Han China and the Roman Empire Comparison Essay

Han China and the Roman Empire Comparison Essay Whereas Han China (202 BCE- 220 CE) and the Roman Empire (~800BCE- 476 CE) were thousands of miles away from each other, they had many similarities and differences. Some of the similarities include peasant rebellions, while the differences are such as woman’s rights and their views on manual labor. Peasant rebellions were very important to the societies of Rome and China. The dynasty of Han China itself was formed by a peasant rebellion lead by Wu Ti. Their counterparts in Rome suffered through periods of slave revolts.These shaped these societies dramatically. One of the many differences of these two empires was woman’s rights. While Han China was a highly patriarchal and believed woman were the â€Å"lowest of the low† on the social scale, Rome saw woman still as lesser being, but still had some importance. I believe this is because Rome, unlike China, had more than one god, including goddesses. These woman of a h igher power influenced Rome in a way as to see women in a new way, not as scum. Thus making these two cultures different.Another important difference between Han China and the Roman Empire, were their views on manual labor. In Han China, Confucianism supported the manual labor of farmers and other peasants. Meanwhile in Rome, their idea was that manual labor just took away from the slaves. Even with their differences, both Rome and Han China laid the foundation for major religions like Christianity, Daoism, and Confucianism. Those religions are still ruling the world today. They also created lasting legacies that we consider today as Classical Civilizations.

Igneous rocks: Diorite Essay

Diorite is an igneous rock formed from the partial melting of the crust caused from by basaltic magma from the mantle. It is associated with batholiths, dikes and stocks usually around volcanic arcs. Its volcanic equivalent is andesite which is formed from strombolian type volcanoes. DISCUSSION Physical properties: Diorite is a phaneritic rock that is speckled black and white/grey with a very variable colour index of between 40 and 90 over short distances. The rock has an equigranular or porphyritic texture and has a generally coarse grain size but can be pegmatitic. Phenocrysts of feldspar and horneblende can be found in the porphyritic variety. The equigranular and porphyritic varieties may vary in texture between each other within a few centimetres. A foliated appearance can develop from the roughly parallel alignment of the minerals. The rock has an intermediate composition between plagioclase feldspar (oligoclase or andesine) and amphibole (usually hornblende) with various other minor minerals like pyroxene, biotite. Quartz and alkali feldspar may also be present. When the amount of quartz increases, the rock is named quartz diorite. The rock grades into granodiorite as the amount of quartz and alkali feldspar increases. Alkali feldspar increase. Some common accessory minerals are apatite, titanite and various iron oxides. Xenoliths from the partially melted margins of the magma chamber are common. Origin: Diorite usually forms along with granite in continental crust above  subduction zones.

Reflective Account – Plan, Prioritise and Balance Time

A situation arose relating to a Live – in carer, (to be known in this reflective account as carer A) who was due to go into a placement and relieve an existing member of staff ( to be known in this reflective account as carer B) as part of a two-week job share. Carer A had problems with regard to her residency and as a matter of urgency had to adjust the dates of the changeover. When first the call was made by carer A, she was so upset that I did not know if she was going back at all. My personal knowledge of the circumstances of the client was extensive, learned time and lots of communicating with the clients’ wife and the client himself and the achievement of home visits. I was wholeheartedly aware of how a change at such short notice would affect the clients’ wife who lives in the home, along with the client and who oversees the care provision of her husband who has advanced dementia and cannot communicate his needs at all. My immediate thoughts were not to alarm the clients’ wife unnecessarily but to establish the facts involved in situation and solve the issue with the best possible outcome for all parties in mind. In planning my steps to ensure an effective outcome, my first thoughts were to secure the existing care arrangements, which involved contacting carer B. This meant a discreet phone call to her to ask if and how long she would be able to stay to cover for carer A. I was aware that I possibly only had a window of opportunity of one week because carer B was to be placed into another live – in, with another client. I also knew that carer B had a hospital appointment to attend within the timeframe which meant that the clients’ wife would possibly require extra support for this time. Carer B agreed to stay but did need off duty for a whole day because of the distance to and from the hospital. Once the cover had been successfully secured, my next step was to find out how long this extra cover would be required for. This involved contacting carer A. It may have seemed better if I had started my enquiries the other way around but my thoughts were that if carer B had made other private plans for the week then I would have been looking for a replacement with a carer C and so I stored the information in my head. In communicating with carer A, my thoughts were to ensure that I was offering practical professional support to assist where possible with her issues and also offer a sympathetic ear to support her emotional state at the time. I had to be realistic about what I needed to achieve to ensure a positive outcome for all parties and I could only achieve a positive outcome by planning the next steps. Carer A came to the office to discuss the situation with me and together we worked out a practical plan of action. This involved a longer- term approach and would be running in the background after carer A returned to her placement and would not involve the client further at this stage. A call was then made to the clients’ wife to inform her of the situation and the steps I had already taken to ensure that our obligation as a care provider would be met. In communicating with the clients’ wife I was to be mindful as to the conversation held, my considerations toward all parties was to be factual, honest, practical and professional. The new changeover date was established, consideration was given to how best carer B could achieve her visit to the hospital and all parties agreed an arrangement as to how best both would be achieved. My involvement continued as I escorted both carer A and carer B too and from their respective placements by using my personal transport, as neither carer is a driver and access to the clients home is more challenging than most as they live away from the use of public transport. My support will continue as I will be offering practical help to carer A in ensuring a positive outcome for her. I will maintain contact with the clients’ wife by phone fortnightly In the timeframe allocated to this example of how I plan, prioritise and balance my time, I still work within the office supporting the office staff to deal with other issues that occur within any working day. I ensured that the office would be covered adequately when I was to be out of the office, I ensured that I could be contacted in the case of an emergency, should the staff need my support when out and about. I made sure that an affirmative plan of action was in place for any eventuality that could occur in this situation.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Strengths and Difficulties Essay

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for measuring emotional andor behavioural difficulties in children or adolescents - Essay Example This paper is going to account for a survey conducted on the basis of particular objectives. The SDQ acts a psychometric tool to assess multifaceted academic as well as nonacademic parameters for defining the self. (Rush et al., p. 370) As a behavioural screening instrument, the SDQ has earned itself an international status by virtue of its effectiveness. Extensive research studies and surveys are carried out prior to an SDQ so that all probable measuring constructs are utilised to their fullest potential. The calculative scales include 1) Emotional symptoms, 2) Conduct problems, 3) Hyperactivity / Inattention, 4) Peer problems and 5) Prosocial behaviour. Generally all the 5 measuring components are taken into consideration for a thorough and result-oriented investigation. (Goodman, 1997) Departing from the broader context of SDQs, this assignment zooms on the inventories obtained and used for looking into behavioural difficulties in native Australian children. Quantitative analysis is generally preferred to quantitative scoring since the former approach incorporates more statistical data. The logic behind taking a huge quantity for an authentic and reliable result is that it nullifies the risk of errors in categorisation for scores that are just above and below the accepted cut-off parameter. For example, if the cut off point for a specific diagnosis is set as 15, any score just above and below 15 (such as 14 and 16) is... The indigenous grouping was preferred to random selection on the basis of social and psychological relatedness among the candidates. They were picked from urban areas and outskirts of Western Australia. (Western Australia Aboriginal Child Health Survey, 2007) The teacher report was designed as per the standardised measuring scale format, including the previously mentioned 25 psychological attributes. The teacher version of the questionnaire demonstrated credibility as far as representing the community sample is concerned, and it also identified different classes of disorders within the non-subjective sample. (Muris et al., 1-8) Based on the findings, the total Strength and Difficulties score arrayed from 0 to 40. Those who aggregated scores between 0 and 13 were classified into low risk category; those who aggregated scores between 14 and 16 were grouped under moderate risk and the rest scoring between 17 and 40 were reported to have high risk as far as emotional and/or behavioural difficulties was concerned. Needless to mention, the high risk category needed special clinical attention. In this project, scores obtained the first 4 of the 5 scales were amassed initially to measure the Strength and Difficulties sum score. The following table illustrates on this furthermore: SDQ Teacher Rated Score Sheet: Total Difficulties Score (25 Items) Emotional Symptoms Scale (Score Range 0-10) Not True Somewhat True Certainly True Score Often complains of headaches, stomach-aches Many worries, often seems worried Often unhappy, depressed or tearful Nervous or clingy in alien situation Many fears, easily scared Total= Conduct Problems Scale (Score Range 0-10) Not True Somewhat True Certainly True Score Often has temper tantrums or hot

The Process of Industrialization Research Paper

The Process of Industrialization - Research Paper Example Some feel that the amount of income increased, but this was easily offset by the repercussions of those earnings. It is critical to weigh the merits of each proposition in order to effectively assess the effects of industrialization on worker’s conditions of living. Marxists and their attack on industrialization Marxists were the most predominant opponents of the industrial revolution. They believed that capitalism was an unjust system in which controllers of capital took advantage of the masses for economic gain. Therefore, to adherents of this school of thought, industrialization spelt nothing but gloom and doom for the group. Marxists could not fathom a situation where workers were better off in the industrial era than they were in previous economic periods. The very fact that factory owners were trying to squeeze out as much surplus value as possible from their employee was reason enough to oppose it. Members of this school did not really care whether workers could purchas e more goods or access more products than they had initially accessed in previous regimes. Their concern was the injustice that was meted against these persons. To the Marxist, controllers of capital simply paid workers seemingly higher wages in order to compensate for the exploitative work conditions in their factories. Industrialization took away workers’ control over resources and put it in the hands of a few people. Wages may have been lower in the pre-industrial era but at least resource ownership was less concentrated than during the industrial revolution. However, these arguments may not hold water when one examines the rate at which incomes rose between 1820 and 1860. Even though Marxists make a strong point when highlighting the ills of industrialization, their assertions must be compared to the conditions of living before the industrial era. These theorists still have a problem with the system of land ownership and mercantilism in pre-industrial Britain. Therefore, they seem to object to almost every method of economic control. In fact, their ideal society was one in which equal distribution of wealth existed; that is the communist society (Jessop and Wheatley 55). The point of this paper is not to determine whether industrialization was exploitative; it is to decipher whether it had a positive or negative effect on the population. Positive outcomes can arise even in exploitative conditions. Some gains occurred in workers’ lives but one must asses whether those gains were sufficient enough to warrant a change in their standards of living. It is for this reason that other elements of history must be examined. Liberalists and the consumer revolution Another school of thought emerged concerning the living conditions of persons in the industrial revolution, and this was the liberalist school. Followers of this theory asserted that industrialization was a beneficial occurrence in the lives of these workers because it ushered in the consumer revolution. These rapid changes in production processes enabled the creation of mass consumer goods at affordable prices. Therefore, for the first time, the average laborer could afford such things. At the theoretical level, it can be deduced that industrialization led to an expansion of markets, which sold manufactured goods. Additionally, the industrial re

Relationship Between Organizational Structure and Culture Essay

Relationship Between Organizational Structure and Culture - Essay Example Hence, it is arguably true that operations of any organization define its culture. Culture is thus a powerful human tool and its importance in the management of any organization is unquestionable (O'Neil, 2006, p.1). Most significantly is the fact that culture develops with time and easily passes from one group of people to another within the same setup. The way our ancestors used to speak, believe, behave, and act is tradition that passed to us with time. Similarly, the ethical behaviors condoned in a given organization, the mode of communication, the relationships between the management, customers, and employees and method of making decision in an organization are attributes that passes from the management and employees to the new employees and new managers upon joining the organization. Consistent practice of these attributes develops a culture within an organization. Hence, all old and new stakeholders adopt this cultural way of doing things in an organization hence developing an organizational culture. Moreover, it is extremely hard to change an organizational culture one it has developed because the process is long, tedious and in most cases expensive. Just as there are distinct operations in variant organizations, so there exists different organizational culture. An organization can have or a combination of cultures. Many academicians have classified organizational cultures with different characteristics. Organizational cultures depend on function, products, geography, and matrix. The classifications of organizational culture includes process culture, bet your company culture, macho culture, work hard culture, club culture, normative culture, baseball culture, pragmatic, academy culture (McNamara,2000, p.1), adhocracy work culture, collaborate work culture, and fortress culture, role culture, task culture, person culture. However, the list is not exhaustive since the difference between any two organizational cultures is very minute. Variant cultures adop ted by organization have distinguishing advantages and disadvantages. The work hard culture is dominant in large-scaled organizations. It involves less risks and fast feedback. Additionally, it has a steadfast customer help service. However, it uses specialized jargons only known to a few and involves multiple team meetings. Bet your company is dominant in organizations dealing with experimental projects. It has an advantage of making huge and important decisions over high stakes endeavors. It has a disadvantage of delayed results that can take months and years to come. It takes time to realize any feedback in this culture. The most important aspect of this kind of culture is big rewards, and quick feedback. On the other hand, a macho culture is dominant in organizations with quick financial services as brokerage firms. The culture is advantageous in that it involves quick feedbacks and high rewards. However, it is stressful to the employees and requires quick actions and a strong m entality to survive. Process culture is beneficial in the public service as it ensures consistency of results. Unfortunately, people in these cultures are obsessed with the process to the extent of neglecting the organization goals. The culture has no feedbacks, requires caution and adherence to the law. It is one of the poorest cultures. Baseball, Team Culture is dominant in advertising and investing organizations. In this culture, it is easy

Piracy and different aspect of piracy clause in the Charter Party Essay

Piracy and different aspect of piracy clause in the Charter Party contract - Essay Example Reported cases of these terroristic activities run across the globe. From the shores of Africa and South Asia to the waters of North and Latin Americas, piracy remains one of the critical concerns of most nations and still present an extreme endangerment and precariousness to travelers, especially those engaged in business. The internationally-recognized governing body for matters relating to the law and order of the sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea defined piracy as the illegal acts of violence committed towards the crew or passengers of a private ship (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982). These acts include but not limited to boarding, extortion, hostage-taking, kidnap-for-ransom, robbery and murder. This undeniable risk prompted a certain initiative, for both ship owners and merchants to craft an insurance coverage that would guarantee them peace of mind and ultimately, protection. â€Å"Attack by pirates or any attempt of theft is covered by this policy that works around the gravity of damage to the aggrieved party† (Global Marine Practice, 2010). This agreement is subscribed in the charter party, in the form of a clause specific about piracy. A written contract shall be entered upon by both the ship owner and the merchant (charterer) signifying their commitment to responsibility when piracy occurs. Theoretically, however, charter clauses on piracy are generally centered on preventing and minimizing the hazards that ships may encounter when at sea. The Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the world-renowned shipping organization, instituted two widely-accepted supplementary charter clauses concerning piracy: the War Risks Clause for Voyage Chartering of 2004 or simply, the VoyWar 2004 and the Piracy Clause for Time Charter Parties of 2009. These governing rules are the ones implemented in almost all members of the shipping industry. The War Risks Clause for

Brand Lifetime and Obsolescence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Brand Lifetime and Obsolescence - Essay Example Brand Lifetime and Obsolescence What doesn’t die is the heritage of a brand specifically when it was never known for wrong reasons before the obsolescence. Hence, if a brand is obsolete (i.e., forgotten by people after the corresponding products become obsolete), it can be revived later by carrying out retro-branding by making people recall the old heritage of the brand and then link new offerings with the brand along with power sentences like â€Å"the leader is back with new promises† (Brown and Kozinets et al. 2003). However, what is important for revival of brands is that they should not remain obsolete across generations such that the people that loved them are no longer alive in the world. The only value of such brands may be their archaeological value whereby their products may be purchased as antiques. We can imagine what would had happened to Ford if they were to continue with their Model T in today’s world of flashy & stylish cars and to Sony if they were to continue with their Walkman in today’s world of digital entertainment. These brands have survived due to their continuous innovations and launch of new products maintaining the past competencies and developing new competencies. Brands do become obsolete if new innovations & products are not launched for prolonged periods and existing products & services become obsolete due to the competition killing them through the creative destruction process.

Answer 4 questions on childhood & adult hunger & malnutrition in Essay

Answer 4 questions on childhood & adult hunger & malnutrition in developed and developing countries - Essay Example in scarcity of food products due to an unsustainable consumption that leads to cases of child and adult hunger in both developing and developed countries (Holtz, 2008). Another cause of child and adult hunger is global warming that has led to the changes in the weather patterns. Global warming has resulted in drying up of fertile land because of the minimal rain experienced that cannot sustain the crops and animals. Malnutrition is experienced as the people can’t eat a quality diet that will be good for their health (Holtz, 2008). One of the remedies to the child and adult hunger in both developed and developing countries is to have equality in healthcare system. This means that the health care system should be accessed for treatment and prevention services in both rural and urban populations. The healthcare system to have equality should also be affordable to the general public to avoid limiting those that have no income. (Holtz, 2008). Another remedy is environmental protection that involves conserving of natural recourses such as forests. The emissions of poisonous gases by industries should also be controlled by setting up laws that will minimize the environmental pollution in the urban cities (Holtz, 2008). The human right â€Å"Freedom from Hunger† is proclaimed in various constitutions worldwide as article 25. It articulates that every individual has the right to access a standard level of living in terms of food, shelter, clothing and health care. The right to food is recognized in general and in specific terms in the international law. That is why the World Food Program (WFP) was established by the UN to undertake humanitarian aid in alignment to the world hunger. This also led to the Freedom from Hunger Campaign that involved the cooperation of governments, NGOs and international organizations (Holtz, 2008). I agree with the human right of â€Å"Freedom from Hunger† as statistics have shown that 13 to 18 million people annually die of starvation and

Ion chromatography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Ion chromatography - Essay Example After the discovery of X-rays and the establishment of association of absorption characteristics and atomic number of an element, X-rays have been widely used for analytical and diagnostic purposes. X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) developed in to two modes of analysis; wavelength dispersive spectrometry (WDXRF) or isolation of narrow wavelength bands by diffraction through a crystal and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDXRF) using proportional detectors for isolation of narrow bands (figure 1). XRF is widely used for quantitative analysis of almost all elements of periodic table with accuracies up to tenth of a percent and at concentrations as low as few ppms (Jenkins, 2000). Figure 1: Energy Dispersive & Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescent Spectroscopy PROPERTIES OF X-RAYS X-rays form a part of the electromagnetic spectrum between the wavelength ranges of 0.01-10nm. X-rays are produced when an accelerated electron collides with a target element thereby losing energy; the l ost energy forming the X-rays. Less than 1% of the lost energy is used for X-ray production, rest being lost as heat. Ek = eV = 1/2mv2 Where, Ek – kinetic energy, e – Charge of electron (1.6 ? 10-19 C), V – Applied voltage, m – Mass of electron (9.11 ? 10-31 kg), v – Velocity of electron (m/s) Figure 2: X-ray spectrum of Mo at different voltages (Menke) PRINCIPLE Deceleration of an incident high energy electron beam by atomic electrons of the sample leads to emission of a band of radiations of broad wavelength termed continuum or white or polychromatic radiation or ‘bremsstrahlung’ (German for breaking radiation) (figure 2). For a sample comprising of multiple elements, white radiation leads to excitation of characteristic lines enabling identification of the constituent elements (Jenkins, 1999). X-ray beam with energy (E) incident on an element with binding energy (?) of the atomic electrons, such that E > ? might lead to emission of electrons from its orbital position. This phenomenon is known as photoelectric effect. Kinetic energy of the emitted electron = E-? The photoelectric effect results in formation of a characteristic peak when the hole in the inner shell is filled by a higher energy electron from the outer shell (figure 3). Figure 3: Schematic Representation of an X-ray Fluorescence Process (K, n=1; L, n=2; M, n=3) (Menke) However, each incident X-ray beam does not lead to single transition, but since atoms comprise of multiple orbitals, multiple transitions are possible. Each of these transitions result in a number of XRF peaks in the spectrum and are characteristic of the sample element (figure 4). Contrary to this some holes are filled by an internal rearrangement process (Auger effect) and therefore, do not result in characteristic spectrum. Fluorescent Yield = Number of holes resulting in Characteristic photon emission/ Total Number of holes For elements with low atomic number the fluorescent yie ld is very small. Moreover, fluorescent yield for L transitions is lesser than that for K transitions and that for M is even lesser. Selection rules for normal lines in spectral diagram require the principal quantum number (n) to change at least

Alcoholism Problem Essay Example for Free

Alcoholism Problem Essay Alcoholism is a chronic problem that includes difficulty in controlling drinking, having to drink consistently to get physical independence, being preoccupied with alcohol, and continually using alcohol regardless of problems it causes (Brick, 2004). Alcohol should not be legal in U.S. because it is impacts negatively on health, family, community and on a person’s education. Alcohol drinking is like taking a drug. It is a form of drug addiction and drug abuse. Alcoholism is a worldwide problem that affects many people. Drinking alcohol has negative short and long term effects. Alcoholism has been associated with adverse effects on health, family, community, and education (Marshall, 2000). However, the effects on a person depends on particular factors such as how often and how much alcohol is taken, a person’s age, gender, when a person begun drinking and how long they have been drinking, their health, and family history (Begleiter Kissin, 1996). It is in this regard that alcohol should not be legal in the United States. Alcohol is addictive, and people become addicts end up spending a lot of money on alcohol. It means that when they spend all the money they have on alcohol, they forget their families, and are not able to support the community in anyway. Some resort to stealing to sustain their drinking habit. Alcohol addicts sometimes engage in robbery acts to get the money for drinks. Community becomes at risk of destruction with excessive alcohol consumption allowed. When many people engage in excessive consumption of alcohol, education becomes at risk. People drop out of school, and illiteracy level increase in the community. In addition, the progress and development of any community depends on the health of its people. Therefore, when alcohol puts the health of its members at risk, community suffers in the long run. Alcohol affects both female and male differently. Men who consume alcohol, daily have an increased risk of health risks. Such men can experience cancer and heart disease in the long-term and  low energy to sexual difficulties in the short-term (Brick, 2004). Men are more likely to suffer from liver cirrhosis, and have higher chances of being diagnosed with high blood pressure. Nearly 26.6% of deaths among men of be tween 16 and 24 years old can be attributed to alcohol consumption. Men tend to be more dependent of alcohol (Marshall, 2000). Drinking too much alcohol damages a person’s body organs such as liver, brain, stomach, heart, and intestines. Brain is adversely affected because the brain cells die leading to loss of memory, learning difficulties, brain disorders, confusion, and problems with attention (Blane Leonard, 1999). Liver is highly affected because of the great possibility of developing cancer in the liver, throat and mouth. The stomach may also acquire ulcers. Long-term drinking has also been linked to stroke and heart failure. The nervous system can also experience damage leading to behavioral and physical problems (Dasgupta, 2011). These problems affect health, family, community, and education in the long-term because of expenses associated with alcohol consumption, and possible treatment measures. Alcohol poses many effects on the body such as fertility. It reduces levels of testosterone. As a result, it could decline sperm quantity and quality, and lead to loss of libido. Alcohol is toxic to the testicles, and affects hormones. It could hamper production of sperms, hinder them from developing properly, and s low their movement towards the egg. Alcohol can also limit the liver from metabolizing vitamin A properly. It also depresses the nervous system, and could result in difficulty in getting and keeping erection (Peters, 2008). Many young adults do not realize that alcohol has a fattening effect. Alcohol can reduce the amount of fat that the body burns for energy. The human body makes several attempts to eliminate alcohol very fast as it cannot remain in the body for storage. The process takes priority over nutrient absorption and burning of fat. In the long-term, there could be a serious damage in the appearance. Other effects include loss of hair in the body, breast enlargement, and withering of testicles (Dasgupta, 2011). Alcohol has also been associated with worsening of skin disorders such as rosacae. Rosacae skin disorder is responsible for expansion of blood vessels in the face making it redder. Heavy drinking can cause the appearance of pus spots and red bumps. It has also been linked to inflammation, pain and swelling in the joints. The effect is common among men of between 30 and 60 years old  (Hannigan, Spear, Spear Goodlett, 1999). As mentioned earlier, heavy drinking increases the chances of heart disease, liver damage, bone disease, cancer, anxiety and depression, and type II diabetes. Heavy consumption of alcohol also caused inflammation on the pancreas and irritates stomach. These effects indirectly affect family, community and education (Peters, 2008). Women are not safe from alcohol either. The body of women takes much time to process alcohol compared to men. Women feel more effects of alcohol than men even when they drink the same amount. The fertility of women is at risk with heavy consumption of alcohol. Women are high risk of acquiring breast cancer, and adverse impacts of the menopause. Women are advised in several studies to avoid alcohol when trying to have a baby. Alcohol disrupts menstrual cycle in women, and limits their chances of conceiving. These are bad effects on the body, and not good for family and community in general. Therefore, alcohol should not be legal in the United States (Hannigan, Spear, Spear Goodlett, 1999). While drinking less alcohol may make one look good, heavy consumption causes bad skin, tired eyes, and weight gain for both fe male and male. It also interferes with people’s sleep. Heavy consumers of alcohol often wake up and feel like they have not had enough rest. Alcohol dehydrates the body and skin. It deprives the skin of certain vital nutrients and vitamins. Hence, it is not good for health. Alcohol is also responsible for much divorce among couples due to fights in the family, and lack of finances for family upkeep (Dasgupta, 2011). Alcohol is depressant. It means that alcohol calms people down, and slows down some body organs. With only 0.05% level of blood-alcohol, a person begins getting dulled judgment, and his or her inhibitions get released. They then become clumsy and start having slurred speech with only a 0.10% blood-alcohol level. At 0.30% level of blood-alcohol, one nearly becomes unconscious. Any addition after that becomes extremely dangerous since at 0.45%, one can get into a coma. Brain shuts down from 0.70% and stop controlling the heart, breathing, and one may end up dead. Other short-term effects include blurred vision, blackouts and insomnia. These can lead to injuries, accidents, and even death. Drinking alcohol also causes hangover in the next morning, which is associated with nausea, headaches, heartburn, fatigue, thirst, and dizziness. There are many side effects of alcohol (Peters, 2008).Conclusion In conclusion, consumption of alcohol should be reconsidered in U.S because  of its adverse effects on health, family, community, and education. Alcohol should only be taken when necessary. The side effects are adverse and continue to destroy people across the world. Therefore, alcohol should not be legal in the United States because it is impacts negatively on health, family, community and on a person’s education. References Begleiter, H., Kissin, B. (1996). The pharmacology of alcohol and alcohol dependence. New York: Oxford University Press. Blane, H. T., Leonard, K. E. (1999). Psychological theories of drinking and alcoholism. New York [u.a.: Guilford Press. Brick, J. (2004). Handbook of the medical consequences of alcohol and drug abuse. New York: Haworth Press. Dasgupta, A. (2011). The science of drinking: How alcohol affects your body and mind. Lanham, Md: Rowman Littlefield. Hannigan, J. H., Spear, L. P., Spear, N. E., Goodlett, C. R. (1999). Alcohol and Alcoholism: Effects on Brain and Development. Hoboken: Taylor Francis. Marshall, R. (2000). Alcoholism: Genetic culpability or social irresponsibility: the challenge of innovative methods to determine final outcomes. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Peters, A. R. (2008). Combined effects of alcohol and nicotine on subjective responses and cognitive functioning, Dissertation Abstracts International, 69-4

Basant as a Cultural Heritage of Lahore Essay Example for Free

Basant as a Cultural Heritage of Lahore Essay Basant as a cultural heritage of Lahore by Yasir Raza Naqvi Lahore is an exceptionally festive city. The people of Lahore commemorate many festivals and events throughout the year, amalgamating Mughal, Western and current trends. This blending is extended to include the grand and historically significant festival of Basant. Though religiously not a Muslim cultural event, it is widely celebrated by the Muslim majority population Lahore. It is precisely due to the same reason coupled with other ‘non-Islamic’ practices that it has come under severe criticism by the mullahs. The celebration of Basant grew at an increasing rate in the late 90’s till 2005 where it suddenly came under ban due to an increasing number of deaths caused by highly tensile glass coated threads. Due to the official recognition during Musharraf’s early regime, kite making had become an industry, employing hundreds of thousands of people. The implementation of ban of kite flying followed by the ban on kite making left almost 500,000 families employed. Political turmoil followed by the ban on Basant added misery to the already crawling economy of Pakistan as the number of tourists who came to Lahore just to see the magnificent event of Basant fell tremendously. Therefore, In this essay, I tend to analyze the tri fold significance that Basant holds for Lahore. I would briefly shed light on the history of Basant and its transformation over the years till today coupled with the criticism it faced by religious elements of Pakistan. I would later explain how Basant becomes the center of tourist attraction, and generates a lot of revenue for the local industry thus securing an important position in translating the cultural heritage of Lahore. I would also seek to mention the reasons for the implementation of ban on Basant and propose solutions to uplift it. In the pre-partitioned Punjab, Hindus, especially of Lahore- celebrated Basant by flying kites. It was precisely during that time that the Muslims of Lahore, almost equal in number-comprising of the 48% of the population of Lahore, were instructed by the mullahs of that time to refrain from celebrating the event as it was typically a Hindu festival. However, the youth of that time did take part in the event by flying kites. After partition, almost all the Hindus had left Lahore for India but their tradition of Basant remained; and even today Lahoris take pride in Basant and fly kites from their rooftops with the same enthusiasm. Being the historic capital of Punjab there is no other place where Basant is elebrated with as much vigour and enthusiasm as the ancient city of Lahore. Traditionally, a festival confined to the old-walled city, it has now spread throughout the city. The celebration of Basant is incomplete without the kites and it is for the same reason that Michael Palin in his book Himalaya says: â€Å"Everyone in Lahore flies their kites for a day. † (Palin) Marshall Cavendish in his book People of Western Asia briefly states about the history of Basant and its celebration in the following words: â€Å"Lahores spring festival, Basant (buh-SAHNT): also known as Jashen-e- Baharan), is celebrated in February or March each year. It is an ancient festival that has become increasingly popular in recent years, attracting visitors from other parts of the country. Basant is celebrated with feasting, music, dance and crafts, and the wearing of yellow costumes or scarves, a symbol of the new spring. The most striking feature of the festival is the kite flying. Thousands of kites of all shapes, sizes and colors fill the skies and soar from parks and city roofs. At night, music rings and while white kites are flown, which reflect lights and fireworks. Throughout Pakistan there are local spring fairs with folk dancing; feasting; fairground attractions, such as swings and ferries wheels (sometimes made of wood in rural areas); music; and sporting contests. † (Cavendish) The celebration of this event which includes the spending on the purchase of kites has constantly being termed by the mullahs as un Islamic. In an interesting piece written by Roy McCarthy in The Guardian (17th May 2003), a young woman supporter of the Jamiyat (religious party) is reported as vehemently arguing against Basant. It is not Pakistani culture. Pakistanis don’t need new festivals. The most obnoxious part of the Basant is that it encourages young men and women to dance together and drink alcohol. This is not Islam. This is not Pakistan. This is not part of our civilization. † (The Guardian) The cry by the Jamiyat and other religious parties to impose ban on purely religious grounds, that is, Basant being a Hindu festival and thus unIslamic; therefore it should not be celebrated for the same reason might not be a reasonable argument. Firstly because, Basant is more of an ethnic event and it was celebrated by the Hindus and Muslims (the younger lot) alike by flying kites on Basant day and kite flying is more of a sport in the contemporary world, so the question of kite flying being Islamic or unIslamic does not arise . Secondly, ‘there is no denial to the fact that religion is very important and integral part of the culture of Pakistan but we should remember that cultural traditions are also a cause to celebrate and if nothing else the celebration of Basant can be viewed by the specific gathering of the ethnic group. This is further strengthened by the statement made by Sheikh Saleem, lahori and a local kite maker, eid musalmanon ki hoti hai or Basant lahoriyon ki. Thus it is purely a cultural event and Basant and kite-flying contrary to fundamentalist perceptions had nothing to do with religion. Thirdly, Basant has always been supported by the sufis of the past who were the early preachers of Islam in the subcontinent and were all very close to religion of Islam. However, during times when the state comes under religious influences (MMA had an impressive victory in October 2002), there are efforts to discourage what is, after all, not a religious festival. Pakistan† (Rengel) Sufis of Sub-Continent have a convention of adjusting to the local culture and language of the places they visited to spread Islam. The Chishti sufis, have not only tried to relate to the South Asian culture and music, they even tested and developed different cultural forms. Basant is a living example of religious open-mindedness and respectfulness of other creations of God. Previously, it was these Dargahs and Khaneqahs, which served as basis where people could share equal liberty, message of transparency and oneness. Basant is a tradition initiated eight hundred years ago by the famous poet Amir Khusro. Thus, the sufis of the past, namely Nizamuddin Auliya, Baba Zaheen Shah, Amir Khusro also took part in celebrating the event of Basant through songs. The song sung on Basant commemorates a special event in a saint’s life. Blum and Neuman) Kite-making and kite-flying interdependent on one another spread from the confines of undroon sheher across Lahore, and as the city of Lahore expanded, so did the trade. It grew to such a degree that it attracted people from around the world and made Lahore a place of great tourism for Pakistan and a dynamic source of income for its residents. The festival of Basant transformed over the years due to the introduction of kites of different shapes, sizes and colors and as Saeed writes â€Å"Kite Fighting is an integral part of the Basant Kite festival. Saeed) It is precisely this magnificent display of kite flying on Basant day that made Lahore famous and thus it became the center of tourist attraction. People belonging to upper as well as lower economic classes from around the country and beyond packed city hotels for a few days of late-night festivities. Thus, as the celebrations of Basant got bigger and bigger, more and more support started coming in the form of endorsements by the government, and sponsorship and advertisement by multi-nationals in the private sector such as Coca Cola, Pepsi and Nestle. Official statement of District Chief Nazim of Lahore, 2003, Basant had created a business of Rs. 2 to 3 billion in the province and provided lot of opportunities to common people and owners of cottage industries in the country. To some independent estimates overall euphoria of Basant would generate economic activities of Rs. 4 to 4. 5 billion in the province in 2004†. (Khan) Gradually, the event which was once a general celebration of spring became overly competitive and transformed from being a fun sport to a killer sport claiming hundreds of innocent lives. As the nature of Basant changed so did the demand for the kinds of kites needed and thus new models, enormous kites and dors toughened with steel wire, chemical and glass to have room for the kite-fighting of Basant replaced the traditional kite design, size and thin dors that never utilized anything more than starch. These changes are in-fact the root of the present dilemma. â€Å"Kite flying on Basant has taken 505 lives in the last two years. The supreme court of Pakistan has mentioned 45 kite-flying related deaths in city over the last six months and 460 last year†. Zia) The factor that makes this activity even deadlier is that the dangers to human life from this commotion are multi pronged. In simpler words, the group of people affected by this cannot be specified. Actually, it is so large and all-around a group that the risks seem horrendous. Unlike other hazardous sports, the activity of celebrating Basant and more specifically more often than not, affects people who ar e not even slightly related to kite flying. The deaths quoted above are a testament to this argument. A majority of these deaths were of the unfortunate motorcycle riders who couldn’t endure the wounds after the stray strings, used for kite flying, cut open their throats. Then there were deaths due to the distraction caused by these stray strings. Young boys running after and chasing kites also add up to to this very ill-fated club. The number of wounded people and the number of accidents that kite flying on Basant has been causing is alarming to say the least. But the horror doesn’t end here. Many kite flyers were victims themselves; deaths caused by falling off rooftops, electric shocks due to the use of metal strings and obviously they too have the hazard of the stray thread slitting their throats. The killing of innocent people was not the only reason that the government imposed at a ban on basant. The monetary losses caused by kite-flying are astonishing. Fluctuations in the power supply and frequent electricity trippings have become identical with Basant. Pakistan Times show a grim picture: â€Å"As many as 48,173 power trippings were caused by kite flying were recorded in different parts of the provincial metropolis during the first quarter of current fiscal year. † (Pakistan National News Desk). Every year, the Basant days in Lahore are like a mini-blackout. And the people who have to take the toll are the people who have to work through days and nights to ensure that the people get uninterrupted power supply. The sharp strings and metal twangs can cut through the insulation of wires and every day, hundreds of transformers are left burnt and rendered useless. LESCO: â€Å"The losses suffered by LESCO 350 million rupees during the last 4 years ending 2003 out of which a loss of Rs. 20 million was caused in 2002 by metal wires. Moreover, one grid station had been damaged by metal wire every year during this period resulting in a loss of Rs. 8 to Rs. 9 million and the destruction of 210 feeders. † (LESCO) It is estimated that if there are 50 one-hour breakdowns, it costs Rs. 2. 5 million to WAPDA Steel and glass-edged wires are banned but manufacturers still report roaring trade. (Pakistan times†¦) Kite making is traditionally a family enterprise. Behind every kite is the effort of a minimum of six people. The skill is one that they acquire in their virasat as Baqir Ali Butt stated. In some ways kite-making has been altered by the changing circumstances of Lahore but in other ways it has stayed the same. It continues to provide employment for men, women and children, including handicapped persons and the incomes of 500, 000 people are dependent upon the trade â€Å"Around 500,000 families, directly related to the kite flying business, have lost their sources of livelihood because of the ban on Basant†¦[†¦] The ban is costing them Rs 200 million annually, and at the same time damaging other businesses that are indirectly related to the festival. They said that the people related to the industry, including kite makers, twine (dor) makers, wholesalers and retailers, had lost their means of earning a living. The cost of the paper used in kite making is estimated at around Rs 90 million and the cost of the twine used for flying kites is estimated at around Rs 40 million. The process of making kites involves around Rs 40 million, said Lahore Kite Flying Association General Secretary Sheikh Muhammad Saleem. â€Å"These were taken two years back. Now the number must have jumped,† he said, adding that 500,000 families had suffered because of the ban. † (Dawn International) (Tasleem) â€Å"The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Punjab police to register and take affidavits from the manufacturers of strings for kite flying in the province that they would not produce metallic and other dangerous strings which play havoc with human lives and power lines during Basant festivities. The National Assembly was recently informed that Wapda lost Rs30. 2 million in revenues due to Basant-related mishaps in the Punjab from 1999 to February 2004.

Underclass Exclusion Unemployment

Underclass Exclusion Unemployment Critically consider liberal accounts of the ‘underclass. To what extent is a focus on cultural characteristics useful in aiding our understanding of social exclusion. Use of the term social exclusion arose in Europe in the wake of prolonged and large scale unemployment that provoked criticisms of welfare systems for failing to prevent poverty and for hindering economic development. Silver (1994) stresses that economic restructuring in North American and European countries since the mid- 1970s has given rise to such terms as social exclusion, new poverty, and the underclass to describe the consequent negative effects on the more vulnerable populationsin these countries. Such phenomena also intensified the debate over the adequacy ofuniversal social protection policies and fuelled growing concern about the distributivefairness of employment and income patterns. Used first in France (Yepez-del-Castillo 1994), the concept spread quickly to the United Kingdom and throughoutthe European Union. Social exclusion theorists are concerned with the dissolution of social bonds, theincomplete extension of social rights and protections to all groups, and the linksbetween the idea of exclusion and more conventional understandings of inequality.They draw on theories of poverty, inequality, and disadvantage. In this context policiesto aid the excluded have focused on subsidizing jobs and wages, providing housing, and responding to urbanization. The value added of these discussions de rivesfrom their focus on the multifaceted nature of deprivation and on analysis of themechanisms and institutions that function to exclude people (de Haan 1998). Theconcept of social exclusion has encouraged scholars to consider simultaneously theeconomic, social, and political dimensions of deprivation. As Bhalla and Lapeyre(1997) stress, this concept encompasses the notion of poverty broadly defined, butis more general in that it explicitly emphasizes povertys relational as well as its distributionalaspects. Social Exclusion is another term for the lower strata poor. This implies that this is more than just about the straight poor but instead about behaviour which has created a lifestyle which is permanently dislocated from the habits and way of life of the majority. The concept of the underclass has been widely contested today. It has many links with social exclusion, the notion of a cycle of deprivation and cultural theories. During the course of this essay a number of different areas will be looked at. The focal point of this essay will rest by and large in the culture of binge drinking which is apparent across a significant area of the population. This part of the population has been named in many different ways by the media and social theorists alike from Chavs to the deprived to the socially excluded, all of which lead us to the same concept ‘The Underclass. It will then discuss different perspectives on the ‘underclass both into whether it truly exists and whether it i s the individuals or the welfare states fault. This essay will interrogate Murrays claims about the ‘underclass and explain how he is right on a descriptive level but totally wrong on an explanatory level. Furthermore it will look at media accounts of the urban poor and the fact that they are overwhelmingly liberal in orientation. Lastly it will look at the rise of neo-liberalism and the effect it has had on the poor in Britain. There have been many theorists which have researched the concept of the ‘underclass one of which who is highly recognised across Britain and the US is Charles Murray. Murray came to the UK in 1989 in search of an underclass and wrote an article in The Sunday Times about there being the foundations of an ‘underclass in British Society, this was widely contested amongst British sociologists and rejected. However this concept has now been widely researched and there has been increasing truth to Murrays (1990) article ‘The Emerging British Underclass. This article wrote in quite general terms about the ‘underclass and related it to trends of illegitimacy, crime and unemployment. His second essay written in 1996 ‘Underclass: The crisis deepens was preoccupied with illegitimacy, marriage and the state of the British Family. The concept of a traditional nuclear family reducing the chances of a child turning to crime has been one which has been researched heavil y. Although no conclusion has been reached it is still widely believed to be true. The term ‘underclass was derived by Ken Auletta in the 1980s to emphasise the behaviour and values of those deemed to be lower class. Murray (1996) attempts in great detail to show that he does not apply the term ‘underclass to all poor , only to those; ‘distinguished by there undesirable behaviour, including drug taking, illegitimacy, failure to hold down a job, truancy from school and casual violence,. Murray believes illegitimacy is the best indicator of an underclass in the making and the rising trend in illegitimacy therefore alarms him. He places a special focus on issues of violence as it becomes increasingly difficult to raise children to be un-aggressive when whole towns fall prey to criminality. However Alan walker offers a liberal view. He believes that Murray ‘blames the victim and thus diverts our attention from blaming the mechanisms through which resources are distributed. Victim blaming is the attitude which walker believes to have been at the root of many measures from Elizabethan Poor Law to todays ‘YTS and ‘restart programmes. There is the belief by Murray that there are two types of poor people, one of whom live on low incomes and another who dont just lack money . ‘There homes were littered and un-kept. The men in the family were unable to hold a job for more than a few weeks at a time. Drunkenness was common. The children grew up ill schooled and contributed a disproportionate share of the local juvenile delinquents. There are many other arguments about the underclass. Robert Moore suggested that despite his own misgivings; ‘a collective term such as the ‘underclass may be needed to refer to that group of marginalised migrant workers, refugees and asylum seekers, inner city ethnic minority populations and the very poorest who typically have little or no control over goods and skills either within or outside a given economic order. This coincides with Ralf Darendorfs view that the term ‘underclass is a ‘phenomenon of race here as well as the US. These are all rather liberal accounts of the underclasses and a view is taken that the majority of underclasses in both the UK and the US are ethnic minorities many of which are first r secong generation immigrants who have little or no understanding of the British Culture. Many of these minorities will live in poorer areas in which there children will fall victim to the culture of the ‘underclass. This culture includes getting involved with gangs, binge drinking and often leads to unprotected sex which would continue the cycle of the ‘underclass. The liberal accounts of the ‘underclass tend to focus on the pathological individual. This is that if they are poor and dont have a job it is there fault. Part of the pathological explanation suggests that it is the behaviour and attitudes of the underclass that have cut them off from normal society Murray being a strong advocate of this view, argues that welfare dependency has created a counter-cultural attitude that there is no need to work if one can instead receive state benefits or turn to crime instead. The opposing position suggests that the lack of full employment in the economy results in the unemployed and hence poverty. Here it is the failure of the structure rather than the individual themselves who can be blamed for the emergence of an underclass. Auletta refers to the underclass as a group who do not assimilate (1982: xvi quoted in Morris, 1994: 81), identifying four main groups: the passive poor, usually long term welfare recipients the hostile street criminal, drop-outs and drug addicts the hustlers, dependent on the underground economy but rarely involved in violent crime the traumatised drunks, drifters, homeless bag ladies and released mental patients In identifying these groups it can be seen that perhaps a different explanation for the underclass can be given for each grouping. However, in all four cases it could be argued that the underlying reason for the exclusion from society could be either pathological or structural. For example it could be argued that the passive poor are so because they hold the attitude that there is no need for work. The same group could also be said to exist because there are not enough jobs available in the economy for them to work. ‘The underclass as a phrase has shifted in emphasis since the 80s and this shift is partly in response to liberal commentators who suggested that the poor of the contemporary period are idle, jobless and criminal. ‘The underclass as a phrase became associated with blaming the poor for their marginalised social situation. Murrays claims are partly right at the descriptive level, but totally wrong at the explanatory level. There are many different reasons which could offer a far more reasonable explanation on the concentration of urban marginality today. Firstly the changing economy provides us with a number of reasons into why there is an underclass in the UK. Liberals and conservatives today tend to stress values like individual responsibility when considering such issues such as drugs, violence, teen pregnancy, family formation and the work ethic. Some critics readily blame welfare for poverty and find it hard to see how anybody even the poor would deliberately deviate f rom mainstream culture. With widespread joblessness many inner city people become stressed and there communities become distressed, poor people adapt to these circumstances as best they know, meeting the exigencies of there situation as best they can. The kinds of problems which cause moral outrage begin to emerge; teen pregnancy, welfare dependency and the underground economy. Its cottage industries of drugs, prostitution, welfare scams and other rackets pick up the economic slack. It is this underground economy which provides a means for these people as the regular economy cannot. Since 1997, the New Labour government has developed and administered contemporary social policy around the ideals of social inclusion. The Social Exclusion Unit (SEU), Welfare to Work and New Deal Programmes (1998) provide the chief manifestations of socially-inclusive policy. The SEU describes social exclusion as the short hand for what can happen when people or areas are suffering from a combination of linked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown (SEU, 2001: 10). The shift to social inclusion policy is a response to the need to prevent individuals at risk of exclusion from becoming excluded, according to the SEU: a need it proposes to address by, for example, resolving to reverse the growth in family breakups, teenage pregnancies and crime, and to reduce possible restrictions to an individuals economic opportunity. And, where necessary, policy should be designed with the aim of reintegrating those already excluded socially, through programmes such as the New Deal and Welfare to Work (ibid: 29). Bauman argues that the shift in social policy towards the language of social inclusion is a result of key economic trends in the West, leading to the growth of a population that has become surplus to labour-market requirements. Byrne argues that social-inclusion rhetoric is the surface-froth of the more fundamental shift to Post-Fordist patterns of capital accumulation, where those at the margins of inclusion and exclusion serve as part of the reconstitution of a reserve army of labour power. Clearly, Bauman and Byrne differ in their explanations: Bauman viewing the excluded as an unwanted surplus to the expansion of capital, and Byrne viewing the excluded as vital to capitalist expansion. For Bauman, contemporary changes in social policy are part of the wider shift of the welfare state away from policy directed at supporting the re-commodification of labour power. Capital accumulation up until the 1985 required the state to play its role in the provision of key resources, including housing, education, health and, when necessary, welfare payments to the unemployed. This, for Bauman, ensured the re-commodification of quality labour power and also secured a viable reserve army; both of which were essential for post-war capitalist expansion. Since the 1980s, argues Bauman, capital accumulation has become increasingly premised on the rationalisation of the use of labour power, and thus on the shedding of the labour force. As a consequence, the role of the welfare state has ch anged, moving towards means-tested and targeted benefits, and towards-via training and employment policies-catering for capitalisms need for insecure, low-quality labour power, and the disciplining of a growing surplus population. As Bauman observes, ‘The present-day stream-lined, downsized, capital-and knowledge-intensive industry casts labour as a constraint on the rise of productivity to such a degree that economic growth and the rise of employment are, for all practical intents, at cross-purposes; technological progress is measured by the replacement and elimination of labour (Bauman, 1998: 65). The shift in welfare-state priorities towards social inclusion signifies deeper changes in the re-commodification of labour power. In this context, the issue of social exclusion and the rhetoric of social-inclusion policy signifies the emergence of a surplus population which is no longer required by capital as a reserve army of labour. To be sure, a reserve army of labour still exists in non-Western, industrialised areas of the world. For the West, though, capital no longer requires a welfare state committed to the universal provision of key services and social needs, because the maintenance of a reserve army is no longer functional to capital accumulation. For Bauman; ‘The welfare state will become increasingly residual as social policy confines itself to organising the control and administration of a population increasingly isolated from the capitalist labour market. Government is haunted by the prospect of the homeless and disinherited flocking in and capital flocking out. (Bauman, 1998: 54) This, for Bauman, is the reason why social exclusion and social-inclusion policy predominates discourses on welfare. Baumans argument provides a useful explanation of the shift in social policy towards social inclusion. However, the hard-and-fast equating of social exclusion with a surplus labour force playing no role as a reserve army is both empirically and theoretically suspect. Bauman ignores the day-to-day realities of the capitalist system in the West, where the links between capitals demand for labour power and a surplus of unemployed remain of crucial importance. For Baumans proposition to hold, one must assume that those experiencing social exclusion have no connection with the labour market and the status of wage labour. Yet evidence does not support such a view. Evidence suggests ‘A degree of complexity, with people variously experiencing exclusion with no labour-market attachment, exclusion with some labour-market attachment, and inclusion with weak and/or strong labour-market attachments (Labour Market Trends: 2002). In other words the experience of exclusion is as likely to be one premised on the poor, unstable employment as it is as on unemployment and unemployability (Levitas, 1999). Evidence, suggests that labour power continues to function as a reserve army of labour, however attenuated this function might be. A more realistic proposition for Bauman to make might be that the surplus population is growing at a faster rate relative to its function as a reserve army of labour. In this case, those experiencing this situation have little choice, within the constraints of contemporary capitalism, but to remain unemployed and consequently, as Dinerstein suggests; ‘suffer the humiliation of having to beg for work and be in a permanent state of readiness to offer their labour power as a commodity. (Dinerstein, 2002) Media accounts of the urban poor are overwhelmingly ‘liberal in orientation. Many of which, are talking about dole cheats and young women getting pregnant for council houses. The Suns ‘shop a dole cheat campaign hails from the same intellectual tradition as Murray. Many media campaigns have victimised the poor and paved the way for the ‘Chav culture. This has been ridiculed and reported on in the press and on television. A number of attacks have been launched on television channels and there treatment of Britains working classes. It was seen to be not only patronising and offensive but also potentially dangerous. Reality television shows such as Wife Swap, Big Brother and the confessional Jeremy Kyle Show, which tend to rely on working-class participants in search of fame or fortune, were the focus of most criticism. But the portrayal of the working classes in comedy programmes such as Little Britain and dramas like Shameless were also debated. Ethnic minority groups are ‘excluded as a result of their position in the new economy. In this sense, marginalised whites have a lot in common with marginalised blacks. There is however the associated dynamic of discrimination- the most notable example is the place of Muslims in a post 9/11 western world- however, understanding the position of these groups is more about ‘moral panics and fear of otherness. The economic literature on discrimination tends to focus on the different treatment of individuals-based on race, gender, or ethnicity in labour, credit, and consumer goods markets. This is obviously a serious matter, and there is ample evidence in the United States and elsewhere that such disparities are real and quantitatively important as a source of inter group economic inequalities (Modood and others 1997; Wilson 1996). Nevertheless, when considering ethnic group inequality, economists should look beyond what happens in markets. Of course, economists tend to focus on how markets work or fail. Economic theory suggests that discrimination based on gender or racial identity should be arbitraged away in markets of competitive sellers, employers, and lenders. But such discrimination is readily observed in society, and this anomaly attracts attention. Critics of neoclassical economics seize on it, and defenders of that orthodoxy seek to explain it away. Thus evidence that wage differences between the races or sexes have declined, after controlling for worker productivity, is supposed to vindicate the economists belief in market forces. This way of approaching the problem is too narrow. With wages, for example, the usual focus is on the demand side of the labour market-employers either have a â€Å"taste† for discrimination or use race as a proxy for unobserved variables that imply lower productivity for minorities. The primary normative claim in this approach is that such discrimination is morally offensive, a legitimate object of regulatory intervention, and a significant contributor to racial and gender inequality. But implicit in this claim is the notion that if inequality were due to supply-side differences-in the Glenn C. Loury 233 skills presented to employers by blacks and whites, for example-the resulting disparity would not raise the same moral issues or give a comparable warrant for intervention. There is a comparable view in housing markets-that residential segregation induced by the discriminatory behaviour of realtors is a bigger problem than segregation that comes about because of the freely made decisions of market participants. I propose a shift in emphasis. In the United States market discrimination against blacks still exists, but such discrimination is not as significant an explanation for racial inequality as in decades past. This calls into question the conventional wisdom on equal opportunity policy-that eliminating racial discrimination in markets will eventually resolve racial economic inequalit y. Much evidence supports the view that the substantial gap in skills between blacks and whites is a key factor accounting for racial inequality in the labour market. Yet this skills gap is itself the result of social exclusion processes that deserve explicit study and policy remediation. ‘The gap reflects social and cultural factors-geographic segregation, deleterious social norms and peer influences, poor education- that have a racial dimension (Cutler and Glaeser 1997; Akerlof 1997) Group inequality such as that between blacks and whites in the United States cannot be fully understood, or remedied, with a focus on market discrimination alone. Liberals like Murray look at cultural characteristics of the poor as a means of explaining ‘social exclusion. They say the poor is poor because they are lazy, because they dont try at school, because they dont get married. In my opinion the real reason the poor are poor is because; There arent any meaningful jobs anymore for these social groups. The economy no longer needs everyone to work. The successive governments have allowed our welfare state to slowly degenerate. Mainstream society have been conned into believing that these people bring it on themselves. Charles Murray in 1989 used drop out from the labour force among young males, violent crime and births from unmarried women would all be associated with the growth of a class of violent unsocialised people who if they become sufficiently numerous will fundamentally degrade the life of society. This can be seen to be happening today with the creation of ‘chav culture. These ‘Chavs are usually working class and live on council estates and dress in sportswear hoodies, tracksuits and caps. They wear excessive gold jewellery and are seen to be aggressive and uneducated. There was a dramatic increase in unemployed males between 1989 and 1999 from 20.5% to 31.2% which has continued to till today. Drop out in the labour force was largest in the group who had the least excuses to work these were from ages 20 to 24. The economy was not to be blamed fully as overall national employment was lower in 1999 than in 1989. The percentage of men in school did not change appreciatiably and increases of people in higher education have been concentrated among young women and people of both sexes over the age of 30. Since 1994 the number of men in higher education has actually decrease and crime both violent and property are higher than of that in America since 1996. From the mid 19th century to the first  ¾ of this century Britain enjoyed being seen as the most civilised country on earth. The US in this same period was seen as a violent and unruly society with high levels of personal freedom but lower levels of civility. Other continents had low crime rates but a high level of authoritarian control, however Britain is now another high crime industrialised country. Violent crime is seen as impulsive behaviour by those who seek instant gratification of there desires which is part of a general lack of socialisation and is the hallmark of the ‘underclass. Over the last two decades British children have not been socialised to norms of self control, consideration of others, and the concept that actions have consequences. Murray states; ‘One of the leading reasons that they are not being socialised is that larger numbers of British children are not being raised by two mature married adults. He believes that there is not alternative form of family which comes close to the traditional nuclear family of two married parents. He believed that children of two married biological parents were found to do much better than the children of single parents and the children of divorced mothers were found to do better than the children of never married mothers. Illegitimacy is overwhelmingly a lower class phenomenon. However Melanie Phillips argues that it is in fact the overclass fault that we have a lower strata poor. Children from deprived areas sometimes dont know how to use a knife and fork; they dont know what an alarm clock is; because they have no sense of an ordered day. Primary school children who have no idea how to make social relationships but who are aggressive foul mouthed or withdrawn. The government has ambitious plans and programmes on how to tackle social exclusion, turning out papers on truancy, teenage pregnancies, repairing shattered communities. All of which are commendable however this all presents the socially excluded as a breed apart, as an underclass and if there behaviour is somehow different from the rest of society. Government advisors and officials and advisors talk about drugs for instance and they assume that the higher strata can handle cannibas and cocaine but the poor cannot. On education they say there is nothing wrong with the top 2% of schools the problems are with separate sink schools with high levels of truancy and low levels of basic literacy. On family th ey say ‘Im cohabit, Im a lone parent so there is nothing wrong with the changing family. Its the poor who are the problem. This is not only hypocritical and unpleasant but it fails to see how culture works: that signals matter, that they work top down and that what is supportive behaviour by the upper classes can have a disastrous impact on the poor who do not have the soft cushioning of money and privilege to fall back on. The culture of being a lone parent is in some ways created by the elites who lead by example through judges who generally give custody to women and demand monthly child support paid to single mothers who are now also receiving extra benefits and this is done through an increase in taxes on married couples. Surely reducing the males role to nothing but a walking wallet and sperm donor is causing men who are poor to run away from marriage. To understand the underclass is imperative in understanding poverty as a whole. But perhaps more important is the understanding that the underclass is simply a collective term used to refer to a group of individuals. By grouping these individuals together it is far too easy to make stereotypical judgements and statements which, whilst certainly applying to various members of the group, by no means hold true for each individual within. Indeed, it is with little doubt that many members of the underclass do cut themselves off from society due to their behaviours and attitudes, but there will be many who do not. Some people are born more disadvantaged than others take the disabled and elderly for example. Both of these groups can fall within a definition of the underclass they are often dependent upon the state and are in many ways excluded from certain aspects of society. It would take a radical commentator to suggest that either of these groups, and hence the whole of the underclass, are so due to their behaviour and attitudes.

Christians and the Environment Essay -- Environment

The lyrics of Michael Jackson’s Earth Song are sobering. Those who have seen the video of the song probably remember how vividly he passionately sang, â€Å"What have we done to the world? Look what we've done.† While understanding the risks involved, human beings seem to care little about the environment. Every day that passes seems to leave the world with more to be concerned with, the ever-increasing pollution, the deforestation, and the threat of nuclear waste. Taking responsibility for the environment is a duty that Christians should commit to. In fact, Christians should lead the world in taking specific actions in the preservation and restoration of the environment. Some environmentalists have blamed Christianity for the abuse of the environment. The 1967 article by Lynn White suggests that Christianity’s theology of the domination of creation is based on the premise that God created everything that exists for the humankind’s use and should be exploited for that purpose. By this, White alleged that Christians do not feel the obligation to take care of the nature, because it was created to serve them. While it may not be entirely true, many Christians do not object to this accusation. They realize that either their faith has been minimalist in its approach to environmental involvement, or it has completely disregarded environmental issues as irrelevant to the fundamentals of the faith. The Christian church however has realized, in recent times, its responsibility and stewardship of the earth. Allan Effa agrees, â€Å"the Christian community is reexamining some of its theological assumptions and filling in some gaping blind spots in its understanding of the missio Dei† (God’s purpose). Thus with a changing attitude, Christians are... ... Universe. http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/michaeljackson/earthsong.html (accessed May 8, 2012). Santa Clara University "The Common Good vs Individualism." Santa Clara University - Welcome. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/publications/iie/v5n1/common.html (accessed May 8, 2012). Radford Ruether, Rosemary, "Ecology and Theology: Ecojustice at the Center of the Church's Mission," Interpretation: A Journal Of Bible & Theology 65, no. 4 (October 2011), 354-363. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed May 7, 2012). Feuerbach, Ludwig and George Eliote. The Essence of Christianity. New York:Calvin Blanchad, 1855) Google Books, http://books.google.com/books?id=Lsvo-mgtuc0C (accessed May, 7 2012), 361. Effa, Allan. "The Greening of Mission." International Bulletin Of Missionary Research 32, no. 4 (October 2008): 171. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed May 7, 2012).

The Character of Blanche DuBois in Tennessee Williams A Streetcar Name

  Ã‚  Ã‚   Blanche, the main character in William’s play "A Streetcar Named Desire" invokes many contrasting emotions. To analyze one’s emotions concerning Blanche is no easy task, to do so effectively one must break the play into different parts and analyze them separately. The problem with Blanche is that she presents a character so mixed up in her own motives and opinions that one never knows if it is really her or an act she’s putting on. The audience will find itself constantly readjusting its position towards Blanche and the other characters as the play unfolds and we learn more about her story and the reasons behind her inadequacies. Williams makes sure nothing is white or black but grey so that at some moments in the play we struggle to find a reason for her cool manipulation and hunger for power while at others we pity her pathetic life founded on lies and misconceptions. Even when she tries to break up Stanley and Stella’s relationship we donâ €™t immediately brand her as a villain, we remember that if Stella hadn’t left than maybe Blanche would have become what she had wanted to become rather than what society dictated her to become. When we see Blanche for the very first time we know right away that she does not belong in Stella’s neighborhood, she is "daintily dressed" and her "delicate beauty must avoid a strong light", she seems in a fairly hysterical state but we can assume that’s just normal since she is "incongruous to this setting". She seems to be having trouble speaking normally to a black person so that we can already place the origin of her upbringing in the South, probably in one of those enormous mansions that housed rich slave owning white families. As the scene unfolds, the image of the rich, somewhat shelte... ...e thinking about her and the play they will feel sympathy or at least pity for Blanche. What Williams demonstrates with this play is the power of memories and the ruthlessness of society. Works Cited and Consulted Brownmiller, Susan. Against Our Will. New York: Bantam Books, 1975. Dworkin, Andrea. Intercourse. New York: The Free Press, 1087 Lant, Kathleen Margaret. "A Streetcar Named Misogyny." pp. 225-238 in REDMOND. Redmond, James (Editor). Violence in Drama. Cambridge University Press; 1991.   Spoto, Donald. The Kindness of Strangers. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1985. Williams, Edwina Dakin. Remember Me to Tom. St. Louis: Sunrise Publishing Company, 1963. Williams, Tennessee. Memoirs. New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc: 1975. Williams, Tennessee. A Streetcar Named Desire. New York: Signet. Original copyright 1947.

Power of Symbols and Symbolism in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Let

The Power of the Symbol in The Scarlet Letter All classic literature uses symbolism in one way or another. Nathaniel Hawthorne's Scarlet Letter is no different. The very basis of every character, their personal appearance and way they act revolves around one thing, the Scarlet Letter. The scarlet letter is an "A", in crimson fabric, worn by a Puritan woman for her act of adultery. Its very existence is solely to cause shame and remorse on Hester Prynne and her daughter Pearl, who was conceived in her lust, but it comes to stand for so much more. All of Hawthorne's main characters; Hester Prynne, Pearl, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Chillingworth, feel the wrath of one piece of cloth and learn how character can be created or destroyed by the simplest things. Hester Prynne is the cause for all of a Puritan woman with more than her weight to bear. She was sent to America by her husband, Roger Chillingworth, where she committed adultery with her Reverend Dimmesdale and conceived a child, Pearl. In the beginning of the book, her beauty shines through the plain appearance of Puritan women. "The young woman was tall, with a figure of perfect elegance on a large scale. She had dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it threw off the sunshine with a gleam, and a face which, besides being beautiful from regularity of feature and richness of complexion, had the impressiveness belonging to a marked brown and deep black eyes. She was lady like, too, after the manner of the feminine gentility of those days; characterized by a certain state and dignity, rather than which is now recognized as this indication."(55). But, with her sin, comes the dreaded Scarlet A. The letter, which she so beautifully embroidered, se... ...aders with knowledge and a lifelong lesson. The Scarlet Letter teaches everyone to be able to see the sin and actual insides of someone's soul. After uncovering their deep, dark secrets, one is taught not to judge or persecute the person because of what their heart contains, for their heart may be cleaner than one's own. Works Cited and Consulted: Bradley, Sculley, Beatty, Richmond Croom, and E. Hudson Long (1996). "The Social Criticism of a Public Man." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne (pp. 47-49). San Diego: Greenhaven. Chase, Richard (1996). "The Ambiguity of the Scarlet Letter." Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne (pp. 145-152). San Diego: Greenhaven.   Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: St. Martins, 1991.   Scharnhorst, Gary. The Critical Response to Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. New York: Greenwood, 1992.

New Century Financial Essay

1. Describe and evaluate New Century’s business model? New Century Financial Corporation, headed by founders Brad Morrice, Edward Gotschall, andRobert, was a firm which specialized in subprime mortgages. The company originated, sold, andserviced subprime home mortgage loans. New Century was structured as a real estate investment  trust (REIT) and was composed of two operating divisions. The Wholesale Loan Division,  known as New Century Mortgage Corporation, comprised 85% of the firm’s loan originations,  while the Retail Mortgage Loan Division operated under Home123 Corporation.  New Century Mortgage Corporation operated in 33 locations throughout 19 different states  and relied heavily on independent mortgage brokers to identify potential borrowers and assist  them through the loan process until the loans were closed by New Century. This division also  purchased funded loans from other lenders and expedited the loan underwriting process through  its web-based system known as FastQual. The Retail division was comp osed of 235 sales offices  throughout 35 states, a call center, and a web site. This division was aggressive in its approach to  seek out potential borrowers and close loans earning it the nickname â€Å"CloseMore University.†Ã‚  The company typically originated loans and used short-term loans to fund new mortgages  until they were sold within 30 to 90 days of origination. New Century’s income was generated  from the difference between the lending rate and rate at which the loans could be sold or  financed and from servicing loans. Loans were sold either as whole loan sales where mortgages  were pooled together and sold to investors or as securitizations structured as sales. The company  also carried securitizations structured as financing as assets on their books and used the bonds  to finance the securitized loans as liabilities, thereby generating income based on the difference  between interest received from borrowers and interest paid to bondhold ers. 2. What were the primary risks faced by New Century? New Century’s business model enabled the firm to grow rapidly from 2001 through 2006  as access to capital markets expanded and regulations were relaxed. Loan securitization  allowed lenders to spread credit risk over a larger number of investors creating an  environment where companies like New Century could lend to subprime borrowers at  higher rates while financing their operations with the lower interest rates provided by  the highly liquid mortgage-backed securities (MBS) markets. These factors fueled the  company’s growth, but caused the firm to be highly sensitive to risks of increasing interest  rates, declining home sales, and default by less creditworthy borrowers. New Century’s  aggressive strategies in pursuing subprime borrowers resulted in increased risk of asset  Additionally, the short-term credit the company obtained in order to finance loan  origination was contingent on New Century meeting certain debt covenants and financia l  ratios. Increases in interest rates or regulations or the inability to move new loans off its  balance sheet could cause the company to be unable to obtain financing to continue funding  loans. Likewise, a decrease in the difference between the interest rate at which it could  borrow and the interest rate at which new loans could be closed, would affect income and  may result in noncompliance with net income requirements or debt-ratios imposed by New  Finally, the loans which New Century sold were pooled together. The investment banks  which purchased the loans would perform a due diligence review on only 25 percent of  the pool before negotiating the composition and price of the mortgage pool. A â€Å"kick-out†Ã‚  clause was included to allow for buyers to reject part of the loan pool for defects such as  faulty documentation, appraisals, or underwriting issues. The buyers could also require New  Century to repurchase loans which experienced early payment default (EPD). As such, the  company was exposed to risks related to internal controls in monitoring loan processing,  underwriting, and closing which could cause a substantial loss in income due to increased  kick-outs and repurchased loans. Further aggravating these risks were the company’s  aggressive tactics in pursuing and closing subprime borrowers such as offering loans  requiring only stated income and assets as opposed to full documentation loans. 3. What were New Century’s critical performance variables? How well was New  Century performing with respect to these critical performance variables?  New Century Financial had performance variables that critically affected its business  and led to it’s eventual bankruptcy filing. These included liquidity, default rate, and forms of  The overall rate of default is critical because of its compounding increase in liabilities with  a decrease in assets. A default rate higher than the historic rate would adversely affect the  valuation of many assets in the firm’s financial statements. It is also tied to the demand for  mortgage backed securities, increased default reduces the demand for subprime securitization,  thus reducing New Century Financial’s source of income at a time of increasing obligations. 4. What were the reporting errors identified by the bankruptcy examiner? The bankruptcy examiner noted several inconsistencies with US GAAP. These included  errors in calculating the loan repurchase reserve, the lower-of-cost-or-market (LCM) valuation  of loans held for sale, and the residual interest valuation. Additionally, the methodology used  for the allowance for loan losses (ALL) was known by management to be defective as the  company’s models used poor predictors of future performance to determine the level of reserve  needed. In calculating the repurchase reserve, New Century obtained historic averages and  applied those percentages to loans sold in the last three months as EPD was defined as payment  default occurring in the first three payments. However, since the repurchases were being  processed by several different departments within the company depending on the cause of the  repurchase, there was a backlog in obtaining the data in a timely manner. As loan repurchases  became more frequent, the company continued us ing stale data causing the reserve calculation to  In addition, the company was not properly applying LCM valuation as stated in its own  company policy. Instead of pooling similar loans to determine to conduct LCM analysis, the firm  was performing the analysis on the disaggregated loans and then grouping the loans together  to conduct valuation on the group as a whole. This method resulted in gains from one loan  group offsetting the losses in another causing the LCM valuation to be significantly flawed.  The residual interest valuation methods used were also flawed as the company was using  discount rates which were lower than those used by others in the industry to compute residual  interest. New Century disregarded numerous warnings from their auditors, KPMG, regarding  the low discount rates and failed to provide documentation to justify or support the valuation  methodology used. Furthermore, prepayment rates and loss rates were estimated using historical  data related to activity occurring years prior without adjusting for changing market conditions  which resulted in an overvaluation of residual interest.  While the examiner did not consider the issues in the ALL calculation to be material, this  issue merits attention because the company had been very aggressive in closing loans, many  of which were risky stated income and assets loans to subprime borrowers. New Century  management was aware that their ALL was flawed, although they believed that they were  over-reserved and not under-reserved. As with their other accounting estimates, the company  failed to provide adequate documentation to support assumptions and knowingly relied on poor  predictors, stale data, and defective models. 5. Why did New Century fail? New Century grew rapidly through the late 1990s and early 2000s, however its business  model was not sustainable for the long term. The company relied heavily on subprime borrowers  and offered them a range of risky loan options. Those subprime loans were pooled together and  securitized in effort to reduce the riskiness of the loan pools. However, as high risk borrowers  found themselves unable to make payments on their loans, a cooling real estate market and  increase in interest rates left subprime mortgagors without little options to get out their loans  Aside from those challenges which were shared by all competitors in the industry at the  time, New Century also had several internal weaknesses. The company was strongly focused  on sales and loan production, but failed to adequately monitor and control loan quality. Internal  controls were poor and the audit committee did not sufficiently perform its duties to oversee  the internal audit department and addres s operational risks. Internal auditors identified several  issues regarding loans quality, closings, and servicing, however internal controls over financial  reporting were overlooked. Adding to the company’s gross lack of controls, was the absence  of a stated company accounting policy. The examiner pointed out that merely having a policy  in place to address the accounting methodology and estimates would have greatly affected the  company’s ability to apply appropriate accounting treatment consistent US GAAP.

Two Reports On Serious Failings

The first report I found from http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-england-bristol-20084254 was for Winterbourne View care home for people with disabilities the report says eleven care workers male and female were involved. One victim was showered fully clothed and had mouth wash poured into her eyes , while another was asked if they wanted their face grated with a cheese grater , the abuse got so much for one patient that he tried jumping out of his window from the second floor to then be mocked by the care workers, this all came to light by BBC One Panorama doing undercover recordings it was told to CQC that ignored the complaint.After the recordings were shown on BBC one the eleven care workers admitted to 38 different charges of abuse and neglect, six were jailed between six months to two years while the other five were on suspended sentences, the CQC said it was misjudgement that the concerns had not been investigated.The second report I found from http://www. bbc. co.  uk/news/uk- england-lancashire-24838898 was for Hillcroft Nursing home for people with advanced dementia the report says three female care workers were in involved in the abuse towards eight residents, the abuse involved was physical abuse because they were slapped, tipped out of chairs and had things thrown at them and allegedly stamping on the feet of one resident and then emotional abuse because the care workers were mocking them after the physical abuse, they were found out because the cleaner witnessed the abuse and made the allegations which resulted in the staff being suspended.But the returned to work after being given warnings with an internal investigation and not referred for police investigation, shortly after this the CQC kept getting anonymous emails about the standard of care and they handed it over to the local authority safeguarding team who later called in the police. Both of these reports involve very serious cases of abuse and only found out when undercover recoding or a wit ness came forward this is something management should have picked up on, all managers have a duty to hire safe and caring workers and to send all care workers on mandatory training sessions that cover all topics and all policies and procedures are being set within the company. Winterboure View and Hillcroft Nursing home management have failed to do this and were unable to provide a safe environment for vulnerable adults.

Discuss the Advantages and Disadvantages of Owning a Car Essay

Everything has two sides to it, and there is no exception to owning a car. People can name just as many merits of owning a car as demerits of doing it. Apparently, convenience is one of the most important benefits that a car owner is looking for when spending huge sums of money for keeping one. Public transportation has developed rapidly in recent years in Vancouver. Yet, with the even faster expansion of Greater Vancouver Region, Vancouverites are expected to travel farther on a daily basis and there are always some places where you need to switch between trains, buses and seabus to arrive. Compared with driving, using public transport is time-consuming and tedious, esp. when you have luggage with you. Another benefit that driving brings you is to expand your life horizon to the extent that any other kind of transport can’t reach. Before coming to Canada, I lived about 200 kilometers from the world’s second largest desert: Taklimakan Desert. What is fascinating about the ‘sea of death’ is that a unique type of tree called diversi-formed leaves pillow have been flourishing in the heart of desert for thousands of years. The trees are said to be able to stand for 3 thousand years after dying, and lie for another 3 thousand years before rotting away. With a powerful Toyota 4700, my family used to visit the magnificent desert every year and are always stricken with breath-taking beauty of ‘Land of death and life’. In spite of these benefits that owning a car can bring us, the negative influence of driving to environment is also evident. Because cars are often single-occupied, driving means a huge more amount of gas emission than using public transport. In addition, keeping a car also requires constant extra expenses on fuel, parking and maintenance, let alone the considerable payment for car purchase and accidental damages. Things could be even worse when you fail to obey traffic rules and get penalties to pay for. Taking all these pros and cons into consideration, people often find it difficult to choose one over the other. Many people choose to drive for the convenience and freedom from harassments of hurrying to and waiting for public transport. Meanwhile, there are still more who enjoy a short time of relaxation on trains or buses instead of struggling to concentrate on driving after a tiring day.