Integration of Western Culture Into African Culture Essay

Integration of Western Culture Into African Culture - Essay Example In the African context, the individual does not exist but rather the society. Africans believe in working together for the society and obeying societal norms. It has taken time for the African to adopt the individualistic philosophies because these dictate that an individual should be autonomous. On the contrary, African philosophies suggest that without the society, the individual would feel empty. Individualism and liberty philosophies from the west remain new to some Africans. This explains why there is little democracy in African countries but the people do nothing about it. In addition, Africans have slowly integrated western science ad technological innovations to their traditional industries. The acceptance did not come easily. In a bid to catch up with the rest of the developing world in trade and economy, Africa had to absorb the new education and technology to solve its problems. Africa had the resources but lacked the technological expertise to make use of the resources. It is sad to realize that African countries still lag behind in application of the new technologies into their industries. On the other hand, some scientific knowledge serves to strengthen what society believes in. Advances in genetics help the African communities to give explanations to their beliefs. The African culture appreciates that different individuals differ in physical traits. They also recognize that close family members had a high level of resemblance. Such scientific breakthroughs were easy to integrate into their culture. (Erickson, 2005). Before introduction of western medicine, Africans had their form of traditional medicine. Traditional medicine had its unique form of prescription and diagnosis. In some communities, traditional healers associated disease with

The Zoos Are Really Very Cruel to Wild Animals Essay Example for Free

The Zoos Are Really Very Cruel to Wild Animals Essay All I can say is that through my opinion zoos are really very cruel to wild animals. Why is this so ? Well because they don’t think of the wild animals habitat and the liberty which they need. The shock of being in captivity would actually depress the animals; they would even act violently and might hurt people near them. And it is not the animal to be fault. Firstly, the ecosystem became unbalanced. Secondly If the humans kept the wild animals in the zoo, they will ruin their food chain. Animals need to run a lot, but their kept in the zoo where it is lack of spacious area. They need to hunt for their own food, however while in the zoo the foods are provided. There is no freedom for the animals for being kept by humans. Worst case possible is animals would get depressed and attack people randomly. People should not blame the animals if they got attacked; it is their own fault for keeping the animals in cages. Animals can die prematurely in zoos. For eg. In 1991 twenty-five Asiatic Lions were born in zoos around the world 22 of them died. In the same year 166 cheetahs were born in zoos, of which 112 died. And the last but the most important is that the animals are born naturally in the wild and us humans cannot provide them what nature gives for their needs. This is the crucial motive where animals should be freed   Or they should put them in sanctuaries instead and ask people to do animal safaris if they wanted to see the animals . at least the animals will get their freedom and live in peace.

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay

Differences Between Actor Network Theory And Social Construction Sociology Essay Here are few differences between Actor Network Theory and Social construction of technology that I found from various analysts point of view. To start with, I would like to jot down the basic difference between Actor network theory and the theory of social construction of technology. Actor network theory (ANT) considers both technical determinism and social determinism, i.e. it does not stick by the idea that technology shapes the society or the society shapes the technology (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). Social Construction of technology (SCOT) theory follows the ideas that technology is emerged from the social interaction of social group, which can be called social determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Both of these theories involve participants in process of shaping the network or in shaping the outcome, known as Actors. Actors involved in ANT are humans and non-humans which are treated equally as separation between the two are difficult, as it cannot be said who played the major role. (latour,1997). The actors involved in SCOT are the Relevant Social group which includes people sharing the same interest in shaping the technological artifact (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989). Actors in ANT need to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing without any lag or hick up. SCOT does not follow a strict principle on the performance of the actors or the groups. If a certain relevant social groups involvement or influence is less than the other group, in that case it only brings in a few changes in the outcome of the technological artifact. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Talking about the aim of these theories, ANT is more about how the networks are formed rather than why the y are formed. It does not predict the outcome of the socio-technical artifact at any point. These entities are known as mediators where the input by the actors cannot predict the outcome; rather it multiplies or deletes the input/object passing through network known as tokens or quasi objects. (Wikipedia) Whereas SCOT illustrates how the social surrounding which include RSG and other actors give rise to a particular artifact. Right from the beginning the outcome is predicted or decided. It acts more like an intermediate unlike ANT. It does not really matter if there are changes that come through in the social surrounding while building the artifact, the previously assumed idea of the outcome would still remain the same. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) If we study ANT carefully, the actors involved in it are not just objects but an association of other elements which self constitutes a network. To look like a single point actor, these elements are simplified or Black boxed. That means the network actors are open to new ideas and their contents can be reconsidered (Gidding, 1999). The idea of reconsidering the content does not exist in SCOT. It limits the influence of the RSG once the interpretive flexibility starts to gradually diminish. This causes it to reach the rhetorical closure, thus the alternative idea of a new design is eliminated. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) Following the actor, this method in ANT suggest that the actors set their framework and the limits of the network by themselves. Actors in ANT are able to make their presence individually felt by the other actors (Tatnall Burgess, 2002). As discussed earlier, actors can be thought of as a black box, which has many actors hiding one behind other. So basically all the actors can be found at one place or it can be said that all the actors form a single point actor and this effect is known as Punctualisation (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005). When the same method is compared to SCOT, actors are followed who are relevant to the technology and that may lead to another actor who is also relevant to that technology. The process is continued till no new actors pop-up. This causes the interpretation to come to a closure. Both of these theories have a positive and a negative side of their own. The biggest drawback of SCOT is that it ignores the effect of the technology after it has come into existence by social determinism. The technological artifact might have been developed for a particular purpose. But it is hard to expect the end-users to use it the way it is suppose to be used. In that case, it means that the effect of the technology after is has come into existence from a social determinism method, is slowly shaping the society in its own way. That brings us back to technological determinism. (Klein, H. K. Kleinman, D. L., 2002) As we know RSG solves the technical problems, seeking solutions, etc. We do not know who decides the which group are relevant social group and with the same the social interest. It fails to include the groups that have no voice and also the groups that will be affected by the results of technological change and also the groups that have been stamped down and excluded (Prell, Christina, 2009). It also fails to explain the circumstances where one of the relevant social groups seriously disagrees to either to the design or technological system or artifact, etc. There is no explanation on how the theory would handle the disagreements of the groups. Many critiques has pointed out on the same fault of theory that it portrays all the social groups on the same level or sharing equal authority or power. There is a slight fault with the interpretive flexibility once it reaches the closure. It does not look back for further interpretations in the future. (Hard, 1993) Actor-network theory treats humans and non-humans equal. It has been argued by many critics that how can a non-human be assigned to be an agency. For example, a technology can only be identified because we differentiate it from human actors. Technologies do not speak for themselves nor do they exist outside of processes of human assumption. Analytically speaking there is no such non-human actor to be described by ANT. ANT assumes that all actors, which include both humans and non-humans, are equal within the network, and have the same power. This leaves no space for power instability is left. Thus the power struggles within the network. ANT case studies leads to a lot of useless descriptions that seem pointless. (Whittle Spicer, 2005) Another major drawback of ANT it gets very difficult to follow the actors as the researcher would have to get into the depth of the topic for investigating a particular case without knowing where they will lead. As the actors are black-boxed, the researcher is following only one actor and would not know if it would open up further possible investigation. One of other weakness about ANT is that the actors, ANT requires both the actors to be performing constantly to keep the network flowing. Even if one fails, the whole system fails. (learning-theories, 2008) Talking about the strength of SCOT, one of the plus point of SCOT is how it overcomes one problem by finding a better way to adopt the technology. For example. Bicycle. There was a lot of debate on the safety and the way it was built or looked. But then, the eventually they adopted it because of the fact that they were fast when it came to speed. They overlooked the problem by relating it to another better plus point to the technology. To think about it, end of the day we (humans) are the once who are going to use the technology. So doesnt it make more sense that we shape the technology the way we want it? Based on our application we can shape the technology, SCOT is something that does exactly the same. Unlike ANT even if one if the actors fail to perform, the outcome of the system or the technological artifact does not fail. In that case that particular actor or the group will have less influence in the process of making the artifact. (Bijker, Hughes, Pinch, 1989) Actor-network theories main strength would be how it overcomes both social and technical determinism. This makes sense in a way because in a particular invention, it is hard to say who played the major role, humans or non-humans. For instance, let us take the example of how the laptop came into existence. If we have a look into it, the invention results from human and technology. The technical aspect of the laptop is achieved by the technical team which in-turn is influenced by the social background. Therefore, what seems to be social is partly technical and what seems to be technical is partly social. (latour, Reassembling the social: an introduction to actor-network-theory, 2005) Following the actors might have been criticized in the case of ANT but it has its own positive side too. When compared to SCOT, it does not have to approach each and every actor of the same revelant group. In ANT all the actors act as a single point actor which can be found in the Black box. (Gidding, 1999)

Kmart - What went wrong? :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Kmart's main weakness was that it had an aspiration to be all things to all people – its dabblings in drug stores, home improvement stores, bookstores, cafeterias and specialty stores in the 1980s and early 1990s seemed to spread the company very thin. This focus on diversification is just one example of how the retailer has often not made the wisest choices when faced with a tight spot.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By the 1980s, just before the rise of Wal-Mart, Kmart had become complacent. It believed it would be the king of discount retailing, now and forever. It didn't perform an accurate SWOT analysis, but to be fair, who could have seen the rise of Wal-Mart to the position of the world's number-one retailer? Still, as Wal-Mart built new stores in town after town, supported by cutthroat pricing and solid logistics, Kmart's complacency would cost them. Part of the problem was that as Wal-Mart was pouring money into information technology (IT), Kmart's IT budget continued to shrink – not just once, but several years in a row. While Wal-Mart's logistics and supply chain management got sharper, Kmart's stagnated. And while Wal-Mart was able to squeeze more value out of its stores and its systems, Kmart lost ground. By the time Kmart had finally decided to start devoting more resources to IT, it was so far behind Wal-Mart that catching up would have been a near-impossi ble task without the recession in the early part of this decade. With the effects of the recession taken into account, Kmart instead was consigned to also-ran status among discount retailers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another problem was that Kmart did not correctly anticipate customer needs. For instance, let's say that Kmart buys a new style of shirt and stocks it in pink, yellow, green and blue. Further, let's say that the blue shirts sell out immediately; the store is left with inventory of the three other colors. Yet Kmart doesn't reorder the blue ones because 75 percent of its inventory is still unsold – it's still got plenty of that style of shirt to sell. Wal-Mart, meanwhile, would order a new shipment of blue shirts. Their model takes the customer into account, not the inventory – Wal-Mart understands that it's the color the customers want, not the style (in this case, anyway).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of Kmart's biggest marketing miscues was the use of newspaper as its primary ad medium. Until about the 1980s, Kmart's primary form of advertising was flashy, expensive sales fliers that did not generate enough sales to offset their costs.

Rita Dove

The poet that I have chosen to do is Rita Dove. In her newest collection of poems, Sonata Mulattica, there were many to choose from. However the two that I wanted to look deeper into were Exit and Golden Oldie. In both poems she is able to convey strong emotions in the characters she described. Rita Dove was born in Akron, Ohio. Her father, Ray A. Dove, was a chemist, and a pioneer of integration in American industry. Both of her parents encouraged persistent study and wide reading. From an early age, Rita loved poetry and music. She played cello in her high school orchestra, and led her high school's majorette squad. As one of the most outstanding high school graduates of her year, she was invited to the White House as a Presidential Scholar. At Miami University in Ohio, she began to pursue writing seriously. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in English in 1973, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany for two years at the University of Tubingen. She then joined the famous Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa, receiving her Masters' Degree in 1977. At Iowa, she met another Fulbright scholar, a young writer from Germany named Fred Viebahn. They were married in 1979. Their daughter Aviva was born in 1983. From 1981 to 1989, Rita Dove taught creative writing at Arizona State University. Appearances in magazines and anthologies had won national acclaim for Rita Dove before she published her first poetry collection, The Yellow House on the Corner in 1980. It was followed by Museum (1983) and Thomas and Beulah, (1986) a collection of interrelated poems loosely based on the life of her grandparents. Thomas and Beulah won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry. In 1993, Rita Dove was appointed to a two-year term as Poet Laureate of the United States and Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. She was the youngest person, and the first African-American, to receive this highest official honor in American letters. In the fall of 1994, she read her poem, Lady Freedom Among Us, at the ceremony commemorating the 200th anniversary of the U. S. Capitol. Other publications by Rita Dove include a book of short stories, Fifth Sunday, the poetry collections Grace Notes, Selected Poems and Mother Love, and the novel Through the Ivory Gate. Her verse drama, The Darker Face of the Earth had its world premiere at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in the 1986. Another production of the play appeared at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D. C. , in 1997. Dove has brought her poetry to television audiences through her appearances on CNN and NBC's Today Show. Public Broadcasting has devoted an hour-long prime time special to her life and work. She has shared television stages with Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers and Big Bird. On radio, she has hosted a National Public Radio special on Billie Holliday, and has been a frequent guest on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. She joined former President Jimmy Carter top welcome an unprecedented gathering of Nobel Laureates in Literature to Atlanta, Georgia for a Cultural Olympiad held in conjunction with the 1996 Olympic Games. That same year, a symphonic work for orchestra and narrator — â€Å"Umoja — Each One of Us Counts,† — was performed at Atlanta's Symphony Hall with Rita Dove's text performed by former Mayor and U. N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Dove's lifelong interest in music has taken other forms. She has provided text for works by composers Tania Leon, Bruce Dolphe and Alvin Singleton. Her song cycle Seven for Luck, with music by John Williams, was featured on a PBS television special with the Boston Symphony. In 2009, she published Sonata Mulattica, a book-length cycle of poems telling the story of the 19th century African-European violinist George PolgreenBridgetower and his turbulent friendship with Ludwig van Beethoven. Rita Dove is Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she lives with her husband, the German author Fred Viebahn. They have one daughter. In her spare time, she studies classical voice and practices the viola da gamba, a 17th century forerunner of the modern cello. Now that a little more about her life is understood it is time to examine the poems themselves. In Golden Oldie Dove tells a narrative about her getting home. The emotions in this poem are clearly evident, and show that the speaker is confused about her life. The first thing I noticed was a irregular rhyming scheme. Often times poetry follows certain patterns, but in this case there is none. The words that rhyme are: swaying and playing, and sentiment and lament. Also, the words â€Å"alive† and â€Å"live by† are very similar sounding. Thus by having some things rhyme, in an irregular manner she shows that there is some consistency within randomness. This is similar to the girls life – very confusing. Moreover, her word choice is quite important in the poem. For instance, swaying is a specific choice because it has connotations of being lost or indifferent. Later on she reaffirms this thought by comparing herself in a simile to a blind pianist caught in a tune meant for more than two hands. The scenario she compares herself to is somewhat humorous to think about, because the pianist is basically completely helpless. Obviously the feat described is quite confusing. In the next few lines she describes the song playing on the radio in her car. It is being sung by a young girl who, in her opinion is dying to feel alive. Dying to feel alive is a pretty intense statement to make. It seems that to make such a drastic statement she may be feeling that same issue. It continues to say â€Å"to discover a pain majestic enough to live by. † This line is very interesting because most people don’t require a pain to live. Rather they try to avoid pain. But it appears that the girl singing, and possibly the author, want to feel something rather than nothing at all. She was getting very intimate with the song, as proven by her turning off the air conditioning, despite the hot temperatures. Also, she leaned back as if to block out everything else but what she heard. The line in the song so closely paid attention to is described as a lament. A lament is described as a way to express sadness, grief, or sorrow. Then, upon hearing the melancholy statement, the speaker says she greedily took in without a clue who my lover might be. This was the most confusing part of the poem to me. At first I didn’t understand how she could greedily take something in, when there was no actual object to get. However, it appears that she is hoarding the idea of having a lover who wants to know where their love went. Thus, it leads me to believe that she is in search of love when she concludes with â€Å"or where to start looking. † Searching for love can be really confusing. Therefore a theme statement for the overall meaning of the poem can be derived: Often times human beings can be very confused in their emotions. Sometimes they can find understanding in other confusing things because it is easy to relate to. The second poem by Rita Dove that I analyzed was Exit. In this case the author conveys that the emotion being felt by the speaker is anxious hopefulness. It is written from the speakers perspective about the reader, which I thought was very interesting. It's about â€Å"you†, the reader, who is going somewhere. There is no rhyming scheme and it is one large stanza. The speaker starts off by saying that a visa is granted. This tends to imply hat someone is going somewhere outside of their current country for an extended period of time. This can cause some anxiety. Moreover, it is said that the traveler wanted to get it, because there was hope that it would arrive. Then upon leaving, there is the realization that it is actually happening. The author compares the exit to that of in a movie. More information about the visa follows. It is has been granted, â€Å"provisionally. † Meaning temporary or conditional, the speaker describes it as a fretful, or scary word. Then a reference to the windows of the house is made. I think the author included this to reinforce the mindset that your leaving home, a very special place. However, an immediate contrast is made by saying â€Å"here it’s gray. † This is in regards to the fact that a feeling of sorrow is present due to leaving. A suitcase is described as the saddest object in the world, which seems odd because the person wanted to travel according to the hope for a visa. Although it may be the case where the traveler knows that it is best to go, but is still upset about leaving. The final few lines reference the childhood of the reader. A metaphor is used to compare the windshield of the vehicle too cheeks of the reader. â€Å"And now through the windshield the sky begins to blush as you did when your mother told you what it took to be a woman in this life. † This is a much more positive angle on the journey they're about to embark on. After reviewing the poems many times a general theme statement can be constructed: Often times human beings feel anxious about something they're going to do. However, despite their concerns they can still have some feelings of hope that they will be successful.

How to Be Successful in College

How to Be Successful in College Nearly every college student detests cram sessions. Intense, high-stress study sessions can have detrimental effects on both your GPA and your health. And while theres no guaranteed roadmap to success in college, changing your study habits and adjusting your approach to your classes can make a big difference. The following tips are a great place to start. Use Two Notebooks Bring one notebook with you to class, and use it to scratch and scribble down everything you can. It doesn’t need to look neat- it doesn’t even need to be legible. After class (within an hour or so), transfer your notes to your second notebook. Take your time with these notes: highlight key points, mark subject areas your professor emphasized, look up definitions, and record questions for the next lecture. The two-notebook method will help you retain information you might otherwise forget within days. Reviewing all the new material immediately after the lecture will keep it fresh in your mind. Plus, writing things down instead of typing them leads to better retention, according to the Scientific American. Find a Study Buddy   Make friends with someone in your class during the first week of the semester and schedule a regular study session. During your study sessions, review complicated chunks of information and explain them to each other. Think of the process like storytelling- turn your homework into stories, and tell those stories to each other. In addition to making a new friend, you and your study buddy will keep each other accountable all semester long.   Get Enough Sleep The importance of hydration, nutrition, and especially sleep cannot be overstated. Your ability to remember can drop by as much as 40 percent if you haven’t had adequate sleep. Aim to get adequate sleep as many nights as possible, and try to keep the same sleep schedule every night, even on weekends. Know When You Work Best Speaking of a sleep schedule, it’s important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all study schedule. There is plenty of research indicating benefits for both nighttime studying and early morning studying, so you shouldnt feel pressured to maintain an uncomfortable schedule. As long as you are getting enough sleep and keeping up with your commitments, your schedule is up to you. If you work late at night, make sure to give yourself space and time to sleep in every morning (dont sign up for 8 AM classes if you can help it). Not everyone is a morning person, and that is perfectly okay. Try The Pomodoro Method   The Pomodoro Technique is a focusing method that relies on short bursts of intense work and plenty of breaks. To try the technique, set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a single task. When the timer rings, take a five-minute break, then set another 25 minute timer and get back to work. After four 25-minute intervals, take a longer break. You may find that the Pomodoro Method helps you get more done in a shorter period of time without feeling burnt out. Plus, short study breaks are known to improve concentration. Optimize Your Learning Style Figure out your learning style, then adapt your study techniques to suit that style. Remember to experiment with a few strategies to find what works best for you. If none of the three primary learning styles feel like a great fit, you might benefit from a study strategy that combines two different styles. Go to Office Hours And not just when you’re struggling. Open lines of communication with your professors early in the semester so that, when questions arise, your professor will know you have a vested interest in the class and the material. Developing strong relationships with faculty will also help you if you are considering applying for scholarships or you need letters of recommendation for graduate school. Bring Back Mario Kart Or, more specifically, integrate the music into your study sessions. Music enhances brain activity, and the video game music is specifically design to stimulate brain activity and keep you focused. The wordless, upbeat songs will keep you motivated without distracting you. Space Out Your Studying Spacing out your studying is beneficial for long term retention of the material. If you review your notes each day for 15 minutes, youll be able to retain what you learn in your classes for the long term. Try not to skip review days, or you risk losing what you have retained (especially if it’s new material). Sweat and Study There is a massive body of research that links exercise with good grades and improved learning and cognitive skills- especially if you exercise first and study second. If you are stuck in a study rut and your don’t have time to hit the gym, go for a quick walk. Fresh air and a change in environment will help you create connections and solve problems. Change Locations If youre struggling to focus in your study space, try studying in different locations. For some learners, a change in location builds stronger connections to the material that aren’t dependent on the location where they were originally learned; as a result, the information is more easily recalled later. Consider a Part-Time Job If you’re having trouble managing your study time, you might think getting a job will only compound the problem. However, research suggests that students who work part-time jobs while in school tend to get better grades because the experience improves time management skills.

Indian Banking Industry essays

Indian Banking Industry essays The banking sector reforms undertaken in India from 1992 onwards were basically aimed at ensuring the safety and soundness of financial institutions and at the same time at making the banking system strong, efficient, functionally diverse and competitive. The reforms included measures for arresting the decline in productivity, efficiency and profitability of the banking sector. Furthermore, it was recognized that the Indian banking system should be in tune with international standards of capital adequacy, prudential regulations, and accounting and disclosure standards. Financial soundness and consistent supervisory practices, as evident in our level of compliance with the Basel Committees Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision, have made our banking system resilient to global shocks. India has not faced any major economic/financial crises, though in 1990-91, there was some pressure on the external sector with the current account deficit and external debt servicing reaching large proportions. However, due to prudent macroeconomic policies, it was possible to return the country to a sustainable growth path. As well as the long history of regulation and supervision, Indian banks have limited exposure to sensitive sectors such as real estate, equity, etc, strict control over off-balance sheet activities, larger holdings of government bonds (which helps limit credit risk), relatively well-diversified credit portfolios, statutory restrictions on connected lending, adequate control over currency and maturity mismatches, etc, which has insulated them from the adverse impact of financial crisis and contagion. Banks in India have played a significant role in the development of the Indian economy. However, with the structural reforms initiated in the real economy from the early 1990s, it was imperative that a vibrant and competitive financial system should be put in place to sustain the ongoing process of reforms in the real ...

Impact of Globalization on Mexicos Trade Relations with the USA Essays

Impact of Globalization on Mexicos Trade Relations with the USA Essays Impact of Globalization on Mexicos Trade Relations with the USA Essay Impact of Globalization on Mexicos Trade Relations with the USA Essay Impact of Globalization on Mexicos Trade Relations with the USA Due to its all-encompassing nature, globalization has different implications for countries economies, politics, and cultures based on the level of their level of development. For instance, the effect of this phenomenon on the United States of America as a developed country might be drastically different than on its neighbor Mexico, who is only developing. Globalization has led to intensification of the trade relations between the USA and Mexico. Despite the rough beginnings, when jobs were lost, low-quality products dumped from one country to another, and market for local products declined, globalization has ultimately led to the reduction or complete removal of the policy barriers to trade and investment between the partner countries (Dollar 145). However, since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) conclusion, both countries have experienced tremendous economic growth. Currently, the United States is Mexicos key trade partner, with 14.5% of the total physical goods imported to the US (Sokoloff and Engerman 217). Thus, this paper will focus on the impact of globalization on the trade relations between Mexico and the US, with specific attention paid to the wage gap through the prism of the Stolper-Samuelson theorem and HeckscherOhlin theorem. Currently, the US and Mexico are protected by NAFTA, which provides them with preferential trading status. These two countries and Canada, the third signatory to the Agreement, are free to move their goods and services to each others territories without significant restrictions. Even though the trade relations have significantly contributed to the economic growth of the US and Mexico, they had a different impact for either party due to their differing comparative advantages. The US export to Mexico has increased by more than 500%, from $41.6 billion in 1993 to $231 billion in 2016, while Mexicos export to the US increased by 640% between 1993 and 2016. The trade balance of the US and Mexico in merchandise had a significant surplus of $59.0 billion. On the other hand, the service sector has also registered a significant increase in trade value between the two countries, albeit lower than merchandise (Williamson 117). Globalization had a negative effect on most of developing companies in Mexico. For example, some of the products that were formerly manufactured in Mexico lost their place in the American market, and their prices declined significantly because the US was able to import from China at a lower price. With the loss of the market, many people lost their jobs while private entrepreneurs suffered losses in revenues. For example, farm workers lost their jobs, and it took a lot of time for the farmers to shift to other cash crops. The US has a comparative advantage, and only 5 million jobs in the US depended on the Mexican trade, while only 1.29 million people were employed in Mexico on the basis of bilateral trade relations between the two countries (Bernanke n.p.). Mexico has leveraged its comparative advantage in many areas such as labor costs and land. The US has shifted manufacturing and other labor-intensive production to other countries, including Mexico, where labor costs are lower, thereby creating jobs in the respective country. Therefore, Mexico has benefited from new jobs and capital investments, which has ultimately led to rapid economic growth and development. The US has also benefited Mexico regarding capital and knowledge (Bailey, Goldstein, and Weingast 309). Nevertheless, with the outsourcing jobs to developing countries, American middle class lost jobs as they could not compete with the low-cost labor from countries such as Mexico and China. With the lower skilled workers in developed countries losing jobs to Mexico and China, the wage gap increased (Frankel 45). The Stolper-Samuelson theorem states that if the prices of goods or services produced by a country rise or fall, then the cost of the factors of production used intensively in the industry will also rise or fall commensurately. The changes also lead to a fall or rise in the cost of other factors of production (Schonhardt-Bailey 87). Therefore, when the market for the products and the price of the same products fall in the US, the cost of the factors of production such as labor in Mexico also fall, while the cost of other factors of production rises. This means that with the decline in the price of Mexican products, the labor cost falls leading to an increase in the wage gap (Elliott 1). The comparative advantage enjoyed by trading partners can be attributed to the fact that they can produce certain goods at a lower opportunity cost than other economic actors. However, the HeckscherOhlin theorem suggests that countries such as Mexico only imported goods that used its scarce resources intensively and produced the goods for which they have abundant resources. The US is a capital abundant country and has the capacity to export the capital intensive goods, while Mexico is a labor abundant country that exports the labor intensive products. In this case, globalization and international trade can be considered as a self-compensating mechanism for which countries produce what they are good at for export at lower labor cost, and import capital intensive goods at lower cost. However, the HeckscherOhlin theorem is based on the assumption that the two trading partners are identical despite the difference in resource endowment, which is not the case and may only be accurate if la bor is categorized into skilled labor (US) and unskilled labor (Mexico). In conclusion, as a developing country, Mexico has experienced a more negative impact of globalization than the USA, which is a developed economy that can afford to make choices regarding trade and labor without experiencing a trade balance deficit. Mexico, even having gained in know-how and investments, has experienced sudden losses of jobs due to businesses closing and the USs choice to outsource labor from China, which is cheaper. Thus, it is evident that globalization can be somewhat detrimental to a developing economy, but with neighboring countries willing to cooperate on an ultimately mutually beneficial basis, a developing country can show significant growth. Bailey,M., Goldstein, J., and Weingast, B. R. .The Institutional Roots of American Trade Policy: Politics, Coalitions, and International Trade. World Politics 49, 3 (April 1997) pp. 309-338. Bernanke, B. Global Economic Integration: Whats New and Whats Not?. Speech at the 30th Annual Economic Symposium, Jackson Hole, WY, 2006. Dollar, D. Globalization, Poverty, and Inequality since 1980. World Bank Research Observer 20, 2, 2005 Elliott, K. Big Sugar and the Political Economy of US Agricultural Policy. Center for Global Development Brief, April 2005. Frankel, J. Globalization of the Economy. In Nye, Joseph and John Donahue (eds.) Governance in a Globalizing World, Visions of Governance Project. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2000. Schonhardt-Bailey, C. Free Trade: Repeal of the Corn Laws. In Frieden, Jeffry A., David A. Lake and J. Lawrence Broz (eds.), International Political Economy. 5th Edition. New York: Norton, 2009. Sokoloff, K. L. and Engerman, S. L. History Lessons: Institutions, Factor Endowments, and Paths of Development in the New World. Journal of Economic Perspectives 14, 3, 2000. Williamson, J. G. Globalization and Inequality: Past and Present. World Bank Research Observer 12, 2 ,1997,

Textbook-Related Activities Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6750 words - 1

Textbook-Related Activities - Coursework Example In accordance with Richardson et al (2006), PAR activities implemented during the lessons of History by the teacher are the following: Preparation activities: It is possible to use a digital camera; websites in order to evoke interest among students to the subject of the lesson. Assistance activities: it is necessary to guide young learners in their virtual trip and indicate helpful websites that would assist them to get the content of the lesson. Moreover, with the help of online conferences it is possible to communicate with other students from other schools and enrich their outlook and give to them a chance to share their creative potential with other students. Reflection activities: it is possible to implement software assistance in the learning of the subject of History for the students. Web-resources are helpful when the students are getting acquainted with the content of history lessons. Activity One During the First Lesson on the topic â€Å"The Great Depression† an in troductive activity is introduced. Its title is: â€Å"What is Great Depression?† The students must be properly informed about the drastic events that occurred during the period of the Great Depression. For this purpose, software is used.... 66, No. 1). There are four reminiscences of people about the Great Depression. A teacher can share these 4 stories among the students. Each group of students requires 20 minutes approximately to get acquainted with these short stories. Then one representative from the student’s group has an ability to express his/her ideas and emotions about what was the life like during the Great Depression. Activity Three In the end of the lesson, a teacher may ask to work at home and to read selected pages from historical fiction about the Great Depression Bud, Not Buddy(Christopher Paul Curtis, NY: Delacorte Press, 1999 or Duffy's Rocks  (Edward Fenton, Pittsburgh, PA: Golden Triangle Books, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1999). In the result of their Preparation Activity at home, they would come to the Second Lesson with reports of their personal reflections. Activity Four The teacher starts up the Second Lesson with her own explanations about the information from these two books (Assi stance Activity). Then, boys and girls from two different groups share their personal ideas about the material they managed to read for the Second Lesson. Thus, Activity of Reflection occurs again. In the process of their discussion about the fiction they have read the students can share their ideas about the information they gained and share their creative potential, as well as develop their communicative skills. Activity five This creative activity implies that students get acquainted with the Bungalow Plan of 303. For example: The teacher provides the students with this sample and asks them to draw plans of their homes in class. With the help of a pencil and a ruler, a student should draw his home plan in 20 minutes. This task is beneficial for

Human trafficking in Utah Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human trafficking in Utah - Essay Example Hence, due to this repugnance by the businessmen, there has been the desired by the private and public sectors to work together in an attempt to control and administer the crime. In this gaze, the paper examines on what ways have the private and public sectors can cohesively work closely to reduce the menace that has stood to destroy the name of the city. The public sector of Utah has since been accused of many wrongdoings over the past that includes corruption, bribery and retrogressive policies that did not impact much on the reduction of human trafficking. According Potrafke, (2013), he observed that public confidence and trust has changed significantly in the fight against human trafficking. The citizens will find it easier to report the crime as they are sure that actions would be taken against the perpetrators. The new office of the public sector of the state under the new bureau of the attorney general had recruitment and expanded the workforce both from the private sector and government officials. The society stakeholders, therefore, find an easier way to the public corridors especially the Utah citizens. Another mechanism that has been used by the public sector is to create a different task force within the city of Utah that comprises of private and public personnel. (Farrell & Pfeffer, 2014) observed that having a proper wo rkforce ensured that thorough investigations are taken and prosecution of perpetrators. The two arms of the society provide a wider view of the problem that enables the crime to be reduced. Both the private and public department has been involved in the development strategy of the city of Utah to reduce human trafficking. Utah’s attorney general office has been creative through innovations by the use of modern technology to reduce humanity crimes as the trafficking in persons. They have created web-based within their systems that enables reporting of crimes such as human trafficking.

Analyzing a key business leader. (Jack Welch, Henery Ford) Essay

Analyzing a key business leader. (Jack Welch, Henery Ford) - Essay Example His thinking in this direction helped him in coming up with the line assembly model. The first wonder of Henry Ford was to produce an affordable car. He is considered as an industry leader in the car manufacturing niche. He was the owner and founder of Ford Motor company, and till this day he is considered to be the most revolutionary and successful leader in the car manufacturing industry. He was not only a genius when it comes to thinking of the ways to produce cost effective cars, he was a perfect human resource mobilizer as well. In the times when industry was suffering from great economic depression, he managed to come up with increased wages policy of labor and still mange to scrape a lot of profit. This was all due to his participatory leadership approach. Ford’s approach towards leading was to lead from the front. Yet he was fond of participatory approach. As for the niche n which he was better than many, he introduced the concept of line assembly of cars. The concept itself is a proof that he believed in the perfectly finished product with the combined effort of all who are involved. This was his style of leadership. So in general we can say that his approach towards leadership was participatory in nature. Also, he was a firm believer of the fact that if you have some reward for those who perform better than the others, you will keep your workers motivated. This was the reason that his leadership was successful. His labor laws were just wonderful. (Kraft, 43) As a leader, one of the most important rule and policy for which Henry Ford is known was his labor laws. He was one of the very strong believers of welfare capitalism. He was one of those very few industrialist leaders of his times who believed in improving the conditions of his workers to get loyalty from them in return. At that time after the World War I employee turnover was great and the great depression was

Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the Assignment

Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the public sector - Assignment Example Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the public sector Today, organizations are focusing on how to survive amidst emerging challenges in their external environment. This has led to such organizations developing adaptability measures that facilitate their survival and success in the long run. In spite of this, organizations are forced to strike a fit between cooperation and competition, in the industry in which they operate in, as well as their own survival is to be sustained in the long run. This study explores how Microsoft has stricken a fit between cooperation and competition in its operations while at the same time collecting feedback to identify and support emergent behavior. In the past two decades, Microsoft has been faced by increasing level of competition in its software and web based solutions market. The organization understands that in the technology industry, cooperation is inevitable. For instance, the organization faced a lot of competition from SAP and Siemens. These two organizations went ahead and launched patent battles with Microsoft. While down playing their views and purely taking a legal and competitive approach could have granted Microsoft short term success, the organization opted to cooperate and collaborate with the rivals, resulting to a cross licensing arrangement. This significantly enhanced the ability of the organization to continue using such rights through cooperation while at the same time enhancing its competitiveness in the market. The experience boosted Microsoft’s ability to enhance cooperation in other areas of operation including marketing for mutual benefits. (Vidal, & Nossol, 2011). Microsoft has remained stead fast in promotion of cooperation with its customers. In 2006, the organization adopted a more collaborative approach in the industry, something that enhanced its access to unique technology from rivals while at the same time empowering them to establish more product lines that the organization was not focused on. One of the outstanding occurrences towards this end by Microsoft with competitor is the collaboration with Linux, a product developed by a competitor to the organizations Microsoft word among others. This increased interoperability of Linux with Microsoft word (Microsoft News Centre, 2008). This implies that Microsoft customers of windows could open Linux using such windows while Linux customers could enjoy Microsoft windows in opening of Linux documents. This resulted to mutual benefit between the two organizations and minimization of patent disagreements and legal battles between the firms. In the past two decades, Microsoft has relied on employee, customer and competitor feed back to enhance its success in the industry. By collecting feedback from its competitors such as Samsung and the Linux software developer company, the organization was able to identify emerging needs and opportunities that could be served through collaboration (Microsoft News Centre, 2008). The organization thus fostered a two way form of communication between such firms and the organization. In an effort to ensure that such viable environment positioning is sustained, the organization always focus at hiring the best employees in the industry in terms of skill and engages them in periodic appraisal (Tyler, & Blader, 2003). In situations where performance is found to be low, such employees are engaged in skills development. In fact, the organization has adopted a culture of continuous learning. All these moves have enhanced sustainability and success of the organization in its dynamic operating environment (Tjosvold, & Johnson, 2003). References Microsoft News Centre (2008). Mi crosoft’s collaboration imperative. Retrieved April 11, 2013 from http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/ofnote/04-01-08GutierezIAMArticle.mspx Tjosvold, D., & Johnson, D. (2003). Can interpersonal competition be Constructive within organizations? The Journal of Psychology 137(1), 63-84.

How informatics has altered nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How informatics has altered nursing - Essay Example Additionally nurses, while already known in general for having a wide range of skills and competencies, must thus be able to adapt and learn newer skill sets in order to better discharge their duties. All in all, that more and more people in hospitals require intensive care from nurses means that there is an equally dire need for the succeeding generations of nurses to be as competent as they possibly can be. Taking all these things into account, it should not be surprising that nursing as a profession has become highly in-demand, or that nursing has and will forever be changing to adapt with the times – thanks in part to the existence of nursing informatics. It is for this reason that nurses have always been able to reinforce their practices with a constant flow of newer knowledge – which, in this day and age, is something that they will definitely need more than ever before. Nursing Informatics – Past/Present/Future Trends, Benefits of Such Practices Saba and M cCormick (2001) have defined healthcare informatics in general as the integration of the branches of health, computer, information and cognitive sciences in managing healthcare information. Nursing informatics is one of its three subtypes – the other two being health and medical informatics, respectively – and is in turn defined by Hannah et al (1985) as how nurses make use of information technology in carrying out their daily duties. And this definition, too, was further expanded by Graves and Corcoran (1989) as â€Å"a combination of computer science, information science and nursing science designed to assist in the management and processing of nursing data, information and knowledge to support the practice of nursing and the delivery of nursing care† (p. 227). There can be little doubt that it is thanks to this particular branch of healthcare informatics that nurses have always been able to maintain a certain level of quality when it comes to their work; in f act, as stated by Curran (2003), it is absolutely essential that nurses and clinicians alike have some degree of competence here so that they will continue to maintain their competence and the quality of the healthcare they administer. Ball (2003) helps provide an overview of the evolution of nursing informatics. Even as early as the mid-80s, nurses could make use of the then-existing laptop computers during seminars, but today these laptops have become accessible even up to the patient’s bedside. And despite the existence of laptops then, their steep price made them too expensive to be commonplace in hospitals – or anywhere else, for that matter. Typewriters had the advantage of being much less costly, and much easier to use, but the cost of correction fluid could get to be a headache at times – much more so for those nurses who happened to make lots of mistakes while working. However, for the longest time, most nurses – that is, those who neither owned computers nor could afford to spend on them – had to deal with these potentially cumbersome contraptions. This being the case, the advent of computer technology has been a definite godsend. Where a few years ago, a nurse would have to jot down every single detail on a particular patient’

Applied Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Applied Macroeconomics - Essay Example iii. The decline in the personal savings rate of Americans will result in the shift of the IS Curve to the right. iv. A drop in business confidence following the collapse of the stock market will shift the IS Curve to the left. 4. A change in which of the following would cause the LM curve to shift To rotate, To both shift and rotate Which of these do not affect the slope or position of the LM curve i. nominal money supply (Ms) affects the position of the LM curve. The increase in the nominal money supply would cause the LM curve to move to the right. ii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to the interest rate influences the slope of the LM curve. The more responsive the demand fore money with regard to the interest rates level is, the less steep the slope of the LM curve will be. iii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to income also influences the slope of the curve. The more responsive the demand fore money to the income level is, the steeper the LM curve will be. iv. business and consumer confidence level changes have influence on the slope of the LM curve and, therefore, would cause the LM curve to rotate. v. interest rate (r) does not affect the position or slope of the LM curve. The change in interest results in change in quantity of real balances demanded and results in movement along the LM curve. vi. price level (P) influences real money demand and, as a result shift the LM curve. If the price level increases, the real demand for money decreases and the LM curve shifts to the left. 5. Explain the concept of "crowding-out". Under what circumstances could government spending be "crowded-out" Do you think this is likely to be the case "Crowding-out" takes place when expansionary fiscal policy leads to the...Increase in government spending, income tax cut or an investment subsidy will raise the interest rate if the quantity of money is unchanged. The IS Curve has negative slope because a higher level of the interest rate (vertical axis) reduces investment spending, thereby reducing aggregate demand and thus the equilibrium level of income (horizontal axis). The steepness of the curve's negative slope depends on how sensitive investment spending is to changes in the interest rate and also on the multiplier. The movement along the IS Curve occurs with the changes in the level of the interest rate and corresponding change in the level of income. If interest rate increases, the equilibrium level of income decreases, and vice versa. ii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to the interest rate influences the slope of the LM curve. The more responsive the demand fore money with regard to the interest rates level is, the less steep the slope of the LM curve will be. "Crowding-out" takes place when expansionary fiscal policy leads to the increase in the interest rates level and, thus, reduces private spending, in particular investment. This way increase in government spending "crowds-out" investment spending. Full "crowding-out" can occur under the condition of a vertical LM schedule when the fisc

Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the Assignment

Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the public sector - Assignment Example Balancing cooperation and competition. Strategic planning in the public sector Today, organizations are focusing on how to survive amidst emerging challenges in their external environment. This has led to such organizations developing adaptability measures that facilitate their survival and success in the long run. In spite of this, organizations are forced to strike a fit between cooperation and competition, in the industry in which they operate in, as well as their own survival is to be sustained in the long run. This study explores how Microsoft has stricken a fit between cooperation and competition in its operations while at the same time collecting feedback to identify and support emergent behavior. In the past two decades, Microsoft has been faced by increasing level of competition in its software and web based solutions market. The organization understands that in the technology industry, cooperation is inevitable. For instance, the organization faced a lot of competition from SAP and Siemens. These two organizations went ahead and launched patent battles with Microsoft. While down playing their views and purely taking a legal and competitive approach could have granted Microsoft short term success, the organization opted to cooperate and collaborate with the rivals, resulting to a cross licensing arrangement. This significantly enhanced the ability of the organization to continue using such rights through cooperation while at the same time enhancing its competitiveness in the market. The experience boosted Microsoft’s ability to enhance cooperation in other areas of operation including marketing for mutual benefits. (Vidal, & Nossol, 2011). Microsoft has remained stead fast in promotion of cooperation with its customers. In 2006, the organization adopted a more collaborative approach in the industry, something that enhanced its access to unique technology from rivals while at the same time empowering them to establish more product lines that the organization was not focused on. One of the outstanding occurrences towards this end by Microsoft with competitor is the collaboration with Linux, a product developed by a competitor to the organizations Microsoft word among others. This increased interoperability of Linux with Microsoft word (Microsoft News Centre, 2008). This implies that Microsoft customers of windows could open Linux using such windows while Linux customers could enjoy Microsoft windows in opening of Linux documents. This resulted to mutual benefit between the two organizations and minimization of patent disagreements and legal battles between the firms. In the past two decades, Microsoft has relied on employee, customer and competitor feed back to enhance its success in the industry. By collecting feedback from its competitors such as Samsung and the Linux software developer company, the organization was able to identify emerging needs and opportunities that could be served through collaboration (Microsoft News Centre, 2008). The organization thus fostered a two way form of communication between such firms and the organization. In an effort to ensure that such viable environment positioning is sustained, the organization always focus at hiring the best employees in the industry in terms of skill and engages them in periodic appraisal (Tyler, & Blader, 2003). In situations where performance is found to be low, such employees are engaged in skills development. In fact, the organization has adopted a culture of continuous learning. All these moves have enhanced sustainability and success of the organization in its dynamic operating environment (Tjosvold, & Johnson, 2003). References Microsoft News Centre (2008). Mi crosoft’s collaboration imperative. Retrieved April 11, 2013 from http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/ofnote/04-01-08GutierezIAMArticle.mspx Tjosvold, D., & Johnson, D. (2003). Can interpersonal competition be Constructive within organizations? The Journal of Psychology 137(1), 63-84.

Applied Macroeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Applied Macroeconomics - Essay Example iii. The decline in the personal savings rate of Americans will result in the shift of the IS Curve to the right. iv. A drop in business confidence following the collapse of the stock market will shift the IS Curve to the left. 4. A change in which of the following would cause the LM curve to shift To rotate, To both shift and rotate Which of these do not affect the slope or position of the LM curve i. nominal money supply (Ms) affects the position of the LM curve. The increase in the nominal money supply would cause the LM curve to move to the right. ii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to the interest rate influences the slope of the LM curve. The more responsive the demand fore money with regard to the interest rates level is, the less steep the slope of the LM curve will be. iii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to income also influences the slope of the curve. The more responsive the demand fore money to the income level is, the steeper the LM curve will be. iv. business and consumer confidence level changes have influence on the slope of the LM curve and, therefore, would cause the LM curve to rotate. v. interest rate (r) does not affect the position or slope of the LM curve. The change in interest results in change in quantity of real balances demanded and results in movement along the LM curve. vi. price level (P) influences real money demand and, as a result shift the LM curve. If the price level increases, the real demand for money decreases and the LM curve shifts to the left. 5. Explain the concept of "crowding-out". Under what circumstances could government spending be "crowded-out" Do you think this is likely to be the case "Crowding-out" takes place when expansionary fiscal policy leads to the...Increase in government spending, income tax cut or an investment subsidy will raise the interest rate if the quantity of money is unchanged. The IS Curve has negative slope because a higher level of the interest rate (vertical axis) reduces investment spending, thereby reducing aggregate demand and thus the equilibrium level of income (horizontal axis). The steepness of the curve's negative slope depends on how sensitive investment spending is to changes in the interest rate and also on the multiplier. The movement along the IS Curve occurs with the changes in the level of the interest rate and corresponding change in the level of income. If interest rate increases, the equilibrium level of income decreases, and vice versa. ii. the responsiveness of the demand for money to the interest rate influences the slope of the LM curve. The more responsive the demand fore money with regard to the interest rates level is, the less steep the slope of the LM curve will be. "Crowding-out" takes place when expansionary fiscal policy leads to the increase in the interest rates level and, thus, reduces private spending, in particular investment. This way increase in government spending "crowds-out" investment spending. Full "crowding-out" can occur under the condition of a vertical LM schedule when the fisc

Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report Essay Example for Free

Seperation of a Mixture Lab Report Essay 1.Mixture is taken, and has to be measured in order to meet the requirements of 2-3g. 2.The mass of the tray is measured and then the scale is zeroed out and the mixture is added to find out the mass of the original mixture. 3.Next, find the mass of the 250mL beaker, zero out the scale, pour the mixture in, and weigh to find the mass. Find the mass of the 100mL beaker as well. 4.In order to separate the iron from the mixture, take a bar magnet inside of a Ziploc bag, and swirl it through the mixture. 5.The iron will stick to the magnet, and lift the magnet out of the mixture. All iron in the mixture should be on the magnet. 6.The iron taken out of the mixture is then measured to find the mass of the retrieved iron. 7.Next, the salt will be separated from the mixture. In order to do this, a ring stand must be set up with an iron ring and a glass funnel. Take a piece of filter paper and fold it as demonstrated by Mrs. Montoney, and place it in the funnel. 8.Place a 250mL beaker under the funnel for the filtered water. 9.Put the remaining mixture in the funnel. 10.Pour some water in a beaker, record the amount of water and pour it in the funnel. The mixture will begin to filter and drain the salt, leaving behind the sand. More water may need to be added depending on if the salt particles are fully desolved or not. 11.The sand has been recovered. Take the filter paper, unfold it, weigh its mass, and place it in the chemical oven to dry before measuring. 12.While the sand is in the chemical oven, take a hot plate, and place the beaker with the filtered salt water on the hot plate. The water will begin to boil, and eventually, the salt will be  clearly visible and separated. 13.Once the salt is fully dried out, and no water remains in the beaker, remove the beaker with tongs for it will be extremely hot. Measure the beaker with the salt in it and subtract the original mass of the 250mL beaker to find the mass of the recovered salt. 14.The sand should be dry by now. Take the sand on the filter paper out of the chemical oven with extreme caution, place it on the scale, measure its mass, and then subtract the original mass of the filter paper in order to find the mass of the recovered sand. 15.The mixture is now separated into the three substances of sand, salt, and iron. Scientific Background: In order to complete this lab report, the following concepts must be understood. First, the difference between a mixture and a pure substance. A mixture is two or more pure substances combined, that keep their separate chemical identities and properties. The amounts of each pure substance in a mixture can change therefore the physical properties of a mixture depend on its composition, and the composition of a pure substance is constant giving pure substances characteristic physical properties that do not change. Physical properties that are used to describe pure substances include solubility, magnetism, and boiling point, which are all characteristics used in this lab. The next concept is physical changes. Physical changes separate the components of a mixture, such as separating the iron, sand, and salt in this lab. Physical changes that can be used to separate mixtures include filtration, evaporation, and distillation. Mass percent composition is a way to express the real composition of a mixture by the amount of each component. In order to do this, the substances must be separated quantitatively. Lastly, percent yield which describes the efficiency of the â€Å"recovery operation† is calculated to separate the mixture. (Handout) Observations: The observations for this lab are as follows: †¢The original mixture is a brownish color, and the difference between the different substances can easily be determined by sight. †¢When the water was poured into the mixture of sand and salt during the filteration process, the filtered water was coming through slowly in large drops. †¢During the  filtration process, the salt seemed to not be dissolving as quickly as thought, and more water was needed. †¢When the salt water was being boiled, all of the sudden the water turned into what looked like foam and the salt started popping. †¢When the sand was taken out of the chemical oven, salt particles that had not been dissolved were found on the bottom of the filter paper. †¢The iron had a high magnetism, while sand and salt had none at all. †¢The salt had a high solubility in water while the sand did not. †¢The physical appearance of the iron resembled rough tiny little black hairs.

Helicobacter Pylori: Pathogenesis, Symptoms and Incubation

Helicobacter Pylori: Pathogenesis, Symptoms and Incubation Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are a type of intestinal bacteria (spiral-shaped gram-negative) that cause the majority of ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. They thrive in highly acidic environments and have a unique way of adapting to the harsh environment of the stomach. H. pylori have been classified as low-potential carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) by the World Health Organization. The Life Cycle (Pathogenesis) of Helicobacter pylori H. pylori are able to survive in stomach acid because they produce enzymes (special proteins) that neutralize the acid. This mechanism allows H. pylori bacteria to enter the stomach and make their way to the safe area the protective mucous lining of the stomach wall. When the bacterium is in the mucous lining of the stomach, the bodys natural defenses cannot reach it. The immune system will respond to an H. pylori infection but will not be able to kill the bacteria since they are hidden in the stomach lining. The immune system will keep sending infection fighters to the infection site and H. pylori will feed on the nutrients provided by the body, allowing them (the bacteria) to survive in the stomach environment. H. pylori weaken the protective mucous coating of the stomach and duodenum, allowing the stomach acid to get through to the sensitive lining beneath. Both the acid and the bacteria irritate the lining, causing gastritis (stomach inflammation) and perhaps the formation of an ulcer within a few days of the initial infection. Ironically, it may not be the H. pylori bacteria, but the inflammation response to the bacteria, that causes the ulcer to form. The series of steps the pathogenic mechanisms that H. pylori go through when establishing themselves in the stomach are as follows: Attachment The H. pylori bacteria must enter the stomach and attach themselves to the lining of the stomach to establish an environment in which to grow. Toxin production H. pylori produce poisonous substances to increase the secretion of water and electrolytes in the stomach and cause cell death in the cells of the stomach lining. This will help the bacteria take over the stomach environment and will lessen the competition for required nutrients. Cell invasion The bacteria will enter the stomach lining cells for protection and will then kill the cells they are in (their host cells) so that they can move on to invade more stomach-lining cells. This process will continue, thus creating tissue damage. This tissue damage will become the ulcer formation in the stomach. Loss of microvilli/villi The substances released into the host cell during the Cell Invasion step cause a change in the stomach-lining cells. This change results in fewer calories getting absorbed by the stomach. The consequence? The body will get fewer nutrients from the food eaten at every meal. Ulcers occur when there is a break down in the mucous layer lining the stomach, allowing the gastric (stomach) acid and digestive enzymes to attack and aggravate the actual stomach muscle. Helicobacter pylori contribute to this breakdown by  living in this layer and increasing the chances of it breaking down. Stress and diet may irritate an ulcer, but do not cause it. Symptoms and incubation time of an H. pylori infection Getting an H. pylori infection is nothing like catching a common cold in that immediate consequences of an infection are rarely seen. In fact, it is possible to go many years without noticeable symptoms. When symptoms do occur, abdominal discomfort is the most common. This discomfort is usually a dull, gnawing ache that comes and goes for several days or weeks. It usually occurs two to three hours after a meal or in the middle of the night (when the stomach is empty) and is relieved by eating, drinking milk or taking antacid medications. Other symptoms include: heartburn, increased burping, weight loss, bloating and burping, and less common symptoms include: poor appetite, nausea and vomiting. If you suspect that you have an ulcer and experience any of the following symptoms, a doctor should be called right away. Sharp, sudden, persistent stomach pain Bloody or black stools Bloody vomit or vomit that looks like coffee grounds The above symptoms could be signs of a serious problem, such as: Perforation when the ulcer burrows through the stomach or duodenal wall. Bleeding when acid or the ulcer breaks a blood vessel. Obstruction when the ulcer blocks the path of food trying to leave the stomach. Epidemiology Infection with H. pylori occurs worldwide, but the prevalence varies greatly among countries and among population groups within the same country. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection is strongly correlated with socioeconomic conditions. The prevalence among middle-aged adults is over 80 percent in many developing countries, as compared with 20 to 50 percent in industrialized countries. Prevalence of infection is higher in developing countries than that of developed nations. In developed countries,although overall prevalance of infection in young children is Helicobacter pylori infection is common in the Indian subcontinent. Exposure occurs in childhood and approximately 80% of adults have been infected at some time. Sero-surveys indicate a seroprevalence of 22%-57% in children under the age of five, increasing to 80%-90% by the age of 20, and remaining constant thereafter. There is now evidence from epidemiological studies that H pylori carriers have a significantly greater risk for the development of gastric cancer. Results from three prospective epidemiological studies10-12 estimate that H pylori carriers have a 2.8- to 6.0-fold increased risk of gastric cancer developing over mean follow-up periods of 6 to 16 years when compared with their H pylori-negative counterparts. The overall mean risk was calculated to be 3.8.13 This odds ratio increased to 8.7 in those who were diagnosed 15 years or more after testing positive for H pylori. H. pylori infection- treatment Ulcers caused by H. pylori can usually be cured with a one or two-week course of antibiotics. Treatment usually involves a combination of antibiotics, acid suppressors, and stomach protectors. Acid suppression by the H2 blocker or proton pump inhibitor in conjunction with the antibiotics helps alleviate ulcer-related symptoms, helps heal gastric mucosal inflammation and may enhance the effectiveness of the antibiotics against H. pylori at the gastric mucosal surface. The use of only one medication to treat H. pylori is not recommended. At this time, the most proven effective treatment is a two-week course of treatment called triple therapy. It involves taking two antibiotics to kill the bacteria and either an acid suppressor or stomach-lining protector to protect the stomach lining. Two-week triple therapy reduces ulcer symptoms, kills the bacteria, and prevents ulcer recurrence in more than 90 percent of patients, but, unfortunately, patients may find triple therapy complicated beca use it involves taking as many as twenty pills a day. The antibiotics used in triple therapy may cause mild side effects such as: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, metallic taste in the mouth, dizziness, headache, and yeast infections in women. Marketted formulation available in India for H.pylori infection Brand name Chemicals Company HELIBACT combi-pack Omeprazole 20 mg,amoxycillin 750mg,tinidazole 500mg. RPG LS HELIKIT kit Omeprazole(1cap) 20 mg,amoxycillin(1 tab) 750mg,tinidazole(1 tab) 500mg. Zydus cadila L-COT kit 1 cap Omeprazole 20mg,1 tab Clarithromycin 250mg,tinidazole 500mg LUPIN PYLOKIT kit 2 caps of lansoprazole 30mg,2 tabs of tinidazole 500mg,2 tabs of clarithromycin 250mg CIPLA ZOVANTA kit 2 tabs of amoxicillin 750mg,2 tabs of tinidazole 500mg,2 tabs of pantoprazole 40mg Dr.Reddys

Essay --

One third of the United States population complains of insomnia, with about one More than 40% of those suffering from insomnia self- medicate with over the counter drugs (OTC) or with other substances such as alcohol. 2 half of those are saying it’s serious.1 Insomnia is defined by inability to initiate or maintain sleep despite of adequate time and opportunity to sleep which results in daytime impairment.2 time it’s characterized as problems with either sleep onset, sleep maintenance, or non- restorative sleep. Impairments associated with insomnia can lead to: impaired cognitive functioning, increased incidence of bodily pain, increased future risk of psychiatric disorders, increased risk of accidents, and increased healthcare cost.3 also have negative health consequences on obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.4 There are four different types of insomnia.2,5 3 days in duration, most likely cause is acute situational or environmental stressors. Second is short term insomnia less than 3 weeks caused by personal stress of an ongoing nature. Third type is chronic primary insomnia with duration of more than 3 weeks not related to lifestyle may be due to medical causes. Finally the forth type is a chronic secondary insomnia with duration of more than 3 weeks related to lifestyle likely caused psychological illness, substance abuse, behavioral cause(poor sleep hygiene). Secondary chronic insomnia may be caused by comorbid diseases such as: heart failure, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, sleep apnea, medications, substance abuse, restless leg syndrome or circadian rhythm sleep disorders. As far as the medications are concerned possible medication classes that cause insomnia are antidepressant... ... choice for sleep onset insomnia. Appropriate drugs may include zaleplon, zolpidem IR, ramelteon and triazolam. However, rebound insomnia may be a problem with short acting benzodiazepines like triazolam. Moreover, sleep maintenance insomnia are most appropriately treated with drugs that have an intermediate duration and no active metabolites to minimize daytime effects such as : zolpidem, eszopiclone, temazepam, and estazolam may be appropriate choices. Also, zaleplon can be taken after awakening in the night if > 4 hr left for sleep. Attached are the tables with drug treatment options for insomnia, and questionnaires to assess the initial insomnia and post treatment. Nevertheless sedative-hypnotics should only be used in the lowest effective dose (to decrease the next day morning impairment) for a short duration of time in treatment of insomnia.

Why the United States Became Increasingly Involved in the War in Vietna

Why the United States Became Increasingly Involved in the War in Vietnam The Vietnam conflict originated from a struggle against the colonial rule from France. Vietnam, previously known as Indochina, had been part of the French empire up until 1940, when France was defeated in the Second World War by Germany. During the German occupation of France, Japan seized control of Vietnam and it’s main resources like coal, rice and rubber. While the war was still being fought however, a strong anti-Japanese movement known as the Viet Minh emerged under the leadership of Communist Ho Chi Minh. This group fought against Japanese rule, and by the end of the Second World War, had successfully taken control of North Vietnam while still determined to declare Vietnamese independence across the whole country. In 1945, the French arrived to resume their control over Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh had successfully defeated the Japanese for his country’s independence and hoped the Viet Minh could be victorious once again over France. In 1946, war broke out between the French and the Viet Minh. To begin with, the USA was somewhat sympathetic towards Vietnam, seeing the conflict as a struggle against colonial rule. The story changed however when China became a Communist state and offered support to Ho Chi Minh. America feared a Communist plan to dominate all of South-East Asia and quickly set about pouring money (over $500 million a year) into the French War effort. This support allowed France to successfully set up a non-Communist government in the South of the country. The American support was the product of the â€Å"Truman Doctrine†, a mission designed to â€Å"protec... ...r into war.† Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, with his successor – Lyndon Johnson – more prepared to commit the USA to more extreme actions. He was willing to start a full-scale conflict in Vietnam if it were to prevent the spread of Communism. In August 1964, the US ship Maddox was fired on by North Vietnamese patrol boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. Because of this, American Congress passed the â€Å"Tonkin Gulf Resolution† which allowed Johnson the power to take â€Å"all necessary measures to prevent further aggression and achieve peace and security.† In other words, the President could take the USA into a full scale war should he feel it was necessary. By March 8th 1965, this was the case. 3500 US marines arrived at Da Nang, just as â€Å"Operation Rolling Thunder† came into play. America’s involvement escalated to war in Vietnam.

The Air Pollution Report

Air pollution is a major problem facing our environment today. This dilemma is harmful to every single living creature on this planet. How can we limit the causes of air pollution? There are industrial as well as residential causes of air pollution. How can we limit the effects of air pollution? We all know it affects the environment, but do we all know it also can affect us directly? How can we control air pollution? Is the government doing its job to protect us? Air pollution can be defined as impureness of the air. Air pollution is all around us. It might not be as clearly visible in some areas as others but the fact is that air pollution is still there affecting us in some way, shape, or form. It has been known to cause illness and/or death. Many people are not aware of this. There are two main causes of air pollution. One of the main causes is natural pollution. â€Å"Natural pollution is windblown dust, pollen, fog, etc. † The other main cause is people pollution. â€Å"People pollution is the chief concern and most serious form. Most of people pollution is caused by industry, cars, trucks, and airplanes. † The causes of air pollution go on and on. There are residential causes and industrial causes. Residential causes are those such as automobile emissions and forest fires. Industrial causes are those such as factory emissions and the burning of fossil fuels. One residential cause is the emissions of automobiles. This is probably the most harmful cause, at least in the United States of America it is. People drive automobiles every day to get from point A to point B. If automobiles did not exist, the air would most likely be cleaner but we would not be able to travel long distances in short periods. In any case, the problem remains that automobile emissions are harmful to the environment. This is how they generate automobile emissions into the atmosphere. Motor vehicle emissions are generated in several different ways and locations during engine/vehicle operation. The most important sources are, of course, those produced in combustion and vented through the exhaust pipe. These exhaust gases consist mainly of unburned HCs, CO, and NOx and account for approximately 90- 92% of all vehicle emissions. Some products of combustion are not vented through the exhaust system, as they slip by the piston rings and the cylinder walls. These â€Å"blowby† gases consist mainly of unburned HCs that accumulate in the crankcase exhaust port. A third source of emissions is the votalization of HCs through the carburetor and fuel tank vents. Carburetor emissions are pronounced during the â€Å"hot soak† period immediately following vehicle operation. Forest fires caused by the carelessness of humans puts harmful smoke into the environment. These forest fires do not happen often, but when they do, there is mass destruction caused to the atmosphere. In the early 1950's, forest fires in the Southeastern United States covered huge areas of the country with smoke so thick that flights were canceled in New York City. Chlorofluorocarbons or CFC's were developed by chemists at General Motors in 1928. When they were developed, they were looked upon as â€Å"miracle† gases that could be safely used for many purposes. They were not toxic. They were not carcinogens. They did not corrode the materials with which they came in contact. Nor were they flammable. Finally they could be manufactured easily and inexpensively. Over the years these CFC's have been made to serve many purposes from refrigerator coolants to jet streams in aerosol cans and polystyrene material to air conditioners. When people do not properly dispose of CFC's, they could escape into the atmosphere, creating a hole in the ozone layer. Air pollution was first realized as a major problem during the Industrial Revolution in Europe. Industrial pollution is particles (especially of metal dusts) and waste gases (especially carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and nitrogen oxides) that are waste products of industry and end up in the air. Industrial emissions are the second largest pollutants of the atmosphere after automotive exhausts. † Industries that are the major pollutants include petroleum refining, metal smelting, iron and steal mills, grain mills, and the flour handling industry. The most common chemical natured factory pollutant is methylene chloride. The burning of fossil fuels is a major cause of air pollution. Fossil fuels are formed from the remains of ancient plant and animal life such as coal and natural gas. If complete combustion of fossil fuels was possible, it would only produce heat energy, water vapor, and carbon dioxide. However, since this not possible because the level of oxygen is never ideal, carbon monoxide forms. The incombustible material enters the atmosphere as smoke, dust, soot, and particles of tarry (tar-like) hydrocarbon substances. Small amounts of mineral and metal impurities are released into the air as fly ash. Sulfurous impurities produce sulfur oxides, especially sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide combines with water in the air to form sulfuric acid, the largest component of acid rain. † Air pollution, as like any other pollution, is harmful to the environment. Unlike other pollutions though, air pollution is not always visible in the environment. Air pollution is the cause of acid rain, smog, and the hole in the ozone layer. Acid rain damages living organisms and materials. Deposition from acids, such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid and mixes with the rain and goes into the soil and bodies of water. This is most common in the Northeastern United States, where fossil fuel burning is highly concentrated. â€Å"Acid rain is killing more than lakes. It can scar the leaves of hardwood forests, wither ferns and lichens, accelerate the death of coniferous needles, sterilize seeds, and weaken the forests to disease, infestation, and decay. Below the surface, the acid neutralizes chemicals for plant growth, strips others from the soil and carries them to the lakes and literally retards the respiration of the soil. † From this you can see that biological damage is most pronounced in forests and lakes. In bodies of water, acid shock, caused by runoff of highly acidic water into lakes and streams when snow melts can greatly affect fish and other aquatic life. It also affects farmers. Vegetation may show damage through bleaching and spotting on leaves. In urban areas acid rain discolors and speeds up the erosion of marble, cement, historic monuments, and statues. When exposed to acid rain, steel corrodes two to four times faster in urban and industrial areas than in rural areas. Soot and grit deposited by acid rain onto buildings, cars, and clothes results in these materials needing to be cleaned and restored. In the United States alone, acid rain causes billions of dollars damage to materials. Smog is dirty fog. â€Å"Smog is a sort of ‘atmospheric soup' of pollutants cooked up by the action of sunlight. This thick, brown haze is made of air polluted by automobile exhaust fumes, smoke, and aerosols. † Smog contains chlorinated and organic phosphates that get unleashed into the air from blowing farm particles, heavy metals, and evaporating acid. These chemicals make the smog even more toxic than most people think. Smog is developed when weather conditions are in the mid- eighties and there is little wind. Therefore, smog does not affect all parts of the world. It is most common in a city such as Los Angeles where these weather conditions exist. Ozone depletion is looked upon as a problem that up till now, we can not fix. Air pollution has caused this hole in the ozone layer. The ozone layer absorbs 99% of the sun's harmful energy. It prevents ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth's surface and the troposphere. It protects humans from sunburn, skin and eye cancer, and cataracts. It also prevents much of the oxygen in the troposphere from being converted to ozone (gas). In the mid-seventies chemists F. Sherwood Rowland and Mario J. Malian discovered â€Å"CFC's were creating a global chemical time bomb by lowering the average concentration of ozone in the stratosphere. † In other words, the CFC's were and are creating a hole in the ozone layer. As long as we keep using these CFC's the hole is going to continue to grow wider and wider. Effects on the Health of Living Organisms Air pollution is hazardous to our health. It can endanger the health of living organisms in several ways. One way, is by introducing particulate matter and poisonous gases into the respiratory systems of humans, animals, and plant leaves. Another way is by increasing the acidity of precipitation, which alters the chemistry of soil and water. One more way, is that it engages chemical reactions in the atmosphere that increase the exposure of living organisms to harmful radiation. Yet another way that it affects living organisms is by altering globally, the composition and ultimately the temperature of the atmosphere and thus producing conditions that threaten the survival of living organisms. In humans air pollution especially affects our respiratory system. Our respiratory system has a number of protective mechanisms built to protect against exposure to air pollution. Hairs in the nose filter out large particles. The mucus lining in the upper respiratory tract helps capture and dissolve smaller particles and gaseous pollutants. Sneezing and coughing helps to remove contaminated air and mucus when the respiratory system is exposed to pollutants. Long term exposure to cigarette smoke and other air pollutants can ruin the natural defenses, resulting in respiratory conditions such as allergic reactions like asthma, and diseases such as lung cancer, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. Air pollution can also cause other health problems. It can cause extreme allergic reactions. It also can cause headaches, nausea, rashes, and swelling. Such activities as jogging, bicycling, and other strenuous outdoor activities, while being done in areas with high concentrations of air pollution, can cause vigorous coughing and chest pain. The hole in the ozone layer is the cause of many cases of skin cancer. There are three basic approaches to control air pollution. The first approach is called preventive measures. This means that they would change the raw materials sed in industry or the ingredients of fuel. The second approach is called dispersal measures. That is raising of the smokestacks. The third one is called collection measures. This is done by designing equipment to trap pollutants before they get into the atmosphere. Most highly industrialized countries have legislation to prevent and/or control air pollution. In the U. S. air pollution is the responsibility of the state and local governments. All states have an air quality management program that are patterned after federal laws. The basic federal law is the Clean Air Act of 1970. It was last amended in 1990. Under law the Federal Environmental Protection Agency sets the standards for air quality. The EPA sets the limits on the amounts of air pollutants that can be given off by automobiles, factories, and other sources. Air quality programs have improved many areas. There are several examples on how these air quality programs have improved areas. One example is that burning low sulfur coal and oil in factories and power plants has lowered levels of air pollution in the areas of the factories and plants. Another example is that automobile engines have been redesigned to emit lower emissions. New cars are equipped with devices such as catalytic converters which change pollutants into harmless substances. Because of this, air pollution from car exhaust has also been reduced. The EPA released the Pollution Prevention Strategy in February of 1991. The strategy provides guidance on the EPA's ongoing environmental protection efforts and includes a plan for achieving substantial voluntary reductions of targeted high risk industrial chemicals. The major component of the strategy is the Industrial Toxics Project. The EPA has identified seventeen high risk industrial chemicals that offer significant opportunities for prevention. These seventeen pollutants present both significant risks to human health and the environment and opportunities to reduce such risks through prevention. â€Å"Scrubbers are pollution control devices used in industry to remove aerosols and waste gases. † Wet scrubbers operate by directing sprays of water or other liquids into chambers containing exhaust gases. The gases are then washed away in the liquid. Another form of scrubber works by a process called adsorption in which gases are removed by activated charcoal and filtering. Another way to control air pollution is to use alternate or renewable sources of energy. One of these alternate sources is solar power. The number of solar power plants is increasing as the markets expand for this power source. There is absolutely no pollution from solar power. â€Å"However, backup systems using conventional fuels are needed at night, during bad weather, and in the snowbelt areas, where the sun is often obscured during the winter months. Another thing is that the cost of solar energy is much higher than fossil fuels. Another alternate form of energy is nuclear power. Nuclear power is energy that is generated by radioactive fuels at nuclear plants. Nuclear power is often described as clean power when it is compare to fossil fuels. Nuclear power would limit air pollution problems since nuclear plants do not produce carbon dioxide or any of the gases that cause acid rain. On the downside, if there are nuclear power plants, there is always the threat of a nuclear fallout. If any radioactive materials escape from the plant, they could expose the people to radioactive contamination. The dilemma of air pollution is a major problem that faces our world today. What if we can't go outside because the smog is to thick? What happens when the acid rain gets potent enough to eat right through our skin? What do we do when the hole in the ozone layer widens and melts the polar ice caps? These could be some of the questions we will ask if we don't find ways to control the problem of air pollution.

Hobbes vs. Thoreau

Thomas Hobbes’ book, Leviathan and Henry David Thoreau’s essay, Resistance to Civil Government could not be more opposed when it comes to looking at the social contract from a political philosophy viewpoint. On the one hand, Hobbes maintains that humanity’s utmost obligation is to submit oneself to the authority of the sovereign state. Thoreau, on the other hand, argues that under specific circumstances, it is humanity’s duty is to resist the state. This paper will argue that Hobbes does not succeed in establishing our obligation to submit to the sovereign’s authority.Instead it is Thoreau whom is correct that in certain circumstances we are obliged to resist the State. The two main issues with Hobbes’ reasoning in Leviathan regarding the sovereign authority stem from his explanations of the Laws of Nature and the power of the government. In Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government, these two issues are more adequately addressed. Befor e establishing the reasons why Thoreau’s views on the obligations of the citizen to the state are more correct than Hobbes’, it should be noted that Thoreau’s essay, Resistance to Civil Government was published 198 years after Leviathan.While Hobbes wrote Leviathan during the English Civil War, Thoreau wrote Resistance to Civil Government as an abolitionist during the time of the slavery crisis in New England and the Mexican-American war. Therefore the differences in social context of the two works are drastic. Not only was Leviathan regarded as one of the earliest works containing social contract theory, Hobbes himself is regarded as one of the key figures in the English Enlightenment, otherwise known as the Age of Reason.This context within which Hobbes thrived, and within which Leviathan was published is significant, because the philosophical method upon which Hobbes based Leviathan is modelled after a geometric proof, founded upon first principles and establ ished definitions. In this model, each argument makes conclusions based upon the previous argument. Hobbes wanted to produce irrefutable political philosophy in Leviathan by creating a model based on geometry because conclusions that are derived by geometry are supposed to be indisputable.However Hobbes’ book is far from indisputable, and much of its logic is not entirely sound. This is evident in a number of examples, but most prominent are the Laws of Nature and the power of the government. In order to better explain why Hobbes does not completely succeed in establishing the obligation people have to submit to the sovereign’s authority, a brief summary of Leviathan is necessary. In Leviathan, Hobbes sets out on an exploration of human nature, which eventually leads him to the conclusion that an absolutist state, where all power lies within the hands of the sovereign authority, is necessary.The reason that Hobbes feels absolutism is necessary is what he refers to as t he ‘state of nature’. The state of nature is used to explain the inherent qualities in man that makes him behave the way he does, outside of the boundaries and limits imposed by social law. For Hobbes, the state of nature consists of selfish men who will inevitably turn to violence in their quest to satisfy their own selfish needs. Therefore, because all people are inherently violent in the state of nature, all are also equal because no person is above or less capable of violence than anyone else.To the argument that some are physically stronger than others, Hobbes retorts that even those who are stronger are still vulnerable when sleeping. In this way, though all are equally violent, all are also equally vulnerable. However, man is also rational, and so in response to this vulnerability, man’s selfish desire to ensure his own life above all else, will lead them to put their faith into the social contract. The basis upon which the social contract is made necessar y, in other words, the state of nature, is what ultimately produces the Leviathan.Hobbes believes that in order to secure their own lives, people will automatically submit all of their freedom into the hands of the sovereign’s authority. One of the first aspects of Hobbes’ work that undermines his, mostly logically-sound Leviathan, concerns the Laws of Nature. Hobbes seems to take it for granted that all the people in a single state would agree with one another to submit all of their power to one authoritative entity, on the basis that they will realize it is in the best interest of their security.As professor Ian Johnston says, â€Å"If human beings are like sheep, I don't see why they need a ruler; if human beings are like wolves, I don't see how they will tolerate a ruler. † If, as Hobbes suggests, the state of nature is anarchy, then what aspect of nature drives all people to form a commonwealth? In this respect, it appears that Hobbes contradicts himself, f or he proclaims that man is brutish, violent, and only concerned with self-interest, however he is also reasonable enough to form a social ontract in which his own ease and commodious living is secured. In light of the latter characteristics of man that Hobbes describes, where man is rational enough to participate in such a social contract, the necessity of submitting oneself entirely to the sovereign authority is unfounded and too extreme. The second main issue with Leviathan concerns the power of the government. Hobbes fails to explain why people would trust an authority made up of other people, no different from themselves.If every person knows that their own inherent violence and selfishness is what necessitates total rule by an authoritative figure, would they not doubt the authority, assuming that the corruptness inside of them extends to said authority as well? Hobbes does not seem to consider this issue worth much in-depth consideration, for he does not believe that the sove reign authority would ever put the people in a situation where they need to defend themselves from the governing powers. According to Hobbes, the state will remain efficient because it recognizes its dependence upon the work of the citizens.In Hobbes’ words, â€Å"the private interest is the same with the public. The riches, power, and honour of a monarch arise only from the riches, strength and reputation of his subjects. For no king can be rich, nor glorious, nor secure, whose subjects are either poor, or contemptible, or too weak through want, or dissention, to maintain a war against their enemies. †Ã‚  However, the consequences on a person’s ability to produce wealth for a country is not the only concern for a state in which all the power rests within the hands of a sovereign authority.Hobbes answer does not reach any further into the moral or human rights of the citizens, which are much more vulnerable to being infringed upon in an absolutist state. Hobbes neglects to address this because he believes that the state would not attack these rights based on the fact that it would potentially produce chaos, which is the exact opposite of what the sovereign authority is meant to do. It is clear that for Hobbes, the dangers of a tyrannical sovereign are more appealing than the absence of any sovereign, or in other words, a society left to the state of nature.While having some form of government, as opposed to rampant violence, is preferable, it is unnecessary for the citizens to relinquish all freedom to the authority of the sovereign, as Hobbes suggests. It would have been impossible for Hobbes to predict the political evolution of modern states. However his description of the benefits of the absolutist state hint at modern examples of states where all the power has been concentrated into a single, sovereign authority, leading to the extreme corruption that Hobbes believed it would eradicate.The 20th century is full of examples of this; how ever one that particularly exemplifies the dangers of total submission to the state is Fascist Italy, ruled absolutely by Benito Mussolini from the early 1920s to the mid 1940s. Instead of aiding the state and its people, Mussolini created an illusion of what the common good really was, in order to enforce his own, absolute power. This lead to a significant decrease in security and loss of many human lives, which seems to indicate that submitting all power to the state, can lead people back into Hobbes’ ‘state of nature’, instead of out of it.While Hobbes’ endorsement of absolutism may have noble aims for humanity, when looked at from its primal and organic intentions, often absolutism results in the violent enforcing of rules or ideologies upon people, which is in itself a loss of security, and form of inhumane chaos. In a reaction to the rampant slavery in America during the 19th century and the Mexican-American war, Thoreau wrote the essay Resistance to Civil Government, hoping to encourage people to trust their own consciences over the rule of the law enforced by the government.Thoreau believes that mans best service to one’s own country paradoxically takes the form of resistance against it, if one feels that the government is supporting unjust or immoral laws. Subverting to the government, no matter what, or out of the necessity of obligation is to the detriment of the state and society, according to Thoreau. Instead, it is better to work to build a better one in the long term, even if that means chaos or anarchy in the form of revolution n the short-term.Though Thoreau’s views seem much more modern than Hobbes, Thoreau does doubt the effectiveness of democracy, or rather the reform of a government from within the government. Believing that voting and petitioning for change to be inefficient, Thoreau feels that one cannot truly see the government for what it is when one is working with it, and therefore one also ca nnot effect change when working with the government. In sharp contrast to Hobbes’ views on the role of the government, Thoreau not only proclaims, â€Å"that government is best which governs least†, but even going so far as to say, â€Å"that government is best which governs not at all. This is an example of where finding the middle ground between Hobbes and Thoreau is useful. While Hobbes may be correct that some form of government is necessary to a level of order within the state, Thoreau’s reasoning for why the government can be interfering can be found in modern example of politics. According to Thoreau, the government is used by a certain group of people to impose on others for their own personal gains. In this way, the government aids the success of those who control the state while impeding the success of those who are imposed upon.This view on the government can find itself exemplified in specific aspects of the American government. Though the role of t he government is to secure the safety and rights of all its citizens equally, many had dubbed the 20th century as an era of ‘corporatism’ for America, securing only the interests of companies. Corporatism, in terms of politics, is when wealth is used as a tool by corporations to sway the government in the direction of their own private interests. The overwhelming dominance of corporations can spread beyond politics, into many aspects of society.There are a number of negative effects of corporatism for the ‘common man’, such as pervasiveness on works unions, the increase in taxes coming out of citizens pockets in order to provide direct outlays, the subsidizing of unsubsidized jobs, the erosion of virtue within commerce, etc. Thoreau would have agreed with this notion of ‘corporate America’ for he believed the government to be like a machine, in which injustice is an inevitable component. Thoreau did not intend to ‘demonize’ the Ame rican government, but rather to shed light on what he felt was a total lack of agency or usefulness.This example establishes a modern framework for Thoreau’s argument that the government is not infallible, and how the role of the government sometimes necessitates resistance. As Hobbes would state, it is a natural part of being human to look out for one’s best interest. However, like his views on the role of the government, Thoreau’s view on the nature of men appears to also be more correct, in light of current or historical politics. In other words, chaos is not always best dealt with by being replaced by subservience, but by resistance and a change in ideological structure.Another current example of the validity behind Thoreau’s argument can be found in the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring refers to the movement of uprisings that arose and spread across the Arab world in 2011. It led to many revolutionary outcomes, such as the first free Tunisian election in October; the Egyptian president Mubarak being displaced by a pro-democracy movement; the toppling of dictator Gadhafi, liberation of Libya, and the removal of the ban on Libyan political parties; and the authoritarian leader of Jordan being forced to replace his government.None of these movements would have been possible without people’s willingness to fight to bring some of the power away from the government, and into their own hands. As if often the case with political philosophy, both Hobbes’ and Thoreau’s views are best when aspects of both theorists are taken and combined. When the absolutist nature of the government Hobbes’ argues for is taken away, his belief that a governing entity is required for maintaining a certain, and desirable, level of order becomes more valid.However in order to ensure that the rights and of citizens are protected, Thoreau is correct in arguing that resistance to an unjust government is the only way to ensure a just gove rnment. However, between Hobbes’ Leviathan, and Thoreau’s Resistance to Civil Government, the latter is more successful in establishing a sound view on the social contract. Thoreau’s advocates the evolution, and not destruction of the government.Therefore his argument that the government should be one that is capable of improvement based on the needs of the people, and his argument that people should embrace chaos if it means a just and moral reform of the government succeeds more than the arguments of Hobbes. Bibliography Bird, Alexander. â€Å"Squaring the Circle: Hobbes on Philosophy and Geometry. † Journal of the History of Ideas. 10. 1 (1996): 217-231. Germino, Dante. â€Å"Italian Fascism in the History of Political Thought. † Midwest Journal of Political Science. 8. 2 (1964): 109-126. Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. London: Penguin Books, 1968/1651. Johnston, Ian. â€Å"Four Problems in Theory. On Hobbes Leviathon. Created December 2002. Accesse d November 2012. Keller, Ever. â€Å"In the service of â€Å"truth† and victory†: Geometry and rhetoric in the political works of Thomas Hobbes. † Prose Studies: History, Theory Criticism. 15. 2 (2008): 129-152. May, Larry. Ethics in the History of Western Philosophy. New York: MacMillan/St. Martin’s Press, 1990. Owen, Judd J. â€Å"The Tolerant Leviathan: Hobbes and the Paradox of Liberalism. † Polity. 37. 1 (2005): 130-148. Schmitter, Philippe C. â€Å"Still the Century of Corporatism? † The Review of Politics. 36. 1 (1974): 85-131.Thoreau, Henry David. â€Å"Resistance to Civil Government. † The Picket Line. Work written 1894. Accessed October 2012. Turner, Jack. â€Å"Performing Conscience: Thoreau, Political Action, and the Plea for John Brown. † Sage Publications, Inc. 33. 4 (2005): 448-471 Woods, Thomas E. â€Å"The Cultural Costs of Corporatism: How Government-Business Collusion Denigrates the Entrepreneur and Rewards the Sycophant. † First Principles: ISI Web Journal. Accessed November 2012.