Violence in Sports

Comedian Rodney Dangerfield once joked, â€Å"I went to the fight the other night and a hockey game broke out†, but violence in sports is a continuous problem that is not amusing. Whether the conversation is the about the â€Å"blood games† of the Ancient Greeks and Romans or the 2012 NFL season, there is one common factor and it is violence. Over the course of history sporting events have become more civilized which does not make the â€Å"blood games† and Monday Night Football an apples to apples comparison, however one cannot debate the fact that violence still remains a main stay in sports today.The real debate is who is responsible for its continuous existence. Has society witnessed so much violence that sports would not be sports without it? Did the media and the commercialization of sports help keep violence alive in today’s games? Is there truly enough evidence to pinpoint the real culprit or can we all mutually agree that all parties are to blame? The author argues that much of the violence in sports today involves overconformity to the norms of the sport ethic which is absolutely valid.Jay Coakley discusses how athletes may use violence to enhance their status amongst peers and gain popularity with spectators. He believes some athletes compensate their insecurities with extreme measures to prove themselves because â€Å"they are only as good as their last game†. Every day athletes are looking to make that big devastating hit that will have fans jumping out of their seats, teammates giving them high fives and coaches praising them in team film sessions. They have a desire to gain a reputation that demands respects, a player with a killer instinct that opponents fear.While I agree with Coakley, it is only to a certain degree. In today’s society you must factor in the media and the commercialization of sports as well. Players understand that the big hit will gain them the respect they desire, but it will also gai n a clip in ESPN’s top ten highlights. Players in today’s game have a need to be noticed and recognized by the media because it will lead to cashing in on a big time sports contract and endorsement deals. Back in the 1970’s players demanded respect because they wanted to be a tough guy which is also true today, but now they prefer to be a famous rich tough guy.Violence in sports does not only exist within the participants of sporting events either, which continues to build on the Coakley’s argument that athletes use violence in an effort to gain spectators popularity. Sports fans fighting against other fans for obscene comments toward each other, wearing the wrong jersey in the wrong section, or looking to fight players for poor performances are becoming the norm. These events are putting fans in a state of wanting, in fact needing violence in order to be satisfied with sporting events.Soccer has become a sport that is synonymous with fan violence. Soccer fans have no level of fear when it comes to violence and it has come the point that soccer players are scared of their own fans. Alexei Barrionuevo and Charles Newberry of the NY Times wrote an article discussing the extreme fan hostility and violence that occurs in Argentinian soccer. There is an organization in Argentina dedicated to ending violence in soccer named Let’s Save Football, but there existence is not enough to deter the violence.In fact the president of the organization Monica Nizzard, stated, â€Å"We don’t feel safe inside of our stadiums in Argentina†, â€Å"That is why families have stopped going. † (NY Times 2011). This is just one example of many fans creating a violent atmosphere that exists in sports today. Coalkey also describes a scene from Pat Conroy’s novel The Prince of Tides that has a coach addressing his team in a manner that puts a player in a state of mind looking to create a violent experience.However he states â⠂¬Å"many coaches don’t use such vivid vocabulary because they know it can inspire dangerous forms of violence† and then adds that these coaches seek athletes that already think that way. He is correct, but at the same time incorrect. For example, the NFL recently made headlines with the New Orleans Saints â€Å"bounty program† where MSN Fox Sports quoted defensive coordinator Greg Williams quoted as saying, †We need to decide whether Crabtree wants to be a (expletive) prima donna or he wants to be a tough guy. He becomes human when we †¦ take out that outside ACL. ‘ (Associated Press 2012). Coaches are just as responsible for violence in sports as the athletes. Some coaches may not be quoted like Greg Williams was, but on both amateur and professional levels coaches prepare game speeches about going to war with the enemy†¦not go give it your best effort. Below is a recent controversial video of a football coach that may or may not have assau lted an opposing 7th grade football player depending on your side of the situation. Regardless of the opinion on his actions it makes people wonder what this coach may be saying when the camera is not on. http://network. ardbarker. com/high_school/article_external/backyard/new_video_emerges_of_youth_coach_assaulting_player/12191230? refmod=backyard=foxsports Sports play a significant role in society and grab the attention of millions of viewers while impacting the lives of hundreds of thousands of athletes. Some athletes use violence as a basic instinct while playing sports. Some athletes will use it as a means to gain money, power and respect. Some fans will cheer for violence and some fans will jeer against it. Coaches and parents will teach their children the right and wrong of violence in sports.With all that said, violence is not doing a disappearing magic act from sports. It used to exist, still exists and will continue to exist. Throughout all of my reading for this assignmen t I go back to one quote from Dan Lebowitz, executive director of the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University in Boston†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Questioning violence in sports offers an opportunity to question humanity in general. † (Discovery News, 2012) Cited References BarrioNuevo, A and Newberry, C. (2011, Nov. 26). In Argentina, Violence is Part of the Soccer Culture. Retrieved from NYTimes. com: http://www. nytimes. om/2011/11/27/sports/soccer/in-argentina-violence-is-part-of-the-soccer-culture. html? pagewanted=all=0 This article discusses the extremely violent nature of soccer in Argentina. It goes into detail the actions of violent Argentinian soccer fans. It also discusses how they are attempting to put a stop to the violence. Associated Press (2012, April 06). Report: Tape Captured Bounty Offer Retrieved from Fox Sports: http://msn. foxsports. com/nfl/story/gregg-williams-instructed-new-orleans-saints-players-to-injure-san-francisco-49ers-040512 In t his article the author discusses the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal.It discusses the first released quotes from Coach Greg Williams regarding the bounties. It goes into detail about the entire tape and how it impacts the bounty scandal. Issac, A. (2012, Nov. 12). MNew Video Emerges of Youth Coach Assualting Playerke's Neon- Retrieved from Fox Sports: http://network. yardbarker. com/high_school/article_external/backyard/new_video_emerges_of_youth_coach_assaulting_player/12191230? refmod=backyard&refsrc=foxsports The video clip was used as a reference. The video shows a clip of a youth football coach assaulting an opposing 7th grade player.It details the legal action taken place against the coach and how it has affected his life. The player’s mother also speaks out against the coach. Sohn, E. (2012, March 07). Is Violence in Sport Inevitable Retrieved from Discovery News: http://news. discovery. com/adventure/violence-sports-football-120307. html The author discusses violenc e in sports and fans reactions to violence. It discusses actual fan violence as well as the viewership reactions to violence. The author also discusses the impact violence would have on sports if it did not exist.

Music, Race, and Nation

Peter Wade’s Music, Race, and Nation is a book that takes a long look at something that the author clearly has a passion for. Not only does Wade have a clear and honest passion for the cultures of South America, but it is clear through his writing that Wade has spent plenty of time researching the things that he writes about. In the book, Wade’s primary goal is to shed a fun and interesting light on the cultural dances which are such a part of the culture in places like Colombia. After reading the work, it would seem foolish for anyone to argue that Wade did not achieve his stated objectives, as he clearly hits the mark with both his message and the overall presentation of that message to the reader. The basic themes presented in this book are a bit heavier than one might expect when they pick it up, but after reading, one can clearly understand why they were included. In Colombia, the music is a huge part of the cultural fabric there. In a nation that has long been dominated by white people and their overbearing culture, a mostly African dance takes hold and becomes a staple of the country. In order to truly understand the social dynamic that exists in Colombia, one has to understand the interesting dynamic presented with the relationship between the music and the people who enjoy it. Wade seems to understand the importance of this theme and because of his understanding; he does everything within his power to impart that knowledge to those who read the book. The presentation of this theme is somewhat different when compared to other works, but in the context of his objectives, the presentation certainly works. Before Wade gets started with the deeper and more complicated themes in his book, he makes sure that the reader has a strong grasp on the history of the subject at hand. Because the majority of people reading his book do not have a firm understanding of the basic pretenses on which it was written, Wade had to give those readers a crash course, or else they would be lost. In this regard, he succeeds beautifully. The organizational tactics used in this work give the reader a chance, while other books with similar themes might preclude those people who do not already have a basic understanding of Colombian culture. From that history, Wade does not just jump to his next theme. As any good author would, he builds upon the history that he has established in order to show how the music and dancing is interwoven into the country’s history. This is a very interesting way to present a thesis to readers and in this case, it is an effective means to the stated end. In this work, Peter Wade sticks to the point and never deviates from that. This is a fine line to walk when it comes to presenting a book with some history involved. Authors want to include enough information so that their readers can understand, but they do not want to include so much information that the readers feel like they are taking another history class. Wade walks this fine line and never falls over into the dreaded scholastic feel with this work. He gives the reader exactly what he or she needs and he does not do it with much fluff. The styling of the writing is simplistic enough to stay on point, yet it flows with enough grace to be easily readable. In short, Wade hit a home run with his diction and style. His writing is almost like the dance that it is describing. When one considers this book’s overall contribution to the topic that it addresses, it is easy to see why the book has been so successful. Though a few books have been written about South American music and South American culture, few have done it with this much passion. When the author cares about the subject matter contained in the book, that comes out through the writing. After flipping only a few pages, readers can tell that they are reading a work by an author that has a deep, profound understanding of Colombian culture. In addition, this book speaks to the importance of the Colombian music in the development of the culture of that country. This is an important theme that absolutely must be captured if individuals want to fully grasp the culture of Colombia. In regards to impact, it sheds a positive light on something that people did not know very much about. It brings to the forefront a brand of music that helped create a nation and helped create a culture that is often misunderstood. The work is a good one for a number of reasons. No book can be considered perfect, but this one is perfect in that it achieves its set objectives. When writers like Wade pour their heart and soul into the research of a subject, the resulting work bares that out. Music, Race, and Nation is one of those works. Â  

High School and Cousin Jimmy Essay

The day I got scared to death was my first time going to Cedar Point and going on a really big roller coaster. I was nervous. I was in the line with my cousin Jimmy and my other cousins to go on the corkscrew. My stomach started the turn I started to shake my mind was saying get out of the line but I wanted to go on my whole life. I had to go on with my cousins Michael and Jimmy instead of Olivia or Rebekah. Michael, Jimmy and I were only two people away from getting on. Then Jimmy said,† I was afraid when I went on my first roller coaster too. † Michael said,† no you weren’t† that made me laugh. That made me think that it isn’t so scary after all. Just then I heard someone say that it’s too scary. That made me wish that I never wanted to go on. We’re up next. I got in the seat with Jimmy I thought I was going to puke. At this time I was excited and scared. The seatbelt was on; there was no turning back now. The person pushed the button and we went up the very steep hill. We stopped at the top. My eyes were completely closed. My heart was pounding faster and faster. I knew my cousins in front of me so I said to them, â€Å"are you scared? † I didn’t get to hear them because by then we zipped down the coaster. I was screaming so loud I thought I was going to lose my voice. I got dizzy when we went around in circles three times. Finally the ride came to a halt. I felt relieved that it was over. I said to my self that I conquered my fear. I was happy that it was done. I still felt sick but I knew that I could do it all along. At that point I found out that my cousins also scared too! Now I can’t wait to go on the Gemini, Top Thrill Dragster, the Dragon, and the Mine Ride. I still think my cousin acted a little bit too young for their age because a high school student shouldn’t be screaming at the top of their lungs same goes with my other cousin who was in high school. Only a middle school students and third graders should scream. View as multi-pages TOPICS IN THIS DOCUMENT High school, Middle school, Cedar Point, Top Thrill Dragster, Roller coaster, English-language films, College, Debut albums RELATED DOCUMENTS high school †¦ reservation community I passed two Navajo youth leaning against the wall, one leg propped behind them for support. They wore black tee-shirts, one declaring â€Å"Indian Pride on the Rise,† the other showing a heavy metal rock group â€Å"Twisted Sister. † Both wore high topped basketball shoes and hair free flowing to their shoulders. One spoke to me. â€Å"Hey, are you the lady who is talking to dropouts? You should talk to me. I’m a professional dropout. † I did. And to many others. Their†¦ 410   Words | 3   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Philippine Science High School †¦? 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He seemed perfectly healthy, but in actuality, he suffered brain†¦ 410   Words | 5   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Report: High School and Attendance †¦ Improving Attendance at Beech Grove Intermediate School: A Recommendation Report ________________________________________ Introduction Like other schools around the nation, Beech Grove Intermediate School is experiencing a serious problem with attendance. This has been cited as a problem and something that†¦ 410   Words. READ FULL DOCUMENT Successful: High School and People †¦? Tamera Wilson Mrs. Jenkins English IV/0091 College Prep 24 February 2014 SUCCESSFUL My standards are set high as I watch people try to bring me down each and every day. They try to tell me all the negatives things on how I’m not going to be anything. This makes me want to try harder. All my life I been struggling and stressing, that’s why I came in a pathway with aggression. Where I’m from I see nothing that can lead me to be successful in life. I had been though the†¦ 410   Words | 3   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT. Post high school plan †¦ coach your team to do the same. 4. Conflicting Goals Sometimes we have conflicting goals in our work. For instance, one of our managers might tell us that speed is most important goal with customers. Another manager might say that in-depth, high-quality service is the top priority. It’s sometimes quite difficult to reconcile the two! Whenever you set goals for your team members, make sure that those goals don’t conflict with other goals set for that person, or set†¦ 410   Words | 7   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Essays: High School †¦ what da hell let me sign up man I just want essays. Rainy day This year the summer season was unduly long and extremely hot. It was July, the schools had reopened. The scorching sun and the extreme heat had made life unbearable. Going to the school, studying in the class or playing on the ground all seemed to be a punishment. One morning, clouds . Rain is a great blessing after the summer heat. In India the scorching heat of the summer months of May and June causes†¦ 410   Words | 4   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT First day of high school essay †¦ My First Day of High School â€Å"Beep, Beep, Beep! † 6:00 A. M my alarm clock was activated, it was time for me to get ready and prepared myself for my first day of High School as a freshman student in Piscataway Vo – Tech High School. Fear, excitement, and all of these different emotions were running through my head as I wondered how difficult high school would be, who I would sit†¦ 410   Words | 3   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT CITE THIS DOCUMENT APA (2014, 09). High School and Cousin Jimmy.

Solar Energy Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Solar Energy Systems - Research Paper Example The available fossil fuel stocks are believed to be sufficient enough for thirty or forty years more if the consumptions continues in the present rate. Even though explorations are going on for finding out new fossil fuels sources, the outcomes are not much encouraging. In short, it is necessary for the mankind to identify alternate energy sources which are capable of replacing fossil fuels. Even though plenty of energy sources are in discussion for future use, all of them have some kind of drawbacks. The recent tsunami attack on Japan’s nuclear power stations and the subsequent problems raised many questions about the logic of relying heavily on nuclear power in future. Solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, geothermal energy, hydroelectric power etc are some of the other energy sources which are discussed at present as future energy source. However, solar energy seems to be alternate option in future when we consider its renewable nature. Chapo (2004) mentioned that â€Å"On a smaller scale, there are solar panel packs that fold out like a small ledger and are used to power up anything from laptops to cell phones† (Chapo). One of the most difficult problems associated with the utilization of solar energy is the problems in converting solar energy into other forms of useful energy. The current solar energy conversion technologies are extremely poor and therefore we can use it only for purposes like boiling water and in solar devices such as calculators, watches etc. In other words, the available technologies to convert solar energy into useful forms of energy are expensive now. This paper analyses different topics related to Solar Energy Systems. A solar collector consists of a network of pipes through which water (or in colder climates, antifreeze) is heated. Collectors come in various sizes, with 4 by 8 feet (1.2 x 2.4 m) the most common. The three most common mounting systems for solar

Paper on Summa Theologica, Q. 94, art. 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Paper on Summa Theologica, Q. 94, art. 2 - Essay Example Nevertheless, the book can already stood on its own as a basis of creating an excellent and moral society based on theological laws. 1. Christianity is the official religion of the state. Citizens may only adopt Christianity and its different variations as a manner and method of praising of God, for Jesus Christ is the way through man’s divinity. 2. The state should protect the individual and make him or her free from any forms of threat and unjust vexation from outside force. Protection of the individual is necessary because man is in the likeness of God. An assault to man due to laxity of the state in unforgivable. Security therefore must be achieved to protect God and his likeness which is man. Explanation: This proposed law is consistent with Aquinas â€Å"The end or term of production of man† as enunciated in Question 94. The image of God is in man as Aquinas justified â€Å""Where an image exists, there forthwith is likeness; but where there is likeness, there is not necessarily an image" (Summa Theologica Question 94). Protecting its citizens therefore is also an act of protecting God’s likeness because man is created in the image and likeness of God Explanation: Perhaps this portion of the Question is the crowning glory of Summa Theologica because it explicated reason and excellence is part of Divine Plan. That to achieve divinity, it would be necessary to develop man to become perfect that he is now. Quoting St. Thomas Aquinas in Question 94, he said that â€Å"The first man did not see God through His Essence if we consider the ordinary state of that life; unless, perhaps, it be said that he saw God in a vision, when "God cast a deep sleep upon Adam" (Gn. 2:21). The reason is because, since in the Divine Essence is beatitude itself, the intellect of a man who sees the Divine Essence has the same relation to God as a man has to beatitude† (Summa Theologica Question 94). In essence, Aquinas is saying that man can only see the

Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal - Essay Example The essay "Abstract Expressionism - Art and Surreal" analyzes artworks of abstract expressionism. Surrealism in art derives its meaning as a manifestation of â€Å"a style of art and literature developed principally in the 20th century, stressing the subconscious or non-rational significance of imagery arrived at by automatism or the exploitation of chance effects, unexpected juxtapositions, etc". The works of Hans Hoffman and Jackson Pollack are examples of works exemplifying abstract expressionism and the application of surrealist ideas in terms of the free flow of improvised expressions of designs, colors and style depicted in their art works. Both artists employed the technique of action painting, defined as â€Å"a highly-charged, impulsive abstract painting technique during which paint is energetically splashed, spilt or dribbled onto a canvas, usually placed face-up on the floor†. Pollack’s One: Number 31 created in 1950 is basically shown in colors black, white and grey on a brown backdrop with obvious but artistic rendition of the drip technique. Hoffman’s Spring is more colorful with more lively hues of red, yellow, green and intermittent blue in conjunction with the white, black and gray drips and splashes. A connection between the two art works could be deduced from the similarities in style and drips forming long elongated lines that curve into an intricate web of patterns interwoven with other colors. Pollack created more splashes as evidenced by tiny blots of black paint just by the edge of the frame.

Preventing biodiversity reduction in the coastal zone Essay

Preventing biodiversity reduction in the coastal zone - Essay Example Biodiversity have three levels - genetic diversity (i.e. diversity of genes within a species and between species), species diversity (refers to the differences in populations within a species, between populations, and between the various species), and ecosystem diversity (refers to the various habitats, biological communities and ecological systems; also denotes differences within ecosystems) (Ecological Society 1997). An ecosystem remains stable and balanced due to the variety and richness of organisms and species. The relationship of the varied species within an ecosystem has been well documented that destruction or extinction of one species may affect other living things, which may even lead to the extinction of the other species in the ecosystem. Thus, preserving and protecting one species in a particular area is similarly protecting the rest of the species. This is equally true to land-based species and sea and coastal creatures. Biodiversity denotes ecosystem balance and surviv al of the species within the system. Degradation in Biodiversity Generally, the ecosystem remains balanced in its usual natural course. The imbalance occurs when outside elements interfere with the usual processes. Man has interfered with the natural ecosystem for a long time. One form of invasion is by establishing habitation in the coastal areas (Water ecology 2009). It is reported that an estimated two-thirds of the total population lives near or along the coasts (Water ecology 2009). In fact, wetlands and some coastal areas are being dried by people in order to reclaim land for urban expansion (Water ecology 2009). The wetlands are also converted for farming, mining, gas and oil extraction, and highways for land transportation (Water ecology 2009). Sewage run-off and toxic contaminants (e.g. pesticides, heavy metals) are passed to coastal zones that become concentrated over a period of time (Water ecology 2009). These chemicals threaten aquatic life and biodiversity. Over-fishin g of a certain species without proper regulation likewise degrades biodiversity (Water ecology 2009). The coral reefs, that comprise a great number of plants and animals, are important in the coastal ecosystem balance. Ten percent of the coral reefs worldwide are being destroyed by human beings and only half of the countries around the world are capable of protecting them due to the expense that it entails (Water ecology 2009). According to Island Resources Foundation (1996), tourism has a greater indirect contribution to the degradation of coastal waters in terms of oil, fertilizer and pesticide pollution. The foundation’s report cited the US Virgin Islands waters that received oil spills from motorized vessels such as yacht, ferry and cruise ship (Island Resources Foundation 1996). In the Sarasota Bay and the Corpus Christy National Estuary Program assessments, the care practices for golf courses and condominium resorts release nitrate and phosphate to the waters during run off of storm water (Sarasota, 1993, cited in Island Resources Foundation 1996). It was also reported that the top 20 percent of countries that depend on tourism (e.g. Cayman Islands, Northern Netherlands Antilles, Anguilla, etc.) suffered environmental degradation that include reef, mangrove and related ecosystem damages (e.g. damage caused by anchors, clearing of mangrove, use of dynamite, littering, etc.) (Hoagland, et al. 1995, cited in Island Resources Foundation 1996). An alteration in the coastal zone such as construction of piers and wharves which

Literature review on performance management Essay

Literature review on performance management - Essay Example t part summarizes the performance management process, the second part discusses the reasons for failure of performance management systems and the last part relates these reasons for failure to my organization. Here the organization must clarify the mission, goals, priorities and expectations to be achieved. Effective goals and objectives should be; clearly define end results to be accomplished, should have a direct link to organization success factors, set in not more than three areas as attempting to achieve too many different goals at once impede success and should be difficult but achievable so as to motivate performance (Pulakos, 2004). Performance management planning is a tool of communication for ensuring mutual understanding of work responsibilities, priorities and performance expectations (Indiana University, 2005). The planner must review with the employees, both the expected results and the expected outputs during the performance management cycle. These behavioral and results expectation must be tied to the organization’s strategic goals and objectives (Pulakos, 2004). After the managers have set objectives and standards and communicated to all the employees. Their next role is observing how the employees put the set guidelines into practice and providing feedback. The managers should reinforce strong performance by an employee, identify, and encourage improvement where it is needed. Coaching is one method that the managers can use in improving employees’ productivity. University of California (n.d) explains, â€Å"Coaching sessions provide you and the employee the opportunity to discuss progress towards meeting mutually-established standards and goals† (para 4). According to the University, coaching is important because; it strengthens communication between the manager and the employee, it helps the employees to attain performance objectives, it improves employee motivation and commitment, it maintains and increases the employees’ self-esteem

Leadership in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership in Management - Essay Example Though nowadays, even this statement can be proved false. I say this because the world, in which we are living, has become so advanced that we can even say that leaders can be made. But we will focus our study on a born leader. He is also known as a synonym for Apple Inc. He is Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs was born in 24th February 1955 in San Francisco. He stayed with his adopted parents since he was born because his own parents never accepted him. So since child hood he had a feeling of abundance, which created the fire within him to become a famous leader one day. Jobs co-founded Apple in his parent’s garage in the year 1976. Though he lost the tussle with the board of director in Apple and had to leave, he did not give up (Northouse, 2009, p. 2-4). He decided to start NeXT computers in 1985, which was acquired by Apple Inc. He had a unique quality from childhood to fight with his situations. So in this case also he never sat back to repent on the bitter experiences that he had i n his life. One of the most important qualities of a leader is to face defeat with a smile on face. Apple computer was in a very difficult position when Steve Jobs joined apple as the interim CEO. In the mean while he also bought Pixar, a computer graphics company in1986. Later Walt Disney bought it from him and Jobs became the highest individual shareholder and one of the board members of Walt Disney. This shows that he was a visionary. He was very well aware of the steps that he took and the results of his decisions. He had an excellent team of employees who gave shape to his dreams. He was a very harsh with his words. At many times he spoke harshly with his employees. But they never left him to go for another job. The employees of Apple Inc. would be welcomed at any big company. But the aura of Jobs was such that 80% of his harsh words were accepted to be true. He was considered to be a charismatic leader (New Charter University, 2012). Steve Jobs introduced a series of new produ cts like the Mac OS X, iTunes, iPod, iPads, and iPhone. He was a perfectionist and he was very clear with his product ideas and their performances in the market. So he always wanted that the best technology offered to the world market should a product from Apple. A true leader not only wants to stay ahead of his group but also ahead of everyone. He has earned a lot of recognition, awards and for his achievements. But the more important fact than this is that he has great leadership qualities which made him stand out from the rest. He entered Apple computers when it was on the verge of closure. He not only revived the company but made it a market leader. A far sighted leader can only perform such miracle. Background Leadership means influencing people. It signifies creating a change in the society and in the minds of people and directs them towards achieving a goal. The person possessing these qualities is considered a leader. A good leader is one who follows his followers as followe rs are those who appreciates the quality of a person and considers him their leader. Leaders do not accept the norms of the society as they are they go against the flow, to set their own path. A leader has certain important leadership traits such integrity, self-confidence, intelligence and determination. Steve Jobs possessed all these qualities. Not only did he possessed them but also utilized them to integrate others too. He was always confident about his innovations, determined that they would do well in the market and he was intelligent enough to shape them also in products. Moreover, he always followed an ethical style. I say this because

Stopping by on a Snowy Evening Essay Example for Free

Stopping by on a Snowy Evening Essay Choose a poem in which the creation of mood or atmosphere is an important feature. Show how the poet creates the mood or atmosphere, and discuss its importance in your appreciation of the poem as a whole. A reflective mood is created in the poem stopping by woods on a snowy evening by Robert Frost. The poem is about man who stops by some woods on a snowy evening. He takes in the lovely scene in near silence and is tempted to stay for longer but acknowledges the obligations he must keep. He also mentions the distance he faces before he can to sleep which by the language used in the poem ‘sleep’ actually suggests death. At first the poem gives the impression that it is simply describing a man who is on a journey and quietly stops to observe the winter weather but through the writer’s techniques of word choice and structure. It becomes apparent that the poem is about his inner feelings towards the place rather than just a description. The mystery surrounding this quiet place causes the poet to stop and reflect on his life. The quiet or reflective mood of the poem is set firstly, by its simple verse structure and close rhyming scheme. The poem has a gentle rhythm almost like a nursery rhyme even stresses on each line and the a,a,b,a rhyming scheme creates a very relaxed atmosphere. This is reinforced by the poet’s use of literally simple words throughout the poem and short, simple sentences. On the surface the poem seems to be simple but the connotations of the words are actually quite complex. The weather and timing of this stop are both significant. It is snowing heavily, with ‘the woods filling up with snow’. This creates an image of the poet losing his tracks and becoming covered in a blanket implying that he wishes to rest here subtly suggestion death. The fact that the poet stops here on the ‘darkest day of the year’ (the day with least hours of sunlight) seems to reflect the poet’s mood of darkness. The poem develops elements of oddness about the poet stopping in this location. As the poet describes how his horse ‘must think it queer to stop without a farmhouse near’ implies that the isolated location is not a usual place for the horse and the poet to stop. This again is reiterated in stanza three by the horse giving ‘his harness bells a shake’ in almost a cry out for the poet to hurry up and get moving. However this behaviour of urgency by the horse is answered by the poet taking in the scenery and describing the peaceful scenery of â€Å"sweep of easy wind and downy flake†. The contrast between the bright sound of the ‘bells’ and the implied quietness of the â€Å"easy† and â€Å"downy† reflects the tension between motion and rest which lies at the heart of this poem. Stopping at this location gives the poet the chance to forget about everyday life and causes the poet to reflect on his own life. This therefore highlights the major conflict in the poem as the poet wants to stay in the woods because it is peaceful place and there are no responsibilities in the woods. Describing the woods a â€Å"lovely, dark and deep† again illustrates his fascination towards darkness and the desire of wanting a deep sleep- which both represent death. However the pull outside the woods such as â€Å"promises to keep† and the repetition of the last line â€Å"And miles to go before I sleep† suggests the poet is on stopping at the woods for a momentarily break from a busy and highly responsible life. The main conflict of the poem is the pulls between life and death. The poet describes this complex topic very well by using a simple writing style, rhyme and words which all help contain the poet’s mood and emotional state. The poet does not state points explicitly he rather leaves subtle traces of this remarkable occasion through word choice and metaphors. The repetition of the last sentence is a fitting conclusion for the poem as it allows the reader and the poet to consider the past and the present as well a life and death.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Post Surgery Care

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Post Surgery Care Introduction Nursing care of the patient following major surgery is a complex task, involving holistic management of patient wellbeing in the light of several challenges to health and homeostatic stability. This essay sets out to discuss the care of one such patient, following surgery to repair an abdominal aortic aneurysm. In order to address the issue and provide the highest possible standards of individualised care, nurses need a considerable knowledge base, gleaned from training, from ongoing updating, from the available evidence, and from their experience as professionals in their field. This essay will also set out to explore how nursing knowledge is applied to practice, always keeping the patient as the focus of care, with reference to the underlying physiology which relates to the patient’s condition. Nursing skills are also based on knowledge and experience, both the experience of the nurse themselves and the experience of those who have taught them, who work with them and who collaborate in the provision of care. While this essay focuses on the nurse’s role in relation to the case and the client, it is important to remember that nursing care does not take place within a vacuum, and reference will be made to those with whom the nurse must interact and engage as part of this role. The care of a patient following surgical abdominal aortic aneurysm repair follows the principles of general postoperative surgical care, along with specific interventions, monitoring and support that are a consequence of the condition and the nature of the surgery. The holistic management of this case must also take into account the psycho-social and emotional factors which may affect the case, given the life-threatening nature of the condition and the potential complications of the surgery. The Case David Grainger is a 65 year old man, who is retired and who tries to keep himself fit by playing golf. He had a history of recurrent pain underneath his rib cage for some month, and had been treating himself for indigestion with limited success. His friends became worried about him and his condition when he appeared to be losing weight, and so eventually David plucked up the courage to visit his GP. He was referred to the local hospital for tests, which eventually led to a diagnosis of abominal aortic aneurysm. David was later admitted to the surgical ward for surgery to repair the aneurysm. On return to the ward David had a blood transfusion running and a wound drain (Redivac) from the abdomen close to the surgical incision site. He had an indwelling Foley catheter with an hourly urine bag, which was changed to free drainage after 12 hours of adequate urine output, and a PCA (patient controlled analgesia) device in situ. He has a mepore dressing to the abdominal wound site. David has two IVI sites, one in each hand. The blood transfusion was running via the left hand, and normal saline (0.9%) was running in the other, along with the PCA, on a three-way tap. The day following surgery David’s temperature is recorded at 39.6c with an elevated pulse of 90bpm. He repeatedly complains of feeling cold. Discussion with the senior sister and the SHO suggests that David is experiencing a potential pyrexia. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a fairly common condition (the 14th leading cause of death in the US (Birkmeyer and Upchurch, 2007). It is a life-threatening condition (Isselbacher et al, 2005). The greatest risk of an AAA is the risk of rupture, which has a significant mortality rate attached to it (Birkmeyer and Upchurch, 2007). It is defined as an abnormal localised arterial dilation or ballooning that is greater than one and half times the artery’s normal circumference, and must involve all three layers of the vessel wall (Irwin, 2007). Abdominal aortic aneurysms are those which are located below the diaphragmatic border, and account for 75% of aortic aneurysms (Irwin, 2007). Men are four to five times more likely to develop the condition, and risk factors include smoking, hypertension and dyslipidemia, cellular changes in the tunica media associated with diseases such as Marfan syndrome, inflammation, and blunt trauma (Irwin, 2007). There is also a family history facto r, with increased risk amongst primary relatives of someone with AAA (Irwin, 2007). Another risk factor is atherosceloris, although someone without this condition can develop an aneurysm (Irwin, 2007). Repair is either through open surgical repair, through a large midline incision (Irwin, 2007). The procedure is major surgery, and the aorta is cross-clamped to allow the insertion of a synthetic graft which is attached to proximally and distally to health aortic tissue (Irwin, 2007). Another procedure is endovascular repair using a percutaneous vascular stent (Irwin, 2007; Beese-Bjustrom, 2004). In this procedure, a woven polyester tube covered by a stent is placed inside the aneurismal section of the abdominal aorta, which keeps normal blood flow away from the aneurysm, greatly reducing the risk of dissection and rupture (Bese-Bjustrom, 2004). In this case David underwent open surgery. Assessment Assessment of the patient’s condition is the first stage in nursing care planning and management, forming the basis of nursing decision making (Watson-Miller, 2005). A summary of assessment activities carried out for David can be found in Table 1. Table 1. Nursing Assessment of David on Day 1 Post-Op. Action Rationale Monitor Blood Pressure, Pulse, Pulse Oximetry Respirations Vital observations indicate changes in underlying condition. Low blood pressure with high pulse, for example, would be suggested of haemorrhage. After aneurysm repair, an elevated BP can stress the graft site and cause graft failure (Irwin, 2007). This also increases myocardial oxygen demand, and an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand may lead to myocardial ischaemia and lead to MI (Irwin, 2007). Respiratory rate must be monitored post-anaesthetic, and observation of respirations allows the nurse to prepare for preventive measures to reduce the risk of atelectasis or DVT. Four hourly observations are usual from 24 hours postoperatively (Zeitz, 2005). Monitor Temperature Usually carried out four hourly, to detect potential sings of pyrexia, or reaction to blood transfusion (Jones and Pegram, 2006) or medications. Another complication could be malignant hyperthermia, although this is rare and unlikely to develop this late postoperatively (Neacsu, 2006). Intravenous Monitoring and Fluid balance Monitor site for patency and condition; monitor fluid intake and rate; record fluid balance. IVI pump checked at this time. Urinary output via catheter also recorded. PCA/Pain Pump check should usually be every hour if a controlled drug is used in the PCA, and recorded on the appropriate chart. Pain levels assessed (Manias, 2003). Wound Dressing observed for signs of exudates; wound observed for signs of healing/infection/dehiscence. Wound drain Site observed for signs of infection; drain bottle check for amount and type of exudates; fluid balance recorded. Other monitoring specific to AAA repair. Fluid and electrolyte balance; neurological status; full blood count (elevated white count indicates infection) (Beese-Bjustrom, 2004) Assessment during the first 24 hours is usually aimed at establishing physiological equilibrium, managing pain, preventing complications and supporting the patient towards self-care (Watson-Miller, 2005). These are standard post-operative observations, but the care of the person having undergone abdominal aortic aneurysm repair may be somewhat more specific. Some of these areas will be dealt with in more detail below, considering the evidence base and the nature of nursing knowledge applied to the problem. The nursing knowledge applied in the assessment process derives from acquired knowledge (that gleaned during training, and study), and experiential knowledge, from previous experiences of applying theoretical knowledge to practice. If the nurse has previously cared for patients with this condition, she will apply that experience to this case. If not, the application of clinical, theoretical and other knowledge (such as colleagues’ experience) to the scenario, alongside thoro ugh understanding of physiological principles, should result in effective and appropriate care. The evidence base must also be utilised. Pyrexia Having identified a potential problem in relation to temperature regulation, it is important to plan for ongoing monitoring, identification of the cause of increased temperature, treatment of the cause and relief of symptoms. The cause of the temperature is most likely to an infection. Nosocomial infection is a concern after surgery, especially when the patient has an incision involving any aspect of the vascular system (Irwin, 2007). In order to prevent wound infection, David will be prescribed IV antibiotics, which will then be changed to oral antibiotics at the appropriate time (Irwin, 2007). Symptomatic relief of the pyrexia can be achieved by fan therapy and the administration of paracetamol, which can be given PR if David remains nil by mouth. However, the nurse would ensure this was prescribed and not contraindicated due to any interactions with David’s other medications. David’s increased temperature may also be due to the development of ischaemic colitis (a com plication of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair) and so white cell counts should be checked, as a raised count may be indicative of this (Beese-Bjustrom, 2004). The pyrexia may be in response to the blood transfusion (Jones and Pegram, 2006), although we would expect this to have developed earlier in the treatment. At this point, David’s pyrexia indicated a potential problem, and may not require paracetamol or fan therapy. Instead, prevention of the development of infection, and reassurance that his feeling of being cold may be due to raised temperature, may suffice. Blood Pressure Management and Fluid Balance. Keeping David’s blood pressure within the normal range is critical to maintain end organ perfusion, and so both hypertension and hypotension must be prevented in this case (Irwin, 007). In order to prevent hypertension and the complications described above, David may be given IV beta blockers, and will be monitored for any cardiovascular changes such as chest discomfort, ST-T wave changes, or dysrhythmias (Irwin, 2007). Given his stability 24 hours post-operatively, he may be moved from ITU to a high dependency or standard surgical ward, where telemetry may then be stopped. Monitoring mean arterial pressure and maintaining a reading of at least 70 mmHg can ensure proper perfusion of major organs, and this can be supported by careful infusion of intravenous fluids as described above (Irwin, 2007). In relation to fluid balance (and continuing organ functioning) a urine output of around 50ml/hour would indicate adequate glomerular filtration rate and renal perfusion (Irwin, 2007). Any deviations from these ‘ideals’ would be recorded and reported promptly to the appropriate members of the multi-disciplinary team (Irwin, 2007). Pain Management While David’s pain is being managed effectively with the Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) device, the use of a PCA is not a long-term means of pain management. Therefore, the planning stage of management of David’s care for the nurse looking after him should involved a collaborative plan for pain management. This may be in collaboration with the medical team, the anaesthetist, and David himself. A range of medications are available for David to use once he has reached a stage of being able to manage without the PCA, but it is also important that his pain be properly managed during the postoperative period, because good pain management will help David to mobilise properly and reduce the other postoperative risks, such as those of DVT, PE (Irwin, 2007) and pressure sore development. Another area to address is the prevention of atelectasis. Regardless of the type of surgical procedure, as many as 90% of patients who have a general anaesthetic develop some degree of atlectasis in the postoperative period ( Irwin, 2007; Pruitt, 2006). Pneumonia is another risk (Irwin, 2007). As well as the risks from having an anaesthetic anyway, David is at increased risk because he is more likely to demonstrate postoperative hypoventilation, because pain from abdominal surgery can prevent him from deep breathing and coughing which helps prevent atelectasis (Pruitt, 2006). David can be taught to splint the surgical site with a pillow or roll of blanket, and then carry out these breathing exercises – incentive spirometry, coughing and deep breathing – to help keep his lungs clear (Irwin, 2007). Adopting a good upright position also helps to increase lung capacity and encourage deeper breaths (Pruitt, 2006), and so good pain management is also important in supporting D avid to do this (Irwin, 2007). Adequate pain control is also essential to graft patency, because uncontrolled pain causes the release or epinephrine, noreinephrine, and other hormones that active the fight or flight response (Bryant et al, 2002). The consequent vasoconstriction can decrease blood flow through the graft and can increase risk of thrombus formation (Bryant et al, 2002). Alongside a drug therapy plan for pain management, it might also be appropriate to consider nondrug pain management as well (Tracy et al, 2006). Opioids used to manage postoperative pain can cause respiratory depression (Irwin, 2007). Some of the other advantages of nondrug pain management techniques is that they are readily available, inexpensive, and not associated with side effects, but the biggest advantage in this case is that they promote self-care and enhance personal control for one’s own health (Tracy et al, 2006). For David’s case, promoting self-care may have a number of beneficial effects on him holistically, given that he has recently experienced the diagnosis and treatment of a life-threatening condition (Manias, 2003). There is some evidence to suggest that tailored education and support in such therapies can benefit patient outcomes (Tracy et al, 2006), but this would require that the nurse is knowledgeable about the techniques, and that all members of t he multidisciplinary team are equally invested and have been prompted to include nondrug pain management in the care plan (Tracy et al, 2006). Prevention of Problems Associated with Aneurysm Repair. There are a number of potential complications of surgical abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, which are in addition to the usual postoperative risks. These include graft rupture, haemorrhage, and graft occlusion (Irwin, 2007). This is another reason for close monitoring of David’s haemodynamic status, because a drop in blood pressure or urine output, associated with increased heart rate and perhaps a change in mental status may indicated shock consequent to blood loss (Irwin, 2007). It is also important to carefully and frequently assess the abdomen, for pain, distension or increasing girth (Irwin, 2007). Graft occlusion may manifest as coronary ischaemia, MI, cerebral ischaemia or stroke, ischaemic colitis or even spinal cord ischaemia resulting in paralysis (Irwin, 2007). Similarly, occlusion of an abdominal graft can also compromise renal blood flow, causing acute tubular necrosis and renal failure, or compromise peripheral circulation, which might lead to limb loss (Irwin, 2 007). Therefore it might be prudent to calculcate ankle/brachial index regularly to evaluate lower extremity perfusion (Irwin, 2007). Nursing Issues In an empirical study of nursing in patients undergoing procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, Kozon et al (1998) found that patients who undergo the traditional open procedure require more intensive nursing care of lengthier duration, to move them along the illness-wellness spectrum towards self-care and independence. Kozon et al (1998) demonstrate a tailor made model based on the nursing process, which allows nurses to predict the postoperative course for individual patients. They also consider the psychological aspects of care, discussing the state of fear of patients, which is either externally visible to the nursing staff or is expressed by the patients themselves (Kozon et al, 1998). This is important in ensuring the holistic management of David’s care. However, Kozon et al (1998) also recommend further nursing research on this area to fully optimise nursing and enable the recognition of the nursing needs of the individual patient. This says much about the natu re of nursing knowledge and the evidence base on this topic, which remains very much focused on the physical and medical aspects of care. Kozon et al (1998) developed a protocol to apply to such cases, but in terms of evidence, larger scale studies are needed to validate this. The high risks of both the procedure and the repair are highlighted in the literature (Bryant et al, 2002), and so a thorough understanding of these is vital in order to underpin nursing practice and ensure rapid and appropriate prioritisation of care needs, recognition of deviations from the norm and prompt, appropriate referral and treatment. Another issue which the evidence base throws up is the documentation and monitoring of pain management. In a descriptive, retrospective audit of nursing records, Idvall and Ehrenberg (2002) found that there are many shortcomings in content and comprehensiveness of nurses’ monitoring and recording of patients’ pain. This is of particular importance in relation to postoperative care of those patients having undergoing surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, given that pain can indicate a number of complications of the procedure. Conclusion As can be seen, the care of the patient having an AAA repair is a complex undertaking, requiring a thorough knowledge base on the part of the nurse, and the skills necessary to recognise complications, deviations from clinical parameters, and effects of treatments in order to promptly and appropriately treat and refer the patient (Warbinek and Wyness, 1994). In David’s case, he has presented with a potential complication of his surgery, but the complex nature of his condition could mean that his potential pyrexia is due to a number of causes. Understanding the underlying physiology of his condition is vital in ensuring all his care needs are met and that he is kept in the optimal state of health to promote rapid recovery. This involves an holistic approach, with attention paid to his pain management and psychological state as well as his considerable medical and physical needs. The evidence base for care is suggestive of the existence of some useful nursing evidence on which t o base care, but also suggests the need for more concrete and comprehensive research to underpin practice. Nursing assessment and intervention can be crucial to the survival of patients with this condition (Myer, 1995). Thus nursing knowledge must draw upon their own and other’s knowledge and experience, and the knowledge and understanding of the patient, and their reported symptoms and feelings, in order to provide the highest standard of care and promote David’s optimal wellbeing and return to health. References Beese-Bjustrom, S. (2004) Aortic Aneurysms and dissections. Nursing 34 (2) 36-42. Birkmeyer, J.D. and Upchurch, G.R. (2007) Evidence –Based Screening and management of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. Annals of Internal Medicine 146 (10) 749-751. Bryant, C., Ray, C. and Wren, T.L. (2002) Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: a Look at the first 24 Hours. Journal of PeriAnaesthesia Nursing 17 (3) 164-169. Idvall, E. and Ehrenberg, A. (2002) Nursing documentation of postoperative pain management. Journal of Clinical Nursing.11 734-742. Irwin, G.H. (2007) How to protect a patient with aortic aneurysm. Nursing 37 (2) 36-43. Isselbacher, E.M. (2005) Thoracic and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms. Circulation111 816-828. Jones, A. and Pegram, A. (2006) Management of pyrexia during blood transfusion. British Journal of Nursing. 15(5) 257. Kozon, V., Fortner, N. and Holzenbein, T. (1998) An empirical study of nursing in patients undergoing two different procedures for abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Journal of Vascular Nursing. 16 (1) (1-5). Manias, E. (2003) Pain and anxiety management in the postoperative gastro-surgical setting. Journal of Advanced Nursing 41 (6) 585-594. Myer, S.A. (1995) Case studies: what a difference a nurse makes. Advanced Practice in Acute and Critical Care. 6(4) 576-87. Neacsu, A. (2006) Malignant hyperthermia. Nursing Standard 20 (28) 51-57. Pruitt, B. (2006) Help your patient combat postoperative atelectasis. Nursing 2006 36 (5) 31-34. Tracy, S., Dufault, M., Kogut, S. et al (2006) Translating Best Practices in Nondrug Postoperative Pain Management. Nursing Research 55 (2S) S57-S67). Warbinek, E. and Wyness, M.A. (1994) Caring for patients with complications after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery: a case study. Journal of Vascular Nursing. 12(3): 73-9. Watson-Miller, S. (2005) Assessing the postoperative patient: Philosophy, knowledge and theory. International Journal of Nursing Practice. 11 46-51. Zeitz, K. (2005) Nursing observations during the first 24 hours after a surgical procedure: what do we do? Journal of Clinical Nursing 14 334-343.

Role Of Financial Markets In A Modern Economy

Role Of Financial Markets In A Modern Economy This essay examines the assumption, that a large financial sector consistently benefits the real economy. It has been acknowledged that the financial sector, not to mention some of its components, may sometimes become too large. It can end up posing a threat to both economic and financial stability, so the essay develops our understanding of where the optimal threshold lies. The regulatory measures and addresses the problem best: namely, preventing the financial industry from becoming too large and taking excessive risks, leading to the emergence of bubbles, and to the production of complex and dense financial instruments. And we should avoid imposing restrictive measures that will prevent the financial sector from channelling resources towards productive opportunities. In doing so, we need to make sure that our measures target non-traditional financial markets as much as traditional banking, in order not to encourage regulatory arbitrage and a return to business as usual outside the auspices of regulators. Financial innovation can impose a threat to both economic and financial stability, so we have to enhance our understanding of where the best possible threshold lies in determining the size of the financial systems. There is an emerging consent that while financial markets are generally conducive to economic growth, in the run-up to the recent crisis they were operating on an extreme scale. This essay will converse around four main points: firstly that efficient financial markets enhance growth, however, if they grow too large, then they may lead to a misallocation of resources and cause costly crises. Secondly, facts will be presented showing that in the build-up to the crisis, the size of the financial sector outgrew its trend. Thirdly, identification of some of the main reasons why this occurred and argued how to avoid that such imbalance again. To this end, regulation and supervision can play an important role. Lastly, while ensuring that the financial sector does not grow beyond its optimal size, the new regulatory framework should not reach the point of financial domination. The knowledge from recent industrialised countries has relatively claim, that deeper financial markets improve economic efficiency, lead to a better allocation of productive capital, and increase long-term economic growth. However, the frequent financial shocks associated with dynamic financial industries, and in particular the recent economic crisis, also highlight the role large financial markets play in downside risk. This mutually shows that there is a trade-off between a highly vibrant financial sector and the overall stability of the financial system. (Ranciere, R., Tornell, A., and F. Westermann, 2008) The first part of this essay will argue the aspects of the financial sector which can give us key insights into this trade-off is its size. When reasonably large, financial markets promote economic efficiency by recognising productive opportunities and transforming savings into the investment vitally to finance those opportunities. However, when they become too large, relative to what is implied by economic fundamentals, problems like financial complexity, poorly understood financial innovation, flock behaviour, and endogenous risk-taking to name just a few suddenly outweigh the benefits. The recent financial and economic crisis is a stark example of that. The pre-crisis period was characterised by the growing size, complexity and connectiveness of financial markets, with ensuing unfavourable effects on the global economy. In order to address the problem, regulatory measures are being taken to impose limits on the tendency of the financial sector to create downside risk. But a fine balance needs to be reached: these measures must be effective but not penalizing; they need to address the core of the problem without excessively limiting the ability of financial markets to sustain economic growth. Before going on the second point, it is perhaps useful to explain why we still need a large and dynamic financial industry. In general, deep and efficient financial markets improve economic performance both by raising the level of growth and by allocating productive capital more efficiently, ultimately generating benefits for the society as a whole( Rajan, R., and L. Zingales, 1998) . The difference is particularly noticeable when it comes to the financing of innovative ideas, where the much larger US venture capital industry has been credited over the years with the emergence of whole new industries and such innovative corporate giants as Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Google. All this leads us to the second point of the essay, which is how the size of the financial sector outgrew its trend. Most economists think the relationship between finance and growth as one in which more is better. However, the recent crisis has revealed that a financial sector which goes beyond a certain threshold (or breaking point) can harm the economy and society as a whole. In particular, an oversized financial industry tends to intensify information asymmetries, moral hazard problems, and the hunt for yield, leading to excessive risk-taking and over-leveraging of the system. The events of 2007-2008 suggest that when financial sectors are too large, the allocation of resources may become inefficient. Numerous examples of misallocation were associated with the credit growth of the early 2000s as well, of which the expansion of the US sub-prime mortgage market is just the most obvious one. We can think of examples in Europe too for instance, growth in Spain relied for years on an ever-expanding real estate sector fuelled by increasing borrowing.( Popov, A., and P. Roosenboom, 2009) After discussing the negative penalties on financial stability and economic growth that a too large financial sector can generate, in this section I will analyse available evidence to show that the financial industry as a whole has grown to a sub-optimal size. It is important to note that this is not due to rising compensation in traditional financial sectors like credit and insurance, but due to the large increase in compensation in non-traditional financial activities like investment banks, hedge funds and the like (Figure 1) below. This is another reason why any changes to the regulatory environment aimed at preventing systemic crises in the future will have to deal not just with the traditional banking sector, but with the so-called shadow banking sector as well. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether the crisis has imposed discipline on the financial sector. In theory, one would have expected the crisis to have resulted in, for instance, a new bonus structure with smaller rewards for short-term behaviour, less proprietary trading and more trading on own resources, greater aversion to the accumulation of debt, etc. To find possible remedies to the excessive size of the financial sector, it is important to understand the factors that have allowed it to grow too big, which leads us to the third part of the essay. As mentioned before, one obvious reason is excessive profits. Not only did rapid financial innovation enable Wall Street to encourage risk-taking through record pay, but this process also diverted human resources away from more traditional productive occupations towards the shadow banking system. Of course, an equally important reason for the increase in the size of the financial sector is the global accumulation of savings over time. It has been argued that the pre-crisis boom in US real estate and securitisation markets reflected high foreign demand for safe US assets resulting from excess world savings in the context of persistent global imbalances.( Caballero, R., and A. Krishnamurthy, 2009) According to this interpretation, foreign asset demand not only pushed down the risk-free interest rate in the US but also compressed the risk premier on risky assets. The low cost of financing, in turn, fostered an increase in the level of leverage of the domestic financial sector which exacerbated systemic risk While the recent increase in the profits of the industry was certainly due to improved financial innovation and technology, it can also be attributed to the higher risks that the financial sector undertook.(Biais, B., Heider, F. and M. Hoerova, 2010)By limiting these risks, it will be possible to reduce the size of the financial sector as well. For instance, suppose that risks decrease because of limits to leverage. This may imply that profits will go down as well. As a consequence, the financial sector will attract fewer resources, private capital will flow to more profitable industries, and its size will decrease. A natural question is how the new regulatory framework will affect economic growth. This question will answer the final part of the essay. It is necessary to ensure financial stability and restrain excessive credit, at the same time this process should not go too far and impair economic growth. There is substantial macro level evidence that the depth of the credit markets measured alternately as liquid liabilities and commercial bank credit to the private sector is associated with higher economic growth. (King, R., and R. Levine, 1993.) Changes in the supply of credit, both in terms of volumes and credit standards, have been shown to have a significant effect on real economic activity through business lending; the evidence is stronger for the euro area than the US. Studies that have gone into the mechanisms of this effect have generally concluded that the positive effect of credit markets on growth comes from reallocation of investment from dying to booming sectors, from higher rat es of new business entry, and from higher growth of industries consisting mainly of small firms. As I mentioned above, the expansion of sub-prime lending clearly imposed a negative externality on the whole economy, and so in hindsight regulatory measures that would have prevented such credit expansion could in fact have been beneficial. To summarise, capital requirements, and leverage ratios serve well to illustrate the trade-off between stability and growth as mentioned at the beginning. The examples provided earlier show that the costs incurred when an oversized financial system unwinds are very large and outweigh any pre-crisis gains. Therefore, practical regulatory actions are to restore the balance between stability and growth is perfectly justified. Conclusion Financial markets are central players in a dynamic modern economy, channelling resources from savers to borrowers and allocating them to productive investment opportunities. At the same time, our experience in the past decade has highlighted the dangers of allowing financial sectors to become too large. In doing so, negative developments like the hunt for rents, the propensity to herd and create bubbles, the misalignment of incentives, and the production of complex innovative financial instruments may outweigh the benefits of finance. Given the obvious negative impact of an excessively large financial industry, we keep asking ourselves whether limits should be imposed on the size of the financial sector itself. It must be clear from the evidence that has been presented that the answer to this question is yes. However, it is also essential to make sure that we do not repress financial markets to the point of jeopardising their contribution to growth. Therefore, the measures outlined are aimed at making the industry safer rather than weaker, and should not be considered punitive. Their goal is to re-direct the financial sector so that it avoids embarking on unsustainable patterns. These actions are aimed at commercial banks as well as at non-traditional financial players to make sure that excessive risk-taking is not taking place outside the auspices of regulators. Ensuring that the financial sector is large enough to strengthen the economy while not being too large is a task that we take very seriously. There is a clear trade-off between economic growth and financial stability, and it is a difficult but critical task to strike a good balance, ensuring that we end up neither with too little growth nor with too little stability.

Characterization of Women in The Yellow Wallpaper and Desirees Baby

Characterization of Women in The Yellow Wallpaper and Desiree's Baby  Ã‚   There was a time (not so long ago) when a man's superiority and authority wasn't a question, but an accepted truth. In the two short stories, "Desiree's Baby", and "The Yellow Wallpaper", women are portrayed as weak creatures of vanity with shallow or absent personalities, who are dependent on men for their livelihood, and even their sanity. Without men, these women were absolutely helpless and useless. Their very existence hinged on absolute and unquestioning submission†¦alone, a woman is nothing. The setting of both stories reinforces the notion of women's dependence on men. The late 1800's were a turbulent time for women's roles. The turn of the century brought about revolution, fueled by the energy and freedom of a new horizon†¦but it was still just around the bend. In this era, during which both short stories were published, members of the weaker sex were blatantly disregarded as individuals, who had minds that could think, and reason, and form valid opinions. Also, in both tales, the characters are removed from society. In "Desiree's Baby", the plantation is bordered by a field and a bayou, isolating its inhabitants from the world. The narrator of "The Yellow Wallpaper" tells us, "Out of one window I can see a garden†¦out of another I get a lovely view of the bay and a little private wharf" (161). They are out in the country, where the modern city can't touch them, or begin to mold their sexist ways and old fashioned ideals into contemporary mindsets. This seclusion also ensures that no outside forces threaten the men's absolute and total control of their weak, defenseless charges. In addition to their surroundings, the homes themselves... ...no worth. It's very sad to think that a woman and a man could have ever thought this way. However, it's even sadder to think that some still do. Women everywhere suffer abuse, mental or otherwise, at the hands or their (pri)mates every day. They must find the strength in themselves and the confidence to know that THEY are the ones who determine their own fate†¦and to realize that no one has the right to put them down. Our foremothers worked hard to make sure that we had choices-- not obligations. And when we let someone else take those choices from us, they are really taking our freedom, and our life. Works Cited: Chopin, Kate. â€Å"Dà ©sirà ©e’s Baby.† 1893. 8 Apr. 2003 Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." 1892. The New England Magazine. Reprinted in "Lives & Moments - An Introduction to Short Fiction" by Hans Ostrom. Hold, Orlando, FL 1991.

The Development of Psychology Essays -- Research Essays Term Papers

The Development of Psychology Psychology is defined as the scientific study of behavior and the mind. This definition implies three things. The first is that psychology is a science, a field that can be studied through objective methods of observation and experimentation. The second is that it is the study of behavior, animal activity that can be observed and measured. And the third is that it is the study of the mind, the conscious and unconscious mental states that cannot be seen but inferred through observation. This modern-day definition of psychology sheds light on the history of psychology, for it only became a science in the late 19th century though psychological thought has been present since Antiquity. Previously, psychology had been studied indirectly in the fields of philosophy and physiology. The term psychology has been around for many centuries, coming from two Greek words: psyche, which means soul, and logos, which means the study of. Before the psychology developed into a science, philosophers from as early as Ancient Greece were asking all sorts of psychological questions such as where do emotions come from, does the world we see exist in color, what is perception and what is reality? But philosophers debating these questions relied on the method of rationalism to explain these phenomena. Rationalism uses logic and reasoning to find truth. This technique is far from objective and cannot accurately determine scientific truth. Psychology also had roots in physiology, a branch of biology that studies living organisms and their parts. Physiologists would conduct studies of the brain and the nervous system to explain mental illnesses, an important area of study in the field of psychology. Physiology however, is... ... of the most recognizable are behaviorism, which arose out of criticism of introspection as a valid research method and set out to study only behavior which could be observed directly. Edward Thorndike, Ivan Pavlov, John Watson, and B.F. Skinner influenced this new take on psychology. Other movements include humanistic psychology in the 50s and 60s, and cognitive psychology of present day. Sources Consulted http://www.dustbunny.fsnet.co.uk/Psy1.htm â€Å"The Development of Psychology† : article on the history of psychology as a field of scientific study http://www.alleydog.com/101notes/history.html â€Å"The Field and History of Psychology†: university class lecture on the history of psychology http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/History/EmergenceOfPsy.htm A Psychology Resource Guide with links to relevant sites regarding the emergence of psychology as a science

Judicial Issues in Chapman’s “The Prisoner’s Dilemma”

World history recounts many differences between the East and the West. In spite of the consideration that both are unique in their own culture and tradition, the issue on who is better and more civilized still remains. In â€Å"The Prisoner's Dilemma,† Stephen Chapman compares and contrasts Eastern and Western punishment practices under the criminal justice system. In his view, the Western claim that their practices are less cruel and barbaric is contestable owing to the issues related to the multiple years of incarceration. To elaborate his view, Chapman compares the punishment methods used in Eastern and Western countries. He mentions some punitive practices among Islamic countries such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Among these practices include flogging, or ta zir, a punishment usually given for general offenses. This form of punishment, among others, is endorsed by the Koran itself. Another practice is stoning, which is usually bestowed upon individuals who are found to be adulterous or who engage in non-marital sex. This form of punishment causes severe injury to offenders, causing their deaths. In the website Religious Tolerance. org, several reports on stoning show how Islamic countries apply this practice in varied terms. One report describes how a man dies ten minutes after being stoned while his alleged partner is hit by a large rock on the head after stoning. In addition to these two methods, Islamic countries also apply amputation, beheading, and other forms of execution. Considering these, Chapman contends that Islamic ways of punishment are some forms of â€Å"barbaric rituals. (364) Aside from their hideous method of exterminating criminals, what makes these methods seem more barbaric and cruel is the gathering of the crowd that gawks at the offender’s misfortunes. As Chapman illustrates, Westerners smirk at these practices and claim that theirs are far more humanitarian. In the West, criminals are sentenced to prison for varying number of years based on the gravity of the offense. For instance, Chapman elaborates that a person charged with robbery can be sentenced to six or 30 years imprisonment under the Western judicial system. Based on this, the author implies that a general offense which merits one-time flogging in Islamic countries can cost a person’s lifetime in the West. Moreover, he also cites that with the long trials that each case takes and the cost of maintaining a penitentiary, the government spends too much on procuring justice for the victims. Moreover, the author inductively cites that the practices in the East were the same ones practiced in the West during earlier times. He mentions some cases where criminals were cut in several parts, and tortured by bearing off internal organs while the criminal is in conscious state. Given these former practices, Chapman convinces the readers to reconsider Islamic practices such as those mentioned, which are less grotesque than former Western practices. To convince his readers, Chapman uses both comparison and contrast between the two cultures. Mostly, he gives the contrast, emphasizing more the practicality of the Eastern culture in dealing with punishments. Also, by establishing comparison and claiming that Western civilization once employed even worse practices of amputation, the author appeals to the logic of the readers to assert the issue with valid reasoning. Clearly, Chapman uses logic or logos in his comparison and contrast. He attempts to convince the audience that Western practices are just as evil as the Eastern ones. By impeding criminals to prison, they are likewise subjected to overcrowding, illness, filthy conditions, and routine violence. Sentencing a criminal to life in the prison cells is similar to subjecting him to eventual death or to sacrifices similar to flogging. Also, as mentioned above, keeping criminals in prison implies a big government funding, for the government will have to feed and clothe the prisoners, and hire authorities to look after them. Likewise, Chapman claims that prisons do not serve their purpose for detaining individuals. To illustrate his point, he mentions the five functions of imprisonment. Among these functions, Chapman emphasizes that detention does not serve the third function, which is general deterrence. Although some may be afraid to go to jail, the thought of it does not totally threaten criminals to make them avoid ill-doings. The present crime rate demonstrates that in truth, offenders are not afraid to go against the law, thus making others like the author skeptical about the observance of the third function. Conversely, he notes that encountering a man with just one arm could bring more shrill to those who are trying to plot a crime. In addition, the author also points out that imprisonment does not serve its fifth function, that is rehabilitation. Keeping criminals behind bars and making them face the consequence of acquiring infectious diseases is far from rehabilitative. For others, this function may only be served if criminals are given a better living condition or are endowed by a beautiful experience, such as allowing them to get married, to undergo counseling and psychotherapy, or giving them a job or a vacation (Menninger as mentioned in Chapman 368-369). Considering the disadvantages of imprisonment, sentencing a criminal to keep him from contact with the public seems to be the only consolation that incarceration brings. In addition to logos, the author also uses pathos by citing the dilemma experienced by offenders and victims alike. The long wait for the court to give its sentence is one aspect that causes much shame to Western judicial system. While the case is in process, the victims undergo torment seeing the criminal spend days in freedom. The truth and relevance of this point makes this the subject of TV and film courtroom drama. The same agitation may be true for the criminals or those who are charged but innocent of the crime. As justice is prolonged, so is the torment that the concerned individuals suffer. The use of logos and pathos in establishing comparison and contrast is likewise accompanied by ethos as the article appears in the textbook. The article’s introduction includes a simple biography of the author, telling his achievements as a writer and a Harvard University graduate. This establishes credibility of the author, thus affecting the audience’s stance on the matter. While the logos and pathos that Chapman uses are quite weak to defy religious values, the ethos somewhat helps convince the audience that the words they are reading come from a knowledgeable and well-experienced source. Overall, the points made by the author show his partiality to Western practices. He tries to convince the audience to favor Eastern practices due to their practicality and immediacy. Considering his point, authorities should look into the possibility of adopting these practices; however considering too how people react to changes, Chapman’s proposition may fail to convince many people, especially those who advocate love and reverence for the body.

Interpreting Laws and Court Decisions Essay

Interpreting Laws and Court Decisions Interpreting labor and employment laws, as well as court decisions, can be a tedious task at best. The laws set in place are constantly changing and use language that is not easily deciphered by the average working American. The United States Labor laws cover the binding legal connection between the employers, their employees and the employee labor unions. Within the borders of the United States; it is generally know that employers and labor unions do not see eye to eye on most issues regarding labor and employment laws. Labor laws can address one of three different situations: â€Å"A union attempts to organize the employees of an employer and to get the employer to recognize it as the employees’ bargaining representative; (2) a union seeks to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with an employer; or (3) a union and employer disagree on the interpretation and application of an existing contract between the two. Within these three situations, specific rules have been c reated to deal with rights of employees and employers.† (Labor Law, 2005) The third situation is often seen more times than not; thus creating an everlasting rift between the two parties. In the case study 1-1 of our text, Reinstatement and Back Pay Remedy for Illegal Discharge, it seemed like a common sense; open and shut scenario. My initial thoughts without any research had me thinking there was no way an employer would need to reinstate an unlawfully terminated employee, since the person in question is an illegal alien. Recent events in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit showed that my thoughts were way off base and wrong. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals decided on a case, Palma v NLRB, on July 10, 2013 that an employer could be required to reinstate illegal aliens previously terminated in violation of the NRLA; or National Labor Relations Act. (Palma v NRLB, 2013) This particular case was on appeal from a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision that was Hoffman Plastics Compounds, Inc v. National Labor Relations Board, which found the employer unlawfully terminated the aliens for engaging n concerted protected activity under the NRLA, but the aliens were not entitled to an  award of back pay. (Hoffman Plastics v. NLRB, 2001) On appeal, the Second Circuit reaffirmed the Hoffman Plastics ruling prohibiting back pay to undocumented aliens, however the bare bones of the final ruling states than an employer that fires employees in violation of the NLRA essentially could be required to reinstate ex-employees it knows to be illegal aliens pending these workers can show proof of work authorization and present it to the employers (Palma v. NRLB, 2013). The next question for this particular case study is if it’s possible for the court to enforce the voluntary settlement agreement between the employer and NRLB without violating any immigration laws? I believe the answer is yes on account of the Palma ruling, as long as the â€Å"illegal aliens† can provide proof of work authorization, they’re sitting in the driver’s seat with minimal worries. Case Study 3-3 within our text book, titled â€Å"NLRB Jurisdiction over a Private Charter School†, we’re being asked if the Charter Schools Professional Management Inc (CSPMI) â€Å"meets the definition of an employer, as stated n Section 2 (2), LMRA and therefore, the board may assert jurisdiction and conduct a representation election?† (Holley, Jennings, Wolters, 2012). The case study tells us that: To be exempt from NLRB jurisdiction as a political subdivision of a state, the employer must either (1) be created directly by the state so as to constitute a department or administrative arm of the government, or (2) administered by individuals who are responsible to public officials or to the general electorate (pgs. 114-115) CSPMI was not created by the state or any government entity, rather is a private, for-profit organization and the board is elected by the ownership of the corporation. This right here shows me that they are not exempt from NLRB jurisdiction. An interesting case, Chicago Mathematics & Science Academy Charter School, Inc., Employer and Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers & Staff, F, AFT, AFL-CIO, Petitioner, was discussing the issue on whether a private, nonprofit corporation that established and operates a public charter school in Chicago, Illinois, is exempt from our jurisdiction because it’s a political subdivision of the State of Illinois within the meaning of section 2(2) of the NLRA (Chicago, 2012). The summary  of this particular case state: While CMSA is not a political subdivision of the State of Illinois or the City of Chicago, I would decline jurisdiction because it is so closely intertwined with and defined by those governmental entities in providing services of a peculiarly public and local nature. I am also noting that declining jurisdiction would not leave CMSA’s employees without the possibility of collective-bargaini ng representation. It would only subject them to the same labor relations laws as are applicable to others who, like them, are defined by statute as public employees in a public educational system. Accordingly, I would dismiss the petition. (Chicago, 2012) REFERENCES: Chicago Mathematics & Science Academy Charter School, Inc., Employer and Chicago Alliance of Charter Teachers & Staff, F, AFT, AFL-CIO, Petitioner. Case 13-RM-001768, 2012 Holley Jr, W., Jennings, K, & Wolters, R (2012) The Labor Relations Process 10th edition. South-Western CENAGE Learning; United States â€Å"Labor Law.† West’s Encyclopedia of American Law. 2005. Retrieved from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3437702567.HTML Palma v. NLRB, 12-1199 (2d Cir. 2013)

A Study of Musical Theatre’s Gilbert and Sullivan Essay

Theatre, as we know it, always aims to provoke its audience through emotions, by invoking the muses of comedy and tragedy, and everything else in between. Many names are synonymous to the history and success of theatre, but none comes close to the iconic contributions of Britain’s most illustrious duo, collectively known as Gilbert and Sullivan. Sharp, clever wit and brilliant rhyme have found their rightful places in the theatrical masterpieces composed by renowned playwright William S. Gilbert, and his equally-profound partner, composer Arthur Sullivan. The 1870s marked the beginning of a new ideology in musical theatre, as the partnership brought to the fore previously unheard-of standards that were identified by a mix of intelligence in satire and silliness, as well as melodic instrumentations that complement the passion and creativity of the written word. Such was the success of the outcome that Gilbert and Sullivan managed to pioneer and influence generations of theatre innovations, and eventually, become a solid pillar in both British and American popular culture. Musical comedy writers, Broadway lyricists, literary authors and composers—and even important names in politics and government—are just some of those who have credited Gilbert and Sullivan for a number of their works. Through the excellent vision of production genius Richard D’Oyly Carte, the impressive collaborations of Gilbert and Sullivan were set to stage. The Savoy Theatre in London, Carte’s headquarters, became the setting for many of the duo’s memorable musicals. Innovative from the beginning, The Savoy was the first theatre in the world to utilize electricity, and summoned theatre-goers all over to sample this taste of technology as well as the brilliance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works, which were later aptly named â€Å"Savoy Operas† (Kenrick, 2000-2003). The Gilbert and Sullivan era spanned from 1871 to 1896, and between them they were able to create fourteen critically-acclaimed and hugely popular masterpieces—counting The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and H. M. S. Pinafore as the most widely-received. II. William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, The Beginning The young William Gilbert (1836-1911) was the son of a naval surgeon by profession, and a writer by interest. He jumpstarted his son’s juvenile career by allowing the boy to accompany his articles with illustrations; William soon found his own talent for writing, and came up with his own compositions. These writings, called Bab Ballads, would later find their way into some of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most acclaimed musicals. Gilbert’s Bab Ballads were known for their unique use of humor played out through logic (Classic Gilbert and Sullivan). Mike Leigh, English film and theatre director, concludes this style to be decidedly one that had Gilbert’s signature, where the establishment of the strange, absurd, and otherwise unacceptable concept would be expertly formed into perfect examples of reason and truth—all done with a bite of silliness metamorphosing into deadpan prose. On the other hand, the musical inclinations of Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) also had strong parental influences—his father was a bandmaster with the military, and the then 8-year-old Arthur had already become expert in all the band instruments. In 1856, after concluding his initial attempts of composing songs and anthems in school, Arthur proceeded to claim the first Mendelssohn Prize, and took further studies in composition and conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, as well as in Leipzig. He performed his 1861 graduation piece, an ode to William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, at the Crystal Palace; this earned him the prestige of being heralded as the country’s most promising young composer. Among Sullivan’s applauded works early in his career were The Masque at Kenilworth (1842), The Prodigal Son (1869), On Shore and Sea (1871), and a ballet entitled L’lle Enchantee (1864) (Classic Gilbert and Sullivan). William Gilbert’s and Arthur Sullivan’s paths crossed as they attended a rehearsal of the play Ages Ago, where the composer Frederic Clay made introductions. A couple of years after that, Gilbert and Sullivan made their first foray as co-creators of what would be a uniquely wonderful style admired by the whole world. III. Gilbert and Sullivan and the Comic Opera A staple of English theatre during the Edwardian era, the comic opera’s origins come from 18th-century Naples, in Italy. Known as intermezzi, short comic routines were used to end the bigger acts, and enjoyed much popularity that they were later written to exist on their own. The final output was the comic opera, the concept of which was soon transported to Paris, where it easily claimed the approval of French dramatists and audiences. However, the same could not be said upon its arrival on English territory, for theatre professionals and enthusiasts at the time were still more interested in evolving the popular Ballad Opera and the newer form of Music Hall; the latter was introduced to fill the need for a lighter, less serious entertainment style. Finally, in 1871, the comic opera was launched in London’s Gaiety Theatre, through the production of Thespis; or the Gods Grown Old. This not only marked a new chapter in British theatre, but also the first entry of the long-running collaboration of musical theatre’s most prestigious partnership—Gilbert and Sullivan. It all started with the efforts of John Hollingshead, then manager of the Gaiety Theatre, who employed Gilbert’s expertise to write the libretto of his theatre’s 1871 Christmas musical. They had worked together once before, on the burlesque Robert the Devil which also ran in Gaiety. To complete the requirement for the musical, Hollingshead contacted Sullivan, who was then still inexperienced in stage production. This first encounter produced Thespis, but was initially given much criticism and low confidence in the team. Four years later, the producer Carte would bring them back together to create Trial By Jury; the resulting 300 performances declared it a resounding success, as well as a much-awaited approval of the partnership. Perhaps the foremost appeal of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works had much to do with their ability to poke fun and humor at establishment, as well as current social and political issues. This was a high time for patriotism in Britain, and the British audience’s validation of the comic operas sealed the career success of the duo. Much of the credit would also have to go to the newness of concept and execution of each piece, that even foreign audiences understood and appreciated the essence of every performance. To this day, comic opera will always be defined by Gilbert and Sullivan—they truly made it their niche, and those that attempted to surpass or equal their achievements failed to do so (Gillan, 2007). Of the fourteen collaborative works of the famed partnership, many were lauded as icons of comic opera. These were the celebrated productions of Thespis: or the Gods Grown Old, Trial By Jury (1975), The Sorcerer (1877), and of course, the previously-mentioned The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance, and H. M. S. Pinafore. Thespis: or the Gods Grown Old, being Gilbert and Sullivan’s first collaboration, had no real indications of the phenomenal future awaiting its two creators. Yet the classic Gilbert and Sullivan format was already applied in the work, by setting the opera in the mythical Mount Olympus. In the story, the gods have all grown old and the celestial buildings were all in a state of ruin. Then a group of actors and their leader named Thespis went up the mountain to have a picnic, and noticed the sad condition of the place. Thespis gets into a deal with Jupiter, agreeing that his group would take on the work of the tired gods, provided that Mercury would remain to brief them of their duties. But things do not go as planned, and Mercury only noted all complaints. When the gods on break finally return, they discover the unsatisfactory results and banish the group back to earth. 1875’s Trial By Jury made use of an old legal procedure as the main idea, specifically a ‘breach of promise’ trial. This often took place in earlier times, when a man could be summoned to court and sued for taking back a marriage proposal. The characters included a dashing, worldly bachelor and the woman who called for the hearing, a maiden dressed in wedding attire. An all-male jury and an unscrupulous judge round up the cast, with the woman directing her flirtations toward the jury but would end up receiving a proposal from the judge himself—as a way to resolve the case. The storyline established prevailing comic themes that would later be present in most of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works: (1) true and undying love may come from and end in unexpected sources and directions; (2) the existence of politicians who achieved their public status by charming and lying their way through, and (3) aversion for mature women, specifically those over 40—which is, in truth, a nod to patriarchy and sexism. Two years later, Gilbert and Sullivan produced The Sorcerer, which featured a man of magic who brings chaos and confusion to a tiny English village by creating a love potion. In many ways, The Sorcerer made a satire of class distinction and social propriety, which were standard elements in Victorian society. Yet in true Gilbert and Sullivan style, the output was of inimitable wit and class that the references were not declared offensive at all—so much was its success that aside from its own numerous showings, The Sorcerer was staged even as far as America, albeit unauthorized. And while the opera’s theme could have been translated by the French through a multitude of sexual innuendos and references played out by unreal, fantastic characters, Gilbert and Sullivan designed The Sorcerer with roles that were utterly believable and credible—the kind of people that actually exist in everyday life, that the British audience could identify. The penchant for poking fun at British social conventions became Gilbert and Sullivan’s running objective, and in 1878 they again succeeded in producing a successful show that audiences celebrated. H. M. S. Pinafore once again uses love as a theme, but a deeper reading would reveal that the opera tackles the discussion of England’s class society. With the narrative centering on the daughter of a naval captain’s rejection of the Secretary of the Navy—the highest-ranking man of uniform—for the affections of a common sailor, H. M. S. Pinafore showcases the reality of a person born into a particular class, and the availability of options based on this system. It is also a criticism of their society’s double standard on the issue of marriage; they patronize literature’s ideals about love conquering all, while in real life they disapprove of unions between people of different social classes. This time, audiences were not as forgiving as they were with The Sorcerer—the prevailing adherence and respect for the British class system caused low ticket sales. That, as well as the unrelenting hot weather pulled Gilbert and Sullivan’s celebrity down—for a moment. During Sullivan’s summer concerts, he came up with the smart strategy to include several medleys of his Pinafore score; the result was a revived interest in the opera, and eventually sales and attendance reached phenomenal heights. Such was the success of the opera that it encouraged Carte to involve Gilbert and Sullivan in the actual business, dividing all production expenses and sales profits among the three of them. From this point on, Gilbert and Sullivan were given decision-making authority in all their productions. However, because of the opera’s impact on the British audiences, many unauthorized production of Pinafore were staged, particularly in the United States, where international copyright laws were not yet in place. To assert ownership, Carte brought the production overseas where it enjoyed a brief yet successful run in Broadway, and made sure that Gilbert and Sullivan’s works were covered by copyright laws in the country. Carte had this foremost on his mind when Gilbert and Sullivan came up with yet another opera destined for iconic status, 1880’s Pirates of Penzance. This time, Carte protected the production rights both in Britain and New York, which established the legal precedents still observed today. The move has benefited playwrights and writers all over the world, with this initial case on intellectual property rights. Love as an ideal is again the running theme in Penzance, as the story explores the adventures of a young man named Frederick who, by no choice of his own, worked under the tutelage of a group of pirates. As luck would have it, he falls for the daughter of a Major General—a momentous experience that drove him to make up for his previous deeds by eliminating the pirates he used to be associated with. The pirates in question actually turned out to be noblemen who made the wrong choices in life; in the end, they, including Frederick, all take the Major’s many daughters as their wives. There was no stopping the success of Gilbert and Sullivan, and they forged on to firmly claim their place in popular culture. Several productions were created, among them Patience (1881), which told of the poet’s charm and magnetism, a surefire way to get his way with the women, except for the one he wants—who is but a simple milkmaid. Written as a comedy, Patience ultimately focused on aestheticism, which referred to an artist’s or writer’s obsession with beauty. Carte employed a brilliant marketing strategy to promote the production, with the assistance of famed writer Oscar Wilde. The writer was tasked to do the lecture circuit around the United States, to provide a full background on this new ideology, and to ensure public awareness of the opera. Not surprisingly, this tactic resulted in positive financial reaction. With Patience, Gilbert and Sullivan introduced another innovation, this time with the characters of the opera narrative and the songs assigned to them. In their previous works, the duo’s main goal to put a message across was met; the technical level of the story itself remained the way it was from their early projects. Not the kinds to stay within their comfort zones, Gilbert and Sullivan expanded their competencies as playwrights by integrating the characters with music—producing songs and personalities that were exclusive to each other, and the situations they were in. Comic opera was what people called the Gilbert and Sullivan theatre style; in reality, it was the birth of the integrated musical. The partnership, while perfect on an intellectual realm, was slowly revealing its cracks caused by the personal differences of the two artists. Gilbert was apparently so taken with the love potion plot—which he successfully delivered in The Sorcerer—and wanted to create another opera using the same idea. This was not taken positively by Sullivan, who soon decided, on impulse, to focus more on serious projects. Of course, Gilbert did not take this well either, and the beginning of what would be a personal feud between the two took its place. Carte tried to remedy the situation by staging a rerun of The Sorcerer, only as a stopgap measure for further rifts that may damage company existence and operations. Fate once again played a major role in the succeeding events, because the partnership was saved by a mundane object—a Japanese sword. It fell from the wall of Gilbert’s study and almost hit him, but instead of dismissing the incident, Gilbert took inspiration from it. This set the tone and plot for Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular opera to date. The Mikado, staged in 1885, carried the same elements that had made the duo famous: love, and social commentary; with a generous helping of humor and wit. The plot itself was hilarious—it was a scenario questioning what would happen when the Emperor of Japan, know as the Mikado, passes a decree declaring flirting as illegal, and punishable by law. The townsfolk of Titipu refused to follow the new ruling, and consequently appointed Koko, a condemned tailor, as Lord High Executioner. Strangely, the condition for this appointment was for Koko to be beheaded, as he was proven guilty of violating the new law, unless he finds someone to behead first. Koko manages to find someone to execute, and that was the traveling minstrel named Nanki-Poo, who actually agrees with Koko only if he is allowed to marry the beautiful Yum-Yum—Koko’s fiance. Nanki-Poo was given a month to enjoy the wedded life before he was beheaded and Koko can finally marry Yum-Yum. But soon an old woman named Katisha appears, a representative of the royal court, and announces that Nanki-Poo is really the crown prince—guilty of the crime, as he had flirted with her and tried to escape execution by hiding in the small town. Eventually, the Mikado himself arrives and declares that his goal for decreeing such an inane ruling was to let the punishment fit the crime. More misunderstandings and deceptions came afterwards, but in the end everyone lives happily ever after. Gilbert and Sullivan decided to use Japan as a setting to create a satire about the British penchant for all things Japanese, during the 1880s. And because it was brilliantly written and the references to British pretensions and petty customs subtle and discreet, audiences failed to make any negative observations and promptly applauded the performance. Exporting The Mikado to the United States was the right thing to do, for it replicated the success of H. M. S. Pinafore and drove Americans into a Japanese frenzy. The Mikado is the sole musical by Gilbert and Sullivan that had been performed in a variety of languages, and is also their only work that spawned a diplomatic controversy. In 1907, the Crown Prince of Japan came over for a state visit, and immediately the British government ordered a ban on The Mikado; only to discover that one of the Prince’s objectives in visiting Britain was to watch the musical. To this day, The Mikado is still widely produced and staged worldwide. However, the problem with having a major success in one’s name is the pressure to produce another one of equal or greater impact. In 1887, Gilbert and Sullivan staged Ruddigore, which entailed more melodrama than their previous collaborations. It truly was an accomplished piece, but audiences kept comparing it with The Mikado. Once more, Sullivan was disheartened by this turn of events and threatened to leave the industry altogether and focus on classical compositions instead. Gilbert tried to change his mind with a new libretto, one that was not an echo of their old work. With The Yeomen of the Guard, an operetta set during the reign of Henry VIII, romance was played out within the constraints of political controversies, as well as the possibility of execution. Sullivan, satisfied with the proposition, proceeded to create a score punctuated with melodrama and emotion, while Gilbert reinvented himself and his style by veering from his usual whimsical comic dialogue. Serious was the best word to use to describe Yeoman, and this became a personal favorite of Sullivan. The monarchy did not escape the sharp wit of the two, either. In 1889, Gilbert and Sullivan resurrected their signature comic style with the staging of The Gondoliers. A story of a couple of anti-royalist gondoliers from Venice who ironically discover that they have suddenly become kings of a country in the midst of a revolution, Gilbert and Sullivan once again mixed fun and comedy to discuss the idiosyncrasies of the royals and the issues of democracy. The Gondoliers became an instant international hit. No less than the public-shy Queen Victoria requested for several private performances of The Gondoliers, which validated the immense contribution of Gilbert and Sullivan to musical theatre. But the personal differences between the two icons continued to get in the way of their professional relationship. Some were serious concerns, yet some were downright trivial—such as the argument over the cost of newly-installed carpets in the Savoy Theatre. Carte and his wife ultimately chose to take Sullivan’s side, which resulted in their production of Ivanhoe, Sullivan’s grand opera. However, this project failed to achieve any semblance of financial success; which was a mirror of Gilbert’s own experience when he went back to writing his own plays. Several years later, the three business partners tried to put everything aside and reconcile, but sadly, they were never able to bring back their glory days. Still, they managed to produce Utopia Limited (1893), another satire of Britain’s unsuccessful efforts in its dealings with other countries; and The Grand Duke (1896), featuring a theatre group’s attempts to claim power in a problematic Germany. Both productions were of the same make and quality as their previous ones, but neither enjoyed substantial performance durations because of expensive production costs. More than that, it was already apparent that Gilbert and Sullivan no longer had the fresh and intriguing style and creativity that had earned them the respect of audiences worldwide (Kenrick, 2000-2003). IV. Reviews Interesting to note are the reviews made for each of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas, as made by many critics and journalists during the time. Some of the takes of these writers were documented and used as reference, in order to validate the creative contribution given by the duo. One review for Thespis on its opening night in 1871 commended Gilbert and the magnificent storyline he created, as well as the audience’s superb reception of the play. Credits were specifically given to the talent showcased (Perry, 2001). A Trial By Jury review was not truly exciting—while the critic commended the acting and singing done by the performers, it was the â€Å"lateness of the hour† that possibly accounted for the audience’s lackluster reaction (Perry, 2001). H. F. Frost reviewed The Sorcerer in 1877, and emphasized the effective combination of literary merit and dramatic consistency as created by Gilbert and Sullivan, except that their attempts to subtly mix burlesque and opera was not entirely acceptable. Points were given to the theme of exploring human nature’s weaknesses and imperfections (Perry, 2000). It is evident that H. M. S. Pinafore was a huge crowd favorite, as revealed by a review published in 1878. Pinafore was commended for the use of burlesque but had more humor and charm over Trial By Jury and The Sorcerer. The satire and libretto were both noted, and gave Gilbert and Sullivan credit for managing to pull it off without great offense to the public. The actors were also adjudged suited to their roles, and the musical one that will remain in the bills for a long time (Perry, 2001). A review made in 1880 of Pirates of Penzance saw it as having several allusions to H. M. S. Pinafore, particularly in the similarities of some of the characters. But the audience was not put off by that observation, and still applauded the cynicism and wit of Gilbert’s words as well as the charm of Sullivan’s music (Perry, 2000). V. The Final Years Though they never really regained their old camaraderie, Gilbert and Sullivan remained civil to each other until the end. In 1888, Sullivan was granted knighthood, and the former colleagues shared the same stage once more during revivals of their old classics were produced. Later, Sullivan collaborated with other writers to produce several critically-acclaimed operas, including The Emerald Isle in 1900. Sullivan finally passed away at the age of 58, due to a bout of severe bronchitis. Gilbert, on the other hand, got his second wind at the dawn of the new century, with a notable output of librettos and plays. He eventually received his knighthood in 1907, which was long overdue, but allowed him to experience being touted as a British national living treasure. At age 74, while saving a girl from drowning in his own estate, Gilbert was struck by a fatal heart attack. This happened in late May 1911. The great producer Carte succumbed to the permanent effects of illness in 1901, but his opera company was continued by Helen, his wife, and their son Rupert and his wife. They revived the most acclaimed works of Gilbert and Sullivan throughout the years, until the company closed in 1983 due to financial problems. But Bridget, Rupert’s wife, left a considerable amount of money to allow a new group of theatre producers to form a new company, which still stages revivals of the famous musicals of Gilbert and Sullivan to this day. VI. The Gilbert and Sullivan Legacy The achievements of Gilbert and Sullivan were nothing less than national milestones, particularly in the reality of class-conscious Britain. The brilliant wit, humor, and music created by the duo gained popularity with all class levels of society, which was a feat it itself. Apart from that, the team’s theatre philosophy transformed the standard musical preferences to be more attune to popular music, and less concentration on the obscure and exclusive. However, Carte’s company refused to grant performers and directors the freedom to modify each production—every staging had to adhere to the set guidelines of the original team. Critics and audiences could only imagine how fresh eyes and new voices would be able to interpret the tried-and-tested pieces (Wren, 2001). Britain respected the legacy of Gilbert and Sullivan, and their standards of musical theatre bore into all productions made in the late 1800s. George Edwardes, a producer of comic operas, proved to be the duo’s strongest competitor. He started with the success of Dorothy in 1886, which included a ballad entitled â€Å"Queen of My Heart†, that broke all records—even running longer than any of Gilbert and Sullivan’s musicals. But what made Edwardes a respected name was his discovery of a new technique with his production of The Gaiety Girls, a musical named after the famous London theatre. This musical comedy featured many of Gilbert and Sullivan’s standard elements, making it a manifestation of the partnership’s influence on the art. The Gaiety Girls, like most of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operas, carried a theme of love gained and lost. But these musicals only had two general narratives—a poor girl in love with a rich man, and wins him in the end, even in the presence of adversities; and a poor girl who attempts to get out of a marriage she did not want, prompting her to involve other characters on a chase. The music and titles of these musicals all had the same essence, which were really just variations on a theme. Interestingly, the seeming monotony of these musicals were greatly appreciated by the audiences and critics, who preferred them exactly as they were. But these productions could never stand up against the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, particularly those that had traveled to the United States. This fact awakened the British audience from their stupor, as they had to acknowledge the international receipt of their own culture (Morley, 1987). Needless to say, the Gilbert and Sullivan operas consistently received much acclaim from their American audiences; the staging of H. M. S. Pinafore started a nationwide craze aptly called â€Å"Pinafore-mania†. Typical of Americans, the music and songs of Pinafore quickly entered the realm of popular culture, and were included in regular talk. The classic line â€Å"What never? Well, hardly ever! † from Pinafore became standard replies of people all over, and the phrase â€Å"short, sharp stock† that was used in The Mikado to mean â€Å"of severe punishment† was borrowed by various writers, artists, commentators and bands. Perhaps the most celebrated American production of a Gilbert and Sullivan original was Pirates of Penzance, which found its way to Broadway in 1981 and enjoyed a run that broke production and staging records. Gilbert, in particular, would often be cited by popular American writers, such as Johnny Mercer, Larry Hart, Alan Jay Lerner, and Stephen Sondheim. Mercer was even quoted as saying, â€Å"We all come from Gilbert†, and Sondheim made a tribute to the famous librettist in â€Å"Please Hello† from his work Pacific Overtures (1976). It is probably not far-fetched to assume that Gilbert and Sullivan’s work lent sophistication and class to the existing brand of musicals then; soon after, new generations of musical talents appeared, putting the USA on top of the list. The Boston Ideal Opera Company, more popularly known as The Bostonians, made the rounds of theatres all over the country, and were received well for their outstanding performances. They included in the repertoire several original American musicals, but were known for their productions of Gilbert and Sullivan works. A listing of American originals that took after the Gilbert and Sullivan tradition is as follows: El Capitan (1896) by John Philip Sousa The Begum (1887) and Robin Hood (1891) by librettist Harry B, Smith and composer Reginald DeKoven The Highwayman (1897), again by Reginald DeKoven (Gillan, 2007). VII. The Gilbert and Sullivan Influence The influence of Gilbert and Sullivan extended all the way to other forms of art ad communication, which included literary works of famous writers. References to their collaborations are found in the work of writer Isaac Asimov, who wrote a number of stories centered on the puzzles and mysteries of the duo’s operas. One such story was of time travel, where one had to go back in the 1800s to rescue the score to Gilbert and Sullivan’s Thespis (Asimov, 1978). â€Å"The Year of the Action† engaged a debate over the actual date of the action in Pirates of Penzance. A story in Asimov’s famous I, Robot, â€Å"Runaround†, had a character singing parts of songs from Ruddigore, Patience, and Pinafore. Cleverly, Asimov concluded his homage to the duo with his story â€Å"The Up-To-Date Sorcerer†, which was obviously a parody of The Sorcerer. Legendary British author P. G. Wodehouse was also known to cite Gilbert and Sullivan in his writings, and more often exclusively referred to Gilbert. His novels and short stories included numerous allusions to the team’s work, many to Gilbert’s early Bab Ballads (Robinson, 2006). The film industry also found the works of Gilbert and Sullivan great material for a wealth of movies. Many of their musicals were adapted into films, including the actors who originally performed in the theatre versions. The Mikado was adapted into a movie in 1939, in full color, for which it won several awards. Also, many films made use of scores composed for a number of Gilbert and Sullivan musicals, including The Matchmaker (1958), I Could Go On Singing (1963), The Naughty Victorians (1975), The Bad News Bears Go To Japan (1978), Chariots of Fire (1981), The Adventures of Milo and Otis (1989), The Browning Version (1994), and The Hand That Rocks The Cradle (1992). Television is also another medium that has embraced the Gilbert and Sullivan talent. From The Simpsons to Frasier, from Angel to The West Wing, the duo’s music has been showcased in a variety of scenes and episodes. There was even a show dedicated to spoofs of Gilbert and Sullivan musicals, entitled The Star of Christmas. Video games such as Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas also had visual references of Gilbert and Sullivan’s works, particularly of Pirates of Penzance. Outside of media, many personalities in politics also found good material in the team’s celebrated works to promote their platforms and ideologies. A â€Å"short, sharp stock† remains to be a popular mainstay in many manifestos and debates. VIII. On A Personal Level Though their professional partnership was truly accomplished and proven time and again, it was the personal relationship of Gilbert and Sullivan that had suffered the most. Collaborations may or may not be successful if the participants are friends; however, artists like Gilbert and Sullivan probably see no boundaries between who they are and what they do. Sullivan was not rich, and as he grew up he mad it a point to mingle with the rich and influential. He met Gilbert, and immediately discovered the parallels in drive and talent in both of them. However, he also saw something else—that Gilbert’s friendship could be the means for him to make his career flourish. Sullivan had many other powerful friends, including Queen Victoria, who advi