Wednesday, July 31, 2019

The Secret Under the Veil

The legendary author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s intriguing story, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†, may be initially read as simply a town’s aversion to a pastor’s strange decision to wear a black veil, but a deeper examination will reveal more profound values—particularly one that echo those of the writer himself. Hawthorne was known to espouse beliefs on man’s propensity toward evil, as well as the ensuing dangers brought on by isolation (OnPedia. com, par. 1), which are evident in many of his works.The same thinking was used as the underlying theme in this story, which is a narrative of the choices made by Parson Hooper, the local minister who refused to remove the veil from his person—thus causing him to be avoided by townsfolk and associated with the idea of evil and secrecy, or both. Strangely, but perhaps intentionally, the word ‘veil’ may be turned around to spell ‘evil’, which in Hawthorne’s typical period of seventeenth-century New England (Merriman, par. 2) could be logically equated with sin.The question then to be asked is within Hooper’s vow to wear the veil—was it to conceal a great sin? The answer may be revealed by a careful analysis of the story, identifying specific statements and moments that provide proof. II. Facades and Appearances: Symbolism of the Black Veil The story begins with the townsfolk’s dismay at the veiled countenance of their new minister, Mr. Hooper, and is evident in a statement uttered by one of them: â€Å"’I don’t like it,’ muttered an old woman†¦ ’He has changed himself into something awful, only by hiding his face. ’† (Hawthorne, par.8). This reaction was most probably triggered by the common representation of the black veil—gloom, death, sadness—as it is usually seen during funerals. It does not directly refer to an admission of sin, but rather to mourn f or something; but the people took its use to be for disguising one’s real feelings, and therefore, must be a manifestation of guilt. Such is implied in their collective thought as Mr. Hooper proceeded with the church service, â€Å"did he seek to hide (his face) from the dread Being whom he was addressing? † (Hawthorne, par. 10). Without actual knowledge of Mr.Hooper’s intentions, the townspeople had already passed judgment and concluded that the minister must be concealing a secret, something so evil that he would not even face God without it. This assumption was further made correct in their minds as Mr. Hooper’s sermon centered on the subject of secret sin, and how no matter it is relegated into the darkest corners, God is able to see it (Hawthorne, par. 12). Small-town societies, such as in the story, can be preoccupied with maintaining appearances and impressions; the main goal is to present a favorable image of themselves as members of a system.Anyt hing that goes against the accepted norms may be treated with curiosity at best, and ridicule at most. Clearly, the town’s unspoken rules did not include having a pastor wearing a black veil, due to the perceived meanings of the object. The outcome is thus the connection and interpretation found within their own social narrative—in this case, secrecy, evil, and sin. III. Change and Acceptance: Not For the Religious People during this era had a great attachment to their faith, exemplified by their staunch obedience to all requisites of religion.Because of this, they had little or no tolerance for anything that ran against the accepted notions of religious tradition (Smith, par. 2)—most especially the idea of a minister wearing a black veil. Gloom and darkness were instantly associated with Mr. Hooper, and produced images of supernatural events (Hawthorne, par. 18). Once more, the wealth of assumptions created by the townsfolk spoke greatly about their own values, and none truly giving value to Mr. Hooper’s reasons. No one dared ask him—except his fiancee—regarding his use of the black veil; the people were content to talk among themselves and further elaborate on their perceptions.The appropriation of funerals is notable in the story, which then gives the reader a chance to associate the concept with Mr. Hooper’s veil, but this was certainly not the mindset of the people; they had already formed their own ideas regarding Mr. Hooper, his probable secret, and the darkness it evoked that consumed the whole town. IV. Truth and Consequence: Revealing the Veil’s Purpose Curiously, the story includes as note that refers to another account of the wearing of the black veil: one that involved yet another clergyman who wore the veil to his death due to his accidental murder of a friend (Hawthorne, par.2). This information, as provided by the author, lends itself to much argument and debate. On the one hand, the reade r could assume that this was a ‘veiled’ revelation of Mr. Hooper’s real yet untold reason for donning the black veil; on the other, it could be simply a comparison of two similar manifestations albeit with different objectives. Another clue that positions itself toward the belief that Mr. Hooper may indeed have committed a grave sin is his exchange with his fiancee Elizabeth, during which he asked. â€Å"’.. if I cover (my face) for sin, what mortal might not do the same?’† (Hawthorne, par. 37). And no matter how much Elizabeth tried to convince Mr. Hooper to tell her his reasons for not removing the veil, the minister remained firm in is resolve. In the ends, he chose to live in isolation, far from the woman he loved, for the motivation for hiding behind the veil was greater. But this isolation and focus on the consequences of sin drew ‘sinners’ closer to Mr. Hooper; it was perhaps his dark appearance and reputation that made th em confess their sins easily, with the quest to ask for forgiveness, as is done in the presence of a priest.In the end, while on his deathbed, Mr. Hooper dealt the blow that would eventually explain, however cryptic, his possible reasons for wearing the veil: â€Å"’Tremble also at each other†¦ I look around me,†¦ on every visage a black veil! ’† (Hawthorne, par. 60). While some will conclude that the minister finally admitted to his secret sin, another interpretation runs toward his use of the veil only to make the people realize their hypocrisy and bad judgment. By his referring to â€Å"the mystery by which (the veil) obscurely typifies has made (it) so awful? † (Hawthorne, par. 60), Mr.Hooper denounced the isolation he had been subjected to by the evil in the minds of men, including his own religious brothers. Just by the sole use of the black veil, a lifetime of assumptions and judgment had been passed on to him—obviously a sin creat ed by malicious thinking. V. Conclusion If the reader were to assume that Mr. Hooper had committed a sin that he avowed to remain secret because of the bit of information about another priest’s use of a black veil, as well as the perceptions of society, then he or she would not be any different from the townsfolk. The presentation of various facts—Mr.Hooper’s wearing of the veil and his refusal to remove it; the earlier incident of another veil being used; and the affinity of the ‘sinners’ with the minister—were probably made to evoke the kind of reaction in a person, coming from the degree of evil in his or her mind. Nowhere in the story had any concrete proof of Mr. Hooper’s supposed sin been shown, and coming to this kind of conclusion is born out of the reader’s own experience. The mention of the other priest who had worn a similar veil was only there to provide one reason; it was not exactly meant to assume that Mr. Hooperà ¢â‚¬â„¢s was the same.Also, the author specifically stated why the first priest had done so—because of a murder he had committed—which meant that it was revealed to the public at some point. In Mr. Hooper’s case, no revelations of any kind were given, as he simply refused to remove it till his death. Mr. Hooper’s character is a test of the townsfolk’s—and the reader’s—core. Seeing how the townsfolk reacted, which is most likely along the same lines as that of many readers of this story, Hawthorne’s theory of evil residing in the minds of men is validated.Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†. The Literature Network, 2009 http://www. online-literature. com/hawthorne/146/ â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil†. OnPedia. com, 2009. http://www. onpedia. com/encyclopedia/The-Minister%27s-Black-Veil Merriman, C. D. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne †. Jalic, Inc. , 2007. http:/ /www. online-literature. com/hawthorne/ Smith, Nicole. â€Å"Analysis of ‘The Minister’s Black Veil’ by Nathaniel Hawthorne†. Article Myriad, 2007. http://www. articlemyriad. com/146. htm

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Morality and Competitor Essay

No doubt, Money is an essential, almost indispensable article in the present day world. It is the’ money’ through which we can purchase all the necessary comforts and amenities of life. If you have money, you can obtain what seems impossible to others. It is the money which gives man, confidence, creditworthiness, credentials, capacity, capabilities and courage. In present day materialistic world, money has become very powerful. In the present day corruption, cut throat competition, callous degradation of moral and ethical values, are for the sake of grabbing and accumulating more and more money. The prestige, respect, social status, commanded by a person is calculated per his monetary status. Time has gone, when we valued a person in evaluated of his moral and ethical values. People were earlier known for keeping their words, for donating every thing to a donee. Now people are know in terms of their ranking in the list of rich of the world. Money has become the centre of all activities. Money and muscle power have become essential ingredients of a successful political leader. Money is regarded as omnipotent by a few people, particularly by the poor. As whatever one does not possess, one aspires it badly, and it becomes mono aim of achievement. For the rich, that owe lots of money, still craving to earn more and more, by hook or by crook, with fair or foul means, without caring even for their own health, own family. They are the servants of money, earning money not for the sake of themselves but for the sake of money and a time comes they find themselves unable to use the money for their happiness. They are unable to eat, unable to taste the most delicious dish, unable to move, walk or enjoy because they suffer from many diseases which are the result of their undue craving for wealth at the cost of health. Can one purchase anything with the power of money? No, one cannot. You cannot purchase inner satisfaction with money, you cannot purchase the lost youthfulness with money, you cannot purchase time from the death at any cost. Those who earn money simply to a have more money, more balance in their accounts are no better than the proverbial miser king ‘Midas’. Excessive love for money, make a man slave of money. Money is important for our life, but it is not the most important thing for a human being. Those who use money for fulfilling their necessities, acquiring reasonable comforts and for the welfare of a common good, are the masters of money. But those who earn money just for the sake of increasing its volume and number are slaves of the money. They are the most unfortunate creatures of God who know well that whatever money they are earning, can’t be taken an iota of that when they die even they are minting more and more money. What a paradox Money has become their master and they are just slaves, having no peace of mind, no moral and ethical values, no inner satisfaction. So it is rightly said that money is a good servant but a bad master. Let us use the money for our comfort, not for the sake of money, minting more and more money.

Monday, July 29, 2019

Frankenstein and Blade Runner Essay

The texts, Frankenstein and Blade Runner reflect changing contextual values; however the treatment of content remains the same. Mary Shelley’s didactic Frankenstein published in 1818 centres on scientific advancement of the Industrial Revolution, as presented through a consolidation of Gothic and Romantic elements in response to the shifting paradigms of the Enlightenment Age. Similarly, Blade Runner directed by Ridley Scott in 1982, transforms the notions of Frankenstein to position its postmodern audience to consider the negative ramifications of the Cold War and the rise of capitalism. These contextual ideas will be explored through the thematic concerns pertaining specifically to the destructive potential of abusing scientific power, the flawed responsibility of man as creator and the nature of humanity. Indeed, Blade Runner is a realisation of the sublime warnings highlighted by Shelley’s Frankenstein in 1818. Destructive potential of abusing scientific power Frankenstein highlights the destructive potential of abusing science through overpowering human morality and provoking irresponsibility. The 18th Century Age of Enlightenment was a social movement where logic and reason was advocated as the primary source of authority, characterised by scientific advancements such as Galvani’s concept of electricity as a reanimating force and theorists such as Erasmus Darwin. Hence, Walton’s metaphor, influenced by Age of Enlightenment, â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light? † is mantric for both Walton and Frankenstein who display a â€Å"thirst for knowledge† in their respective scientific quests. The metaphor and symbol of â€Å"eternal light† represents the mysteries the pair wish to uncover and accompanied with rhetorical question it reflects the optimism of society embracing the Age of Enlightenment. However, the irrevocable consequences of abusing scientific power is highlighted when Frankenstein says, â€Å"â€Å"All my speculations and hopes are as nothing, and like the archangel who aspired to omnipotence, I am chained to an eternal hell. † as he is tormented by the â€Å"filthy daemon† he creates; a monster â€Å"even Dante could not have conceived. The allusions to John Milton’s Paradise Lost and Dante Alighieri’s Inferno through metaphor and simile emphasises the destructive potential of abusing scientific power as Frankenstein’s environment decays into hell. This caution of the destructive potential of abusing science is realised in Blade Runner through Scott’s mise-en-scene of the dystopian urban wasteland of 2019 Los Angeles, emphasising the destruction of the natural environment as a result of the Cold War’s nuclear threat and rise of consumerism. In the opening sequence, the slow-panning panorama shot, under chiaroscuro lighting, captures a hellish megalopolis with huge smokestacks spewing fire into the atmosphere and large pagan corporate edifices towering over the city. This disorienting imagery is coalesced with violent, non-diegetic sounds and visuals of constant rain, symbolizing concerns of acidic rain and the burning of the environment. Hence, Scott’s utilization of futuristic â€Å"film noir† cinematography establishes a grim, claustrophobic environment that is completely devoid of the natural world. By depicting such dystopia and understanding contextual concerns such as the capitalist deregulation and the ‘trickle down’ theory of Reagan’s era, Scott applies Shelley’s â€Å"Promethean† motif to caution viewers about the potential environmental dangers of abusing modern technology and nuclear warfare, which were widespread social concerns at the time due to the climax of the Cold War. Flawed responsibility of men as creator Frankenstein highlights how unrestrained science undermines man’s responsibility as creator. Shelley’s era was a time of religious revival where philosophers such as Kierkegaard asserted spirituality was more than â€Å"objective appearance† and demanded engagement. In both texts, several biblical allusions are made to the image of man usurping the title of â€Å"creator† and creation becoming the forsaken â€Å"fallen angel. † Hence Victor’s Godly damnation reflects man as illegitimate to play the role of God: â€Å"Wretched devil! You reproach me with your creation; come on, then, may I extinguish the spark which I so negligently bestowed. Through the emotive biblical language and poetic allusion to â€Å"Milton’s Paradise Lost†, Shelley evokes the retelling of Satan’s fall from grace, where the monster’s likeness to the â€Å"fallen angel,† exacerbates the notion that man, corrupted by the moral insensitivity of science, is flawed as creator. Moreover, the â€Å"spark† alludes to the â€Å"eternal light† which irresponsibly leads to the immoral creation of a monster that is both extravagant and aberrant. This is illustrated by the graphic imagery of the monster’s impurity such as â€Å"skin arely covered† and â€Å"yellow eye† alongside the creature’s painful personal recollections through direct use of the first person, â€Å"I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch. I knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides. † Hence, Shelley highlights to readers in the Enlightenment period that innate selfishness of men corrupts the moral grounding of scientific pursuit rendering man as illegitimate to play the role of God. The issue of mankind as selfish creators, disengaged from institutionalized structures such as Christendom, is extended in Blade Runner in the â€Å"meeting of the maker’ scene. Tyrell ruthlessly exploits his economic power by separating himself from the decaying dystopia of Los Angeles. Tyrell’s fundamentally flawed intentions are personified in the Tyrell Corporation’s edifice of a Grandiose, Mayan style pyramid physically exerting a powerful dominance over the city. It is presented through an upward panning low angle shot, spliced with close up shots to reinforce the dominance of consumerist progress in dystopia. The pyramid’s historical association with Egyptian royalty links them with the divine, typifying Tyrell’s ‘God-like’ role as creator. This is reinforced in Tyrell’s costuming of white clothing amidst long shots of a candle-lit church atmosphere, typifying his glorified religious status. Moreover the low-angle shots of the ‘artificial owl’ with dark shadows emphasises the extent to which the natural environment has been artificially remodeled due to the rise of consumerism in the 1980s. Hence, the dehumanised portray of Victor Frankenstein and Tyrell demonstrates that despite differering contexts, science leads to an abandonment of moral responsibility and man is flawed as creator. What constitutes humanity in an individual Frankenstein highlights the true nature of humanity as influenced by the 18th Century Romantic Movement. The 18th Century Romantic Movement was a social reaction against the 18th Century Age of Enlightenment, characterised by stressing the beauty of the natural world and emotional feeling. The natural world’s splendour is highlighted as Frankenstein flees to Mont Blanc for conciliatory peace away from his torment. â€Å"The unstained snowy mountain-top, the glittering pinnacle †¦ the eagle soaring amidst the clouds. † The Romantic and emotive language, imagery and allusion to Edmund Burke’s On the Sublime and the Beautiful portrays the beauty of the natural world, free from destructive science. Further humanity’s emotions are romanticised through the benevolent portrayal of the Monster. â€Å"No father had watched my infant days; no mother had blessed me with smiles and caresses†¦ What was I? † Through the combination of emotive language, a personal tone created through the personal pronoun â€Å"I† and a rhetorical question to question what constitutes humanity within a being, Shelley transcends the Gothic stereotype typically bestowed upon a monster to emphasise the monster’s human longings for parental love and companionship. Hence, as the Romantic Movement and its fascination with the sublimity of nature, was being overcome by the strict rationality of the Age of Enlightenment, Shelley foreworns of the destruction of the magnificence of humanity, both in the natural world and in human emotions, as a result of rampant science and irresponsibility. Similarly, the â€Å"more human than human† portrayal of Roy in Blade Runner also highlights our mistreatment of scientific creations as artificial commodities, blurring the distinction between humans and products of artificial intelligence. In the final scene, Scott uses a close-up shot at Roy’s nailed hands, literally portraying him as a Christ-like figure, as he is enslaved and morally detached from humanity from the goals of â€Å"commerce†. The condescending aphorism in Tyrell’s comment at Roy’s desperate cry for life, â€Å"the light that burns half as long, burns twice as bright† alludes to the â€Å"eternal light† in Frankenstein’s Age of Reason and its effects on humanity’s disregard for the human consequences of its actions. Hence Roy asserts â€Å"I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe†, which reflects about his personal, human pain and suffering as a result of the commoditised world. Furthermore, a close up of Roy, alongside the pure white background creates a cathartic moment as Roy becomes ‘the fallen angel’, magnanimously giving life to Deckard and instilling human qualities within him. It is through illustrating Roy’s sensitivity that Scott ‘appropriates’ Shelley’s dilemma of what constitutes humanity within any being, questioning the morality of the technology-dependent audience of the 1980s; as they take scientific creations for granted. Hence after suffering and succumbing to brutal dehumanisation, both Replicant and Beast have emotively evoked pathos and senses of profound solemnity. Ultimately, both Frankenstein and Blade Runner are products of their cultural milieu and forewarn us of the destructive potential of abusing science, illegitimately playing the role of God and the values of humanity that degrade our morality and responsibility. More subliminally, however, each text embodies the moral limitations of being human through the oppressive nature of scientific and technological advancement.

Funding Sources within Upcoming Entrepreneurs Research Paper

Funding Sources within Upcoming Entrepreneurs - Research Paper Example This is the scenario where there emerge various businesspersons who are willing to start their own businesses for the purpose of providing better services to the people, which in the process results to better profit realization. Consequently, in the process of starting a new business organization, entrepreneurs should make sure they consider and meet various factors such as capital, labor and better management in order to avoid the collapse of the organization at its early stages. Moreover, the emergence of these business organizations are helpful as they results to the creation of job opportunities within the given environment, therefore, they should be encouraged. Thesis Based on the development of new businesses, this paper provides the three types of funding sources that an entrepreneur should considers during capital generation, some of the merits of the provided funding sources and their disadvantages. It also provides some of the factors that the lender should consider in the borrower and some of the ways in which the information need to be presented to the lender. The research paper also provides some of the procedures that need to be followed in future in during the process of entrepreneurial endeavor and some of the ways in which entrepreneurs may manage to start their own businesses. ... Question 1: Types of Funding Sources to Entrepreneurs During the process of coming up with a business organization, there are various factors that an entrepreneur should consider for the success of the business to be achieved. One of the main factors to be looked at is the capital for starting the proposed business. Therefore, there are three main types of funding sources that an entrepreneur should consider in the process of generating capital for starting a business. These include: Debt Financing Through the process of debt financing, an entrepreneur is required to apply for loans from various financial institutions such as banks and non-government institutions. Therefore, before an organization decide to borrow money from these institutions, the need to consider the lending process, interest provided and the period in which the organization is required to settle all their debts. If the information provided by the banks complies with the situation of the business, the entrepreneur needs to apply for the loans (Viramgami 178). On the other hand, for the bank organization to strike the deal with the organization they need to consider the cash flow of the organization and the security that the proposed organization provides against the loan provided. Grants This is the process whereby various entrepreneurs become part of some of the government agencies within their respective countries. For instance, in the United States, most of their new entrepreneurs who are willing to start small businesses become members of the Small Business Administration, which is part of the Small Business Innovation Research programs (Talloo, 78). Therefore, in the process of becoming part of these government organizations, these people are in the position of getting help

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Strengths of the welfare system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strengths of the welfare system - Essay Example In 1996, the welfare system was improved so that it can provide justifiable benefits to people with need (Welfare Information,† US Welfare System - Help for US Citizens†). The welfare system of America comprises several public programs, which intends to provide support to the people. For example, one important program of American welfare system is food stamps program, which assists poor people in purchasing grocery products. There is also unemployment benefits program that provide support to the employees who lost their occupations. The Medicaid program of American welfare system delivers inexpensive healthcare services to the low-income group people, thus assist the poor individuals to maintain healthy lifestyle. The child welfare program helps to prevent child abuse and encourage care for children who need assistance such as to live in foster homes or to arrange for reunification and adoption among others (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, â€Å"How the Child Welfare System Works†). The key strength of welfare system in America is that it provides assistance to people with need and thereby fights against poverty. It provide financ ial support with respect to domiciliary expenditures, food, clothing requirements and lodging, until the particular individual gain the ability to earn and to live. Historically, there was much concern in America regarding unequal treatment particularly for African ancestry. While providing support, families of African ancestry was likely to be abused and neglected. For example, it can be observed that African children are likely to be removed from foster homes on the basis class and they also experienced poverty, poor lodging and low level of access to health insurance. As an outcome, it eventually resulted in criminal behavior among black people. The rise of welfare system in America contributed greatly to the wellbeing of African ancestry in order to maintain a

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Outsourcing - Joint venture, Nearshore, back source and switch vendor Essay

Outsourcing - Joint venture, Nearshore, back source and switch vendor - Essay Example In fact, Whitten and Leidner point out that outsourcing can determine the â€Å"product quality, service quality, relationship quality and the switching costs† of a company’s products (2006). As such, outsourcing is generally an important strategy that can determine the success of an organization. Essentially, due to the development or organizational skills and technological developments, the competition among organizations has increased significantly. To avoid losses, many companies have opted to enter in to contracts and partnerships through the act of outsourcing. Generally, to enter these contracts, there are various costs that each organization has to cater for. These costs generally arise due to the payments made in respect to offshore government policies, agreements and negotiations as well as legal aspect matters among others. Notably important, in many instances, the costs of the partnership contract will be lower in huge and established corporations such as GlobShop, and higher in smaller organizations. Generally speaking, established organizations such as GlobShop are usually offered better investment programs and incentives as compared to the less established ones. Equally important, the monitoring and evaluation of performance in any organization helps in the acknowledgement of ambiguities that may lead to failure of the outsourcing. To ensure that an outsourcing venture is successful, organizations should consistently conduct meetings to discuss and review the set goals and targets. These meetings will also ensure that the organizations keep a consistent work towards attaining specific objectives thus enabling employees and managers to consistently keep track of their performance. Furthermore, joint venture outsourcing enables the organizations under partnership to increase returns and reduce costs significantly. However, lack of

Friday, July 26, 2019

What Effect Does ADX Have on Atherosclerosis Article

What Effect Does ADX Have on Atherosclerosis - Article Example Image 1 the image above shows the pathway by which the Adrenal glands respond to the signal triggered by the brain.1 When the adrenal glands are removed, there is a sudden decrease in the epinephrine, norepinephrine and hormones. This could lead to disastrous effects in the body. Reasons for an adrenalectomy could be due to an adrenal mass (incidental adenoma), pheochromocytoma, Conn’s Syndrome (aldostrenoma) and Cushing’s syndrome.2 Atherosclerosis is a stress inducing disease. The adrenal glands respond to the development of atherosclerosis and release hormones to reduce the further developing. In atherosclerosis the Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) enter the endothelial cells in the cell wall where they are oxidized. Oxidized LDL is toxic and induces inflammation. The monocytes, in the blood passing through the artery, respond to the inflammation and engulf the macrophages (cholesterol rich oxidized LDL). These form foam cells, filled with lipid. The cells die (apoptos is) and leave a lipid core. The body’s attempt to heal forms a fibrous cap over the lipid core. LDL growth continues causing the elastic membrane to stretch outward. Arterial remodeling takes place to maintain the artery’s shape, however if the lesion continues to grow the growth will continue inwards when it cannot stretch outward anymore. This narrows the diameter making it less easy for the blood to pass through, and the fibrous cap is now very thin after is has been stretched which increases chances of lesion rupture. Glucocorticoids are stress-response hormones; the hormone is released in response to stress in the body by the adrenal glands. Glucocorticoids also play a role in the further developing of atherosclerosis. The glucocorticoids inhibit the colony growth of macrophages; this is beneficial to reducing atherosclerosis. However, glucocorticoids have side effects which could increase the chances of developing atherosclerosis, such as high blood pressure, ind uction on hypercholesterolemia, impairment of glucose tolerance, hypertriglyceridemia, imbalance of thrombosis and fibronolysis.3 In the present study, I hypothesized that an adrenalectomy will lead to further the development of atherosclerosis in the LDL-knockout mice. To test this hypothesis, the levels of stress was compared to the development of atherosclerosis in both sham operated and adrenalectomized (ADX) mice. The genetic differences were compared after the sham operation and the adrenalectomy took place. This study demonstrates the effect of ADX on atherosclerosis. Methods: In this experiment 12 week old female LDL-receptor knockout mice were used. Supplied by, my supervisor Menno Hoekstra. The mice were caged in groups of four or five. The drink bottles contained a saline solution, from which the mice could drink at any time, also during fasting. Diet N is made up of cholesterol, fat and cholic acid. The experiment took place as follows; the mice were 6 weeks old when the ADX and SHAM operations took place. This is week 0. At two weeks the mice gained strength after being fed the chow diet. Blood was drawn at two weeks. At six weeks the mice were put on diet N and blood was drawn again. At 8 weeks the mice were sacrificed after blood was drawn. Sacrificing: The adrenalectomy takes place when

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Corporation Law case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Corporation Law case study - Essay Example The main issue is if the selling of stocks and the responsibility of the directors. Its nesassry to tell a few words about dealing with outsiders. Also the seconde question deals with the problem of outsider trading. Express authority4 In the context of a Co, actual authority will be conferred by the Co const or, in its absence in accordance with the replaceable rules of the CA. In general, in the case of any Co with more than 1 D, authority is vested in the Board collectively - s 198A Any act lying outside the authority of the D's or the Board can be performed by the members in general meeting - s 198A(2) Implied authority of Co officers The Board may appoint someone as Managing Director (must be one of their own number - replaceable rule s 201J), conferring on that person the powers of the Board - s 198C(1). According to the articles concerning duties of directors one of theliste every managing director is obliged to act in good faith in the best interests of the corp and to use powers for a proper purpose - s 181.5 In this case the managing director haven't acted in the best iint of the company because the board of directors had rejected the contract. So mister Lam is responsible for comensation the losses to the company. Also he have to take responsibility of information given about the information given on the new project because he promised the increase in productivity of about 100%. The law prohibits insider trading. Generally, D's do not owe a fiduciary duty to individual s'holders Percival v Wright [1902] 2 Ch 421 - shareholders offered to sell shares to directors - directors already negotiating to sell shares at much higher price but did not inform s'holders - court held no fiduciary duty to shareholders,... The second question concerns different articles of the corporate law. There is some information about the corporations' law. The main issue is if the selling of stocks and the responsibility of the directors. Its nesassry to tell a few words about dealing with outsiders. Also the seconde question deals with the problem of outsider trading. According to the articles concerning duties of directors one of theliste every managing director is obliged to act in good faith in the best interests of the corp and to use powers for a proper purpose - s 181.5 In this case the managing director haven't acted in the best iint of the company because the board of directors had rejected the contract. So mister Lam is responsible for comensation the losses to the company. Also he have to take responsibility of information given about the information given on the new project because he promised the increase in productivity of about 100%. The law prohibits insider trading. Percival v Wright [1902] 2 Ch 421 - shareholders offered to sell shares to directors - directors already negotiating to sell shares at much higher price but did not inform s'holders - court held no fiduciary duty to shareholders, and so they could not recover. Primary prohibition in s 1043A(1) - insider may not purchase or sell shares in Co or get anyone to do that for him.

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Art History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Art History - Essay Example The interior of the krakers was glazed so as to make the clay surface suitable for holding water. Also, for aesthetic reasons because the interior was seen easily (Richter, 55). The participants at the start of each symposium elected a lord of common drink or symposiarch. This lord would be in charge of the wine servants, the degree of wine dilution and how it changes as the party continues, and the rate at which the cups will be filled. The centerpiece of the symposiarch’s power was how the krater was filled and emptied. An astute symposiarch was able to make out the degree of inebriation of his fellow participants. Hence, he made sure that the event went on smoothly and without cases of excess drunkenness. Drinking undiluted wine in ancient Greece was considered low, as it characterized the person dinking a drunkard and someone who lacked self-control and principle. For an optimal long conversation, the ancient writers advised a ratio of one is to three (wine to water). A ratio of one is to two was for fun, and a ratio of one is to one was suitable for orgiastic revelry (Richter, 75). There were various forms of krakers. These include column kraker, which has its origin in Corinth though it was Athenians. Calyx krater, this kraker resembles the shape of a calyx flower. It has low handles, which protrude at the base of the bowl. Volute krater, it is attic in shape and has handles which look like the volute of a capital. Bell kraker, it has the look of inverted bell, and they are all red-figure. On this assignment, the focus will lie on the Calyx kraker mixing bowl. The calyx kraker depicts dueling scenes from the Trojan War. The mixing bowl is in the museum of fine arts in Boston. The bowl is from the late archaic period about 490-480 B.C. It has a height of 45.2 cm, or 17 13/16 in diameter is 51.3 cm (20 3/6 in). It is a red figure ceramic classified as Greek vessel. The Tyszkiewicz painter got his name from the vessel (Richter,

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Discharge Plan Assiigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Discharge Plan Assiigment - Essay Example cation of discharge or transfer, pre-admission planning, effective communication between the clinician and Care giver and good management plan to ensure that care are given continually. This paper is an outline of a manager who plans the transfer process of a patient suffering from ESRD on dialysis. The patient prefer going back home while the third parties are in disagreement of the idea. As the case manager the procedure below will be the guideline followed to deal with the matter in question. On the onset of admission, the transfer needs would be the autonomous decision of the patient and the immediate environment of the patient. In this case the patient’s ability to make rational decision is considered important. In case of mental disability, the patient is farther diagnosed for any mental illness. The extent to which the care givers are committed to give the care services needed by the patient. These two factors are put into consideration and make the basis upon which decision of transfer will be made on. When the patient makes rational decision and the environment is conducive, he or she will be transferred. In case otherwise, other options will be explore such as negotiating with immediate care takers. The discharge level care for the patient is transferred from the staff to the immediate family members at home. These are third party carers who provide the service at home. They can either accept the duty or disagree. In case of disagreement negotiations are necessary to strike a deal with the family members. The patient is destined to home not any other place, this is because the patient wanted to be transferred back home not any other place even though the family members were in disagreement. The basis of the decision is guided by the principle of autonomy of the client which must be considered in relation to other option. The other principles are independency of the patient, the protection of the patient’s well being and the integration of

Evolution of reading and writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evolution of reading and writing - Essay Example It is factual that ancient periods were characterized by people who had no knowledge regarding reading and writing. It was a state of utter ignorance where nobody ever pictured the development of the highly sophisticated forms of reading and writing. As such, the advancements realized today are a product of continuous and new developments that have lasted for more than a thousand years. The nature of reading and writing differs from one geographical location or society to the other. However, it is worth noting that there are some fundamental steps that have characterized all these developments. For instance, in the earlier days, convectional signs or pictures is what was used to express ideas. This however changed over time and was replaced by phonetic writing. Later development gave way to syllabic writing before alphabetic writing eventually took over (Schmandt-Besserat 43). The origin of writing and thus consequent evolution cannot be traced back to one particular place. Instead, historical studies indicate independent emergence of these skills in different regions of the world. Some studies suggest the Egyptians and Sumerians as the first people who developed the writing skills. Despite of the variability, the researchers noted that Sumerian writing depicted Egyptian influence and vice versa. This study further suggests the need to document their agricultural data as the drive behind this development. In addition, other factors such as need to annotate dealing in trade activities and government taxes were significant in influencing the development of reading and writing. The early records from Syria show the use of clay tokens which were shaped differently to represent agricultural products. In this case, each shape indicated different products and further marks were added to provide further means of distinguishing products of the same kind. This system went on for some long period before being replaced with three dimensional hollow balls. This also never l asted long as they were small and handier to use and so they were substituted with two-dimensional tablets at around 3100 BC curved to represent the products. This was also cumbersome since it required one to curve as many drawings as the number of products were (Martin 66). Further Advancement simplified the whole process by allowing individuals to only specify first the number and then indicate the object. This marked the inception of scribes who kept record of units inform of lines drawn using the stylus tip and tens by pressing the stylus bottom on a tablet. The shape of the product counted followed this. For instance in a case of 43 amphorae, one would indicate: OOOOIII followed by only one amphorae shape. This was another significant step forward and was made even better as new system allowed different signs to indicate goods and numbers (Schmandt-Besserat 34). In around 300BC another development in writing and reading skill realized the introduction of new sings that drifted from indicating the usual objects to indicate sound also called phonograms. This was a reaction to the growing need to solve the problem related to writing names of persons. Cuneiform derives its name from the idea that it used signs that were similar to small wedges. In this form of writing agricultural goods and domestic animals were drawn using conventional signs while wild animals drawing conformed to the distinctive characteristics of each animal. However, a problem

Monday, July 22, 2019

HSC2014 Eat And Drink Essay Example for Free

HSC2014 Eat And Drink Essay Be able to support individuals to make choices about food and drink. 1. 3 Describe ways to resolve any difficulties or dilemmas about the choice of food and drink. Allowing an individualthechoiceofwhat theywishtoeat isveryimportantand iftheydonotwant what is on the menu you can try asking what they would prefer and agree with them a suitable alternative. If a service user cannot communicate with words alone, using pictures or some other method to show what food they wish to eat could also be an appropriate method. Explaining the nutritional values of meals and encouraging a healthy option is important but it is the service users right to refuse or choose something different. 1. 4 Describe how and when to seek additional guidance about an individual’s choice of food and drink. Familyandfriendsofa serviceuseroreventheserviceuserthemselvescanprovideguidancein regards to what they like to eat and drink and what they prefer, this information can be found in each service users care plans. However, there may be other times in which additional guidance should be sought out. For example, if a service user is on a particular diet for diabetes or weight loss, if they are on a soft food diet or even a puree diet and you are unsure of what foods are suitable for them then a qualified member of staff can be asked. Be able to provide support for eating and drinking. 3. 1 Describe factors that help promote an individual’s dignity, comfort and enjoyment while eating and drinking. It is important to assess the needs of each service user separately as what works for one may not be suitable for someone else. A calm and clean environment should be provided during meal times and it is vital to ensure that any special cutlery or eating aids are provided at the beginning of each meal and that they are accessible to the service user. You should ensure that a drink is within reach and that what they are eating is suitable for their diet and needs. Providing the service user with encouragement or psychological support is of upmost importance, any assistance should be provided with feeding if the service user struggles or requires aid. Be able to clear away after food and drink. 4. 1 Explain why it is important to be sure that an individual has chosen to finish eating and drinking before clearing away. Itis veryimportantandrespectfultoensurethata serviceuserhasfinishedwiththeirmealbefore clearing it away. It may be that the service user is a slower eater than someone else or is quite simply having a breather, they could also need a break for the toilet; if the food is cleared away before they are ready it is possible for them to be left still feeling hungry or thirsty. This could upset or agitate the service user. Be sure to fully communicate with the service user to be one hundred percent certain that the meal is finished with if they should stop eating. Be able to monitor eating and drinking and the support provided. 5. 1 Explain the importance of monitoring the food and drink an individual consumes and any difficulties they encounter. Keepingarecordormonitoringanindividual’sdietcanbeextremelyimportant. Itcanhelpwith understanding certain likes and dislikes of food, which meals are eaten better and which types of meals are preferred. It can also provide answers in regards to any changes that may highlight certain health issues such as difficulty with swallowing or chewing, struggling with solids but eating better with softer foods or loss of appetite due to illness. Also, if a service user suffers any sudden weight loss, monitoring food intake is important for understanding whether it is a health issue or purely lack of eating. Steps can then be taken to rectify any issues.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Women in Positions of Power in Northen Ireland

Women in Positions of Power in Northen Ireland Few women have made an impact on politics in Northern Ireland. The political culture and traditions of Northern Ireland politics are very much male-oriented and whilst women have worked hard for change behind the scenes for many years, few have taken the step into standing as candidates in elections, less still successfully winning elections. Following the Belfast Agreement, things may, slowly, be beginning to change. Mo Mowlam writes enthusiastically of the part that women played in the talks leading up to the Agreement: â€Å"one of the most remarkable aspects of the talks process was seeing women, not only in the Women’s Coalition, but also in other parties, sitting alongside their male colleagues and arguing their points. They brought a new quality of debate to the proceeding† (Galligan, Ward Wilford 1999).Nonetheless, despite the election of three women MPs in the first general election (2001) after the Belfast Agreement, women remain massively under-represented in politics in Northern Ireland. This dissertation examines the reasons for this. Chapter two looks at the traditional role of women in politics, both in Northern Ireland and in other parts of the world. Election in the UK and policies towards women of other British parties are examined. The chapter also looks at women’s movements abroad, in the likes of South Africa and Nicaragua and analyses how they have affected the political landscape in their own countries. Chapter three takes a general overview of women in Northern Ireland, commenting on how they have reacted to the traditional view and values of the Church and the State in the province. The formation of the earlier Women’s movements is detailed here – although these groups have remained on the borders on mainstream politics, the fact that women have for decades joined together on particular issues is important in the context of women’s involvement in politics. The difficulties face by women in what is a conservative, traditional and often sexist culture is also discussed. Chapter four looks at the attitudes towards women in politics held by voters in Northern Ireland and analyses whether the small number of women involved is determined by supply or demand factors. Using data from the Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey, this chapter argues that there is no lack of demand for women to be involved in politics amongst the electorate, rather that a number of factors around the inclination of women to enter into politics and the traditional views that still hold sway in Northern Ireland, are influential. This chapter also makes use of research undertaken in interviewing a number of women councillors in Northern Ireland about their perceptions on why many women avoid political life. Various reason for women to remain outside of representative politics are given – again he traditional culture of Northern Ireland and perceptions about a woman’s role are seen as important, Chapter five examines in details the attitudes and policies of the main political parties in Northern Ireland towards women’s issues and the role of women within the political parties themselves. Parties in Northern Ireland have traditionally focused primarily on constitutional and security issues to the detriment of women’s issues. Party leadership in parties across the political spectrum have been male dominated. This chapter looks at each of the main parties, examining firstly how party structures and leaderships accommodate female members and secondly how party policy makers address (or fail to address)women’s issues. Chapter six provides a conclusion to the dissertation. The situation in Northern Ireland where women have traditionally had difficulties establishing themselves within the formal political process has been mirrored, if perhaps not to such an extent, in other Western democracies. Evidence from UK elections indicates a historical prejudice against women candidates, whilst elsewhere in Europe and across the world, there are examples of women having to draw together on their identity as women to challenge their exclusion from politics. Analysis of general elections in Britain indicates that many fewer women than men are selected as prospective parliamentary candidates and those that are usually chosen for less hopeful seats (Leonard and Mortimore 2001, p97). However, the number of has candidates has grown reasonably steadily since 1996, with parties gradually accepting the need to take steps to increase the number of women selected. The Conservative in particular have found this difficult, largely due to the reluctance of the party leadership to interfere with the autonomy and conservative nature of many of its local associations. The Labour Party has had more success. Its party conference took the decision in1993 to try to increase its number of women MPs by introducing policies of positive discrimination. The introduction of all-women shortlist and quotas proved controversial, with the process being deemed illegal by an industrial tribunal in 1996, yet the drive by Labour to increase women’s representation paid dividends – with the party’s victory in the1997 election, the number of women in the house of Commons doubled to120 (Leonard and Mortimore 2001, p97). Elections for regional assemblies in Scotland and Wales have seen an increase in the number of women winning seats. The systems of proportional representation used in these elections has allowed Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the nationalist policies to ensure that candidates on lists were alternately male and female. As a result over38 per cent of representatives at Holyrood and 40 per cent at Cardiff Bay have been women (Leonard and Mortimore 2001, p98). Elsewhere, women have made direct interventions within their political systems to ensure that they are represented within the political process. In Spain, the Women’s Democratic Movement (WDM) began as an opposition group to the Franco regime and went onto lobby for women’s interests during the country’s democratic transition. It successfully pressured the government into ratifying the Convention for Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). In Iceland the Icelandic Women’s Alliance (IWA) emerged in the 1980s as a group powerful to win 11.1% of a national poll (Fearon 1999 appendix 1). In Sweden, the issue of women’s participation in politics directly compelled women to join together on a cross-party basis in the prelude to the 1994 elections. As a result, Sweden then elected what Faluditerms â€Å"the most female government in the world – a parliament that was41% female with a cabinet that was 50% female. (Fearon 199 9, appendix1). More relevant to the issues around women’s political involvement in Northern Ireland are the examples of South Africa and Nicaragua, where women have acted together to challenge male-dominated political times when their countries have been undergoing periods of transition. In Nicaragua, women achieved political gains during the revolutionary period but, perceiving that these gains were not being fully transferred to the new society after a transitional period, women joined together to form the Nicaraguan National Coalition of Women(NNCW) in January 1996. Under this cross-party coalition women joined together to educate and themselves and prepared themselves to go backend fight elections within their existing parties in October of that year. The aim was to promote the equitable participation of women in the country’s politics, something that was made difficult, as women within the coalition had historically been political or even military enemies. There were certainly so me similarities with Northern Ireland and the group had to strive hard to focus on unity and reaching a consensus. The NNCW was able to agree a minimum agenda emphasising women’s participation in civil and political society. In South Africa, women had become influenced by the experiences of women’s organisations around the world and the ANC Women’s League(ANCWL) sparked a debate across the country about ‘the necessity of organising as women’ (Fearon 2001 appendix1). In September 1991 thirty women’s organisations came together in the Women’s National Coalition(WNC) to discuss the drawing up of a women’s charter on equality. The charter was eventually produced after a huge participatory exercise that included an estimated 2 million women and was made up of twelve articles, one of which called for â€Å"mechanisms to enable women’s participation in civic and political life† (Fearon 2001 appendix 1) The charter was vitally important to the development of women in politics in South Africa as it challenged traditional perceptions and values about the woman’s place in political and civic life. Another success of the WNC was to lobby hard for a ruling passed in 1993 that required all negotiation delegations to reserve space for women. Prior to the formation of the NIWC, the impact that individuals or groups of women had made on Northern Ireland politics had been relatively minimal. There are however a few examples of women who, although not directly involved as representatives in the political process, made their presence known. In the 1970s, two Belfast women, Betty Williams and Mairead Corrigan won the Nobel Peace Prize for leading a peace movement that aimed to end the violence by way of ‘people power’. Inspired to action following the death of three children in a car chase involving IRA men, the Peace People as the movement was known called on the people of Northern Ireland to reject terrorism and quickly snowballed into a movement that could attract tens of thousands of people onto the streets in outdoor rallies. The movement eventually failed due to internal divisions within the movement, personality clashes and disputes on how to spend the Nobel Prize money. Whilst still surviving today, the Pe ace People is now a small-scale movement that failed to deliver on the hopes that it once raised. Helen McKendry was a brave Belfast woman who campaigned to raise the issue of the so-called ‘disappeared’ victims of the IRA, who had included her own mother Jean McConville, taken from the family home in1972 and never heard of again (Independent, March 2, 2005). Following the IRA ceasefire in 1994, McKendry launched a campaign to have her mother’s body returned and eventually pressured the IRA into giving details about the location of her mother’s body and those of other victims. May Blood was a woman that played a prominent role in the loyalist community for many years, prior to involvement in the NIWC. She was a determined community activist in the Shankhill Road district, concentrating on issues such as housing, welfare, jobs, training, employment and labour relations. Speaking after she had been made across-bench peer in 2000, Baroness Blood stated: â€Å"My life is about serving this community, particularly young people. For years they have just been fodder for the paramilitaries. We want the next generation to be real people with real futures.† (Independent, March 2, 2005). It is worth noting that like May Blood, the trend in Northern Ireland has generally been for women activists to concentrate on community development rather than electoral politics. The situation of women in Northern Ireland is not entirely unique. Whilst the particular circumstances of Northern Ireland affect politics at all levels, the fact remains that women in Northern Irel and share common experiences with women elsewhere in terms of the difficulties that they have making an impact in the political arena. Rightly or wrongly, representative politics around the world remains largely dominated by males, and in this respect women in Northern Ireland face the same challenges as women elsewhere. Analysis of the women’s movement in Northern Ireland or attempters tointegrate women more fully into the political process must understandsome of the cultural traditions and influences that affect women’slives. As Monica McWilliams states: â€Å"the role which both the Church andState play shapes not only the more traditional thinking behind some ofthe major institutions, such as the education system or the judiciary,but it also responsible for the extremely conservative ideology forwhich the Province has become infamous† (Hughes 1991, p91). Theattitude of the Church has certainly been that the primary role ofwomen is that of mothers and housewives and this has been somethingthat has held women back from entering into politics. Issues aroundsexuality, the dissolution of marriage or rights in the home or at workhave seen feminists face opposition from clergy, politicians and as aresult, their communities. Again McWilliams summarises the situationstating, â€Å"in the face of such traditional Catholicism and Protestantfundamentalism, it has proved extremely difficult for women to organisearound issues which are of personal and political influence to them(Hughes 1991,p81). Both the Protestant and Catholic Church have maintained a traditionalline on the domestic role of women. They have exhorted mothers to takeresponsibility for their children by looking after them at home andhave largely opposed political initiatives such as the provision of daycare for children as it poses a challenge to the traditional ideologywhich supports the segregated division of labour in the home. The viewof the Church from half a century ago has remained prevalent in modernday Northern Ireland. Bishop McGean had stated in 1945 that â€Å"the properplace for the baby is in the home and the proper guardian is themother. Nature decided that and God approved of that decision ofnature† (Hughes 1991, p89). Women’s groups in Northern Ireland have made gradual progress ininstigating political and social change. They have begun to createstructures that enable individual women to have some measure of controlover their lives. One example is found in the work of an umbrellaorganisation known as ‘The Women’s Information Day’, along withprojects such as Women’s Aid, the Women’s Education Project and theNorthern Ireland Women’s Rights Movement. All of these groups, formedprior to the establishment of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition,were organised in a non-sectarian way, holding meetings in bothloyalist and nationalist areas and raising controversial issues thatwere sensitive to one another’s beliefs. In 1985, whilst campaigning onchanges to the benefit system, a group of Catholic and Protestant womentravelled to London to lobby their MPs to oppose a propose SocialSecurity Bill and were appalled to find that their own political representatives were more interested in opposing the Anglo-Irishagreement (which had been launched on the same day) and refused to meetthem on the grounds that they were too busy. McWilliams writes thatâ€Å"they returned home to Belfast on the same night more convinced thanever that their political representatives were much less interested inmatters of social and economic concerns† (Hughes 1991, p92). One of the most glaring features of life for women in Northern Irelandhas been the hardship of poverty with all its social, financial andpsychological repercussions. Women in Northern Ireland have come at thetop of research tables listing infant mortality rates, unemployment ordependency on social security (Hughes 1991, p92). It is women who haveexperienced poverty as prisoner’s wives, as widows, as single parents,divorced, separated or unmarried, as managers of unemployed families,as single and elderly women living alone, or as low paid wage earners.As a result, women’s groups such as the Northern Ireland Women’s RightsMovement began to offer advice and information to women, producingleaflet to help women in the face of overpowering bureaucracy.McWilliams writes of the pressures upon women in Northern Irelandstating â€Å"existing from day to day in the North can often become anintolerable strain for women. Not only must they provide a reasonablestandard of liv ing for their kids, but they have the additional anxietyof worrying about husbands and children when they are out of the home.The years of ‘the troubles’ have added to their pressures and manyrespond y using tranquillisers or smoking excessively† (Hughes 1991,p93). Women in Northern Ireland have played a leading role in anti-povertycampaigns, a significant political role which tends to be overlooked bymedia, church leaders and politicians. Such groups have remainednon-hierarchical and have refused to let single individuals becomesolely identified with their campaigns. The non-hierarchical structurehas provided the supportive type of environment that women require andeach group has become knowledgeable about the particular issue underscrutiny. Often the women have maintained links after individualcampaigns have been dissolved. Northern Ireland feminists have played apart in various campaigns and community projects over the last fewdecades. Many cut their political teeth in the civil rights movementsof the 1960s and 1970s and had their first dealings with other feministmovements. Female students at Queens University held a public meetingin1975 which formed an action group ‘with the aim of bringing the roleof women in Northern Ireland into l ine with that of their sisters inBritain’ (Hughes 1991, p93) and went on to form the Northern IrelandWomen’s Rights Movement which successfully campaigned to bring the SexDiscrimination Act to Northern Ireland. There are of course issues that divide women’s groups in NorthernIreland. Many are related to the national question, which as in allareas of politics in the province, remain difficult to overcome.Whether groups are based on single issues such as Women’s Aid or theRape and Incest Line, or more generic groups such as the Derry, Belfastor Falls Road Women’s Centres, the political affiliations of membersmay be surreptitiously agued in order to clarify the line that theymight take on the national question. The sheer weight of issues aroundthe constitution and security in Northern Ireland make it near onimpossible for the issue to be ignored. Disputes have occurred between,for example, the Relative’s Action Committee and Women AgainstImperialism (which largely supports Sinn Fein) and other women’s groupssuch as the Belfast Women’s Collective and the Northern Ireland Women’sRights Movement. The Belfast Women’s Collective argued that it wasvital to work in as wide a range as possible, including areas which maynot initially meet with a big response because they challengetraditional political and religious beliefs (Hughes 1991, p95). TheRelative’s Action Committee, on the other hand, organising around thewithdrawal of political statues for the H Block prisoners took the viewthat the campaign about prisons should be central. Regardless of divisions within women’s movements in Northern Ireland,the fact remains that the there is a level of oppression caused by theunique nature of politics in the province. Many women arepsychologically scarred by the deaths of or injury to loved ones. Manyothers are emotionally burnt out by the years of armed troops presenton the streets. Women on both sides of the sectarian divide have seenthe destruction of family life when family members are arrested underthe Prevention of Terrorism Act and possibly held for long periodswithout trial. Women visiting husbands and son in prison have beensubjected to degrading and humiliating strip searches. They live infear for the lives of their children and have had the constant worrythat they will be caught in crossfire, caught up in a riot or killed byan explosion. On top of all of these factors, women have also had totackle continuing economic exploitation and sexual oppression. Women in Northern Ireland have had to endure an ingrained culture ofconservative sexism that emanates both from the UK and the Republic ofIreland. They have had to fight for equality of opportunity in theworkplace – interestingly, the Equal Opportunities Commission, which isknown to play a more active role in women’s lives than its GBcounterpart, was almost abolished in Northern Ireland (Hughes 1991,p96). An influential factor in the under representation of women in NorthernIreland politics has been the traditional assumption of gender rolesand values held by many within the province. These powerful politicaland cultural restraints support the theory that the lack of women inpolitics is due to supply rather than demand factors – the electoratehas little problem with female candidates, it is getting women intoposition as candidates for public office that is largely the problem. There is general support amongst the Northern Ireland public for womento be involved in politics and indeed this support has grown steadilythroughout the 1990s and the development of the Belfast Agreement. Oneof the key questions included in the 2002 Northern Ireland Life andTimes Survey was did respondents think that the greater number of womenin politics since the formation of the Northern Ireland Assembly makethings better or worse in Northern Ireland politics? Whilst 44 per centof respondents remained neutral on the question, 41 per cent thought ithad made things better, with only 14 per cent thinking it had madethings worse (NI Life and Times Survey 2002). Attitudes towards therole of women in politics shifted markedly from the survey completed adecade earlier. In 1991, only one fifth of men felt that at least onehalf of senior government posts should be held by women. By 2002 thisfigure had doubled to 40 per cent, with support from women rising from38 per cent to 50 per cent (L ife and Times Survey 2002). Research carried out in 1993 sought to use the experience of womencouncillors within Northern Ireland to attempt to gauge exactly why sofew women were involved in politics at the time. In 1989, only 60 ofthe 566 district councillors were women, equating to a mere 10.6 percent (Wilford et al 1993, p341). Following changes after direct rulewas introduced in 1972, many functions of local government had beenreplaced by intermediate bodies appointed by the Secretary of State forNorthern Ireland. This situation reduced the tiers of local governmentwith Wilford et al commenting â€Å"Thus, aspiring politicians enjoy anextremely limited opportunity to run for elected office† (Wilford et al1993, p343). In addition, council meetings throughout the 1980s wouldoften be used by political parties to argue out their constitutionaldifferences rather than focussing on the relevant issues of localpolitics – the symbolic value of politics in Northern Ireland helps toexplain the paucity of women. Interviews with women councillorsrevealed six main reasons that they believed explained the small numberof women in Northern Ireland politics – psychological, familial,organisational, functional, patriarchal and systematic. All have somerelevance. Psychological reasons included a simple lack of self-esteem felt bywomen. The vast majority of women councillors had been prompted orasked to stand for election by other members rather than have theconfidence to stand on their own initiative. It seems exceptional forwomen to deem themselves eligible for candidature, yet this is setagainst a backdrop where with relatively few people willing to standfor election in local politics and being successful would be seeminglyunproblematic. One SDLP councillor commented on the issue: â€Å"it neveroccurred to me to stand†¦we (women) had the traditional view that wewere the back up for men: making the tea and the like† (Wilford et al1993 p344). Familial reasons were most cited reason for non-participation of womenin politics and reaffirm the ideas of traditional cultural valuescontributing to the role of women in Northern Ireland. There is a cleardifferential in the assumed responsibility of men and women for childrearing in Northern Ireland and this impacts strongly on theopportunity for women to enter into public life. At the very least, astrong and supportive partner is needed by women looking to go intopolitics, yet in addition to this it would appear that many women inNorthern Ireland do not simply put family responsibilities firstbecause that is their assumed role – many believe that they actuallyshould put their family first and postpone any political aspirationsuntil their children have reached post-school age. It should also benoted that childcare facilities in Northern Ireland were poor duringthe 1980s and 1990s, a further complication for women that wanted toenter into politics. Organisational reasons for women councillors are similar reasonscommonly cited by women MPs in the UK Parliament – the unsocial hoursthat politician are required to work. Councillors in Northern Irelandfound that childcare made it difficult for them to attend councilbusiness scheduled during the day. At the time of the survey, Sinn Feinwas the only political party in Northern Ireland that paid thechildcare expenses of its councillors (wilford et al 1993, p344). Patriarchal reasons for the limited involvement of women in localpolitics in Northern Ireland are based around the attitude of malecouncillors towards their female counterparts. One councillorinterviewed stated: You’re a thorn as a female councillor. Men don’twant you there; they’d prefer it to be all male. They want to be thedominant ones in the council; it’s true everywhere† (Wilford et alp344). Mnay of the women councillors interviewed felt that they werenot taken seriously because of their sex and this was a hugedisincentive to continuing to take an active role in politics. Manyreferred to the cultural belief ingrained in Northern Ireland about awoman’s place and that the arena of politics was very much a mansworld. There is evidence that women were ‘ghettoised’ into certaincommittees that were less important and more focussed on what weredeemed to be women’s issues – home safety committees serve as anexample. Ag ain, the partisanship of politics in Northern Ireland has tobe seen as a factor here – some of the issues likely to be raised bywomen in particular, like pre-school places, education and the NHS,have a tendency to take a back seat to constitutional and securityissues. Finally, under the label of patriarchal concerns were genuineconcerns of sexual harassment within the arena of council politics.Some female councillors reported patronising language as well as outand out harassment. Systematic and functional reasons for non-participation are also given.The lack of power held by local government in Northern Ireland prior tothe Belfast Agreement has been a disincentive – women are deterred fromsacrificing family life simply due to the fact that there is relativelylittle to do in local politics and little opportunity to instigateeffective change. For the more ambitious women, local government is notseen as a step on the way to better things and many women see the listsof men waiting to become MPs and simply assume that they have littlechance of ever doing so. A final systematic reason for women stayingout of politics is the actual physical risk involved. It is not unheardof for Northern Ireland councillors to be targeted or even murdered byparamilitaries. Much of the research carried out with female councillors supports thetheory that it is indeed supply rather than demand that limits thenumber of women involved in politics in Northern Ireland. With onlythree women MPs being elected between 1972 and 1990 (Wilford et al1993, p345) there is clearly a problem in attracting candidates. In looking at the demand for women in politics, whilst there isevidence that the public has a growing desire to see women involved inpolitics, it is also important to examine the reasons that people inNorthern Ireland think that there are relatively few women involved.The 2002 Life and Times Survey asked for explanations as to why thereare so few women in politics: What is noticeable from this research is that the main factors appearto be based on a conscious choice made by women rather thandiscrimination against them. Women not putting themselves forward ascandidates and putting their families before their political aspirationappear to be more decisive factors than a view that women do not havethe interest in or capability to succeed in politics. Certainly thisattitude has hardened during he 1990s. Whilst in the 1991 survey womensaw the reason for a lack of women as a mixture of barriers andinclination, by 2002 the most important reasons are clearly women’s owninclinations and choices. Another important perception is that aroundwhether or not people assume that women candidates lose votes – in boththe 1991 and 2002 surveys, only around one third of respondents thoughtthat this was the case. One of the obvious solutions to the fact that there are proportionatelyfew women involved inpolitics in Northern Ireland would be theintroduction of positive discrimination policies by the major parties.Howver, whilst there appears to be a view that women involve themselvesin the political process and be encouraged to do so, there is littleevidence that parties should actually be required to blance theircandidate lists with similar numbers of men and women. When questionedas to whether political parties should be required to put forward aproportion of women candidates, only 19 per cent of respondents agreed– 17 per cent of men and 21 per cent of women (Life and Times Survey2002). The more common view was that political parties should beencouraged to put forward a proportion of women candidates – 55 percent agreed with this (52 per cent of men and 57 per cent of women).The survey also asked whether the parties should put more resourcestowards the campaign of women candid ates than men candidates: this metwith a slightly more positive response with 33 per cent of men and 45per cent of women agreeing that more resources should be assigned towomen candidates. A further indicator that there is sufficient demandfor women politicians came from the questions asking respondents tochoose four attributes they would most like to see in Northern Irelandpoliticians and the attributes that they would then use to describeboth male and female politicians. Clearly, the Northern Ireland see women candidates as most likely tohave the attributes that they see as desirable. Whilst male politiciansare seen largely as aggressive, ruthless and crafty, female politiciansare seen as more likely to be honest, approachable and willing tocompromise. Attitudes in Northern Ireland towards women politician are generallyfavourable. These attitudes have noticeably become more positive since1991 and voters are now looking to parties to present them with morewomen candidates both in the Northern Ireland Assembly and atWestminster. Whilst barriers to women entering politics remain, theyappear to have been diluted over the last 10-15 years and whilst thereis still some discrimination against women in politics this haslessened. Perhaps most importantly of all in terms of attitudes towardswomen in politics, there appears to be a consensus that the qualitiesthat women bring to political life are closer to the qualitiesidentified in an ‘ideal’ candidate or representative than are of thoseof men in politics. Other research on specific questions about the role of women inpolitics gives a good insight into the attitudes of the NorthernIreland electorate. Surveys On line asked respondents what proportionof senior government posts should be held by women. Male Female % % A majority 2 3 About half 18 35 At least some 47 38 Nodefinite proportion 31 21 None 2 2 This would suggest that theelectorate is generally happy to see women holding some of the mostimportant posts in government. Again, this would suggest that there isno problem in terms of demand for women to be involved in politics inNorthern Ireland. Opinions of the general involvement of women onpolitics give a similar picture. Asked about women being elected to anational assembly, respondents felt that there should be: Again the broad consensus appears to be in favour of women beinginvolved in politics. Research indicates a slight imbalance in thatwomen appear to be more strongly in favour of a greater political role,but men also are broadly in favour of women’s involvement The attitudes towards

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Governmental Opposition of Cloning :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Governmental Opposition of Cloning Human cloning is a prospect no longer left to the fantastic realm of science fiction novels; rather it is a modern possibility. In 1997, embryologists in Scotland cloned the first mammal, a sheep named Dolly. Shortly thereafter, scientists in the United States cloned a set of monkeys. These scientific advancements and the ethical dilemmas they pose quickly grabbed the attention of the President, Congress and the American public. In its desire to allay anxieties raised by human cloning, Congress proposed the Human Cloning Prohibition Act ( S. 1601, or the â€Å" Bill † ) (Cannon and Haas 637 ). Unfortunately, in their haste to pass federal legislation, the Bill’s drafters ignored important procedural safeguards, employed vague statutory language, and created a bill with significantly diverse implications. After exploring the ethical dilemmas associated with human cloning, the Recent Development critiqued S. 1601 and concluded that congress should craft more suitable legislation. One of the ethical concerns prompting anti-cloning legislation is that human individuality may be undermined if parents can custom order the traits and other characteristics of their children. In the article, â€Å" The Human Cloning Prohibition Act: Did Congress Go Too Far ? †, the authors Cannon and Haas have cited the views of President Clinton on this issue. President Clinton fears that human cloning â€Å" could lead to misguided and malevolent attempts to select certain traits, even to create certain kinds of children ---- to make children objects instead of cherished individuals. † ( Cannon and Haas 638 ). In 1997, within days of the announcement of Dolly’s successful birth, President Clinton instituted a ban on federal funding of human cloning research. President Clinton further ordered the National Bioethics Advisory Commission to report on whether the United States should either regulate human cloning or completely ban it with laws similar to those passed in Belgium, Britain and many other countries. Soon thereafter congress attempted to pass federal legislation. The Bill, as proposed by Senators Christopher Bond, Bill Frist and Trent Lott, prohibits any person or entity from using human somatic cell transfer technology and from importing an embryo produced through such technology.

Reintroducing the Wolf to Yellowstone Essay examples -- Wolves Park An

Reintroducing the Wolf to Yellowstone Wolves have always been a symbol of the wild, free in spirit and roamers of the land. These animals are considered majestic and protectors of the wilderness. They have always roamed the western United States, although their population has fluctuated over time. Over the past 10 years wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park has been a controversial topic to those of the United States. As of 1995, wolves have been reintroduced into the park. This has come with some strong opposition and yet has prevailed. The future of the wolf in Yellowstone park is now looking bright, although not certain since there still are those who want them banished again. History Many hundreds of years ago wolves roamed the entire North American continent with no barriers and very few predators. As settlers moved into the United States, wolves became more and more scarce in the wild of America. As the wilderness areas of the United States declined, so did the population of the wolf, until there were only a few spots in the wild where wolves could still be found. Wolves used to thrive in the western United States. There was ample game to hunt and plenty of places to live and wander. Until people moved in, wolves were settled. As European settlement expanded to the west, it began to take its toll on the wolves and their habitat. Clearing of the forests came first, which was then accompanied by significant over-hunting in this area (Noceker). Slowly wolves became concentrated into smaller and smaller areas in the west. Finally, they were assumed to be bothers to the ranchers and farmers and maybe a threat to those people who lived in the area. As the United States matured, people realized that ... ...h. "History and current status of the Yellowstone wolf restoration." September 19, 1999. http://www.poky.srv.net/~jjmrm/wpages/yell-o.htm Maughan, Ralph. "Overview and history of the central Idaho wolf reintroduction." September 25, 1999. visted: October 4, 1999. http://www.poky.srv.net/~jjmrm/wpages/idaho-o.htm Moody, Joan. Ã ¬Historic Reintroduction Continues Despite Budget Cuts: Defenders Helps Fly Wolves to Yellowstone.Ã ® January 22, 1996. Visited: October 20, 1999. http://www.defenders.org/pr012296.html Noceker, Robert J. Ã ¬Congressional Research Service Report for Congress Reintroduction of Wolves.Ã ® August 1, 1997. Visited: October 17, 1999. http://www.cnie.org/nle/biodv-13.html The Abundant Wildlife Society of North America (AWSNA), Ã ¬An Argument against Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado.Ã ® visited: October 17, 1999. http://www.firstrax.com/antipro.htm Reintroducing the Wolf to Yellowstone Essay examples -- Wolves Park An Reintroducing the Wolf to Yellowstone Wolves have always been a symbol of the wild, free in spirit and roamers of the land. These animals are considered majestic and protectors of the wilderness. They have always roamed the western United States, although their population has fluctuated over time. Over the past 10 years wolf reintroduction into Yellowstone National Park has been a controversial topic to those of the United States. As of 1995, wolves have been reintroduced into the park. This has come with some strong opposition and yet has prevailed. The future of the wolf in Yellowstone park is now looking bright, although not certain since there still are those who want them banished again. History Many hundreds of years ago wolves roamed the entire North American continent with no barriers and very few predators. As settlers moved into the United States, wolves became more and more scarce in the wild of America. As the wilderness areas of the United States declined, so did the population of the wolf, until there were only a few spots in the wild where wolves could still be found. Wolves used to thrive in the western United States. There was ample game to hunt and plenty of places to live and wander. Until people moved in, wolves were settled. As European settlement expanded to the west, it began to take its toll on the wolves and their habitat. Clearing of the forests came first, which was then accompanied by significant over-hunting in this area (Noceker). Slowly wolves became concentrated into smaller and smaller areas in the west. Finally, they were assumed to be bothers to the ranchers and farmers and maybe a threat to those people who lived in the area. As the United States matured, people realized that ... ...h. "History and current status of the Yellowstone wolf restoration." September 19, 1999. http://www.poky.srv.net/~jjmrm/wpages/yell-o.htm Maughan, Ralph. "Overview and history of the central Idaho wolf reintroduction." September 25, 1999. visted: October 4, 1999. http://www.poky.srv.net/~jjmrm/wpages/idaho-o.htm Moody, Joan. Ã ¬Historic Reintroduction Continues Despite Budget Cuts: Defenders Helps Fly Wolves to Yellowstone.Ã ® January 22, 1996. Visited: October 20, 1999. http://www.defenders.org/pr012296.html Noceker, Robert J. Ã ¬Congressional Research Service Report for Congress Reintroduction of Wolves.Ã ® August 1, 1997. Visited: October 17, 1999. http://www.cnie.org/nle/biodv-13.html The Abundant Wildlife Society of North America (AWSNA), Ã ¬An Argument against Wolf Reintroduction in Colorado.Ã ® visited: October 17, 1999. http://www.firstrax.com/antipro.htm

Friday, July 19, 2019

Strange Fits of Passion Essay -- Literary Analysis, Shakespeare

The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, are of imagination all compact. ~William Shakespeare, Mid-Summer Night's Dream, 1595, this quote by Shakespeare is a definitive illustration of Wordsworth’s persona in his poem Strange Fits of Passion I have known. In the poem the speaker embarks on a moonlight horse ride to his lover lucy’s cottage; it is during his ride there that the speaker engages in â€Å"lunatic† thoughts imagining lucy being dead when he arrives to see her. The poem is uniquely characterized by the adverse effects of love on a person, as well as how nature has an effect on human emotion; the latter being a staple theme in many of Wordsworth’s literary pieces. In the first stanza the speaker begins to vocalize the thought he had experienced while travelling to his lover’s cottage. Strange fits of passion have I known: And I will dare to tell, But in the Lover’s ear alone, What once to me befell. The speaker describes his sudden outburst of emotion as â€Å"strange† as he is keenly aware that his thoughts of lucy being dead are peculiar. It is common that when in love a person may pay heed to their imagination moreso than reality ; The line â€Å"But in the Lover’s ear aloneâ€Å"(Line three) is the speaker saying that he will share his â€Å"strange† thoughts but only to those who, like him, are in the throes of passion for they would understand the affects love can have on a person Wordsworth is known for his references to nature in many of his poems , the second stanza in this poem doesn’t stray from that commonality. When she I loved looked every day Fresh as a rose in June, I to her cottage bent my way, ... ...n his chest. The final stanza at last reveals the speaker’s thoughts that have been accumulating throughout the poem. What fond and wayward thoughts will slide Into a Lover’s head! â€Å"O mercy!† to myself I cried, â€Å"If Lucy should be dead!† Appalled at this final revelation it is apparent that the speaker has experienced similar thoughts and that sometimes despite great efforts your imagination can steer your thoughts to the contrary of rational thinking â€Å"What fond and wayward thoughts will slide ( Line 25) Into a Lover’s head! â€Å"(Line 26). Strange fits of passion is another poem by Wordsworth that uses nature as a medium when conveying human emotion but provides a unique portrayal of the absurdities of emotional experience that can evolve from passionate love.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Progressive Movement Essay

The period from 1890 to 1917 in the history of United States is known as Progressive era. This period is marked by an all-encompassing and intensive change in all spheres of American life viz. political, economic and social. The progressive leaders with faith in the traditional American ideals of democratic government, individual liberty, rule of law and protection of private rights and property, felt that Gilded Age was marked by corruption. They further felt that due to the policies and practices of the previous regimes, a privileged wealthy class has been created that had plundered the national wealth and resources. Prof. Ekirch (1978) explored the profound intellectual factors behind the Progressive movement. He illustrates trans-Atlantic roots of this phenomenon that starts with Darwinism. He says in this regard that it was the transformation of â€Å"the Populist and Socialist ideas of the 1890s into an American version of the state socialism or social democracy† (p.34). Furthermore he considers it a response to industrialization of America and Imperialism invasion the world over. Still there is another viewpoint that postulates the theory that â€Å"the progressive movement never existed† (Filene, 1970. p.1) So these motives propelled them to create a new socio-political milieu to nurture the true American ideals. They wanted that majority of the people must be associated with the government and those ruling over the United States must be made answerable to the electorates. They also expected higher standard of professional morality and integrity from the officials. In the economic sphere they were alarmed by the growth of increased monopoly of a few entrepreneurs and exploitations of the farmers and working classes. These leaders from middle class pleaded for government regulation of big businesses to prevent exploitations pf the weaker sections. Stressing on the needs for reforms, Theodore Roosevelt said, â€Å"†No hard-and-fast rule can be laid down as to the way in which such work [reform] must be done; but most certainly every man, whatever his position, should strive to do it in some way and to some degree.† (Roosevelt) Most of the problems that Progressives wanted to tackle was an outcome of the industrial expansion and the political-industrial coalitions of the Gilded Age. During the Progressive almost every department of American life was overhauled and modernized. Thus Progressivism was a movement with â€Å"predominantly middle class objectives and viewpoint, deriving much of its support from small businessmen, farmers and professional people. The typical progressive leader was some lawyer, journalist or businessmen who, aroused by corruption or misgovernment in his own community, started a crusade to elect better men to office, and gradually came to the realization that what was needed was a reform of the system as well as a change of men.† ( Parkes, p.544) Broadly speaking the Progressive reformists fall in to categories. The first category consists of those who had its origin in the agrarian West and concerned themselves mainly with economic issues. The prominent among these Progressives were Henry George (author of Progress and Poverty), Edward Bellamy (author of looking Backward).the chief political spokesman of this category of Progressivism was Altgald and Donnelly, Brian and La Follette. The second category consists of those Eastern Progressives who addressed themselves to the problems like the tariff reform, merit system and anti-Imperialism. The predominant spokesmen of this category were Godkin, George William Curtis and President Charles W. Eliot of Harvard University. Its political spokesmen were Carl Schurz, Abram S. Hewitt and Woodrow Wilson. The Progressives also differed as to how the state should interfere to protect the weaker sections of the society. There were some Progressives like Theodore Roosevelt who held that the growth of business corporations were inevitable economic trend and governments should not abolish them. The government should merely concern itself with the regulation of their affairs. In short, they stood for greater governmental control over large enterprises and industrial units. To undo justices to the weaker sections and labor, they stood for extension of great privileges and compensations to the working classes as well as the strengthening of trade unions, which they believe would counteract the powers of big corporations and their corrupt practices. There was still another group of Progressive, supported by Woodrow Wilson, who emphasized the need of prohibiting monopoly, protecting small business and enforcing effecting competition. In other orders they were more in line with liberalism. The first battle of reforms were fought by the Progressives at the Municipal and state level. This was so because the states under American constitutional system had jurisdiction over almost all matters of social character i.e. working hours, wages of labor, conditions of workplace, welfare of women and children, education, health, suffrage etc. So it was in the states that most national reforms were initially tested at the rudimentary stages. Furthermore these states also served as the testing grounds for reformers who later undertook the reforms at the national level. Thus Roosevelt got his training at New York city and Albany. La Follett learned the economies of railway and trust regulation in Wisconsin and Woodrow Wilson earned the reputation of a great reformer as a liberal Governor of New Jersey. However, the most spectacular reforms in this period were accomplished at state Level by Robert Marion La Follette of Wisconsin (although the spade work for reforms at the state level was done John P. Altgald of Illinois and Hazen S. Pingree in Michigan). He consistently fought for the democratic ideals and was opposed to domination of Government by the business interests. During his Governorship, he gave concrete shape to his Wisconsin Idea†. He enlarged democracy through the direct primary initiative and referendum. He accomplished potation on campaigns expenditures, municipal home rule, civil service reforms and creation of bureau of experts to advise the administration. With a view to protect the people against exploitations by large business corporations, La Follette set up commissions to regulate Railway and other public utility services. He further enforced the law that compelled the rail companies and timber corporations to pay their share of taxes. Additionally, he introduced several reforms that changed the socio-economic set-up of the whole state. At the federal level, the Progressive movement set in with the inauguration of the President Roosevelt, who was the first of the three Progressive Presidents i.e. Taft and Woodrow Wilson. His first act to curtail the powers of the large organizations was epitomized through the suite against The Northern Securities Company in 1903. He introduced other legislative measures to breakdown the monopoly of the large corporations. Elkins Act of 1903, Hepburn Act of 1906 are only some examples.   Second major proponent of Progressivism at the Federal level was President William Howard Taft (1909-1913) who accomplished more progressive legislation than the Roosevelt. He introduced and enacted law to check corrupt practices during the elections. He dissolved ninety trusts under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act (these trusts were saving huge taxes in the name of charity and were involved in certain illegal activities). He strengthened the cause of democracy when he propagated the idea of direct elections for the senators and introduced 17th amendments in the U.S. constitutions that provided for direct elections of the members of the Senate instead being elected by the State legislatures. Furthermore, he wanted to reduce tariffs because he felt hat the Dingley Act of 1897 was much too high and enabled the entrepreneurs to charge exorbitant prices. It is often alleged that Taft was not a true Progressive but it remains the fact that more progressive legislation was enacted during his presidency. Woodrow is the next in the row for progressive presidents. He introduced far-reaching economic reforms and adopted a number other progressive measure to capacitate the entire American spirit with purpose. Hs foremost priority was the revision of tariff and introduction of viable reforms. He was successful to get â€Å"The Underwood Tariff Act (1913) passed. Secondly, he introduced another Act to reconstruct the monetary and banking sector. He introduced certain other legislative measure to minimize the effect of Gilded Age[1]. Although his program of more progressive reforms were cut short but the outbreak or WW II but two more constitutional amendment (18th and 19th) became effective in his presidency.[2] Though Progressives could not bring about the revolutionary transformation of the political and economic system, yet it cannot be denied that through their reforms they tried to revitalize democracy and made the rulers responsible and accountable to the public. â€Å"Perhaps the best known results of this era are the 18th and 19th Amendments, Prohibition and woman suffrage respectively. But this legislation really came at the tail end of the period which has come to be known as the â€Å"Age of Reform.† The amendments were actually the byproducts of an immense social and political upheaval which changed forever the expectations of the role government would play in American society.† (PBS) The most important contribution of the progressive era was the change that they incorporated in the attitudes of the political and business leaders. In the subsequent years, the big business corporations could not completely ignore the public and their interests.   Although the Progressive era was a short one but it pioneered a new role for government.       References Ekirch, Arthur A. Progressivism in America. A study of the Era from Theodore Roosevelt to Woodrow Wilson. New York; New Viewpoints. 1974. Filene, Peter G. An Obituary for â€Å"The Progressive Movement†. American Quarterly. Vol. 22, No. 1(Spring, 1970). pp. 20-34 Parkes, Henry B. The United States of America—A History. New York, Knopf, 1959 PBS. The Progressive Era 1900-1918.Retrieved on March 07, 2007 from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/eleanor/peopleevents/pande08.html [1] Clayton Anti-Trust Act (1914) and the formation of Federal trade commission to reduce the unfair methods of trade are some other measures. [2] 18th Amendment of U.S. Constitution the process of introduction of Prohibition was completed whereas 19th Amendments granted the right of vote to the women on equal terms with men.