touted as one of the prime advantages of the presidential system, it is simply another word for rigidity. On the other hand, parliamentarism lends a certain element of flexibility to the political process. Advocates of presidentialism might reply that this rigidity is actually a plus because it prevents the uncertainty and instability so definitive of parliamentary politics. Under parliamentary government, after all, a number of entities, even rank-and-file legislators, can choose to adopt basic changes, cause realignments and shifts, and, most importantly, make or break prime ministers. But it must be remembered that while the need for authority and predictability might serve as justifications for presidentialism, there can be a myriad of unexpected developments- anything from the death of the incumbent to serious errors in judgment committed under the pressure of adverse political circumstances – that often lead to the presidential rule being less predictable and often weaker than that of a prime minister. The latter can always make efforts to bolster up his legitimacy and authority, be it through a vote of confidence or the dissolution of parliament and the consequential new elections. Also, a prime minister can be changed without it necessarily leading to a major regime crisis.[10] Conclusion: The above analysis has largely favored a parliamentary system over a presidential one. However, one must remember that success regimes, regardless of the amount of thought and care gone into their design, are determined by the extent of support they manage to arrest from society at large, its major forces, groups and institution. Public consensus therefore is a basic need, which confers legitimacy to the authority of the regime, and this is achieved only by the power which is attained lawfully and in a democratic fashion. Regimes also depend to a large extent on the ability and aptitude of their leaders to govern, to arouse trust and to respect the boundaries of the power they hold. Every country has unique aspects that one must take into account-traditions of federalism, ethnic or cultural heterogeneity, and so on. Both systems have their pros and cons, even parliamentary systems can suffer grave crises. Hence, countries must consider their own individual past, present and future, in order to determine which system has the greater probability of success. References Hardin, Charles. 1989. A Challenge to Political Science. PS: Political Science and Politics 22(3): 595-600. Lijphart, Arend, ed. 1992. Introduction in A. Lijphart (ed.), Parliamentary versus presidential government. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Linz, Juan. 1990. The Perils of Presidentialism. Journal of Democracy (Winter): 51-69. Mainwaring, Scott and Shugart, Matthew. 1997. Juan Linz, Presidentialism, and Democracy: A Critical Appraisal. Comparative Politics 29(4): 449-471. Mainwaring, Scott. 1990. Presidentialism in Latin America. Latin American Research Review 25(1):157-179. Sartori, Giovanni. 1994. Neither presidentialism nor parliamentarism, in J.J. Linz & A. Valenzuela (eds.), The failure of presidential democracy, vol. 1: Comparative perspectives. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. Thomas, Jo. Oct. 9 1988. The fate of two nations. The New York Times. Wilson, Woodrow. 1886. Congressional Government: A Study in American Politics. The New Englander 45(192). [1] Mainwaring, Scott and Shugart, Matthew. 1997. Juan Linz, Presidentialism, and Democracy: A Critical Appraisal. Comparative Politics 29(4): 449-471. [2] Lijphart, Arend, ed. 1992. Introduction in A. Lijphart (ed.), Parliamentary versus presidential government. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [3] Sartori, Giovanni. 1994. Neither presidentialism nor parliamentarism, in J.J. Linz & A. Valenzuela (eds.), The failure of presidential democracy, vol. 1: Comparative perspectives. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. [4] Mainwaring, Scott. 1990. Presidentialism in Latin America. Latin American Research Review 25(1):157-179. [5] Linz, Juan. 1990. The Perils of Presidentialism. Journal of Democracy (Winter): 51-69 [6] Thomas, Jo. Oct. 9 1988. The fate of two nations. The New York Times. [7] Hardin, Charles. 1989. A Challenge to Political Science. PS: Political Science and Politics 22(3): 595-600. [8] Wilson, Woodrow. 1886. Congressional Government: A Study in American Politics. The New Englander 45(192). [9] Linz, Juan. 1990. [10]   Linz, Juan. 1990.