Bartleby- The Scrivener Essays - Bartleby, The Scrivener

Bartleby- The Scrivener In Herman Melvilles Bartleby the Scrivener, the author uses several themes to convey his ideas. The three most important themes are alienation, mans desire to have a free conscience, and mans desire to avoid conflict. Melville uses the actions of an eccentric scrivener named Bartleby, and the responses of his cohorts, to show these underlying themes to the reader. The first theme, alienation, is displayed best by Bartlebys actions. He has a divider put up so that the other scriveners cannot see him, while all of them have desks out in the open so they are full view of each other, as well as the narrator. This caused discourse with all of the others in the office. This is proven when Turkey exclaims, I think Ill just step behind his screen and black his eyes for him.(p.2411) The other scriveners also felt alienated by the actions of the narrator. His lack of resolve when dealing with Bartleby angered them because they knew that if they would have taken the same actions, they would have been dismissed much more rapidly. The narrator admits to this when he said, With any other man I should have flown outright into a dreadful passion, scorned all further words, and thrust him ignominiously from my presence. (2409) The next theme is mans desire to avoid conflict. The narrator avoids conflict on several occasions. The first time Bartleby refused to proofread a paper, the narrator simply had someone else do it instead of confronting him and resolving the issue right then. By ignoring the problem, he left the door open for more disobedience. As expected, Bartleby continued to refuse to proofread and the narrator eventually gave up on asking him to do it. The narrator went to great lengths to avoid a confrontation. When Bartleby refused to leave the office after being fired, the narrator chose to move his office to a different location instead of removing the eccentric man by force. The narrator informs the reader of this idea when he says, No more then. Since he will not quit me, I must quit him. I will change my offices. (2422) By doing so, the narrator displays just how far man is sometimes willing to go to avoid conflict. The final theme is mans desire to have a free conscience. Melville reveals this theme through the actions of the narrator as well as the new tenants of the office. The narrator attempts to appease his conscience by giving Bartleby money above his wages when he fired him. The new tenants of the office try to put the responsibility of dealing with Bartleby back on the narrator, but they are denied and eventually have the man removed from the premises by law officers. Herman Melville uses the actions and reactions of the characters in Bartleby the Scrivener to disclose three important themes, alienation, mans desire to avoid conflict, and mans desire to keep a free conscience. In doing so, he gives us an inside look into the workings of the human mind. The reader is left with the impression that all people, including lawyers, have compassion for other humans, and at some point, that compassion will show through Biblio- Heath Anthology of American Lit., Third Edition, Vol I , Paul Lauter Ed.

Book Publishing History

Book Publishing History The world is changing due to changes caused by the emerging technologies. Technology has brought new approaches to various human activities. Various industries have been affected by the emerging technologies.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Book Publishing History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The forces are so strong that a firm is always forced to either conform to these forces or be faced out of the market. Many firms have been faced out of the market due to their inability to read and adjust to the market trends. Book publishing industry is one of the industries that have experienced the impact of the emerging technologies. For a long time, traditional firms such as Oxford, John Wiley and Sons, Cengage, among other major publishing firms dominated this industry. They had huge market in schools and colleges, and other institutions not only in the United States, but also in the entire world. This is drastic ally changing. With the emergent of amazon.com among other online bookstores, the world is slowly drifting to e-books instead of printed books. This study is focused on analyzing the revolution of the publishing industry and how various forces in this industry have changed. Analyze the Book Publishing Industry Prior To the E-Book Revolution Using Porters Five-Force Model Prior to the e-book revolution, the world of publishing was a preserve for the large firms which had the capacity to pay authors large sums of royalties or advance payments once their manuscript was confirmed. In order to bring more understand to the external environment of this industry in this period, Michael Porters Five Forces theory will be applicable.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Supplier power is always important in determining how profitable an industry is. Operating in an industry where suppliers are very powerful can be very dangerous. During this era, suppliers of papers were the most important suppliers to these firms. Other suppliers for products such as ink, binding pins and machines among other items were very important to this industry. However, these suppliers never managed to monopolize this industry. Publishing firms were able to maintain their position as large organizational buyers. They had powers over their suppliers. There were a number of firms that were offering products that they were using as their raw materials. They were therefore, at liberty to choose which firm to buy their raw materials from. Although there were times when the supply of papers would rise, it was not enough to cause a scare in this industry. The publishers would always find a way of manipulating their way in this industry. Buyer power was another factor that affected this industry during this era. When the buyer has power of the products they buy in the market, then the y always tend to dictate the price of the product in the market. The power of the buyer was largely low during this era. This was because of the large market that existed in the form of students who had no option but to buy the products. Degree of rivalry of the firms in the industry also determined success of a firm. During this era, the degree of rivalry was very stiff, especially to those firms that were smaller in size.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Book Publishing History specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The larger firms would frustrate smaller firms by paying authors attractive royalties. This made them attract major authors, while smaller firms had to struggle in order to get good authors. Threats of new entrants were felt by firms in this industry. The world has been reduced into a small global village. When the planes and telephone was invented, the geographical barrier that existed before was elimin ated. The world was reduced into a small geographical area where an individual could easily move from one end of the earth to another. Firms were heavily affected by this. Most countries, including the United States of America, have liberalized their markets. A foreign firm can easily enter the US market and operate without any interference from the government. This fact created a threat to traditional firms that existed in this country. New firms were coming into this industry at a rate that many of the existing firms had not predicted before. The firms were forced to come up with new strategies that would help them be competitive. The market became very competitive, and success was determined by how effective a firm could market its products among the target group. The new entrants were eating up the market share of the existing firms, and the existing firms had to formulate competitive ways that they could outsmart them. Threat of substitutes was another problem that these firms had to deal with. During this era, there were no serious threats of substitutes that these firms faced. It was difficult to find a substitute product in the market. As such, the main threat that this industry faced came from the media.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The print media was eating into the market for novels and other books that were meant for leisure. Most of the leisure readers preferred to read magazines, newspapers and other journals instead of books that required a longer time to read. Using Porter’s Five-Force Model to Analyze How the Advent of E-Books Changed Industry Structure and Competitive Dynamics This industry has changed a lot. The advent of e-books was a revolution in this industry. The large firms that dominated the industry found that they were in very awkward position as what they had considered as competitive advantage turned into main weaknesses they had. Firms in this industry had to redefine their strategy, and overhaul their system to meet the emerging market trends. Porter’s five forces may be useful in demonstrating the dynamics that have happened in this industry. The power of suppliers in this industry has changed. The suppliers have changed from what they were before the advent of e-books. E- books do not require papers as raw materials, and neither do they need ink, or large machines that were needed before in printing books. Although there are a good percentage of those books that are produced in print form, this percentage is on a constant decline. This means that the power of traditional suppliers has been reduced a great deal. The power of the buyers has been on the rise since the advent of e-books. Buyers are able to access various online suppliers of books. This also means that these buyers have opportunity to dictate price in the market because they have a variety to choose from. This increased buyer power has seen firms in this industry lower the price of books in the market. Threat of substitutes has massively increased in this new era. The internet has massive information in various fields available freely. Scholars have considered it best to access these free sources of information instead of buying books. Threats of substitutes have also increased. For every book that is authored, there are various other sources of information that can be used instead of them. Degree of rivalry has also increased. There are many firms that can easily get into this industry because it is much easier to operate in as opposed to how it was before the advent of e-books. The Long-Term Threats and Opportunities Facing the Book Publishing Industry There are some long term threats that may have serious effects on this industry. Mass and social media is posing serious threat to this industry. Children spend more time watching movie instead of reading books, while youth take most of their time on Facebook, Tweeter, and YouTube among other social media. This means that the sale of books, including the e-books, will continue declining. This is aggravated by the fact that college students prefer getting their information from the internet for free. Such sites as Wikipedia have become so popular among the college students, jeopardizing sale of books Despite these ch allenges, there are some opportunities that are available in this industry. The advent of e-books has had a massive reduction on cost of producing books. The production cost of books has been reduced by almost eighty percent. This makes it easy for the firms to charge lower prices for their products. Distributions of the products have also been made easier, faster and cheaper. It is easier to ensure that an online book reaches the customer from various regions around the world. It has helped this industry eliminated a number of middlemen who inflated the cost of making the product available to customers.

Off campus visit evaluation II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Off campus visit evaluation II - Essay Example Last July 21, 2008, the Community Development Commission held a meeting with regard to the â€Å"authorization to advertise for the street rehabilitation on Washington Boulevard (Norwalk Boulevard to Westman Avenue) and Norwalk Boulevard (Washington to Boer Avenue),† (Adjourned Meeting Community†¦, 2008). In addition, miscellaneous concrete repairs for the year 2007-2008 were also discussed (Adjourned Meeting Community†¦, 2008). During the discussion, the public was allowed to comment on any community development that concerns the agenda. New business was also discussed in the City Council Meeting of Santa Fe Springs. This is the â€Å"consideration of a request for financial assistance involving the construction and use of a new electronic reader board sign,† (Adjourned Meeting Community†¦, 2008). The members of the community who attended the council were made aware of the project, and would be later notified with the proceedings of the negotiation. The recent City Council Meeting of the Santa Fe Springs allowed the public to tackle the current issues of the city. The local issue regarding the street rehabilitations and concrete repairs were properly discussed and dealt with. The efforts of both the concerned citizens and the Community Development Commission (CDC) â€Å"improved the city’s quality of life,† (Santa Fe Springs†¦, n.d.). It also added to the city’s urban design and streetscape quality. The council meeting improved once again the overall development and potential of the city (Santa Fe Springs†¦, n.d.). All in all, the local issues on transportation were discussed transparently with the

Western Civilization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Western Civilization - Essay Example The Lutherans, according to Alles & Ellwood (pp.270), believe that salvation of the human race comes from the grace of God. The same applies in the case of Calvinism, whose basics are of the belief that God’s grace is the final, and that He chooses who save unconditionally. Catholicism is also of the belief that through God’s grace, human beings are spared from destruction (Kielbasa & Singer-Towns,  pp.7). The three religions also hold the view that there is life after death. More so, the believers of the word are bound to have an eternal life that is rewarding. In this context, therefore, these religions advocate for building a lasting rapport between the followers of the religion and God. On the contrary, Lutheranism does not advocate for total reliance on the church. Though Lutheranism has churches and ministers of the word, this religion is of the opinion that the church need not be there for the individuals to develop a relationship with God. Both Calvinism and Catholicism believe in the church and the need to have total discipline whilst in the house of the Lord. Catholics, for instance require their members to attend mass on the Lord’s Day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ (Kielbasa & Singer-Towns,  pp.8). Lutheranism believes that it is only God who can save. Lutherans have the permit to pray to God directly, without confessions to a person. Catholics believe that the pope has some form of powers on the lives of the individuals. Through these persons- the pope and saints- the followers hold the view that God will pardon their sins. They also believe in confession of sins and praying on behalf of ‘pure’ persons (Kielbasa & Singer-Towns,  pp.8). The same would apply in the case of Calvinism, which believes that specific persons have been called to save the others from sin. From a critical view of the beliefs of the religion, the differences are more than the similarities. The concept of

Police corruption Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Police corruption - Research Paper Example Police has been vested with enormous powers; these powers are essential for maintaining the rule of law. However these powers can also be the source of corruption as people are usually at the mercy of the police officers in many circumstances where they have been wronged. People who have been fighting for democracy and governance regard the issue of fighting police corruption with utmost importance. Police must not only serve the common man but should also be seen as serving the common man. This is essential if basic human rights have to be protected and people have to live in safe and secure environments. When people who have been entrusted with the task of protecting people, engage in corruption themselves it leads to cynicism and may erode public confidence in democracy. Police corruption is not a standalone issue. It is a function of larger systematic problem which is compounded by lack of transparency , absence of checks and balances and fragile institutions. Although the popular perception is always that police corruption is rampant and should be death with an iron hand it is not always possible to do this. The government and the judiciary have to always take sensitivities into account. This paper tries to find out the different kinds of police corruption that are prevalent and also tries to find out the solution to the problem through a systematic method. Understanding Police Corruption In very simple terms corruption may be defined as the use of public powers in order to get personal gains. Police corruption occurs at both the levels – on the streets and also behind the scenes in offices. Officers corruption range from petty corruption to collusion with criminals where the look the other way and do not perform their constitutional duties. The extreme end is when police officers themselves take part in criminal activities in order to have financial or other benefits. Police officers have been vested with enormous powers in order to enforce law. These include the powers to stop, question, search, arrest people and even use lethal force whenever circumstances deteriorate. The important thing is that police have extraordinary amount of discretion in the exercise of these powers which give ample avenues for corruption. Backroom corruption in the police department does not consist of the use of these powers but involves irregular a nd illegal practices in the award of contracts, receiving kickbacks for favorable appointments and transfers and negligence in investigations and discipline. This corruption is done by supervisors and senior officers and thus the amount of money involved is also large. We will analyze each of these cases of corruption in detail here. Petty Individual Corruption Whenever we talk about police corruption to a common man, the most common type of corruption which comes to our minds is traffic police corruption. This form of corruption may be limited din developed countries but is extremely prevalent in every developing country. Some countries are so notorious for traffic police corruption that whenever a person is stopped for police checking he assumes that he will have to cough up. Other forms of petty corruption include extorting regular payments from market vendors, asking people to pay money for

Key Elements Of Parsons Concept Of Society Sociology Essay

Key Elements Of Parsons Concept Of Society Sociology Essay The society is regarded to be the key element of research of such science as history, sociology, philosophy, economics, etc., but there is no one theoretical understanding of this concept yet so far. Since the times of Plato and Aristotle the society was identified with the state and this concept was true up to the New Time (Hobbes Th., Locke J.). Only in the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Kant I., Hegel G. there starts the separation of these concepts, when the society is regarded independently and perceived as the idea of mankind and moral-political unity. Gradually within the frames of sociology the definition of the society, that becomes the classical and universal one, is fixed. The key criterion of the concept of society is the presence of people and certain communication between them. In other words, the society is considered as a community or union of people that possesses such features as territory, developed culture, political independence, etc. But this definition is cont roversial as primitive societies do not have developed culture, and nomadic societies do not have single territory. So the question arises how is it possible to define the society? There are many attempts and directions in studying and systematizing sociological opinions and outlooks of the concept of society. Modern western sociology is presented by abundance of different schools and trends, and each of them has its own approaches and theoretical views on the concept of society. The school of structural functionalism turned out to be one of the most fruitful in this trend, with the American sociologist Talcott Parsons as its representative. He uses a system approach while analyzing the society and considers the society as a social system which, in its turn, is a subsystem of the system of social act. In the theory of social action, the society is analyzed as a complex system along with other subsystems such as culture, personality and organism. All these subsystems interact with e ach other and with subsystem of the society. At the same time the society is regarded as the system that rises over individuals and does not depend on their thoughts and acts; individuals come and go, they are born and die, but nevertheless the society exists, keeps on functioning, developing and evolving. The main function of the society is using of the balanced combination of mechanisms of the control in the course of the relation with five environments surrounding it, and also a degree of internal integration. This can explain the self-sufficiency and isolation of the society as a complex system. This work concludes that the key elements of Parsons concept of society is the Theory of Action, that is the bench mark for further development of the whole concept of society; structural functionalism as the key tool that reveals the essence and interaction of the elements of the society from the point of view of their functioning; and the concept of social order, which is a kernel of s ociety as a system. Parsons uses a system approach to analyze the society as a type of social system. He regards the society as a system consisting of different interrelated elements that make integrity. At the same time the society as a system possesses a certain structure and function. Comparatively firm tie of the elements in the system and relations between the system as a whole and its parts make the structure of the system. The function of the system is in the role that the element performs; the contribution that a certain activity makes into common activity. In its turn, each element of the system can form a new system and as a result within one system there can be several subsystems. The system is the integral unit and it can interact with environment and in the process of interaction it can be an active side. Parsons (1966) noticed that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the society is a special kind of social systemà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ treat the social system as one of the primary subsystems of the human action system , the others being the behavioral organism, the personality of the individual, and the cultural system (p. 5). The system is understood as something integral that confronts its environment, that is segregated from its environment and that exists independently from other things. The society of Parsons (1966) is a  «self-sufficient » social system isolated from other subsystems (p. 9). As a self-sufficient system it must possess certain features. Parsons (1966) explains self-sufficiency as the function from balanced combination of control mechanisms over the relations of the society with the environment and the degree of its inner integration. The society is able to institutionalize some elements of culture that are specified from outside by the system of culture; to grant a wide spectrum of the roles of the individual and also to control economic complex and territory. The period from the Second World War until 1960s, as notes Alexander (1987): was marked by the emergence of structural-functional theory (p.35). Structural functionalism while considering the society underlines that any system aims at balance as it is characterized with concordance of the elements; it always affects the deviations the way to adjust them and return to equilibrium position. Any dysfunctions are overcome by the system, and each element contributes something into supporting its stability. While analyzing the society Parsons constantly feels instability that was intrinsic to a social system and while writing his works he concentrated on problems of supporting the balance, self-regulation and self-organization of the society. As Edward C. Devereux notes (1961): One cannot ever take for granted, Parsons argues, that the motives, goals, capacities and values of individual actors will automatically move them toward the sorts of adequate role performances necessary for the fun ctioning of this or that particular social system (Black, p. 35). He is not interested in what processes exactly influence the society and overbalance it, or break the relations of separate elements and subsystems in the whole system. He pays attention to the way the system eliminates the negative interference in the processes of its functioning, how the system manages to survive and function in the complicated and changing conditions. How and to what extent the system manages to preserve its ability to self-healing. According to Edvard C. Devereux, Parsons does indeed postulate an equilibrium-seeking tendency as a property of systems of any sort, partly as a generalization from experience, but more particularly for heuristic purposes (Black, 1961, p. 33). In his works Parsons pays special attention to the problem of order that is closely connected with preserving the society in the stable condition and achieving the balance. According to Parsons (1966), the core of any society as a system is a special organized normative order with the help of which a collective life of people is organized. Obeying the norms and laws that exist in this society by each member of the society, is understood under the social order, i.e. the individual should perform the roles that are expected of him. Within the social system Parsons (ibid.) distinguishes one of four subsystems societal community which represents the single collective that obeys certain established normative order, some set of statuses, rights, and obligations. By means of police functions and various sanctions are implemented the control over observance a normative system of order by collective. The collective forming the societal community represents an association of the people rallied on a basis of the accepted order. According to Parsons (ibid.), integration of people is the basic function of the given subsystem, that is, the process of association of different elements into a single whole. To achieve and p reserve the balance and order in the social system it is necessary to solve some functional problems that arise in the process of existence and functioning of any system. Parsons calls these problems motivational problem of order, their solution is in satisfaction of biological and psychological needs of the individuals, in effective activity of organs of social control and in coincidence of personal motivations of the individual with the norms of the society with the aim to perform the roles and objectives prescribed by the society (Black, 1961, p. 35). The concept of the social order characterizes the society as an internally interrelated and self-sustained social system that works and functions in external environment. Proceeding from the structural-functionalism Parsons (1966) defines five types of the system that surround the society as a social system: ultimate reality includes religious and moral norms, cultural system value-normative structures, personality system needs and interests, system of organism instincts, temperament, etc., and physical-organic environment geographical conditions for the society to exist and national environment. In his work The Social System while analyzing interaction of the society and the systems that surround it Parsons faces the problems in building and defining surrounding systems, depending on the level they enter the social system from. This scheme gets even more complicated when these interrelated systems function differently, i.e. each of the systems performs different function in the total system of action. Parsons uses structural-functional approach while analyzing the society. This approach bases on the ideas of Durkheim E. and Marx K. and analyzes t he structures and systems of the society at macro-level. Structural functionalism presents the society as a system consisting of large subsystems economics, politics, law, religion, family, etc. These subsystems are interrelated and mutually dependent. Representatives of structural- functional approach analyze social subsystems and basing on this analysis reveal how these subsystems are mutually dependent, what good or harm they do to the society. Proceeding from Parsons structural-functional analysis each social system has a number of functional requirements or prerequisites that are met within the frameworks of social subsystems: Considering a whole society (e.g., the United States) as a type of social system, Parsons imagined four subsystems emerging to satisfy the four functional needs. Thus, the economy specializes in securing the material conditions of society (adaption); political institutions prioritize the goals of society and ensure that they are attained by mobilizing social resources (goal attainment); the legal system plays a key role in maintaining social regulation and solidarity (integration); and the family, religion, and education aim to produce individuals who have the appropriate needs, values, motives, and skills (pattern maintenance) (Seidman, 1998, p, 109). Thus, the system must adjust to the environment, achieve the aims, have inner unity and be able to preserve this state, to reproduce the structure and relieve a stress in the system. Thanks to the defining these four functions it became possible to analyze the systems of any level in terms of functional subsystems. Talcott Parsons has developed very difficult and extensive concept of society. It is based on a paradigm of social action which Parsons worked all long life in a science. He used a system approach for understanding the society as entire system. At the very high level there is a system of social act a self-organizing system, the specific character of which, unlike the system of physical or biological action, is expressed in the presence of symbolism in the first place (language, values, etc.), secondly, of norms, and finally of irrationality and independence from environment conditions. In this system of social act Parsons defines four subsystems: organism subsystem that ensures the adaptation function and gives the system physical and energy resources to interact with the environment; personality subsystem ensuring achieving the aims; social system that is responsible for integration of the actions of lots of individuals; cultural system that contains values, beliefs, knowledge, e tc. Proceeding from structural functionalism, within the frameworks of the social system Parsons, in his turn, also defines four subsystems and each of them performs one of four main functions: economic one called on to ensure the system adaptation to the environment, political one, the meaning of which is to achieve the aim, societal community, that ensures inner unity and performs the function of integration, and cultural subsystem the function of which is to preserve institutional cultural models, that is responsible for legitimization of normative order and preserving the state of unity. Thus, each subsystem specializes in performing certain function and the results can be used by another, wider system. Besides, each subsystem depends on other subsystems; they exchange the results of their activity. Talkott Parsonss theoretical works do not differ by a surface, the heritage of the classical period of sociology is characteristic for them, which topical in our days too.

Education and Class Essay -- Social Class

Class theorists argue that class provides the basic structure of society and is also the chief cause of the inequality of modern societies. The hierarchy of the Australia class system consists of a "ruling" upper class, a "white-collar" middle class, and a "laboring" working class. There is enormous inequality between the class groups and especially between the upper- and middle-classes and the working-class. What class you belong to plays a determining role in what sort of life you lead. Those at the top of the class structure typically seem to have more power, more wealth, more opportunities, and more control over their lives than those at the bottom. They also have a greater impact on society and use this advantage to manipulate society to serve their values and suit their needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is no where more evident than in the social institution of education. Education is one of the great dividers amongst classes. The school you go to often determines what sort of qualifications you obtain, what job you get and, thus, how much money you earn and what class you move into. Education is a means in which individuals seek social mobility. Parents realized this long ago and some struggle to send their children to private schools to give them a better chance of succeeding in the class hierarchy. Other children, typically from working-class backgrounds, are victims of low expectations, both from their parents and internally, and leave school as soon as they can, moving into low-pa... Education and Class Essay -- Social Class Class theorists argue that class provides the basic structure of society and is also the chief cause of the inequality of modern societies. The hierarchy of the Australia class system consists of a "ruling" upper class, a "white-collar" middle class, and a "laboring" working class. There is enormous inequality between the class groups and especially between the upper- and middle-classes and the working-class. What class you belong to plays a determining role in what sort of life you lead. Those at the top of the class structure typically seem to have more power, more wealth, more opportunities, and more control over their lives than those at the bottom. They also have a greater impact on society and use this advantage to manipulate society to serve their values and suit their needs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is no where more evident than in the social institution of education. Education is one of the great dividers amongst classes. The school you go to often determines what sort of qualifications you obtain, what job you get and, thus, how much money you earn and what class you move into. Education is a means in which individuals seek social mobility. Parents realized this long ago and some struggle to send their children to private schools to give them a better chance of succeeding in the class hierarchy. Other children, typically from working-class backgrounds, are victims of low expectations, both from their parents and internally, and leave school as soon as they can, moving into low-pa...

Federal Health Care Essay

Federal health care is one of the biggest social and economic problems Americans face today. Due to the rising cost of medical care and health insurance, many Americans are either uninsured or do not have adequate coverage. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), commonly known as Obama Care, is part of a decade-long effort to reform the nation’s health care system and ensure that more Americans have adequate and affordable health care coverage (Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2013). This essay will briefly explain the elements of Obama Care, the pros and cons of the policy, and how the policy raises issues of federalism. President Barack Obama made health care reform the foundation of his agenda during his first year as president. According to Salem Press Encyclopedia (2013), â€Å"he charged the Democratic Congress with crafting a comprehensive bill that would provide coverage to all Americans, lower health care costs, and improve the quality of health care of the entire country.† Even though the Democratic majority embraced the idea, they had considerable difficulty in embracing a single package that satisfied liberals, moderates, and conservative Democrats alike (Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2013). However, Republicans and a growing number of independent votes immediately pushed for an appeal of the law. In light of the major controversy that surrounded the reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act had been significantly modified, removing sticky points underscored by moderates and conservatives, to make it palatable to enough moderate and conservative Democrats to gain passage (Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2013). The Ninth Amendment states that â€Å"the enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people† (Huffman, 2012). However, the federal government and the states view the Obama Care policy has a struggle for power when their central concern should be with establishing the division of powers best suited to preserve liberty. According to Huffman (2012), â€Å"Obamacare’s transparent impositions on liberty were given scant attention in the oral arguments over the law’s constitutionality, notwithstanding the fact that the reason the healthcare law has been consistently opposed by a majority of voters is their objection to the individual mandate.† President Barack Obama signed into law the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act on March 23, 2010. Its goal is to  give more Americans access to affordable, quality insurance and to reduce the growth in health care spending in the United States through consumer protections, regulations, subsidies, taxes, insurance exchanges, and other reforms (ObamaCareFacts, 2014). According to ObamaCareFacts (2014), â€Å"ObamaCare offers a number of new benefits, rights and protections including provisions that let young adults stay on their plan until 26, stop insurance companies from dropping you when you are sick or if you make an honest mistake on your application, prevent against gender discrimination, stop insurance companies from making unjustified rate hikes, do away with lifetime and annual limits, give you the right to a rapid appeal of insurance company decisions, expand coverage to tens of million, subsidize health insurance costs, require all insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions, among other things.† Obama Care, or PPACA, has been designed to help Americans medically and financially when it comes to health insurance.  There are many pros and cons related to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or commonly known as Obama Care. Some pros of PPACA include tens of millions of uninsured will get access to affordable quality health insurance through the marketplace, helps to curb the growth in healthcare spending, over half of uninsured Americans can get free or low cost health insurance, and even small businesses can get tax credits for up to 50% of their employees’ health insurance premium costs (ObamaCareFacts, 2014). Some cons of PPACA include in order to get the money to help insure tens of millions there are new taxes which mostly affect high-earners, focuses more on making sure people are covered than it does on addressing the cost of care, mandates that you have to obtain health coverage by January 2014, get an exception or pay a fee if you cannot afford it, and even mandates that in 2015 businesses with over the equivalent of 50 full-time employees must provide health coverage (ObamaCareFacts, 2014). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been fairly effective in achieving its goals of give more Americans access to affordable, quality insurance and to reduce the growth in health care spending in the United States through consumer protections, regulations, subsidies, taxes, insurance exchanges, and other reforms (ObamaCareFacts, 2014). According to  Dictionary.com, LLC (2014), effectiveness means â€Å"adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result.† Even though there are many pros and cons to the policy, they have been fairly effective to ensure all Americans receive affordable, quality health insurance and coverage. American federalism’s constitutional framework is based off of national and state governments sharing the authority that is derived from the people (Levin-Waldman, 2012). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is successful based off of the cooperation of local, state, and national authority. PPACA is consistent with American federalism’s constitutional framework because all stages of government, as well as people, are working together to ensure all Americans are taken care of medically, as well as financially, when it comes to health care and insurance. Furthermore, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is part of a decades-long effort to reform the nation’s health care system and ensure that more Americans have adequate and affordable health care coverage (Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2013). It has many pros and cons, but has been effective and demonstrates American federalism’s constitutional framework because it includes all stages of government, as well as ensures all Americans receive affordable, quality health insurance and coverage. References Dictionary.com, LLC. (2014). Effectiveness. Retrieved from http://dictionary.referance.com/browse/effectiveness Huffman, J. (2012). Obamacare vs. Federalism. Retrieved from www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/119436 Levin-Waldman, O. M. (2012). American government. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. ObamaCareFacts. (2014). ObamaCare Facts: Facts on the Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-facts.php ObamaCareFacts. (2014). ObamaCare: Pros and Cons of ObamaCare. Retrieved from obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-pros-and-cons.php Salem Press Encyclopedia. (2013). Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Overview. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?sid=2b1be3dd-154d-43ab-84e9-aeeaa71be0c7%40sessionmgr4004&vid=5&hid=4205&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=ers%AN=89158281

Spanish Shawl Nudibranch - Flabellina iodinea Profile

Spanish Shawl Nudibranch - Flabellina iodinea Profile    The Spanish shawl nudibranch (Flabellina iodinea), also known as the purple aeolis, is a striking nudibranch, with a purple or bluish body, red rhinophores and orange cerata. Spanish shawl nudibranchs can grow to about 2.75 inches in length. Unlike some nudibranchs, which remain on their chosen substrate, this nudibranch can swim in the water column by flexing its body from side to side in a u-shape. Click here for a video of a Spanish shawl nudibranch swimming. Seeing this nudibranch swimming may remind you of the fringed shawls worn by Flamenco dancers, for which this nudibranch gets its name.    Classification:    Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Nudibranchia Family: Flabellinoidea Genus: Flabellina species: iodinea    Habitat and Distribution: You might think of a colorful creature like this as inaccessible - but Spanish shawl nudibranchs are found in relatively shallow water in the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia, Canada to the Galapagos Islands. They can be found in intertidal areas out to a water depth of about 130 feet. Feeding: This nudibranch feeds on a species of hydroid (Eudendrium ramosum), which possesses a pigment called astaxanthin. This pigment gives the Spanish shawl nudibranch its brilliant color. In the Spanish shawl nudibranch, the astaxanthin shows up in 3 different states, creating the purple, orange and red colors found on this species. Astaxanthin is also found in other marine creatures, including lobsters (which contributes to the lobsters red appearance when cooked), krill, and salmon. Reproduction:    Nudibranchs are hermaphroditic - they poses reproductive organs of both sexes, so they can mate opportunistically when another nudibranch is nearby. Mating occurs when two nudibranchs get together - the reproductive organs are on the right side of the body, so the nudibranchs match up their right sides. Usually both animals pass sperm sacs through a tube, and eggs are laid. Nudibranchs may be found first by seeing their eggs - if you see eggs, the adults who laid them may be nearby. The Spanish shawl nudibranch lays ribbons of eggs that are pinkish-orange in color, and are often found on the hydroids upon which it preys. After about a week, the eggs develop into free-swimming veligers, which eventually settle on the ocean bottom as a miniature nudibranch that grows into a larger adult.    Sources:    Goddard, J.H.R. 2000. Flabellina iodinea (Cooper, 1862).  Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Accessed November 11, 2011.McDonald, G. Intertidal Invertebrates of the Monterey Bay Area, California.  Accessed November 11, 2011.Rosenberg, G. and Bouchet, P. 2011. Flabellina iodinea (J. G. Cooper, 1863). World Register of Marine Species. Accessed on November 14, 2011.SeaLifeBase. Flabellina iodinea. Accessed November 14, 2011.

Cold Weather Reduces Hybrid Fuel Mileage

Cold Weather Reduces Hybrid Fuel Mileage It’s not just the frozen toes and icy temps that can get ya down at this time of the year. It’s filling up at the pump too. Yet even if you drive a hybrid- and love its feel good fuel mileage, they also take a hit in fuel economy when the mercury dips. Why does hybrid fuel economy drop in winter weather? Well, not only do hybrids suffer many of the same cold weather fuel economy losses of a conventional vehicle, but the hybrid electrical systems lose efficiency toowhich equates to a drop in mileage. Hybrid System Temperature – Just like the vehicles internal combustion engine, its hybrid system components (especially the battery) work best when they are warm. The onboard hybrid battery depends upon a chemical reaction to both release energy to the electric drive motor and accept charge during regenerative braking. This reaction is severely hampered when the battery is cold, so the engine runs longer and more frequently to make up the deficit while the battery warms up. Passenger Compartment Heat - Hybrids, just like conventional cars, rely on hot engine coolant circulating through the heater core (heat exchanger) to keep the cabin warm. Obviously, the engine needs to run more frequently to keep up with heater demand. The higher the heater setting, the longer the engine runs. Heavy Defroster Use - Running the defroster can also pull down the mileage. When the defroster is on, not only is it dispensing heat from the heater core, but it also runs the AC compressor to remove moisture from the air. Though its good for the compressor to run periodic cycles in the colder weather (to preserve the integrity of the internal seals), excessive use does reduce fuel economy. In most hybrids, the compressor is run by its own electric motor instead of a belt from the engine, but this doesnt allow the compressor to run penalty-free. That extra electric discharge will require more frequent recharging of the hybrid battery. Running the compressor does hurt fuel mileage. The following two points hybrids share with conventional vehicles: Unburned Fuel – Gasoline just doesn’t atomize and burn as well in a cold engine- tiny droplets of unburned fuel remaining in the cylinder are evacuated with the exhaust. That unburned fuel tallies up to a loss in power- using more fuel to go the same distance- not to mention, substantially increasing the your engines emissions. Tire Pressure Drops – It’s just a law of physics. Colder temperatures cause the pressure in those tires to drop, about 1 to 2 psi for every 10 degrees in temperature drop. Low tire pressure creates extra rolling resistance and friction, and hence, lost fuel economy. How to Improve Hybrid Fuel Mileage Watch that Thermostat - Just as youd turn down the heat in your house to save fuel, set the vehicles heater to the lowest comfortable level.Heat the Seats - If your hybrid has them, take advantage of the electrically-heated seats. The heat from the seats keeps you comfy and reduces the need to heat the whole cabin.Beat the Defroster Penalty - Setting the heater in defrost mode is the easiest way to quickly clear heavily frosted windows (especially the windshield). However, once the cabin is warm and the windows are clear, turn the defroster offin most cases, cabin heat will keep the windows fairly frost-free. Turn on the defroster and cycle only as needed.Garage It – If it’s available, use it. Even if it entails giving that extra junk to the local thrift shop first, parking your vehicle in a garage will keep it warmerand that means a shorter warm-up to reach optimum operating temperature.Get Your Act Together – Yes, organizing and pre-planning your errands will m aximize your time and fuel, since a warmed up car utilizes fuel more efficiently- in addition to making the most of your time as well. Ease Up With the Lead Foot – With black ice and slushy roadways a wintertime reality, not only is it safer to go easier on the accelerator, it’s a smart (and easy) way to save fuel.Check That Tire Pressure - Keep those tires inflated at (or even a bit above) the recommended range. Many manufacturers recommendations for tire pressure are suited for ride comfort while forsaking fuel economy. We usually run our tires several pounds higher for an extra bit of economy.

Appearance May Not Be Reality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Appearance May Not Be Reality - Research Paper Example It is illegal to report data falsely. General hospital would be liable if patients such as, the Jones family, sustained infection after seeking treatment from the hospital (Pozgar, 2013). Several elements of the ACHE code of ethics would help an administrator of General hospital in determining the right course of action to take. One of those elements is the one that encourages healthcare management to disclose conflicts of interest. Another element appropriate to this case is one that admonishes healthcare executives to desist from taking part in activities that are demeaning to the credibility and dignity of the profession of the management of healthcare. The administrator can invoke the element of the ACHE code of ethics that calls for them to ensure patients are informed about opportunities, responsibilities and risks involved in certain healthcare services. A General hospital administrator should also implore the guidance of the ACHE code of ethics that would help resolve any conflict that would emerge between patients and the organization’s personnel. Additionally, it would be appropriate to refer to the ACHE code of ethics that promotes the need to have evidence-based clinical practices in a healthcare organization. The administrator’s course of action should be guided by the element that promotes the use of sound business practices. It is advisable for the administrator to follow the element on truthful dissemination of information (ACHE, 2014). Members of General Hospital’s ethics committee should push an assessment of hospital staff awareness and attitudes towards bioethics. These members should convene departmental meetings to discuss the issue of faulty reporting. Ethics committee members should liaise with nursing managers in working a way out of the problem created by the issue. They need to reach out to ethics committees of other healthcare organizations and learn

Creating Web Presence Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Creating Web Presence - Case Study Example Although Wordpress is primarily considered as an authoring platform (Shamah), it has effectively exceeded this reputation and has extended the locus of its influence beyond blogs. Since its inception, Wordpress has continuously added to its arsenal of extremely useful tools and features. Wordpress allows integration of advanced features such as using shopping carts, mailing lists, and integration with social networking websites which helps generate and maintain traffic on a blog, which is essentially its lifeline. Another important factor that tipped the decision scale in Wordpress’ favor was the availability of widgets and plugins. Wordpress allows users to upload information in a very easy, simple and elegant way (Shamah). In a nutshell, these capabilities have allowed Wordpress to become a content management system. Another reason why Wordpress was preferable to other platforms is its multilingual capability as it is available in all the major and minor world languages including some of the archaic ones as well. However, the crucial factor that helped finalize Wordpress as the platform for my Web Presence was the fact that Wordpress is free and easy to set up. Wordpress software is readily available online and can be downloaded for installation on web host of our choice and this allowed me to finalize Wordpress as the platform of my choosing. The process of creation began with signing up for Wordpress and a URL https://yimingzeng.wordpress.com/ was selected. Blogs on Wordpress rely heavily on themes and pre-designed Hemingway theme was chosen. As required by assignment instructions, five pages were created namely Home, About Me, Pizza Hut, Making a Pizza and Exegesis. The theme was customized slightly to include a picture of my choice and to give the blog a Title.  Ã‚