Social research method--（traditional chinese medicine and Essay

Social research method--ï ¼Ë†traditional chinese medicine and acupunctureï ¼â€° - Essay Example In contrast, a quantitative research done on the same subject will tend to use pre-determined categories experienced, pre-studied, or identified by prior research. In contrast, qualitative research does not have to use pre-determined categories formulated by the research based on researcher’s prior experience. The researcher can rely on participants’ descriptions of the â€Å"ways in which patients taking antihypertensive drug balance reservations against reasons for taking them†. Qualitative research is appropriate for the study because the information needed for the study will not require statistical procedures or other means of quantification (Straiss and Corbin 1998, p. 10-11). Appropriateness of research design. As described by Benson and Britten (2007, p. 1), the research design is â€Å"qualitative study using detailed interviews†. Cresswell (2007a, p. 20) calls this design as the â€Å"narrative design† of qualitative research. In my interpretation of the Benson and Britten (2007) write-up, the authors probably used semi-structured interview. This is highly appropriate considering that the objective of the research is â€Å"to describe the ways in which patients taking antihypertensive drug balance reservations against reasons for taking them† (Benson and Britten 2007, p. 1). Meanwhile, Cresswell (2007b, p. 6-10) identified the narrative design or approach as one of the five approaches that are frequently used in qualitative research. According to Cresswell (2007b, p. 6-10), the five designs or approaches frequently used are the narrative, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnographic, and case study approaches or research design. Holstein and Gubrium (1997, p. 113) had described the use of interviews in qualitative research as a way of generating data on how people view their life. By extension, it follows

Intro to Philosophy Essay Example for Free

Intro to Philosophy Essay The word philosophy itself means â€Å"the love of wisdom. † Philosophy stands for doing the right thing or being a â€Å"just† person. Philosophy also means to see things for what they truly are and not what they may seem to be. A philosopher’s life is a lifelong quest to find the meaning of things beyond their physical appearance. The Ring of Gyges is a ring that a man puts on and becomes invisible. When he does wrong he is not blamed, he gets away with it. Once a man puts this ring on he can be unjust without punishment. In the second book of The Republic Adimantus argued that the unjust life is happier than the unjust. His argument was that a just man can go without now and enjoy heaven in the afterlife while an unjust man will go without nothing and still enjoy the benefits of the after life. Through the eyes of a philosopher there are two worlds, the visible world and the intelligible world. In the visible you can see things and judge them from what you actually see. If a person sees a flower one could judge that it is a beautiful flower. However, the person is judging this flowers beauty on its physical appearance and their claim is merely an opinion rather than true knowledge. In â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† men are chained inside of a cave. All they can see is the shadows that are formed on the wall in front of them. The people inside of the cave believe that the shadows that are being cast on the wall is reality. When one of the men is unchained and brought to the outside world at first he is blinded by the sun and cannot see clearly. The man can only see the shadows of the objects in front of him, this can be perceived as the images of physical objects. When his eyes adjust he can see more than the shadows, he can see the physical objects themselves. When the man goes back inside of the cave to tell the others what he has seen he again cannot see clearly because his eyes have not adjusted. The others in the cave laugh claiming that the sun has ruined his eyes. For a period of time he cannot decipher what the shadows on the wall are imitating. They don’t believe what the man is telling them. In Plato’s Analogy of the Divided Line the four stages of cognition, which represent the levels of existence, are explained. The first two stages, the good and the sun, represent the visible world. The third and fourth stages, knowledge and opinion, represent the intelligible world. These stages are represented in â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave. † Without the sun’s light we would not be able to see anything at all. The sun allows us to see the flower that we perceived as beautiful. Without the suns light we would not be able to see or perceive any of the physical objects that exist. The sun is perceived as the things that we see. The sun also allows for all living life on earth. Without the sun all life on Earth would diminish. Without the sun we could not perceive anything at all. 1. A person can only understand something once they have reached the highest level of cognitive activity. One must acquire the Form of Good before they can truly understand something. Images and assumptions are not enough support to truly understand the meaning of something. The images the prisoners in the cave saw and the assumptions they made about what they thought they could be are only their opinions. Although they were able to identify the shadows on the wall as what they thought they were it is not enough to truly know what they are, the identities given to the shadows by the prisoners is merely their opinion. In â€Å"Phaedo† Socrates claims that our soul is attached to our body. Our body acts as a vessel only operating because of the soul inside. According to Socrates our body holds us back from perceiving things for what they truly are and therefore a philosopher should desire death because it enables them to continue their quest of reality. 2. Socrates viewed death as a purification of the body that allows us find pure wisdom. Socrates explained how our souls are glued to our bodies and only when they are unfastened by death is a person able to experience wisdom in its purest state. The body distracts us from finding the truth because it requires maintenance. The body allows us to feel pain and emotions like love, fear and hunger. Socrates admits that philosophers are more or less practicing for death and should embrace it when it comes for them. â€Å"And will he who is a true lover of wisdom, and is persuaded in like manner that only in the world below he can worthily enjoy her, still repine death? Will he not depart with joy? Surely, he will, my friend, if he be a true philosopher. For he will have a firm conviction that there only, and nowhere else, he can find wisdom in her purity. † (Phaedo pg. 65) Socrates believes that philosophy is good because it enlightens us to what things actually are rather than what they’re perceived to be. Philosophy is what brings the unchained man outside of the cave. It pushes us to go into the unknown, which we at one point we thought we knew. Once we realize what things actually are we also realize that we had no idea what they really were before. The man in the cave that once thought that the only reality was the shadows on the wall now realizes that the shadows weren’t reality at all. Socrates was formally charged because he didn’t worship the gods recognized by the states and for corrupting the youth of Athens. The informal charges against Socrates was asking questions that were unusual, or outside of the box. â€Å"Socrates is an evil-doer, and a curious person, who searches into things under the earth and in heaven, and he makes the worse appear the better cause; and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others† p. 21 Apology The oracle of Delphi told Socrates that he was the wisest man. Socrates refused to accept this statement and went searching for a wiser man than himself. In search of a wiser man than himself, Socrates talked with many people including politicians, poets and craftsmen who claimed to be wise. Socrates found them to not be wise because they thought they knew things that they did not. Socrates proclaimed himself as wise because he knew that he did not know. Socrates exposed the false wisdom of the men who were thought to be wise. Naturally these men held much resistance and hostility towards Socrates. These negative feelings contributed to Socrates’ trial. Socrates refutes Meletus’ statement that he doesn’t believe in any god, that he is an atheist. Socrates does this by confirming that he does in fact believe in supernatural activities, such as his inner voice that told him he was the wisest man, and therefore is not an atheist. Socrates states that wealthy young men, enjoy following him around and listening to him question people. It’s entertaining for them. These men, who think they are wise but aren’t, then go out and try to do this on their own. When the people they question get angry instead of being angry with themselves, become angry with Socrates. They accuse Socrates of filling the young men’s head with nonsense. When asked about what Socrates teaches they don’t know and then use claims already made against philosophers against Socrates. Socrates then asks Meletus who he thinks an improver of the youth is. Meletus claims that the law is an improver of the youth, such as judges and senators. Socrates then proclaims that everyone in the state is an improver of the youth except himself. Meletus agrees to this statement. Socrates states that he must either not corrupt the youth or unintentionally corrupt the youth because good do their neighbors good, and evil do them evil. If he had corrupted someone, in theory, they should have harmed him by now. In Socrates’ last defense he says, â€Å"For if you kill me you will not easily find another like me, who, if I may use such a ludicrous figure of speech, am a sort of gadfly, given to the state by God; and the state is like a great and noble steed who is tardy in his motions owing to his very size, and requires to be stirred into life. I am that gadfly which God has given the state, and all day long and in all places am always fastening upon you, arousing and persuading and reproaching you. † (31-32) Socrates is attempting to demonstrate to the people of the city that there is more to their life than what meets the eye. Without philosophers such as himself they will continue to live the life they’re living with no desire to search for more. They will continue to accept the shadows on the wall as their reality. There are three parts to the soul. These three parts consist of the rational, high spirit and the appetitive. The rational portion of the soul is the part of us that seeks knowledge of wisdom. According to Plato the rational should rule the soul. The high spirit consists of the angry and prideful part of the soul that defends and aids the rational. The high spirit avoids shame. The final part of the soul, the appetitive, is the part of the soul that desires. While some desires are necessary, others are not. If not restrained by the rational, the appetitive portion of the soul can over rule all other parts. In addition to the three parts of the soul there are also three parts of the city. These three parts are the gold, silver and the bronze. The golds are the guardians, the silvers are the enforcers of the laws (helpers), and the bronzes are the merchants and tradesmen. The city virtue of wisdom resides within the gold’s, the guardians. In order to posses civic wisdom one must know how the city operates and how all parts of the city are connected. The knowledge of how the city runs and operates allows the city to operate at the highest level. The city virtue of bravery and justice resides with the silvers, the enforcers of laws. Civic bravery is the defined as the Silvers upholding their education about what things are and are not to be feared and in what order as ordered to them by the Golds. Civic justice refers to sticking to your own work whether you are a moneymaker, helper, or guardian. It’s considered unjust to work outside of your boundaries. The city virtue of temperance exists within the bronze citizens, the merchants and tradesmen, of the city. The civic temperance is the agreement (harmony) between the three sections (gold, silver and bronze) as to who should rule and who should obey. The personal virtue of wisdom is housed by ones rational portion of the soul. Personal wisdom consists of knowing all parts of the soul and how they are connected to one another. The ultimate goal of personal wisdom is keeping the soul as healthy and as balanced as possible. Personal bravery and justice is contained within the high-spirit part of the soul. The High-Spirit of the soul is to preserve the education of what is and is not to be feared. The Rational tells the High-Spirit in which order things are to be feared or not feared. The personal virtue of justice minds it’s own within each part of the soul. The appetitive portion of the soul houses the personal temperance virtue. The personal temperance works in agreement between the three portions of the soul as to who should rule and who should obey. The advantage of philosophy with respect to the state is the efficiency. Everyone has jobs that relate well to their attributes. You cannot be a gold (guardian) without first experiencing being a bronze and then a silver. In order to be a gold one must possess knowledge of all three parts of the city. This ultimately leaves the best most knowledgeable citizens in charge of the city. The advantage of philosophy in regards to the individual is the balance between all parts of the soul. All parts of the soul are important to understand and the rational helps us inherit the wisdom needed to understand these aspects of the soul. One who constantly indulges in the appetitive portion of the soul will be overcome by it. When a person posses wisdom they know when a desire is necessary rather than unnecessary. Students and states that pursue philosophy are better off than the ones who don’t because of the level of intelligence they hold. When a student or state has the knowledge of all the levels of either the civic or individual level they’re more likely to excel in their job. Without philosophy there would be no need to extend one’s boundaries and explore the unkown. Socrates was the man in the cave who managed to break free from his chains and see the world beyond the cave. His accusers, the men still chained inside of the cave, refused to accept what Socrates was trying to show them. If they accepted what Socrates was trying to prove it would be a harsh reality for all they ever knew would diminish. Life outside of the cave is unknown. It’s far less scary to continue their life believing that the shadows on the wall are all that there is. Works Cited Plato, and Benjamin Jowett. The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues. New York: Dover Publications, 1992. Print. Plato, H. D. P. Lee, and M. S. Lane. The Republic. London: Penguin, 2007. Print.

Home Schooling Essay -- Education Classroom Teaching School Essays

Home Schooling Each year, homeschooling becomes more popular. â€Å"According to The Parent Survey which was published by the National Household Education Surveys Program, in the spring of 1999, approximately 850,000 students were being homeschooled (Ramirez, 2003, para. 1). In the year 2001, over one million children were being homeschooled. It is obvious, based on these statistics, that parents homeschool their children for different reasons including religious beliefs, problems with the school system, and disabilities. Although the reasons for homeschooling may be valid; nevertheless, the disadvantages to the parents, children, and school system will eventually outweigh the positives. Homeschool is an ever-increasing trend for those parents who are insistent on greater success for their children in today’s competitive society. The question that arises with this movement is whether or not homeschooling is actually beneficial. Thirty-three percent of homeschooling parents cite religious beliefs as their main reason for homeschooling their children, as determined by a 2002 United States Census Bureau study (Gordon, 2003, para. 6). The beginning of the homeschool movement in the United States involved mostly white, middle-class Christian families who preferred the teaching of fundamentalist Bible doctrine and those who were disappointed with the bureaucratization of modern education (Gordon, 2003, para. 5; Lyman, 1998, para. 5). Today, however, homeschoolers include those of Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox faiths, all disappointed with public education for some reason or another (Lyman, 1998, para. 6). The total eviction of religion from pu blic schools resulting from the Abington School District v. Sch... ...t for the evangelical Christians anymore. The News Star. Retrieved November 13, 2003, from http://www.uga. edu/bahai/2003/030816-1.html Kantor, Mark. The NEA and Its Position on Homeschooling. Home School News Link. Retrieved November 12, 2003, from http://www.homeschoolnewslink.com/ Articles/vol6iss5_NEAPosition.html Leppert, Michael. (2002). Am I Qualified To Teach My Own Child. Home School News Link. Retrieved November 12, 2003, from http://www.homeschoolnewslink.com/ Vol6iss6_AmIQualified.html Lyman, Isabel. (1998). Not Home Alone. National Review. Retrieved November 13, 2003, from http://www.findarticles.com/cf_natrv/m1282/n17_v50/21129273/ print.jhtml Ramirez, Laura Pickford. (2003). Is Home School Right For Your Kids. Family Matters. Retrieved November 12, 2003, from http://www.parenting-child-development. com/home-school.html

A Student Commentary on Big Medias Attack on Fan Websites :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

A Student Commentary on Big Media's Attack on Fan Websites The fight between legal departments at major movie and TV studios and producers of fan websites has reached a fever pitch. The legal department of Fox TV sent out notices to cease and desist to two webmasters of fan "King Of The Hill" websites. Fox Primetime has cracked down on fan sites before, most notably those saluting "The X-Files." It boggles the mind why fan sites pose such a threat to the studios. It would seem that for a fan to take the time and spend the money to build a website without any hope of financial reward would be the supreme compliment to a given show. I know of no fan site which makes money. Usually, unless the webmaster has a free account through their College or University, their Internet access and web space costs money. And if not always a money sink, sites like these are always a time sink. These fans are taking time out of their busy educational and/or work schedules to give these shows free publicity. Still photographs from movies and TV shows used for reviews and/or given away, with or without autographs, to fans has been a traditional means of promoting a studio's wares. When fans offer stills for other fans to collect on the Internet, they are conducting a type of trade which has for decades existed via the mail and in face to face memorabilia swaps. There is more controversy about audio and video clips, but the fact remains that 10% of a copyrighted work of art can be duplicated for "fair use" purposes according to the Berne Convention, the current standard of law on copyrights for most of the world. Current audio techniques for the Internet like .AU, .AIFF, and .WAV get very, very large unless the audio snippet is only a matter of seconds long. And Real Audio .RAM files and Shockwave Streaming Audio files both play as they pass by and are not stored on a person's computer. We are not talking about piracy here. We are talking about a sample that's only a few seconds long, which the people who painstakingly make the sample slave over without any hope of recompense, and which takes up frightfully large chunks of server space. This goes double for the most controversial element of fan sites -- video clips. AVI Video For Windows and QuickTime video files are extremely largely sized.

Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Civil Disobedience was written by Henry David Thoreau. The Letter From A Birmingham Jail was written by Martin Luther King Jr. They both had similarities and differences. There were injustices that were done wrong to each of them by others in the society in which they both lived. The injustices and civil disobedience they incurred should never happen to anyone. Henry David Thoreau spoke in an emotional tone in his essay â€Å"Civil Disobedience. † The emotional part of his essay of Civil Disobedience is that he wants the people to speak up about what type of government they would want to have.Another emotional part was when he started to tell the people to stop paying their taxes so that if the government doesn’t get what they want then maybe they will reform and change their ways. Most of the people are afraid of the government and what the government will do to them and their property if someone disobeys their orders. The government has the right to take their propert y away from them. The government lets them keep their property if the people listen and obey what they say. The people feel that the government is protecting their rights.Thoreau want the people to rebel against the government and revolutionize together because they are treated like slaves and subjected to military law. People want a better government but they won’t do anything to correct the situation. They always think someone else will do something but no one ever does so nothing ever changes. It is very hard to change the minds of people who support the government the way it is. Men are afraid it will make things much worse for them if they go against the government even if they know they are right and the government is wrong.Thoreau says, â€Å"If you think you are right in your opinion then you are the majority and stand up for your rights against the government. Stop giving the government what it wants and maybe the government will reform to what the people want. â₠¬  He wants people to stand up for their rights and risk being put in jail. People should join together as one to put an end to the injustices they have had to deal with from the government. People need to elect the right person to make changes in the government. In Henry David Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, he makes an ethical appeal to he people because he thinks it is better not to have a government at all and that the American government makes more problems instead of making things better. Although not all is wrong, certain things need changing. The government doesn’t care about the people, it just wants them to do what they tell you to do, like to go to war and serve in the army whether you want to or not and pay taxes to the church whether you attend church or not. If the laws are not obeyed by the people and the people don’t do as the government tells them to do then the government would put you in jail for an undetermined amount of time.Tho reau thinks the constitution is evil and wants to make things better by petitioning the people because he wants to have a better place to live in. He also is saying that being in jail is better than obeying the government and paying taxes and going to war. When you are in jail you get everything you need like free room and board and three meals a day, but it would all just be a waste of time because nothing would change. People need to stand up for their rights and what they believe in if they want things to change.Martin Luther King Jr wrote the â€Å"Letter From A Birmingham Jail†. In his essay he said many strongly spoken emotional appeals. He tries to appeal to the people about the segregation of black people when he says, â€Å"When you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six-year old daughter why she can’t go the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Fun-town is closed to colored children. † This quote has a lot of meaning to the colored people.This is racism and it is wrong and it is an injustice that the colored people had to face and deal with for many, many years. Martin Luther King Jr loves the church and wants the blacks to be included in everything that white people are. He was grateful to one reverend for including the black people in a Sunday service in a non-segregated way because it was the right thing to do. Segregation has been an injustice that many people have had to deal with for too many years. An ethical appeal that Martin Luther King Jr. was arguing about were the injustices that colored people face each day of their lives.He was arguing about what was right and what was wrong. He wanted people to realize that they were â€Å"victims of a broken promise†. They were promised that racial signs would be removed but they were not. He was using a non-violent direct action protest and got arrested for it because the whites kept the black people out of everything. The black people were being segregated and not allowed the same rights and courtesies as the white people. Colored people had a separate bathroom than the white people. Colored people couldn’t sit at the lunch counter or ride in the front of a bus.Rosa Parks took a stand and protested in a non-violent way. She decided one day to sit in the front of the bus and was arrested. Martin Luther King Jr. says that â€Å"non-violent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue†. Negro leaders have tried to speak about these issues with white officials but nothing has changed. This is why Rosa Parks took a stand for what she believed in and also why Martin Luther King Jr. ook a stand for his rights by going on a march from Montgomery to Birmingham, Alabama. Martin Luther Ki ng Jr. also states that â€Å"A just law is a man-made code that squares with moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law†. In his essay he thanks one Reverend for allowing black people into his church on a non-segregated basis. This was just a small step in their actions to change the way people think because they have suffered these injustices for way too many years. Both Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. ave made excellent points in their essays about the injustices that have been inflicted upon them in their society. They both have had to deal with many injustices and a lot of people whose wrong doings toward them have made their society a bad place in which to live. Each person was seeking ways to make their society a better place to live in, now and in the future. They both hope that people will see that they way they are being treated is wrong and will stand up for what is right instead of going along with what is wrong.

Jenny Lind - Swedish Opera Singer Promoted By P.T. Barnum

Jenny Lind - Swedish Opera Singer Promoted By P.T. Barnum Jenny Lind was a European opera star who came to America in 1850 for a tour promoted by the great showman Phineas T. Barnum. When her ship arrived in New York Harbor, the city went crazy. A massive crowd of more than 30,000 New Yorkers greeted her. And what makes that especially astounding is that no one in America had ever heard her voice. Barnum, who relished being known as The Prince of Humbug, had managed to create incredible excitement based purely on Linds reputation as The Swedish Nightinagle. The American tour lasted for about 18 months, with Jenny Lind appearing in more than 90 concerts in American cities. Wherever she went, her public image of a virtuous songbird who dressed modestly and donated money to local charities gained favorable mentions in the newspapers. After about a year, Lind split from Barnums management. But the atmosphere created by Barnum in promoting a singer no one in America had even heard became legendary, and in some ways created a template for show business promotion that endures to the modern era. Early Life of Jenny Lind Jenny Lind was born October 6, 1820 to an impoverished and unmarried mother in Stockholm, Sweden. Her parents were both musicians, and young Jenny began singing at a very early age. As a child she began formal music lessons, and by the age of 21 she was singing in Paris. She returned to Stockholm and performed in a number of operas. Throughout the 1840s her fame grew in Europe. In 1847 she performed in London for Queen Victoria, and her ability to make crowds swoon became legendary. Phineas T. Barnum Heard About, But Had Not Heard, Jenny Lind The American showman Phineas T. Barnum, who operated an extremely popular museum in New York City and was known for exhibiting the diminutive superstar General Tom Thumb, heard about Jenny Lind and sent a representative to make an offer to bring her to America. Jenny Lind drove a hard bargain with Barnum, demanding that he deposit the equivalent of nearly $200,000 in a London bank as an advance payment before she would sail to America. Barnum had to borrow the money, but he arranged for her to come to New York and embark on a concert tour of the United States. Barnum, of course, was taking a considerable risk. In the days before recorded sound, people in America, including Barnum himself, had not even heard Jenny Lind sing. But Barnum knew her reputation for thrilling crowds, and set to work making Americans excited. Lind had acquired a new nickname, â€Å"The Swedish Nightingale,† and Barnum made sure that Americans heard about her. Rather than promote her as a serious musical talent, Barnum made it sound like Jenny Lind was some mystical being blessed with a heavenly voice. 1850 Arrival in New York City Jenny Lind sailed from Liverpool, England, in August 1850 aboard the steamship Atlantic. As the steamer entered New York harbor, signal flags let crowds know that Jenny Lind was arriving. Barnum approached in a small boat, boarded the steamship, and met his star for the first time. As the Atlantic approached its dock at the foot of Canal Street massive crowds began to gather. According to a book published in 1851, Jenny Lind in America, â€Å"some thirty or forty thousand people must have must have been collected together on the adjacent piers and shipping, as well as on all the roofs and in all the windows fronting the water.† The New York police had to push back the enormous crowds so Barnum and Jenny Lind could take a carriage to her hotel, the Irving House on Broadway. As night fell a parade of New York fire companies, carrying torches, escorted a group of local musicians who played serenades to Jenny Lind. Journalists estimated the crowd that night at  more than 20,000 revelers. Barnum had succeeded in drawing enormous crowds to Jenny Lind before she had even sung a single note in America. First Concert in America During her first week in New York, Jenny Lind made excursions to various concert halls with Barnum, to see which might be good enough to hold her concerts. Crowds followed their progress about the city, and anticipation for her concerts kept growing. Barnum finally announced that Jenny Lind would sing at Castle Garden. And as demand for tickets was so great, he announced that the first tickets would be sold by auction. The auction was held, and the first ticket to a Jenny Lind concert in America was sold for $225, an expensive concert ticket by today’s standards and a simply staggering amount in 1850. Most of the tickets to her first concert sold for about six dollars, but the publicity surrounding someone paying more than $200 for a ticket served its purpose. People across America read about it, and it seemed the whole country was curious to hear her. Lind’s first New York City concert was held at Castle Garden on September 11, 1850, before a crowd of about 1,500. She sang selections from operas, and finished with a new song written for her as a salute to the United States. When she had finished, the crowd roared and demanded that Barnum take the stage. The great showman came out and gave a brief speech in which he stated that Jenny Lind was going to donate a portion of the proceeds from her concerts to American charities. The crowd went wild. American Concert Tour Everywhere she went there was a Jenny Lind mania. Crowds greeted her and every concert sold out nearly immediately. She sang in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Richmond, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina. Barnum even arranged for her to sail to Havana, Cuba, where she sang several concerts before sailing to New Orleans. After performing concerts in New Orleans, she sailed up the Mississippi on a riverboat. She performed in a church in the town of Natchez to a wildly appreciative rustic audience. Her tour continued to St. Louis, Nashville, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and other cities. Crowds flocked to hear her, and those who couldn’t hear get tickets marveled at her generosity, as newspapers ran reports of the charitable contributions she was making along the way. At some point Jenny Lind and Barnum parted ways. She continued performing in America, but without Barnum’s talents at promotion she was not as big a draw. With the magic seemingly gone, she returned to Europe in 1852. Jenny Lind’s Later Life Jenny Lind married a musician and conductor she had met on her American tour, and they settled in Germany. By the late 1850s they moved to England, where she was still quite popular.  She became  ill in the 1880s, and died in 1887, at the age of 67. Her obituary in the Times of London estimated that her American tour had earned her $3 million, with Barnum making several times more.

Critique of The Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the Elder essays

Critique of The Harvesters by Pieter Bruegel the Elder essays Depicting a scene of Dutch wheat harvesters, The Harvesters, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder was completed in 1565. While wandering from painting to painting, I was intrigued by the large amount of activity that is happening in The Harvesters, and was more interested in it than other paintings on the list because it captured a scene from the everyday life of ordinary people. Bruegel chose the medium of oil to be used on wood when painting The Harvesters. He applies the paint thinly, with such delicacy that brush strokes were almost undetectable. Single strands or hay are visible in the patch, as well as great detail in the distant background. At no point does the wood (which is the only material used) show through, indicating completely opaque colors. While classifying this piece of artwork, I concluded that although it fits into two categories, landscape dominates, with genre playing a less significant role. The scene is of wheat harvesters both working in the field, and seemingly taking a break in the shade of a tree. The people are very small in the painting, although numerous, which led me to conclude that the land was the main subject. Bruegel painted the people in to play a supplementary role, as they help show how grand nature really is. The size of the painting is 461/2 by 631/2, about four tall feet by five feet wide. Since the depiction is very simple, of a landscape with everyday people in it, The Harvesters, frame is in contrast with its scene. The frame is very ornate and would seem to be better suited to surround the image of a royal garden or a king. The shapes in the painting are cut by the frame on all sides. On the right, the picture is cut short, in the middle of a haystack, by the frame. The frame cuts across a tree on top, a hillside on the left, and the hayfield and the ground are cut by the frame on the bottom. The composition of T...

Definition and Examples of Compound Words in English

Definition and Examples of Compound Words in English In morphology, a compound word is made up of two or more words that express a single idea and function as a single word. The most common types of compound words in English are compound nouns (e.g., cheeseburger), compound adjectives (red-hot temper), and compound verbs (waterproof the deck). The rules for spelling compound words are not consistent. Some compound words are written as a single word (eyeglasses), some as two (or more) hyphenated words (brother-in-law), and some as two (or more) separate words (soccer stadium). Examples and Observations As the car pulled into the parking lot, Kenny Dennard whipped a snowball right at the windshield.(John Feinstein, Forevers Team. Villard, 1989)On Sunday afternoons in the summer, my grandfather and I enjoyed eating hot dogs at the ballpark.While we were waiting for our food, I played with my chopsticks. They make excellent drumsticks. I also told Dad all about this big baseball game we were going to play after school the next day.(Dan Greenburg, Zack Files 13: The Misfortune Cookie. Turtleback, 1998)He hid in a cave until the ship had left, only to find that his shipmates had taken pity on him, and left him a barrel of biscuits and a fire, which he kept alight for months. A year later a southbound ship stopped by.(Simon Winchester, Outposts. Penguin, 2003)A diary can take almost any form: written responses to a periodic e-mail reminder, a handwritten notebook, a narrated video, or photos with written commentary.(Kim Goodwin, Designing for the Digital Age. Wiley, 2009)In Aboriginal Au stralia all home building was do-it-yourself.(Tony Dingle, Necessity the Mother of Invention, or Do-It-Yourself. A History of European Housing in Australia, ed. by Patrick Troy. Cambridge University Press, 2000) I became a shop steward immediately and a trustee in 1936. . . . I became the locals secretary-treasurer in 1946.(Mary Callahan, quoted in Rocking the Boat: Union Womens Voices, 1915-1975. Rutgers University Press, 1996)On a hot day, nothing beats walking into a nice, cool, air-conditioned home. Unfortunately, running your air conditioner is expensive and eats up energy.(Eric Corey Freed, Green Building Remodeling For Dummies. Wiley, 2008)Heads of Compound WordsOne part of a compound word is usually clearly its head, in a general way able to represent the meaning of the whole compound. The heads of the various types of compound word are [in capital letters] in this list: bellBOY, spin-DRY, red HOT, inTO, and/OR. It can be seen that in English, the head of a compound word is always the last element, on the right-hand end. (This is not true of compound words in all languages, however.)(James R. Hurford, Grammar: A Students Guide. Cambridge University Press, 1994)Dividing Compound Word sIf you divide a compound word at the end of a line, place the hyphen between the elements of the compound (snow-mobile, not snowmo-bile).(Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell, The Concise Wadsworth Handbook, 2nd ed. Wadsworth, 2008) Metaphorical CompoundsMetaphors furnished with common household objects are figures of speech that we literally live with every day. Some of these comparisons are new, such as a couch potato, a phrase that compares lumpish watchers of television to lumpy potatoes: the longer couch potatoes sit, the deeper they put down their roots.(Richard Lederer, The Play of Words. Simon Schuster, 1990)Complex CompoundsIt is possible to form a compound from two words one of which is itself a compound. For example, we can combine the compound law degree with the word requirement to get the complex compound law degree requirement. This compound can in turn be combined with changes to get law degree requirement changes, and so on. . . . [T]he process is essentially unlimited.(Bruce Hayes. Introductory Phonology. Wiley, 2009)

Water Resources Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Water Resources - Assignment Example At Sattler and Brussels points, the volume of discharge indicates similarity in the environmental conditions of the areas surrounding the river. Therefore, Guadalupe River covers areas with similar climatic conditions that do not change abruptly making the discharge to be even. The climatic conditions of the two areas is relatively same, making the discharge volumes relatively equal, with the daily maximum and daily minimum varying minimally. The areas around the branches did not register changes in the land use that could affect the amount of discharge. There is a significant correlation between the flow and precipitation as witnessed in the change of the volume of discharge. The months of January to April register constant precipitation with the rest of the years having minimal precipitation. The relation between the minimal, maximum and mean discharge is constant with minimal variation in the discharge indicating the similarity of the environmental

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - Essay Example Caring for patients with mental and behavioral disorders requires integration of clinical skills, professional knowledge, interpersonal skills and experiences. The central activity in practice is therefore, that of using ‘self’ as the means of establishing and attaining effective nurse-client relationships. Consequently, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the change interventions that rely on collaborative and therapeutic relationship and empowering with the treatment outcomes dependent on active participation of the client. The central idea in CBT is that all behavior (normal and abnormal) is attained and sustained ways that are identical (Whitfield, 2010). This is consistency with the principles of learning theory, which emphasizes on the role of operant and classical conditioning. The extensive evidence base of CBT is well documented and recommended as a treatment modality with clear guidelines for best practices (Whitfield, 2010). Although reflection plays a critical role in CBT, it has been conspicuously absent in CBT literature leading to misconceptions that CBT therapists don not reflect (Wright, 2006). With this background, this paper demonstrates that nurse students and CBT therapists use various methods such as self-reflection, self-supervision, and reflective journals as well as a variety of data from multiple sources such as CBT literature, client presentations and self-reflections to reflect on their learning and practice. According to the International Institute for Cognitive Therapy, CBT is a psychological approach that relies on scientific principles of which research has shown effectiveness towards diverse range of problems (International Institute for Cognitive Therapy, 2014). CBT intervention encompasses approaches such as cognitive therapy (CT), and rational emotive therapy (REBT). CBT

Back ground - research method Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Back ground - research method - Essay Example Legislative corruption on the other hand relates to the mode of bribing the political authorities to gain undue advantage at a later stage (Kurer, 2005, p.234). However, this paper focuses on the embezzlement of funds by public officials. The paper tends to infer about the relation of the behavioral practices of embezzlement of funds by public administrators to the low basic salary received. Description of the Background of the Issue The menace of corruption related to embezzlement of Public Funds earns a vivid relation to the pattern of low payment structures offered to the public government officials. It is found that in economies like Tanzania the salary received by the public officials was not enough to cover up their domestic expenditures that contributed as one of the factors in enhancing the embezzlement behavior. This embezzlement practice of the Public Officials related to the tax revenues happens to render fiscal pressures on the economy of the region like Tanzania making i t weaker (Fjeldstad, 2003, p.165, 168-169). Relating to the above issue different instances would be incorporated from other literary sources reflecting on the relation of the embezzlement behavior of the government officials and their low salary structures. It would also focus on rendering effective recommendations thereof. . Description of the Literature Embezzlement of Funds by Public Administrators and its Impact on the Economy Myint (2000) states that one of the significant evidences of corruption in the hands of public government officials relates to the embezzlement of public funds for their own personal and domestic use. Public officials usually engage in embezzlement on an individual basis without third party intervention.. Embezzlement behavior of government officials bears a strong relation to the low salary payments provided to them that, in turn, fails to support their living conditions in this cost driven economy. Further, the embezzlement behavior of these government officials is found to render potential impacts on the economy of the emerging economies thereby increasing their internal and external debt and similarly deteriorating economic and social structure (Myint, 2000, p.35, 40, and 45). Ante (2010) reflects that the practice of the public or government officials relating to the embezzlement of public funds happen to render considerable impacts on the economic and social system of a country or region thereby affecting it both financially and structurally. In the case of emerging economies such types of exploitative practices of government officials drains on the regional economy and thereby tends to be one of the significant factors resulting to economic and social disparity. Drainage of funds kept for social or public use through embezzlement by public government officials contributes in enhancing the poverty level in the society at large. Growing levels of poverty thereby deprives the poor people from their social and economic rights (An te, 2010, p.249). Trebilcock and Prado (2011) observe that the activity related to embezzlement or misappropriation of public funds by government officials tends to have significant consequences pertaining to the large scale reduction of funds meant for development purposes. Thus, misappropriation of public funds deters the government body of the region to rightly and effectively pursue the goals set for programs like the United Nations Development Program to help cater for the needs

10 environmental science articles Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

10 environmental science articles - Article Example In 2008,twelve orphan chimpanzees were released back into the wild after being equipped with GPS tracking devices attached to collars.Six males and six females were released,all ranging between eight and twenty years of age,making this only the second time that captive chimpanzees were sent to live among wild chimpanzees Due to the tracking devices, researchers were able to monitor the activities of the chimpanzees, discovering that five of them created their own community in the area where they were originally released, two of which gave birth to healthy offspring. One of the other females integrated with success into a community of wild chimpanzees. By releasing the chimpanzees back into the wild, awareness programs and environmental education programs have increased, drawing attention from people who frequent the park. The release has also caused a halt in illegal hunting and fishing. It is because of the release that other sanctuaries are considering releasing some of their own b ack into the wild in the near future. These sanctuaries feel that the more people are educated about the animals being released, the more likely the animals will be able to survive in the wild without having to fear humans bringing harm to them or their environment. Article Quality The quality of the article could have been better. While it explained the benefits of releasing the chimpanzees into the wild and tracking them with GPS, the article could have gotten more into detail about how well the chimpanzees were adapting to their new surroundings. It also failed to go into detail about how people were being educated and supportive of the chimpanzees’ release. Article Topic The subject matter of this article is very interesting. There are often stories that are not so successful about animals being released into the wild. By using GPS to monitor the whereabouts and conditions of the chimpanzees, as well as informing people about the project, the release was able to be a succ ess. If other sanctuaries use similar tactics, perhaps more animal releases will be just as successful. Summary A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health revealed that an increased intake of berries is capable of decreasing the chances of men and women developing Parkinson’s disease. The study conducted also showed that men could decrease their chances even more by also eating apples, oranges, and other food items that contain flavonoids or anthocyanins, which have proven to be neuroprotective. Flavonoids and anthocyanins can be found in plants and fruits, but also in berries, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These dietary components are also known as vitamin P and citrin. This was the first study to focus on the impact of flavonoids on the development of Parkinson’s disease. The study consisted of 49,281 men and 80,336 women. They were each given a questionnaire that was used to determine the amount of flavonoids that each person took in on average. The co nnection between flavonoid intakes and risk of Parkinson’s disease was then analyzed. The participants were then followed for twenty years. During the twenty years, it was found that the more flavonoids that a male took in, the less of a chance he had at developing Parkinson’s. While women showed no significant results with flavonoids, it was revealed that women can decrease their risk by increasing their intake of anthocyanins. Article Quality The quality of the article is very good. It summarized the most important aspects of the study, such as who was involved, what took place, the results, and the importance of the study itself. However, the article could have gotten into more detail about the effects of flavonoids and anthocyanins and how they actually protect the brain. The article only informed the reader that these components are capable of protecting them, but it would be even more beneficial to know how. Article Topic The topic of the article is fascinating, informative, and very

Structured System Analysis and Design Method Research Paper

Structured System Analysis and Design Method - Research Paper Example Additionally, this methodology is believed to be a public domain, as well as is officially represented in British Standard BS7738. Basically, software development methodologies are a most important element of the software development sector which aspires to offer a structure for action and to gather, store, process and distribute information in an attempt to support the economic growth of information systems and software development that are well for purpose. In this scenario, structured systems analysis and design methodology is a kind of linear sequential process model through which software systems are designed and developed. Additionally, this methodology is considered as a representation of a pinnacle of the thorough document-led mechanism to design a software system, and differ with modern RAD (Rapid Application Development) approaches for instance DSDM (Samyal, 2013; Rouse, 2008; Patel, 2005, p. 75). In addition, one of the most attractive features of this software development methodology is that it divides a software development project into several manageable components, steps, stages and activities, and offers a mechanism for defining projects in a way that is easy to manage and control. Some of the major objectives of SSADM methodology are outlined below (Rouse, 2008; Samyal, 2013; Schumacher, 2001): Provides management team with effective control over the software development process Allows software development firm to make more effective use of skilled and new development personnel Facilitates software development team to build high quality systems The loss of staff does not affect the progress of projects Encourage use of computer-based tools for instance computer-aided software engineering systems Establish and maintain a structure for effective communications and collaboration between stakeholders in a project Moreover, this software development technique effectively manages all the aspects of software development life-cycle varying from the pha se of a feasibility study for the actual software development. Additionally, many software development firms use this methodology in association with various other approaches, for instance PRINCE and PRINCE2, which is effective in dealing with various activities of project management. In addition, this software development methodology forms a flow or a waterfall vision of software development, which is based on carrying out a series of steps, and all these steps are interrelated. Some researchers contrast it with the RAD model as it pre-supposes a need to conduct steps autonomously. As discussed above, structured systems analysis and design method divides the software development process in various stages which are outlined below (Rouse, 2008; Samyal, 2013; Schumacher, 2001): In the first step a detailed feasibility study is done to determine the feasibility of a project. Analysis and study of the current environment In this step different business system options are identified At t his stage system requirements are defined This step involves identifying various system options At this stage logical design of the system is developed Last stage involves the development of a physical design Furthermore, for every phase, structured systems analysis and design method forms a set of procedures, techniques and rules for communicating and recording information

10 environmental science articles Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

10 environmental science articles - Article Example In 2008,twelve orphan chimpanzees were released back into the wild after being equipped with GPS tracking devices attached to collars.Six males and six females were released,all ranging between eight and twenty years of age,making this only the second time that captive chimpanzees were sent to live among wild chimpanzees Due to the tracking devices, researchers were able to monitor the activities of the chimpanzees, discovering that five of them created their own community in the area where they were originally released, two of which gave birth to healthy offspring. One of the other females integrated with success into a community of wild chimpanzees. By releasing the chimpanzees back into the wild, awareness programs and environmental education programs have increased, drawing attention from people who frequent the park. The release has also caused a halt in illegal hunting and fishing. It is because of the release that other sanctuaries are considering releasing some of their own b ack into the wild in the near future. These sanctuaries feel that the more people are educated about the animals being released, the more likely the animals will be able to survive in the wild without having to fear humans bringing harm to them or their environment. Article Quality The quality of the article could have been better. While it explained the benefits of releasing the chimpanzees into the wild and tracking them with GPS, the article could have gotten more into detail about how well the chimpanzees were adapting to their new surroundings. It also failed to go into detail about how people were being educated and supportive of the chimpanzees’ release. Article Topic The subject matter of this article is very interesting. There are often stories that are not so successful about animals being released into the wild. By using GPS to monitor the whereabouts and conditions of the chimpanzees, as well as informing people about the project, the release was able to be a succ ess. If other sanctuaries use similar tactics, perhaps more animal releases will be just as successful. Summary A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health revealed that an increased intake of berries is capable of decreasing the chances of men and women developing Parkinson’s disease. The study conducted also showed that men could decrease their chances even more by also eating apples, oranges, and other food items that contain flavonoids or anthocyanins, which have proven to be neuroprotective. Flavonoids and anthocyanins can be found in plants and fruits, but also in berries, chocolate, and citrus fruits. These dietary components are also known as vitamin P and citrin. This was the first study to focus on the impact of flavonoids on the development of Parkinson’s disease. The study consisted of 49,281 men and 80,336 women. They were each given a questionnaire that was used to determine the amount of flavonoids that each person took in on average. The co nnection between flavonoid intakes and risk of Parkinson’s disease was then analyzed. The participants were then followed for twenty years. During the twenty years, it was found that the more flavonoids that a male took in, the less of a chance he had at developing Parkinson’s. While women showed no significant results with flavonoids, it was revealed that women can decrease their risk by increasing their intake of anthocyanins. Article Quality The quality of the article is very good. It summarized the most important aspects of the study, such as who was involved, what took place, the results, and the importance of the study itself. However, the article could have gotten into more detail about the effects of flavonoids and anthocyanins and how they actually protect the brain. The article only informed the reader that these components are capable of protecting them, but it would be even more beneficial to know how. Article Topic The topic of the article is fascinating, informative, and very

What's in a Name Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What's in a Name - Essay Example Such a move is described as customer driven since it puts the interests of the customer at the fore front. According to the articles history, most celebrities have found it difficult to find a suitable name for their children. This has made them to adopt funny names that may have an impact in the child’s life. By capitalizing on this situation, Maryanna expects to serve new parents who are unable to come up with good names. In overall, parents and new born are her target market. Maryanna would receive a lot of competition from companies that manufacture baby care products. It is evident that such companies have their own name experts who are charged with the responsibility of naming baby products. Baby products are always required to be in sync with catchy names. Such names may form clues to parents on how to name their children (Osborn, 2009, p.245). By being able to name children on their own, the parents won’t need those services of Maryanna thereby threatening her business. There are other companies that specialize in naming celebrity children. Such companies pose a great challenge to Maryanna since they are engaged in the same line of business. Such situations may lead to one of them diversifying into other fields thereby incurring unwanted costs (Osborn, 2009,

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Example for Free

Streaming Media and Netflix Essay Netflixs main issue is they face increased market competition from new  entrants into their industry. In addition, Netflix suffers poor relationships with suppliers, which interferes with their ability to meet market demands leading to increased costs and the need to increase prices. This affects Netflixs ability to increase market share, and maintaining core values, resulting in declining subscribership, and declining margins. ANALYSIS COMPANY ORIGINS. Thorough analysis of Netflix begins with a discussion of the companies origins. Netflix was founded by Reed Hasting (CEO) and Marc Randolph in 1997 in Scotts Valley, California, with main headquarters now located in Los Gatos, California. The original business model was as an internet TV company providing online streaming and DVD/Blu Ray rentals shipped direct to a subscribers home. This subscription and selling service implemented in 1999, and in 2000 launched their personalized movie recommendation service CineMatch (Funding Universe, 2014). Shortly thereafter Netflix executed their IPO in 2002 with approximately 600,000 members in the US and by 2005 membership rises to 4.2 million. Perhaps most important is Netflix introduces video streaming in 2007, and later in 2008, partners with consumer electronics companies to incorporate Netflix video streaming on consumer electronic devices. Further growth is achieved in 2010 when Netflix launches internationally in Canada, Latin America, and Caribbean (Netflix Media Center, 2014). THE BLUNDER YEAR. Mid-July 2011 Netflix announces Qwikster, which was an attempt to separate online video streaming services and DVD rentals, resulting in an immediate 60% devaluation of Netflix stock and eventually to a low of $62.37 by December of that year. Ultimately, on October 10, 2011 the Qwikster proposal is scrapped by Netflix. However, the damage was already done because on July 13th their stock price was at an all time high of $304.79, and eventually bottomed out at $55.19 on December 31 of that year (Thompson, 2012). RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. Once the disaster of 2011 passed, Netflix rebounded by expanding into the Latin America and Caribbean markets. Later in 2012,  Netflix expands its international market further by becoming available in Europe that included the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Nordic countries. In addition, Netflix wins its first Primetime Emmy Engineering Award. Furthermore, in 2013, Netflix expands to the Netherlands, and debuts original programming that earns Netflix 31 primetime Emmy nominations including outstanding drama series, comedy series, and documentary or nonfiction special for _House of Cards_, _Orange is the New Black_, and _The Square_ respectively. More importantly, _House of Cards_ wins three Primetime Emmy Awards making Netflix the first internet TV network nominated, and winning, a primetime Emmy award. Furthermore, in 2014, Netflix launches in 6 new countries in Europe that included Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, and Switzerland. Again, Netflix wins 7 creative Emmy Aw ards for _House of Cards_ and _Orange is the New Black_. Moreover, Netflix now has over 50 million global subscribers (Netflix Media Center, 2014). FINANCIAL STRENGTH. Netflixs performance has been solid, although they underperformed in the third quarter of this year, 2014, perhaps due to over forecasting which Netflix does often, creating the perception to investors and analysts that the company has underperformed (Seward, 2014). Their numbers remain strong and stock is currently valued $379.01per share (Yahoo Finance, 10/30/14). Moreover, Netflix had $4.3B in Revenues in 2013 and revenue is projected to $4.7B by year end 2014, and current ratio is 1.42 demonstrating the moderate ability to cover current liabilities, See Appendix A, Financial Sheets, Tables 1 through 6 on pages 15 through 20, for additional details of Netflixs strong financial performance. Generally speaking, all key financial statistics are trending upwards over the past five fiscal years (Market Watch, 2014). Furthermore, as of the third quarter of this year, Netflix has 53.1 million subscribers worldwide and that is forecast to climb to 57 million subscribers at year end 2014 ( Netflix Letter to Shareholders, 2014). FIVE FORCES MODEL OF COMPETITION. See Figure 1 in Appendix B, Netflix-Porters Five Forces Model, page 21, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following forces. _COMPETITION AND RIVALRIES ._ Competition and rival threats remain high. Netflixs rival, for content and subscribers, is now Time Warner, who owns Home Box Office (HBO) and possesses a large subscriber base as well as original content. However, when competition involves subscribers, Amazon Prime Instant Video is becoming a direct competitor. Soon, Amazon will air original programming thus becoming a competitor for content as well (Casteele, 2014). In addition, Hulu, Apple TV, Google TV, Google owned YouTube, and CBS All Access has, or will have, original content available in the near future. Although Amazon does not have the number of subscribers that Netflix has, approximately 5 million versus 50 million plus for Netflix, both have the edge against traditional networks by using customer data instead of market research and Nielsen data for developing original content (Kleinman, 2013). Furthermore, competitors would include cable and satellite TV companies such as DirectTV, Comcast xfinity, and the movie theate rs. _SUBSTITUTES_. The threat of substitutes remains high. Products viewed as close substitutes include Hulu Plus which may also be considered a rival in some respects but exist more as a complementary product to Netflix and focuses on current run and older TV shows targeted at a younger market. Moreover, Hulu provides fewer movies compared to Netflix and forces subscribers to view commercials when streaming content. Another substitute would include Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) available only through a year subscription through Amazon Prime, a free two-day shipping service, and provides an extensive movie and TV library (Shanklin, W, 2014). Furthermore, Vudu is Wal-Marts offering of on-line streaming and similar to what one finds on YouTube or iTunes but providing more full length feature films (Prindle, D., 2014). Other substitutes include Google Play, RedBox Instant, and Microsofts Xbox video streaming (Shanklin, W, 2014). These substitutes are unlikely to threaten the market in excess, and Netf lixs threats remain with APIV. _NEW ENTRANTS._ The threat of new entrants is strong. In addition, there exists a strong likelihood of suppliers offering content on their own  website because of low barriers to enter the video streaming market. The TV market is increasingly moving to the on-demand online streaming model. The recent entry of Time Warners HBO, and CBS into the on-line streaming realm is a testament to new entrants. More Web based enterprises will shift or add on-line streaming content because the barriers are already low for these enterprises (Lever Estienne, 2014). In addition net neutrality rulings leave open the window of opportunity for new companies to enter the market (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF SUPPLIERS._ Bargaining power of suppliers is high. Moreover, suppliers can withhold content and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can intentionally without quality service to Websites using large portions of bandwidth. Until a net-neutrality regulation is in place, this will remain a major issue for companies providing on-line streaming content such as Netflix (Selyukh, 2014). _BARGAINING POWER OF CONSUMERS._ Bargaining power of consumers is high because on-line video streaming is highly price elastic and consumers will migrate to the perceived better value. Therefore, there is great sensitivity to price and content. Consumers will gravitate to the best suppliers of content and a bargain price without much loyalty. Netflixs slower subscriber growth in the third quarter of this year was attributed to price increase that the company undertook recently (Sikka, 2014). In addition, the industry must contend with the distribution and use of illegal downloads and the lack of established enforcement of pirating content. Content is king and consumers demand content, and original content is even better. SWOT ANALYSIS. See Figure 2 in Appendix C, page 22, Netflix SWOT Analysis, for a graphical analytic tool that summarizes the following described strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. _STRENGTHS._ Netflix will invest a total $3 billion (US) by years end in program content to provide content and meet the diverse tastes of its more than 36 million U.S. and 14 million international online subscribers. In addition, Netflix will spend $600 million (US) on marketing and $400 million  (US) on technology upgrades. (Netflix ups ante, 2014). Moreover, Netflix possesses brand recognition and the word Netflix even becoming a verb among Internet users. Furthermore, the Netflix App has created greater accessibility and enabled subscribers to stream media on nearly all Internet enabled devices. Perhaps most important of all is Netflixs original content of award winning programs such as House of Cards, Orange is the New Black, and Hemlock Grove enhancing international growth. In addition, Netflix has signed a number of interconnection agreements with Internet Service Provider (ISPs) to ensure faster Internet speeds for subscribers (Sikka, 2014). More importantly, Netflix has positive financial ratios although profit margins remain low internationally, and continues to demonstrate outstanding stock market growth. _WEAKNESS._ One Netflixs largest weakness is their cost of content relating to the mass of licensing packages and the in-house original content production company Netflix is accumulating a large amount of debt and profit margins are low relative to the international market. Furthermore, the DVD and Bluray domestic subscriber market is declining, from 7.0 million paid subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2013 to 5.9 million subscribers at the end of the third quarter 2014 (Letter to Shareholders,.2014). Moreover, Netflix has had a history of subscriber revolt when raising subscription prices and their recent $1 increase was not having any significant impact on subscriptions, however may impact subscriptions nonetheless (Steel, 2014). The last attempt to raise monthly subscription prices left current subscribers upset and Netflix stock tumbling. In addition, Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily internet traffic (Sikka, 2014). Therefore, with net neutrality laws being struck down, Netflix will either need to assume more debt, which they will spend $1 billion (US) or the next 15 months, or cut content, which they will do the complete opposite. Perhaps most importantly, both Amazon Prime Instant Video (APIV) and Google owned YouTube have announced their own original content productions becoming a direct competitor to Netflix. _OPPORTUNITIES._ Netflixs greatest opportunity lies in International Expansion and their ability to create original content will enhance  international growth. In addition, the international opportunities will depend on Netflixs superior software apps and service created from their own global technology investment, process knowledge, data acquired from related markets, and their globally recognized brand (Netflix Long term View, 2014). Moreover, Netflixs original in-house programming should take full advantage of the many entertainment related smart devices with Internet capability. Households that have a TV or other device connected to the Internet, as of 2013, stood at 49% up from 24% in 2010 and is undoubtedly higher in 2014 (Sikka, 2014). There exist an opening for Internet TV and Netflixs exclusive in-house content will allow the company to take full advantage of that demand. _THREATS._ Because Netflix accounts for about 57% of daily Internet traffic, ISPs have lobbied to require major website traffic contributors pay for the infrastructure needed to support this heavy volume of traffic (Sikka, 2014).. Until net neutrality is resolved one way or another, this will remain a top threat for Netflix. Furthermore, competition such as Amazon Prime Internet Video (APIV), and Googles YouTube are implementing their own original content and are direct competitors to Netflix. Moreover the expense of licensing and renewing license agreements remain a threat to Netflixs ability to increase margins. However, in-house production of original content benefits the company by generating a word-of-mouth advertising and elevating the company into an Emmy award winning content producer. In addition, there exists the threat of brand loyalty as subscribers are price conscious and sensitive to price increases. ALTERNATIVES Possible alternatives range from doing nothing to focusing completely on the international market. If Netflix does nothing and continues their physical delivery of DVDs and Bluray discs will continue to cost more over time because of the need for maintain even a minimum of distribution centers for delivery to subscribers. Another alternative may be to simply pay the premium price required to acquire more and more content through expensive licensing agreements. This alternative as a stand-alone strategy and may not  provide the competitive advantage needed to attract the number of subscribers needed for desired growth. A third alternative could be to combine the purchasing of content and licensing with original content programming to attract domestic subscribers and increasing international market penetration in the video streaming market. RECOMMENDATION The recommendation made by the author is a combination of the reducing and phasing out the physical DVD delivery model combined with the purchasing of content and licensing, and using original content programming to attract domestic subscribers, and increasing international market penetration. IMPLEMENTATION Internet television is replacing linear television, at the same time that apps are replacing network channels. Thus creating the proliferation of viewing screens for streaming content. In addition, Technology is improving and more available than ever before making this technology less expensive. Furthermore, streaming is the leading source for Ultra HD 4k video, and TV everywhere provides an economic transition for existing networks. Hence, new entrants into the Internet streaming realm, including Netflix, are innovating rapidly and driving improvements (Letter to Shareholders, 2014). See Appendix D Graph 1, Netflix Market Share Bubble Graph on page 24 for a graphic representation of Netflixs market share compared to APIV and Hulu. Netflix should phase out of the physical DVD via mail service market and that will help reduce operating costs. Meanwhile, focus on Internet streaming of content, and producing original content will expand viewership and subscribers, both domestically and internationally, as well as help limit supplier control. This will help contribute to increased margins leading to increased revenue and stockholder confidence. Netflix is in a growth strategy in the international market where investment needs are high. Therefore, margins will be lower than desired expectations, and growth potential in the international market remains very high. Therefore, Netflix  should remain on this strategy. References Casteele, J. (February 24, 2014), Netflix vs HBO: Is the Rivalry as Intense as it Seems? The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/02/24/is-the-netflixhbo-rivalry-as-intense-as-it-seems.aspx France-Presse, A. (April 25, 2014). Netflix announces content agreements with several cable companies, RawStory.com. Retrieved from: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/04/netflix-announces-content-agreements-with-several-cable-companies/ Funding Universe (2014). Netflix, Inc. History, _International Directory of Company Histories_, Vol. 58. St. James Press, 2004. Retrieved from: http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/netflix-inc-history/ Kleinman, A. (March 3, 2013). Netflix vs. Amazon Could Be The Cool New Rivalry, Huffington Post. Retrieved from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/netflix-vs-amazon_n_2811454.html Kline, D. (July 26, 2014). Amazon Prime Continues to Grow Despite Price Bump, The Motley Fool. Retrieved from: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/26/amazon-prime-continues-to-grow-despite-price-bump.aspx Letter to Shareholders, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/NFLX/3556910032x0x786677/6974d8e9-5cb3-4009-97b1-9d4a5953a6a5/Q3_14_Letter_to_shareholders.pdf Lever, R., and Estienne, S. (October 19, 2014). Weve Hit a Watershed Moment For Streaming TV, Business Insider. Retrieved from: http://www.businessinsider.com/afp-with-new-entrants-streaming-tv-sees-waters hed-moment-2014-10 Market Watch (2014). Netflix Key Statistics, MarketWatch.com. Retrieved from: http://www.marketwatch.com/investing/stock/nflx/profile Netflix Long term View, (October 15, 2014). Netflix Corporate Website. Retrieved from: http://ir.netflix.com/long-term-view.cfm Netflix Media Center (2014). Netflix, A brief history of the company that revolutionized watching of movies and TV shows. Retrieved from: https://pr.netflix.com/WebClient/loginPageSalesNetWorksAction.do?contentGroupId=10477 Netflix ups ante in streaming. (2014, Oct 27). _Investors Business Daily_ Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxylocal.library.nova.edu/docview/1615897570?accountid=6579 Perez, S. (April 30, 2014). Hulu, Now With 6 Million Subscribers, Will Make Some TV Episodes Free On Mobile, TechCrunch.com. Retrieved from: http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/30/hulu-now-with-6-million-subscribers-will-make-some-tv-episodes-free-on-mobile/Prindle, D. (May 13, 2014). Best Media Streaming, Digital Trends.com Website. Retrieved from: Serviceshttp://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/best-media-streaming-services/ Selyukh, A. (May 15, 2014). Amid protests, U.S. FCC proposes new net neutrality rules, Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/15/us-usa-internet-neutrality-idUSBREA4C0SF20140515 Seward, J., (October 16, 2014). Analysts Believe Netflix Is Victim Of High Expectations, Benzinga Retrieved from: http://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/14/10/4929716/analysts-believe-netflix-is-victim-of-high-expectations?utm_campaign=partner_feedutm_s ource=marketwatch.comutm_medium=partner_feedutm_content=analyst_ratings_page Shanklin, W (August 21, 2014). Netflix alternatives: These 7 services are the closest youll get, Geek.com Website. Retrieved from: http://www.geek.com/news/netflix-alternatives-these-7-services-are-the-closest-youll-get-1472327/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Analyzing the must-know business trends affecting Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why deals with Internet service providers are helping Netflix, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix has long been demanding net neutrality laws, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Sikka, P., (October 20, 2014). Why Netflix doesnt consider HBOs streaming service a threat, Market Realist. Retrieved from: http://marketrealist.com/2014/10/must-know-netflix-stock-steep-fall/ Steel, E. (July 21, 2014). Netflix, Growing, Envisions Expansion Abroad, _The New York Times._ Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/business/media/netflix-says-it-topped-50-million-subscribers.html?_r=0 Thompson, A. A. (2012). Netflix in 2012: Can It Recover from Its Strategy Missteps, _Business Strategy Game._ Retrieved from: https://www.bsg-online.com/users/CorporateLobby.html Yahoo Finance (October 30, 2014). Netflix, Inc (NTFLX), Yahoo Finance Website. Retrieved from: https://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=NFLX

Scope Of Study And Limitations English Language Essay

Scope Of Study And Limitations English Language Essay At the mention of the term chick lit, it is unavoidable to assume that it is a colloquial form of chick literature or something more elaborate. Campbell (2006) puts it aptly when she says that we should acknowledge that the very term is demeaning and probably peppered with a tinge of sexism. Chick is a derogatory term for the presumably empty-headed girls or young women who are both the characters and the readers; lit is an ironic reference to the assumed lack of quality writing in the form (p. 487). Most definitions of chick lit outline its characteristics; highlight the general plot, the illustrations on the cover and its target audience which do not quite explain the genre as a whole or do it any justice. This study therefore will use the definition describing the genre as heroine-centred narratives written by women that focus on the trials and tribulations of their individual protagonists, to appeal to other women (Kent, 2007 Smith, 2008). Chick lit has been at the brunt of a lot of criticism. According to Razdan (2004), it is wildly successful and that is where the problem lies. Most critics cannot seem to get past the covers in pink or fluorescent green, highlighted with flirty, fashionable accessories like purses or high heels (Ferriss Young, 2006b). However, it does not end there. The major attack is due to it reflecting postfeminist values through its protagonists, themes and plots. The characters in chick lit are young women with newly found independence dealing with careers and the demands of urban pop culture (Campbell, 2006). Ferris Young (2006b) describe them as women who commit errors at the workplace, drink excessively at times, are hopeless when it comes to cooking, or are attracted to unsuitable men quite unlike the flawless women of romance fiction. In short, these characters generally embrace or portray postfeminist values, acknowledging that feminism has taken place and won them equality but all the same, they do not want to be called feminists because of the indulgences feminism has rejected in the past like romance. When it comes to the themes, despite their timelessness and universality, they seem to be rubbing people the wrong way probably because the lifestyle choices this novels centre around are seen as a betrayal of feminism and its call for equality (Davis-Kahl, 2008). Unfortunately for those who hold this view, the themes addressed in chick lit are claimed to be the representation of sociological truths about womens lives today (Knowles, 2004). Although this might seem unsettling, Ferriss and Young (2006b) put forward that chick lit focuses on the issues dear to cultural critics heart. It appears that some just refuse to acknowledge that times are a changing. Looking at the plot, Knowles (2004) claims that many variations can be found in the genre itself but the fundamental structure of the main character looking for satisfaction in a romance-consumer-comedic vein usually characterizes writing in these texts. The inevitable fact for this genre is its broader focus on relationships (Davis-Kahl, 2008, p. 5). Almost every novel has a protagonist pining for a man, dealing with issues like weight, self-image, career burnout and other things along the way once again reflecting these post-feminist values. In her paper, Glasburgh (2006) puts forward five postfeminist characteristics defined by Faludi (1991): 1) negative reaction to second wave feminism, 2) focus on the individual instead of a collective sisterhood, 3) desire for more traditional femininity through domesticity, consumerism, romance, and motherhood, 4) female identity crisis causing fears of a man shortage, a loudly ticking biological clock, and career burnout, and 5) feelings of anxiety over ability to make the correct future decisions. Based on content analysis on ten chick lit books, she concluded that the protagonists generally did reflect characteristics of postfeminism (Glasburgh, 2006, p. 76). These postfeminist characteristics are what critics are debating about. Some feel that chick lit should be taken seriously because it is about the current generation of women while others feel chick lit is force-feeding the current generation with postfeminist values. This study attempts to explore students perspectives on this matter. 1.2 Statement of Problem Even before the existence of chick lit, womens writing has suffered a long history of scoffing (Davis-Kahl, 2008). They have been described as frothy, prosy, pious, pedantic (Eliot, 1856, p. 35) and women writers have been referred to as a damned mob of scribbling women (Ticknor, 1913, p. 141). On the 23rd of August, Beryl Bainbridge, then Booker Prize favourite, called Bridget Joness Diary a froth sort of thing (Davies, 2001), echoing George Elliots words two centuries before. At that point, chick lit had become the new form of womens writing which was under attack. This intentional sidelining of womens fiction has been said to stem from sexism. Both men and women place value on different things such as men on sports and women on fashion and as a result, all things associated with men have been viewed as important while women pursuits have been considered trivial, transcending even into the value placed on books (Woolf, 1929). Chick lit has now been subject to bashing by critics for more than a decade. The most popular claim is that chick lit is force-feeding society with postfeminism values while supporters of the genre claim that chick lit is merely reflecting todays culture. Whether or not chick lit has been affecting culture or the other way round is yet to be seen as not much research has been done in that area. Most certainly, chick lit is a force to be reckoned with based on its soaring popularity. One thing that must be noted in light of this situation is that there has been very little research on the area of chick lit in the academic field. Even in the small number of researches that have been conducted, the majority of it focuses on content analysis from romance, feminist and postfeminist perspectives. This study will focus on the students perspectives towards chick lit from a postfeminist approach as opposed to stand alone text analysis. In their courses on classic womens fiction and chick lit, Ferris and Young (2006b) have concluded that students were certain that despite the fascinating cultural issues raised by chick lit novels, they could not quite contend with the work of Jane Austen, the Brontà «s, Virginia Woolf and Zora Neale Hurston but were unable to state why. This study attempts to go a step further in trying to uncover the issues in which students can relate to and understand the reasons behind it. 1.3 Purpose of Study This study aims to:- Find out the perspectives of students towards chick lit in relation to post-feminism. Uncover the reasons behind these perspectives. 1.4 Research Questions 1. What are the perspectives of students towards chick lit in relation to post-feminism? 2. What are the reasons behind these perspectives? 1.5 Significance of Study The results of this study will reflect the reception of undergraduate students towards chick lit from a postfeminist point of view. It will also explore the reasons behind these perspectives. These results will help to determine whether chick lit should be incorporated into the syllabus to be considered as part of a genre of literature like classic womens fiction. If the reception towards chick lit in light of postfeminism is found to be good, even on a micro-level, it opens up a very viable premise for chick lit to be used as a foundation for teaching literature. Allowing students to utilize materials which they can relate to as a basis of their exploration and providing them with the ability to clarify the plus points as well as shortcomings of a book or a genre is powerful (Davis-Kahl, 2008). Characteristics of postfeminism have been found to be present in chick lit novels to a certain extent. Therefore, chick lit has been claimed to be the document of a new generation quite unlike the era in which writers like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters lived in. While it is important to note that cultural, social and geographical factors counts for something, the ability of students to relate to a piece of work does a lot to help discuss its literary value. In fact, these novels have the potential to be used in the classroom to explore the generational differences in feminism, uncover the reasons why classic fiction stand the test of time, and to develop an appreciation for the intricate plots, subtle characterizations, memorable language of such works (Ferriss Young, 2006b). Chick lit can be used as a basis for discussions as to the reasons for the significance of womens writing, the changes it has undergone, and the opinions of women in fiction, be it popular or literary. This evolution that fiction in general and womens fiction has gone through is an area worthy of study especially due to its popularity, ease of access and representation of issues that modern women face (Davis-Kahl, 2008, p. 8). Furthermore, chick lit will be viewed as an important representation of modern womens writing, doing this new area of popular womens writing some justice (Ferriss Young, 2006b). This establishment of chick lit as a learning tool or viable area of study in the academic sphere will eventually lead to it being readily available in academic libraries allowing students with interest to gain access to them. 1.6 Scope of Study and Limitations Participants involved in this research are Year 3 Trimester 2 Bachelor of Arts (Hons) English Language students selected through purposive sampling. This study has a number of limitations. First, the sample may not accurately reflect the opinions of students in general towards chick lit. Secondly, the sample does not contain an equal mix of genders to accurately reflect views towards chick lit. Thirdly, some participants may be unfamiliar with the genre itself and therefore incapable of providing their perspectives towards it. However, a brief set of definitions are provided in the questionnaire to help respondents to familiarize themselves with the subject area. 1.7 Definition of Key Terms Chick lit : heroine-centred narratives written by women that focus on the trials and tribulations of their individual protagonists, to appeal to other women (Kent, 2007 Smith, 2008). Feminism: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the belief in the social, political, and economical equality of the sexes (Rowe-Finkbeiner, 2004) Post-feminism : A shift away from the feminist idea of needing to right the wrongs of a patriarchal society with regard to women (Faludi, 1991). Post-feminist Backlash Theory: The claim that popular culture has been the direct cause of a backlash on feminism, understood as postfeminism, by attempting to blame it for the supposed misery of women today and calling for a return to a more traditional femininity (Faludi, 1991). 1.8 Organization of the Thesis This study consists of a total of five chapters; Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings Analysis, and Discussion Conclusion. The first chapter which is the Introduction addresses the background of study, statement of problem, purpose of study, research questions, significance of study, scope of study and limitations, the definition of key terms and the organization of the thesis. The second chapter, Literature Review will outline the history of chick lit, the history of post-feminism, address the five post-feminist characteristics used in this study as well as discuss past researchers study. The third chapter, Methodology will explain the research design, sampling, instruments used for data gathering, the pilot study, procedures as well as the data analysis. The fourth and fifth chapter will present the findings and discuss its significance in relation to the study as well as provide recommendations for further research respectively.

Perfect Storm Essay -- essays research papers

The Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger is an account of an immense storm and its destructive path through the North Atlantic. In late October of 1991, crews of several different fishing ships left their port for their final haul. Little did they know that they would soon cross paths with one of the greatest storms ever recorded. This particular storm would create huge swells, high winds, and hard rain. The system, was said to be a â€Å"perfect storm† because all of the elements were just right to create the worst imaginable storm ever seen, â€Å"†¦ a hundred-year event,† claimed some meteorologists. These types of storms are caused when: â€Å"Warm air is less dense than cool air; it rises off the surface of the ocean, cools in the upper atmosphere, and then dumps its moisture before rushing back to earth. Huge cumulus clouds develop over the zones of rising air, with thunder, lightning, and terrifically strong rain. As long as there's a supply of warm water, th e thunderstorm sustains itself, converting moisture into sheeting rain and downdraft winds. Other thunderclouds might line up along the leading edge of a cold front into a "squall line," a towering convective engine that stretches from horizon to horizon.† (The Perfect Storm Foundation) The descriptions of fishing procedures and equipment are often confusing, they are a vital part of the plot. Which gives the reader a better insight to what these fishermen went though. Without these details, readers would not be able to picture the dangers of the storm the way Junger wanted them to. The book is interesting, but never melodramatic. There is just enough tension in the conflict between man and nature to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Junger never tries to saturate his readers with so much emotion that they roll their eyes in disgust. He makes the fear and desperation realistic and believable. Junger achieves a delicate balance between the factual and fictional elements of the story. The front cover immediately states in bold letters that The Perfect Storm is a true story. Junger’s characters are extremely well developed. It becomes unimportant that Junger may have exaggerated about a character’s experiences. He allows readers to sympathize with Christina Cotter and fear for Bobby Shatfords safety. The thoughts and emotions of every character are stunningly real. My girlfriend pointed out that the book... ...ve damage occurred in New England where federal disaster areas were declared for seven counties in Massachusetts, five in Maine, and one in New Hampshire. Off Staten Island, two men were drowned when their boat capsized. Other fatalities occurred when a man fishing from a bridge was either blown or swept off in New York and a fisherman was swept off the rocks at Narrangansett, RI by heavy surf. Offshore, six lives were lost when the Andrea Gail, a swordfishing boat, sank. Total damage in the Halloween Storm, as it came to be known because of its date, was in the hundreds of millions of dollars.† The first part of the book focuses on the people and their relationships around the docks and their hometown. It gave an in-depth glimpse into the life and psychological behaviors of fishermen. Given the total length of the book my first reaction to this focus on people was that it was too much. My second reaction was "just right." Less stress would have de-personalized the characters. Towards the end the characters in the book have all learned something about themselves because of this storm. Being that some of the characters are not here anymore makes the book all the more poignant.

Comparing A Separate Peace and The Catcher in the Rye Essay -- J.D. Sa

Comparing A Separate Peace and The Catcher in the Rye The coming of age novels, The Catcher in the Rye, written by J.D. Salinger, and A Separate Peace, written by John Knowles, both interpret the lives of adolescent boys journeying through their conflicts and inner confusion to reach the level of maturity. Salinger and Knowles both discern the literal ways a typical teenager grows up with the help of literary elements such as plot, setting, character development, conflicts, irony, symobolism, theme, and point of view. In both of the novels, the setting is taken place in an all boys’ school. The all boys’ school in A Separate Peace was named Devon High School, located in New Hampshire and the school in The Catcher in the Rye was named Pencey Prep, located in New York. By having both main characters being raised in a same type setting, they both can experience similarities that they might have to go through. However, each novel was set in a different timeline. A Separate Peace was actually written during the time of World War II, while The Catcher in the Rye was written after World War II. As a result, different time periods probably differentiated their lifestyles, which can produce unlike conflicts that the teenage boys might encounter. The protagonists in A Separate Peace, Gene Forrester, and The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Claufield, make them coming of age novels by the struggles that they come across as they grow up into becoming mature, adult like men. Gene Forrester attains his maturity by dealing through the confusion he has from cooperating with his best friend, Finny, and the guilt he inherits as he blames himself responsible for Finny’s death. On the contrary, Holden Claufield, in The Catcher in the Rye, illustrates his attainment of maturity by growing with the depression he possesses and his alienation from the people in the novel. The battle of Gene with himself and Holden with himself creates the similar major conflicts between the novels. In this case, Holden has it much more difficult in The Catcher in the Rye because he has to struggle with a great depression and he constantly tries to escape it through drinking, sexual intimations, his awful attitude, and attempts of being out going after he leaves Pencey Prep early. The cause of this depression is the death of his younger brother Ally. In the novel, he describes that h... ...p between Gene and Finny. On the other hand, J.D. Salinger’s theme in The Catcher in the Rye was developing through adolescence with depression and confusion in your life. Through the point of view of Holden’s place, his attitude and experience he went through discerned that stress was a big issue to him and struggling through depression as a teen and achieving maturity from it is something the most of us could relate to. Overall, both of the themes in the novels have something to do with social events in our lives and both of the themes became interesting appeals. J.D. Salinger and John Knowles both accomplished their description of their protagonists reaching their level of maturity through literary elements. They provided excellent examples of a teen growing up; and A Separate Peace and The Catcher in the Rye have at least one moral that one can rely on. In conclusion, the conflicts in the stories were things that I could actually relate to and I can expect to experience the same things that the characters experienced. Works Cited Knowles, John. A Separate Peace Holt, Rineheart and Winston, 1960 Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye New York: Bantan books 1951

What Is a Personal Health Record (PHR)?

A new study suggests that a change in the way we keep health records could save billions. The study found that providing interoperable PHRs to 80% of the US population would cost $3. 7 billion in startup costs and $1. 9 billion in annual maintenance costs. According to the report from the Center for Information Technology Leadership at Partners Healthcare System in Boston, widespread use of PHRs could save the US healthcare industry between $13 and $21 billion a year. (www. myPHR. com) This past year, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She has come to realize that this diagnosis also comes with a lot of medical documentation that sometimes has not been forwarded to her oncologist or family physician. After having read about the PHR, it came to my mind just how important and convenient having a Personal Health Record could be. I decided to search the Internet to see just what developing a PHR would take and how difficult it would be. After searching the AHIMA website, I was forwarded to a unique site at www. myPHR. com and on this site I found very helpful information regarding the steps one person should take to develop their own PHR and the benefits it would serve. The definition of a PHR according to AHIMA, is The personal health record (PHR) is an electronic, universally available, lifelong resource of health information needed by individuals to make health decisions. Individuals own and manage the information in the PHR, which comes from healthcare providers and the individual. The PHR is maintained in a secure and private environment, with the individual determining rights of access. The PHR is separate from and does not replace the legal record of any provider. (www. perspectives. ahima. rg) There are many options when it comes to creating your own PHR. A person may create it on their own; they may be offered one by their Physician’s office or even by their insurance provider. One should study each of the vendor’s policies before choosing because they may be different. Each vendor or supplier should have policies in place for how they control access to a person’s PHR and who they will authorize to access the informatio n. Important points to remember about your PHR, according to www. myPHR. com are as follows: * You should always have access to your PHR The information in your PHR should be accurate and complete * You control how much information is accessed * The PHR maybe separate and does not replace the Physician’s legal medical record Information that is normally included in a PHR is Patient demographic sheet, problem list, MAR, history & physical, progress notes, consultations, physician orders, radiology reports, laboratory reports, immunization records, operative reports, pathology reports, discharge summaries, emergency room records and consent forms. Once I gathered all my mother’s medical records in one place, I scanned all her documents into her computer so that she had them all saved. I then transferred the information on a USB drive so that she could easily access the documents anytime she needed. We are now trying to decide whether to keep the information on her computer locally or to subscribe to one of the services that is mentioned on the myPHR website. If my mother did not have a computer available to her, it would also be beneficial for her to keep the information from her medical records that we had gathered in a folder in a safe place. Now my mother has her PHR at her fingertips and we can both focus our energy on her road to recovery rather than spending time tracking down medical records. The time I spent researching on www. myPHR. com was very valuable and made me very aware of how important having all your information in one, easily accessible place can be. I would recommend that everyone look into creating their own Personal Health Record.