Economics of Renewable Resources Essay

Answer any THREE questions. Do not attempt to answer more than three questions. The three questions that you answer will be given equal weight. 1.(a)  Consider now a newly planted stand of trees. What decision rule should be employed for determining the â€Å"optimal† investment in the trees – the optimal rotation – given that the stand of trees is being managed on a Single Rotation basis? Explain. (b) Now suppose that the stand was, instead, to be managed on a Multiple Rotation basis, rather than a Single Rotation basis. What impact would managing the stand on a Multiple Rotation, as opposed to a Single Rotation, basis have upon the optimal rotation period? Would it be correct to say that the opportunity to use the forest land over and over again for growing trees, under Multiple Rotation, would lead to the rotation period being longer than it would be under a Single Rotation basis? Explain fully. (c) It has been argued that forest policies in most Canadian provinces have as their long term goal fully regulated normal forests. Explain, with the aid of a simple example, what is meant by the term normal forest, as opposed to a single stand of trees. What relevance, if any, does the idea of a normal forest have to the concept of Maximum Sustained Yield as applied to forestry? Explain. 2.  The economics of renewable natural resources has, in all of its sub-branches, a common theoretical core. The core consists of the closely linked theory of capital and the theory of investment.  You have studied the economics of fishery management and foresty management. In what sense, if any, can fishery resources and forestry resources he regarded a capital assets from the point of view of society? With the aid of examples, discuss the opportunities, which society has to â€Å"invest† both positively and negatively, in such resources. What basic rules do the theories of capital and investment suggest that society should follow in making such investment decisions? In light of these rules, define what would an economist understand by the term â€Å"overexploitation† of a specific renewable resource. Under what circumstances would you expect â€Å"overexploitation† given set of renewable resources to be of a chronic problem? Explain. 3. (a)  The static economic model of the fishery studied by you, the Gordon-Schaefer model, predicts that optimal economic management of a fishery resource would always lead to the fishery resource being stabilized above the MSY level. The dynamic, capital theoretic, economic model, also studied by you, gives us no such assurance. On the contrary, the dynamic economic model predicts that optimal economic management of the fishery could easily lead to the fishery resource being stabilized below the MSY level. How can such an apparent contradiction be explained? Discuss. 1 (b) The static Gordon-Schaefer economic model of the fishery also predicts that,  under Pure Open Access, while there will be overexploitation of the fishery resource there will be no danger of the fishery resource being driven to extinction. Yet there are several examples from the real world of fishery resources being driven to at least near extinction. Recall the examples of Norwegian Spring Spawing Herring and the Bering Sea Donought Hole pollock resource. How can you explain the difference between the Gordon-Schaefer model prediction and what we observe in the real world? Discuss fully. 4.  Under the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states, such as Canada, have been given the right to establish 370km Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Due to the mobility of most capture fishery resources, most coastal states establishing EEZs find that some of the fishery resources in their EEZs cross the EEZ boundary into neighbouring EEZs, or into the adjacent high seas. The coastal states are thus faced with a â€Å"shared† fish stock management problem. Consider now two coastal states, A and B, that share a transboundary fish stock, which does not extend into the adjacent high seas. On what grounds can it be argued that, if A and B refuse to cooperate in managing the transboundary fish stock, both A and B will be driven to adopt fishery exploitation strategies that they will know to be harmful? Suppose that A and B agree to cooperate in the management of the transboundary fish stock. A and B are identical in every respect, except that A has a lower social rate of discount than does B. Could this difference in social rates of discount lead to A and B differing in terms of their management goals for the transboundary fish stock? If so, how? If A and B do have difference resource management goals, does the economic theory of shared fish stock management studied by you suggest that it will be impossible for A and B to establish a successful cooperative fisheries management arrangement? Explain. 5.  Limited Entry Type I fisheries management programs, involving limited entry  to the fishery combined with Olympics style TACs, have more often than not produced disappointing results. This has led to the adoption of Limited Entry Type II programs in which TACs and limited entry to the fishery are combined with harvesting rights schemes, the most common of which in Canada consists of ITQs. Discuss the nature of ITQ schemes, such as those found in B.C., and in so doing explain why economists prefer ITQ schemes in which the individual quotas are: (i) long term (in fact, if not in law); (ii) expressed as percentages of the TAC, as well as being transferable. Would it be correct to say that ITQ schemes are feasible only in single species fisheries, or can they be used in multiple species fisheries as well? Explain. Everyone agrees that there are some fisheries, particularly in developing fishing states, where it is not feasible to implement ITQ schemes. Do alternative harvesting rights schemes exist that might be used in such fisheries? If so, describe briefly one such alternative harvesting rights scheme.

Reaction Paper of the movie Les Miserables (1998) Essay

The movie is a potent social document of poverty, ignorance, and brutality of man by Victor Hugo. Les Miserables is also a rousing adventure of the hapless victim of French society – Jean Valjean, and his valiant struggle to redeem his past. The movie had been so well done. The actors and actresses had played their part and portrayed the characters in a way that the audience could really relate to. It was shorter than the adaptation of 2012 Les Miserables but the characters gave justice to their role. In addition, I prefer the 1998 adaptation than of the latest. Les Miserables is a story that portrays of the heroic life of a simple and good man in the person of Jean Valjean. He is a very memorable character who is morally upright but guilty of certain thefts for which he feels remorse. To avoid capture and life sentence, he assumes the identity of Monsieur Madeliene, soon becoming the mayor of the small town he has adopted. It is a very beautiful story packed with excitement. You will always try to think what would happen to the characters as they ventured into new frontiers. It talks about man’s struggle to escape the past and reaffirm his humanity in a society where in poverty and ignorance prevails. Aside from being a superb adventure, it can also be considered as a powerful social document. It shows the inhumane treatment of the convicts and ex-convicts. It also shows how a man can be redeemed by accepting suffering, and by following the dictates of his conscience even if it entails suffering and ostracism from many people. It also talks about the man’s struggle for existence in the case of the principal character, Jean Valjean as he tried to forget the past and go on with his life. He is such a remarkable character distinct to other people we met in our daily undertakings. He’s exceptional and one of a kind. It dwells with the supernatural power of love, the love to give up one’s freedom for the sake of justice. It is also quite romantic especially on the part of the love affair of Marius and Cosette that tickles your bones. However, it is more on being a melodrama that let your heart cry out especially on the ending part when Jean was willing to sacrifice his freedom for the happiness and peace of mind of his adopted daughter Cosette. On the other hand, I don’t like the part where Cosette fell in love to Marius on a short span of time. Marius was the big disappointment. He came across as a wimp. It had to be Cosette’s lack of knowledge that attracted her to him. She could have done so much better. I don’t feel that anyone, with the exception of Fantine, was portrayed as well as possible. There were times that I should have been brought to tears, and I wasn’t. Another memorable character is Javert, the inspector who always followed Jean in the hope of capturing him. He is very much obsessed about it that leads to his death in his own hands. He can’t accept that he who is trying to inflict harm to a person was saved by the same person. I admire his courage to admit that his father was a thief and his mother was a prostitute helps me understand more fully his reactions to Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette. My favorite scenes? Valjean’s last moment with Marius and Cosette – who among us have not lost a loved one, ever? I’m sure everyone can relate. I also like the part when Valjean was willing to do everything just to protect Cosette. It stirred me deep inside because knowing that he’s not her biological father and yet he’s willing to risk everything for the happiness of his adopted daughter. It reminds me of my father on the other way ‘round. Gavroche’s parts – the kid was awesome too. He deserves to have another movie!  This film teaches us many things. Such as we can’t escape our conscience. Even if we have successfully hidden our secrets in the form of misdeeds in the past, it will continue to haunt us until we face it and divulge it in public. Such was the case of Jean. It opens our eyes about the reality in our society we belong where there are lots of injustices, discriminations and the like. It also tells us not to judge the book by its cover in the case of Marius. We should not let pass any judgment over anybody because that person might have a golden heart hidden within him. We should also put in mind that if there is life, there is hope. No matter how messy our past had come, we could still make amends to it and make our lives better. Jean is a great example of such thing; he succeeded to become a mayor in a town despite his dark past. Life is difficult but it is in difficulty that we can  appreciate its meaning. The miserable character of Jean in the movie teaches us the reality in life. Nevertheless, the bottom line is â€Å"It does not matter how many heartaches, sufferings and pains we encountered in life as long as we have loved and we have been loved.

Module 5 TD- TUX 101 - Career Exploration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module 5 TD- TUX 101 - Career Exploration - Essay Example On the other hand, one also has to identify the point of weaknesses and identify the most difficult tasks to do. An individual also has to identify the tasks, projects and roles that motivate him or her right now. Above all, one has to identify values that acts as a roadmap during decision making Once you have an idea of your weaknesses, you need to identify something that you do uniquely as compared to others. This may be strength, a skill or a unique quality that puts you in front of others. Knowing your comparative advantage assist you to thrive in your career By now one should have created an image in the mind revolving around interests, motivators and available opportunities. In order to build expertise, identify the skills, knowledge, certificates and degrees needed to reach your intended role. Networking is a very important aspect of building a career strategy. One can network with colleagues in various departments, suppliers and professionals working in different organizations and industries. Tools like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook can also facilitate

The Benefits of Sweatshops Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Benefits of Sweatshops - Essay Example The reason for this is that, when a customer buys a product that is manufactured in a sweatshop then he/she is providing economic support to them by inducing demand. Thus, if discourse is to be centered strictly on morals, the average consumer is found guilty in entirety.However, the more important question that should be pondered over is what is the average consumer specifically guilty of? To make this clear, we need to define the term â€Å"sweatshop†, however like most subjects of economic discourse that are under hot debate, the very definition of this term remains controversial. Sweatshops use a particular method of production but cannot be completely tied to one type of industry. Sweatshops also have a legal connotation. The U.S. General Accounting Office characterize a sweatshop as â€Å"an employer that violates more than one federal or state law governing minimum wage and overtime, child labor, industrial homework, occupational safety and health, workers compensation , or industry regulation.† However, this definition is too constricted and not wide enough to be applied to the term as a standard definition. Furthermore, it makes it seem like the attachment of negative moral connotations is inherent to sweatshops.In his article â€Å"The Case for Sweatshops†, David R. Henderson talks about why sweatshops are actually economically very beneficial and not inherently bad as implied by the people who study it in an isolated moral context. This article cites an instance where a female sweatshop worker when asked during an interview urges people to be more forthcoming in buying the products people like her spend hours making. Where on one side, people who oppose the existence of sweatshops, their working environment and conditions, they forget that on the other side, sweatshops form an important part of economic activity in third world countries by providing jobs in large numbers to people who would otherwise be unemployed and cause a stra in on their economy. The author makes a very substantial point here, in that a job whether it is of a high level or a low one is a consensual exchange. The person applying for the job thinks him/her suitable for the job and if the employer agrees then the person is hired. No one is forcing anyone to work in sweatshops, this is not slave labor. These jobs are often the best alternative option available to people like the one cited in this article in third world countries. There are even instances where people in these countries have left lower paying jobs that had even worse working conditions to start work in sweatshops because in their circumstances a job in a sweatshop was a far better option. Sweatshops also form a vital stepping stone in the economic development of third world countries. The first world is very different from the third world, their demographics are different and their economies have different characteristics and thus the issues they face are also completely diff erent in nature and magnitude. Where in first world countries, child labor is considered inhumane; in third world countries the practice of child labor is vital for the economic sustenance of many households. If these children were forced to quit their jobs because the first world thought child labor was unethical and these children should rather be in schools, those that brought about this change should see how far reality is from the

The history of North American frontiers from the ninth century to the Term Paper

The history of North American frontiers from the ninth century to the opening of the nineteenth - Term Paper Example In spite of the blood, cruelties and military conflicts, the North American frontier is a great contribution into the modern American culture. In the earliest years the Appalachian mountain range was considered the American frontier. In such a way it was possible to set the borders between civilization and wilderness. The independence of America enabled moving people across the frontier more freely. Therefore, a modern context of different institutions’ development implies an important role of the nation’s change. The laws of American development underline a cyclical advancement of the country along a constantly changing frontier line. On the example of the development of American nation in different historical periods it is shown the way nation managed to cope with inner and outer conflicts, referring to their dignity, strength, self-dependence and the absence of the governmental regulations. The difference between the frontier line of America and the frontier line of other countries is the following: the other countries knew their boundaries and they knew which countries were beyond these boundaries. The North America frontier underlined the unknown land beyond it. In accordance with Calloway: â€Å"†¦fertile valleys, meeting friendly people bedecked in turquoise, and hearing wondrous accounts of the towns to be found in the north† (p. 133). As far as we can see, the diversity of the North frontier is evident. The nature of the diversity can be found in the first settlers’ necessity to deal with natural challenges and remain self-sufficient. The main challenges happened nearly 10,000 years ago, with the corn’s cultivation (Calloway, 2003). The sedentary agricultural societies were shaped and there is an evident overlap of different nations occurred. In the process of development of large chiefdoms the ritualized religion was advanced. With furth er advancement of exchange economies, the chiefdoms grow surplus crops. It cannot be claimed that this system was dominant over hunting/gathering. The New Indians were adopting new strategies of economies and political organizations adoption. The earlier Mesoamericans led to vast cultural and religious. Moreover, in accordance with Calloway native groups are involved into challenged relations with animals. The animals’ rearing was the core element of Indians’ lives shaping. Thus, the main emphasis is made on eco organic relationships. Calloway finds surprising parallels in the relations of the earliest settlers Indians and further relations between Indians and Europeans, Indians and Americans. Indian-European relations across North America were developed as a genuinely comparative synthesis. Further on, relations between Indians and Europeans have changed from inner conflicts among different tribes to the conflicts between the representatives of completely different na tions. It was possible for people living in the frontier to overcome different barriers, because they supported their strong individuality. Thus, this tendency is contributing much to the development of the American mentality. The advancement of the northern frontier was mediated in the sixteenth century by the criollos (Spaniards born in America), mestizos and allied Indians (Calloway, 2003). This fact may be considered as a serious contribution into the modern economy of America. The process of settlement was not involving

Management(various non-typical intangible assets which can help a Essay

Management(various non-typical intangible assets which can help a manager) - Essay Example It can be noticed that intangible assets of an organization are not things which can be acquired or bought but are rather developed. These are a set of instructions, knowledge etc which along with the tangible assets of the organization, help in running the organization and completing day to day activities. Intangible assets bring a new configuration of the things making it more valuable and accessible. Apart from all the above mentioned intangible resources this paper will discuss managerial intangible resources which a manager draws upon to fulfil his role. This paper discusses and evaluated how intangible resources can be used to legitimise management authority in organizations. In order to do so, the paper describes what intangible assets are and what management is. Later, it discusses what is meant by management and what the connection between management authority and intangible assets is. Management is an art. It is an art of planning, organizing, directing and monitoring. It is an art of managing people. It is also science. Science is how you mange to do all this. It can also be said as an act of directing, controlling, coordinating and harmonizing people towards the accomplishment of a goal. It also comprises of deployment and proper use of human resources, technological resources and financial resources. Those people or groups of people who manage these things are the management. In the late seventies an... Science is how you mange to do all this. It can also be said as an act of directing, controlling, coordinating and harmonizing people towards the accomplishment of a goal. It also comprises of deployment and proper use of human resources, technological resources and financial resources. Those people or groups of people who manage these things are the management. In the late seventies and eighties management was considered as an engineering. Any company was considered as a machine, the managers were the operators and the workers, merely pawns. Today management has a whole new concept (McCrimmon: 2007, n.p). The efficiency in the workers reflects the efficiency of the manager. If the manager is incompetent then the efficiency of the workers does not change, rather in some cases it goes down. Managers take responsibility of what they do. They are creative and analyzing. Managers discover what is unique about a person and then use his unique quality to achieve their goals. The job of a manager is to achieve performance using a person's talent (Buckingham, n.p. 2005). However, in order for the manager to do his job, it is very important for him to have some authority over his employees. This authority is not only given to him by the higher management when he is hired, he also makes use of intangible assets and resources to legitimise this authori ty such as skills and knowledge. A manager has a bird's eye view of the entire system and the entire organization. He is the one who makes use of this knowledge and expertise to not only take strategic decisions, but also prove that he is capable for this position (Buckingham, n.p. 2005). An important part of intangible assets which a manger makes use of is leadership qualities which help him legitimise authority in

Equality for Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Equality for Animals - Essay Example In case of animals the mental or psychological aspect do not play much role. This differentiation has not been made because the animal equality is based mainly on physical torment aspect. He author mentions the point â€Å"not have interests because it cannot suffer† but here it is not clear as to what kind of interest he is talking of. The explanation provided in this context is ambiguous because talking of experiments on mice, it is essential in human interests. The author has not talked of conflict of interests or what decision should be taken when there is such a conflict. What interest can a mouse have in reducing human suffering? Similarly a man will have no interest in considering mouse’s suffering. This aspect has not been taken into consideration. 2E. The principle theme of this article is based on the concept of giving equal consideration to animals. The basic argument that Singer has mentioned in support of equal consideration of animals is the â€Å"princip le of equal consideration of interests† (Singer, 1979). This principle indicates that every living being deserves equal treatment irrespective of their kind, size or power. There are several sub-arguments in this article. The first one is that although some animals like those animals with thick skins have the capacity to feel lesser degree of physical pain than human. However, Singer argues that this cannot be the ground of giving unequal consideration to animals. Secondly, animals are used for scientific experiments because they lack the fear of anticipation and also because they are not considered in the same category as humans. Singer argues that since human infants and retarded humans cannot be used for experiments, so animals should also be prohibited from experimenting. Thirdly, Singer argues that people should refrain from eating flesh of animals as this not a necessity. By killing animals for food they right of living is violated to serve the minor interests of humans. Fourthly, animals lack reasoning and so they are less self-conscious than humans. However, Singer argues that degree of self-consciousness cannot undermine the importance of giving equal consideration of interests. The main conclusion of this article is that in spite of all the differences between animals and humans, there should be equal consideration of interests. The main reason for this conclusion is that animals have the capacity to feel pain and suffering and so they should be considered equal to human beings in spite of their low intellectual level. Another reason is that humans have no right to use animals for the purpose of pleasure. 3F. Main concepts: Animals Equal treatment Main Conceptual Question: Should animals be given equal treatment as humans? Animals Equal treatment - have less intellectual power - have capacity to feel pain - do not have the fear of anticipation - are consumed by humans as food - are kept in unfavourable conditions to be converted into food - are used for scientific experiments - eat each other - Darwinian theory gives humans right to kill animals for food - can use tools and communicate like humans - equal consideration of interests - suffering of all beings must be given equal consideration - humans infants and retarded humans are not considered to be of same category like animals - use of animals as food is not a necessity but is more a luxury - people should choose vegetarian way of life in order to maintain the

Attachment Style Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Attachment Style - Research Paper Example Further, the Close Relationships Questionnaire, as I see it, is quantitative than qualitative. It attempts to measure the emotion or feeling of a person towards his/her beloved/lover. My attachment style has been calculated: 4.38 for anxiety and 4.50 for avoidance. With this data, it seems that I am pessimistic to my relationship; that is not sophisticated. I know myself more than what the Close Relationships Questionnaire tells me. I cannot agree to the â€Å"findings† set by such questionnaire. It says that I am fearful-avoidant in relation to my attachment style. The questionnaire explains that â€Å"[t]hey [e.g., myself] tend to avoid becoming emotionally attached to others, and, even in cases in which they do enter a committed relationship.† Perhaps it is true, at certain extent that I tend to be emotionally unattached to my partner. By emotionally unattached, I mean I do not share or express explicitly to my partner what I feel to certain thing or event. Neverthel ess, I am sensitive to the emotion or feeling of my partner. If she shares something to me, I listen to her. In essence, I do not completely avoid emotional stuff between me and my partner. Sigmund Freud argues that the adult people’s character or behavior originates from, or is influenced by, his or her childhood years. Probably there is truth in that.

The marriage group in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer Essay

The marriage group in The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer - Essay Example Most tales began with a prologue which told of the narrator’s personal feelings and experience. These included, among other things, marriage. Following this, the story teller would relate a cautionary tale about the fickleness of the opposite sex. Two of these narrations were chosen, on from the perspective of a woman, Alice, the Wife of Bath, and one from the perspective of a male, the Merchant. The Wyves Tale of Bathe (The Wife of Bath) The Wife of Bath called herself Alyson or Alys. She considered herself an authority on marriage, having had five husbands by the time of the pilgrimage. Her story speaks of the social and legal position of women in the late 14th century. The Wife of Bath was married at twelve years of age. Alys felt that marriage was a misery. Over drinks she told the Pardoner that two of her husbands were bad, and three were good. The three good husbands were rich and old. They soon died, and their land and money became hers. Alys complained that people crit icized her for having had so many husbands. The critics would use the scriptures as their authority, stating that Jesus only attended one wedding in the gospels, and this indicated that a person only married once. Alys felt that when God told people to multiply, he did not put a limit on how many times a person could marry. She used Solomon, Abraham and Jacob as examples of men who had many wives, all at the same time, so why would it be wrong for her to have multiple husbands. At least she only had one at a time. Alys agreed that some people may prefer to remain virginal, but that was not for her. The purpose of having genitals was to have sex. Why shouldn’t she take advantage of that? Everyone has the right to make his or her own choice. However, although under Canon law, man was the master over the woman, Alys knew how to have power over the husband. She used sex as a means to control the old, rich ones, knowing if she satisfied them, they would buy her pretty things. Sex and the ability to provide her husband with heirs was the main power of women in the oppressive view of the time. Alys told how she controlled her husbands by turning their arguments against them, until the husband is convinced he is in the wrong. She felt that women were better at lying and swearing then men, and that there would always be a maid or family member to vouch for her. The wife related how oppressive she found the relationship between men and women. The scriptures were used as a means to give men the right to rule over women. She preferred to use logic. When her husband would accuse her of infidelity, she would ask him what he was doing talking to the woman who was accusing her of wrong-doing. Maybe he was the one cheating. If her husband accused her of being less attractive and outgoing than the neighbor, she told him it was because she didn’t have anything decent to wear, making it his fault for not being as good a provider. Alys scoffed at men for accusing her of hiding her true personality until after she had married them. Men argued that they had the opportunity to try out oxen, horses and household furnishings before they were bought, and they should be able to try out a wife before marriage. Only after marriage does she let her vices show. She felt that men were jealous and insecure, especially when the wife was attractive. They had her spied on, and accused her of trying to attract the attention of other men. Alys felt she couldn’

Art and Celebrity Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Art and Celebrity - Dissertation Example In terms of art, fame is often considered a double-edged sword, mostly because of the price attached to it and its impact on the artist in terms of his work. This essay shall discuss the impact of fame on celebrity and on art and the artist. This analysis will evaluate both the negative and the positive effects of fame on art, seeking to understand how artists have gained fame throughout their career and how such fame has changed them and their art. This essay is being carried out in order to help establish a clear and thorough understanding of art and fame, and their relationship with each other. Main body Fame, in this context is interchangeably associated with celebrity. Both refer to the general attention which an individual, an object, or a place gains from the general public (Conrad, 2012). Fame is derived from the word famous which often refers to popularity; while celebrity is associated with celebration, or how one person is celebrated by the general population (Conrad, 2012 ). Art takes on various forms of expression, including the performance, visual, and musical art. In association with each other, as a piece of art gains attention for its brilliance, fame or celebrity is often attributed to the artwork and the artist. Such celebrity and fame is however also attributed to different activities, even non-artistic activities (Conrad, 2012). Under these conditions, reality shows gain their celebrity and fame. The reasons for their fame are founded on their outrageous behaviour, their clothes, their controversial lives, their controversial or unusual jobs, and the fact that they are rich (Gibson, 2012). Celebrities are famous due to their prominent profile and such prominence often makes them a significant source of fascination for the media. They also often have a high degree of popular appeal as well as prominence in certain fields making them easily recognizable by the public (Gibson, 2012). For purposes of this paper, the associations shall focus on v isual art (painters) and fame or celebrity. In the general sense, it is crucial to evaluate how fame is felt by a celebrity over time. Based on the temporality, a progressive design is apparent in terms of fame being experienced in various phases (Rockwell and Giles, 2009). First, a phase of love/hate; second, the addiction phase with behaviour being geared towards more fame; third, the acceptance phase calling for more permanent changes in daily life activities; and finally, the adaptation phase where new attitudes and activities are established to secure life changes essential to one’s fame (Rockwell and Giles, 2009). The love/hate relationship is secured with participants wanting to ensure effective ways of adjusting to fame. Initially, becoming famous requires significant stoking of the ego. The newly famous are often warmly accepted by the people (Rockwell and Giles, 2009). There is often a guilty thrill seen in being admired, with participants wanting the attention and adoration even as they also analyse the good feelings they get from their fame experience. They love some parts of it, but also hate other aspects of their fame (Adler and Adler, 1989). The love/hate period is often followed by the addiction phase. When one is adored by the public, people often find it difficult to live without such fame. Some actually find their ‘high’ on such fame and adoration (Rockwell and Gil

Living Green Essay Example for Free

Living Green Essay We Can Improve Our Current Ecological Crisis By Living Green   by: Marcus Wilson Our world continues to deteriorate as natural cataclysms, nuclear power plant issues and general apathy evokes havoc. This earth will soon be gone unless its citizens make an effort to do something about it. There is a climbing population, there is corruption, and there is big time pollution. The best thing for people today is to turn to green living. Many people do not actually understand what living green is all about. Anything that you do that produces a beneficial effect on the environment is green living. These are things that we must do so that the younger generation will have a healthy earth to live. The ultimate goal for green living is to have the Earth in ecological balance. Not only that, but green living cleanses the surroundings by flushing toxins out of the environment. When we decide to live green, our earth will be a better place for everyone and we can maintain it for a very long time. Nature itself is fighting to keep its balance as it is being attacked from all sides. There are numerous places in the world where water is decreasing. Nowadays we live in a concrete jungle, with the elimination of numerous forests and trees, that there are hardly any trees or plants around. There is a great deal of pollution, and the air is so awful, that when commuting from one place to another, it is tough to travel the distance without being grimy on arrival. Our children or grandchildren will live in a world where oil or trees dont exist anymore and the earth would fall apart. Each day, our world is slowly being obliterated but no one appears to be paying attention. Our society is being assailed by the many disturbances in the world. Our planet is struggling to deal with the ecological crisis, global recession and fiscal crisis. Each day money is being spent on frivolous things while crucial issues are being neglected. Very little money is being used on improving the health of our planet or promoting green living. What steps do we need to take so that we are in the habit of being green. Can work together and conserve water, use less power and plant new trees. Are we making an attempt to clean up the environment for later generations? Is everyone on the planet doing their best to reduce pollution? Is the number of men and women who love green enough to protect our succeeding generations? There is not a lot of time that remains so we need to work right away to live green.

Problems facing the maxis bank

Problems facing the maxis bank We come into contact with organization from the cradle to the grave. Indeed, organization regulate and dictate so many aspect of people lives, giving many of people somewhere to work, entertaining them, when people are leisure and developing new product and services for their enjoyment. Basically, it is not the same case for Maxi Bank, which got 30 branches and was established for over forty years. Their new Administration and Project Manager John who actually replaced their current project manager, who has resigned, highlighted some serious organization problem such as communication problem among the staffs, because of the high turnover since last eight months. The worst and difficult issue that John discovered is the lack of motivation and the job dissatisfaction. Employers can be made aware of concerns in the workplace that would normally go unspoken. Many serious issues in the workplace do not get discussed because they may be uncomfortable or difficult. By increasing the communi cation channels among staffs for instance participation in the group meeting, avoid isolation, motivation and the job satisfaction concept within a company, John can more efficiently resolves concerns, lower the staffs turnover, increase employee satisfaction, find a way to solve Annies problem and more accurately assess issues and so on. Problems John the new Administration Department has noticed some of problems that Maxis Bank have, since he engaged in this company. Starting, with, the poor supervision in Maxis Bank. Supervision is an extremely vital part of a workplace that intends to maximize its success potential.   It naturally follows, then, that poor supervision in a workplace is among the primary obstacles to achieving potential successes by a business.  Louis V. Imundo 1993, p 55. For Maxi Bank, a quality supervisory team should be employed and trained to ensure the very finest results from their individual employee groups. These supervisors should have their own support system, and their importance should be made very clear, to ensure the highest degree of productivity. Or, if the supervisor is not present enough, or is too overbearing, then the reaction from employees will only be fear, resentment, and displeasure in their work Dick Grote 2006 p. 45. The productivity will not be as good, and the employee turno ver will increase. Often having few staffs in an organization, that came from different department such as the case study lead to poor communications among them and . As in any relationship, communication is the key to a strong business relationship. This can be the relationship between business and customer, or, equally as important, the internal relationships among different employees within the company. Communication can be improved in virtually every workplace, no matter the industry or size.   After all, it is the only way for information to effectively spread throughout the business so that everybody can be informed to the degree that they required to properly achieve their goals. Luthans1998 p.145   Another problem occurred in Maxis is there poor employee morale in the workplace. By facing this kind of problem, there is a high risk of employee burnout and overall dissatisfaction. The cause of the poor employee moral can be structured as first a negative event within the workplace, such as a firing, downsizing, or other dramatic and unwanted change , or arguments or other forms of tension among staff members or between staff and management. Overwork, or a consistently heavy workload. The feeling of unappreciated or underappreciated for the work done, the conditions of the workplace. The rigid supervision involved in the work being done, and unsupportive or weak supervision that does not offer enough input or guidance Bennett. R, 1997: p.119 This is an extremely expensive way to do business because it leads to poor productivity, isolation and increased absences from work. The high absenteeism in Maxis Bank led to the non submission of their tasks on time. Moreover, staffs in Maxis felt to be underworked, because according to Annie, she complained that her job is monotonous and repetitive.The staffs feel to be underworked for doing uncreative, and repetitive work, which always to high absenteeism and turnover as well Giddens.A, 1971 p.23. . And lastly, the absence of leadership in the Maxis Bank created an issue within the staffs. People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. This type of person leads by positive example and endeavors to foster a team environment in which all team members can reach their highest potential, both as team members and as people. They encourage the team to reach team goals as effectively as possible, while also working tirelessly to strengthen the bonds among the various members. Kouzes, Posner, Barry Z. (1987). Good leaders are made not born. If people have the desire and willpower, they can become an effective leader. Good leaders develop through a never ending process of self-study, education, training, and experience Burns, 2010, p. 43. Basically, John should hire a good, effective and trust leader who can lead the staffs in a good way for the benefit of the Maxis Bank Reason why problems occur? For most part of the twentieth century, managers realized that if their employees were satisfied with their jobs, then that satisfaction would translate to working hard. Therefore, happy workers are productive workers. It is true that in the case of Maxis, Annie was not productive, since she claimed that she attended few interviews with other bank. Organizations with more satisfied employees tend to be more effective than organizations with fewer satisfied employees. Dissatisfied employees are more likely to miss work. Although this is true, other factors also do play a role, for instance organizations that provide liberal sick leave benefits encourage all their employees to take sick days. Hence, satisfied employees have lower levels of turnover while dissatisfied employees have higher levels of turnover. Research also suggest that an important moderator of the satisfaction-turnover relationship is the employee`s level of performance. For better performing employees, the level of satisfaction is less important in predicting turnover. When employees are dissatisfied with their jobs, they`ll respond somehow. It is not easy to predict how exactly they`ll respond. One might quit, another might responds by doing personal work at the workplace, or may take leave and increase the absenteeism. Workers in any organization need something to keep them working. Most times the salary of the employee is enough to keep him or her working for an organization. However, sometimes just working for salary is not enough for employees to stay at an organization. An employee must be motivated to work for a company or organization. If no motivation is present in an employee, then that employees quality of work or all work in general will deteriorate Herzberg, F., Mausner, B. Snyderman, B.B. 1959, p. 341. Basically, staffs in Maxis Bank are unmotivated and dissatisfy that why critical issues in the Maxis arose. Alienation is one of the factor of unhappiness and isolation that workers in hardly feel when theirs works are not a relevant or important part of the workers lifes, that they do not really belong to the work to the work community health (Karl. M, 1971p.59). It is associated with feelings of discontent, isolation and futility. Alienation workers perceive themselves or powerless and dominated. Work is seen as unrevealed to real life; it becomes simply a means to achieve materials ends. Alienation has been observed most often on automated assembly lines where work is extremely repetitive and personal relations with others workers are difficult to establish. Great unhappiness can result from alienation; indeed, it can adversely offer the workers mental or physical health. In the case of Maxis, John found that each staff is working in isolation and difficult to establish a relation either professional or friendship with others. 2- Some theorists have defined and explained the concept of motivation as a process that account for an individuals intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward attaining a goal. Many contemporary authors have also defined the concept of motivation. It has been defined as: the psychological process that gives behavior purpose and direction Kreitner. R, 1995 p. 44; a predisposition to behave in a purposive manner to achieve specific, unmet needs Buford, Bedeian, Lindner, 1995, p. 56; an internal drive to satisfy an unsatisfied need Higgins, 1994, p. 78; and the will to achieve Bedeian, 1993, p. 675. Basically motivation is operationally defined as the inner force that drives individuals to accomplish personal and organizational goals. Why do we need motivated employees? The answer is survival (Smith, 1994). Motivated employees are needed in our rapidly changing workplaces. Motivated employees help organizations survive. Motivated employees are more productive. To be effective, managers need to understand what motivates employees within the context of the roles they perform Kovach, 1987, p.65. Of all the functions a manager performs, motivating employees is arguably the most complex. This is due, in part, to the fact that what motivates employees changes constantly Bowen , Radhakrishna, 1991, p. 62. For example, research suggests that as employees income increases, money becomes less of a motivator Kovach, 1987, p. 72. Also, as employees get older, interesting work becomes more of a motivator. Understanding what motivated employees and how they were motivated was the focus of many researchers following the publication of the Hawthorne Study results Terpstra, 1979,p. 98 The basis approaches that have led to our understanding of motivation are Maslows need-hierarchy theory, Vrooms expectancy theory, and Adams equity theory. According to Maslow, employees have five levels of needs (Maslow, 1943), physiological, safety, social, ego, and self- actualizing. Maslow argued that lower level needs had to be satisfied before the next higher level need would motivate employees. Herzbergs work categorized motivation into two factors: motivators and hygienes (Herzberg, Mausner, Snyderman, 1959, p. 125. Motivator or intrinsic factors, such as achievement and recognition, produce job satisfaction. Hygiene or extrinsic factors, such as pay and job security, produce job dissatisfaction. Vrooms theory is based on the belief that employee effort will lead to performance and performance will lead to rewards Vroom, 1964, p. 150. Rewards may be either positive or negative. The more positive the reward the more likely the employee will be highly motivated. Conversely, the more negative the reward the less likely the employee will be motivated. Adams theory states that employees strive for equity between themselves and other workers. Equity is achieved when the ratio of employee outcomes over inputs is equal to other employee outcomes over inputs Adams, 1965. p. 134 Basically, the best motivational theory that suits the Maxis Banks case is the reinforcement theory. This theory can be traced to the work of the pioneering behaviorist B.F. Skinner. It is considered a motivation theory as well as a learning theory. Reinforcement theory posits that motivated behavior occurs as a result of reinforces, which outcomes are resulting from the behavior that makes it more likely the behavior will occur again. This theory suggests that it is not necessary to study needs or cognitive processes to understand motivation, but that it is only necessary to examine the consequences of behavior.   In reinforcement theory a combination of rewards and/or punishments is used to reinforce desired behavior or extinguish unwanted behavior. Behavior that is reinforced is likely to continue, but behavior that is not rewarded or behavior that is punished is not likely to be repeated. Skinner, B.F. Science and Human Behavior. 1953. The most important principle of reinforcement theory is, of course, reinforcement. Generally speaking, there are two types of reinforcement: positive and negative. Positive reinforcement results when the occurrence of a valued behavioral consequence has the effect of strengthening the probability of the behavior being repeated. The specific behavioral consequence is called a reinforcer Iwata, B. A. (1987, p. 67. An example of positive reinforcement might be a salesperson that applies extra effort to meet a sales quota (behavior) and is then rewarded with a bonus (positive reinforcer). The administration of the positive reinforcer should make it more likely that the salesperson will continue to exert the necessary effort in the future. In the case of Maxis Bank, according to Annie affirmation she refused to handle extra job other than her current job scope. If the positive reinforce come into it for instance rewarded her with a reward, she would not refused to handle extra job and the level of the motivation will rise automatically. Rewards can therefore assume a number of different forms, though there are two main forms:  extrinsic rewards, which take the form of cash payments and employment  benefits, like staff discounts,  occupational, pensions,  health insurance, and  company cars; and  intrinsic rewards  such as  job satisfaction, recognition, personal development, and the social status which may be attached to particular job roles. Negative reinforcement results when an undesirable behavioral consequence is withheld, with the effect of strengthening the probability of the behavior being repeated. Negative reinforcement is often confused with punishment, but they are not the same. Punishment attempts to decrease the probability of specific behaviors; negative reinforcement attempts to increase desired behavior. Thus, both positive and negative reinforcement have the effect of increasing the probability that a particular behavior will be learned and repeated Iwata, B. A. 1987, p. 68. An example of negative reinforcement might be a salesperson that exerts effort to increase sales in his or her sales territory (behavior), which is followed by a decision not to reassign the salesperson to an undesirable sales route (negative reinforcer). The administration of the negative reinforcer should make it more likely that the salesperson will continue to exert the necessary effort in the future. Reinforcement theory suggests to managers that they can improve employees performance by a process of behavior modification in which they reinforce desired behaviors and punish undesired behavior .Moreover, for John case, reinforcement theory will be the best appropriate to motivate his 10 staffs, increase the desire behavior, or increase the probability of a behavior reoccurring. Consequently, both positive and negative reinforcement have the weight of increasing the probability that a particular behavior will be educated and repetitive. For instance, in Maxis Bank, both positive and negative reinforcement will have the effect of modified or punished the undesirables behavior of the staffs such as the absenteeism, the high turnover, the work isolation and increase the desirable behavior for instance handling extra job, attend all the interviews with the others banks, if bonus or rewards and maybe motivation words are applied. 3. Group dynamics  is the study of groups, and also a general term for group processes Ringer, T. M. 2002 p 172. Relevant to the fields of  psychology,  sociology, and  communication studies, a  group  is two or more individuals who are connected to each other by social relationships.  Because they interact and influence each other, groups develop a number of dynamic processes that separate them from a random collection of individuals. These processes include norms, roles, relations, development, need to belong, social influence, and effects on behavior. The field of group dynamics is primarily concerned with small group behavior. Bass, Bernard 1990, p. 31 A group comes together to focus on finding common solutions or building a final project to the organization. This can be very effective to the project or solution because individuals in different roles in the workplace, different backgrounds and different experiences have a variety of points of view that they are able to contribute (Dimock, H.G.1993). Working in groups is often more efficient and motivates group members to achieve more in a certain period of time as group members motivate others to do their best and people often feel the need to be competitive (CSU 2009). Bringing out the competitive nature in people focused toward a common goal can often be a very productive strategy. In the Maxis case, the organization got employees came from different departments, different roles lead different experiences, but the thing is there is not group team in Maxis Bank. Each employees work in isolation. Some staffs in Maxis Bank are very independent and prefer to work alone rather than in groups. They feel that their best work comes from completing projects individually. (Burgess H. 2007). Dealing effectively with groups of people is a skill that will serve us in all areas of our lives.   It can also be a challenge- because people as individuals tend to have their own ideas about how they relate to a group, and not all of these ideas work very well in practice.   Theres a profound difference between a set of individuals and a cohesive group, and weve all felt that difference- where a group is tightly related and conscious of itself, the group is vastly more capable than the sum of its parts.   Where individual members are unconscious to the needs of the group, often the group is weaker than the sum of the individual members capabilities. Skinner, B.F. Science and Human Behavior. New York: Macmillan, 1953. Iwata BA. Negative reinforcement in applied behavior analysis:, pp. 67 68 Buford, J. A., Jr., Bedeian, A. G., Lindner, J. R. (1995). Management in Extension (3rd ed.). Columbus, Ohio: Ohio State University Extension. p. 56 Terpstra, D. E. (1979). Theories of motivation: borrowing the best. p. 98 Vroom, V. H. (1964). Work and motivation. New York: Wiley. p. 150 Bennett. R, 1997: Organisational behaviour, 3rd edition, pp.119 Karl.M, 1967: The rise of the working class, p.59. Herzberg, F., Mausner, B. Snyderman, B.B. 1959, The Motivation to Work p. 341 Luthans1998: Organisation behaviour, 8th edition, p.145 .Discipline Without Punishment Dick Grote 2006 p.45 Leadership James MacGregor Burns, 2010, p. 43 Kreitner, R. (1995), Management, Sixth Edition, p. 44 Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company Higgins, J. M. (1994). The management challenge (2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan p. 78 Bedeian, A. G. (1993). Management (3rd ed.). New York: Dryden Press. p. 675 Kovach, K. A. (1987). What motivates employees? pp.65 72 Bowen, B. E., Radhakrishna, R. B. (1991). Job satisfaction p. 62 Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work, p. 125 Adams, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In L. Berkowitz (ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. p. 134 Effective Supervisors Louis V. Imundo 1993 p.55 Bass, Bernard (1989). StogdillsHYPERLINK http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/002901820X/bigdogsbowlofbis/ Handbook of Leadership: A Survey of Theory and Research. New York: Free Press. Bass, Bernard (1990). From transactional to transformational leadership: learning to share the vision. Organizational Dynamics, Vol. 18, p.31. Blake, Robert R. and Mouton, Janse S. (1985). The Managerial Grid III: The Key to Leadership Excellence. Houston: Gulf Publishing Co. Bolman, L. and Deal, T. (1991). Reframing Organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Kouzes, James M. Posner, Barry Z. (1987). The Leadership Challenge. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Lamb, L. F., McKee, K. B. (2004). Applied Public Relations: Cases in Stakeholder Management. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Routledge Bacon, S. B. (1988).  The effects of racially homogeneous and heterogeneous Outward Bound groups on the self-report survey scores and drop out rates of minority students. Greenwich, CT: Outward Bound USA. Ewert, A. (1992). Group development through experiential education: Does it happen?  Journal of Experiential Education,  15(2). Ewert, A., Heywood, J. (1991). Group development in the natural environment: Expectations, outcomes, and techniques.  Ã‚  Environment and Behavior,  23, 592-615. Ewert, A. McAvoy. L. (2000).  The effects of wilderness settings on organized groups: A state of knowledge paper. In D. N. Cole S. F. McCool (Eds.)  Proceedings: Wilderness science in a time of change  (pp. 13-26). Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Kerr, P. J., Gass, M. A. (1995). A group development model for adventure education. In K. Warren, M. Sakofs, J. S. Hunt (Eds.)  The theory of experiential education  (pp. 285-296). Boulder, CO: Association of Experiential Education Neill, J. T., Dias, K. L. (2001).  Adventure education and resilience: The double-edged HYPERLINK http://wilderdom.com/abstracts/NeillDias2001AdventureEducationResilienceDoubleEdgedSword.htmsword.Journal of Adventure Education and Outdoor Learning,  1(2), 35-42. Neill, J. T. (2002).  Social support helps people grow.  Horizons,  17(Spring), 32-34. Neill, J. T., Dias, K. L. (c.2001).  Challenge and support in Outward Bound: The double-edged sword.  Outward Bound International Newsletter,  10(1). Peak Experiences (n.d.).  Issues of importance in forming a team. Ringer, T. M. (2002).  Group action: The dynamics of groups in therapeutic, educational and corporate settings. p. 172

Charpy Impact Test Of Polypropylene At Various Temperatures

Charpy Impact Test Of Polypropylene At Various Temperatures This experiment examined the impact of polypropylene at various temperatures through the Charpy test. Three different forms of specimens including unnotched ones, blunt-notched and sharp-notched were tested to measure the impact energy. Results showed that low temperature resulted in the decrease of impact energy. These results have important implications for human designed applications concerning the toughness of polymers at different temperatures. The study of impact test has become an important aspect of toughness. Some progress has been made to understanding the mechanical characteristics of various polymers, especially toughness. Toughness, ability of a material to absorb energy and deform plastically before fracturing [1], is a concept most people have been accepted. It can be calculated by the areas under a stress-strain curve. Impact test, which describes the response of materials to a sudden high-speed force, can be divided into two different methods. One test method uses an instrument where a pendulum of known energy strikes a sample of defined size and shape. The other one test way uses an instrument where weights or others are allowed to fall freely through known heights on to specimens. [2] The first method mentioned above can be also separated from two kinds, which involve in cantilever (Izod) test and supported beam (Charpy) test. The illustrations of two tests are shown in Fig. 1.The distinct difference between the two methods is the fact that a specimen tested in the Izod is fixed in the horizontal direction instead of vertical direction tested in the Charpy. Fig.1 Izod and Charpy Impact Test (b) Charpy (a) Izod Temperature has an obvious influence in the behavior of polymers, such as tensile strength, shear stress, toughness, etc, because temperature affects the micro-structure of polymers. Among the changes, the inherent toughness is definitely dependent on temperature, structural orientation, stress concentration effects and rate of loading [3]. However, there have been few published reports directly addressing the problem of the effect on polypropylene at various temperatures. This experiment was to make clear of the relationship between the impact strength of polypropylene and temperature referenced in Charpy test. Experimental Equipment The equipment photograph is shown in Fig. 2 and the parameters of it are figured out in Table 1. Fig.2 Charpy impact test system Location: S.2.10 Table 1. Parametres of Charpy Impact Test Equipment Hammer Velocity Hammer Weight Hammer standard 2.9m/s 1.189kg ISO 2. Specimens A number of different rectangular-section standard polypropylene (PP) Charpy test samples including sharp notched, blunt notched and unnotched ones were tested at different temperature conditions. The different specimens are shown in Table 2. which also involves in the sizes (width and thickness) of the testing specimens. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚  ,à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¡,and à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã‚ ¢ in Table 2 are the four different dimensions separately. Table 2 Parameters of the specimens Room temperature Experimental Procedures: The specimens are divided into two parts, and one of the parts was put into the freezer before being tested. All of the data of an unnotched specimen at room temperature were input into the via keypad, and the sample was held onto the proper position of the equipment. A pendulum was raised to a specified height and then released when the equipment was started. Then the specimen was separated by the high-velocity pendulum. The impact energy was recorded in the Charpy impact test equipment. Steps 2 to 4 were repeated for each of the unnotched specimens to achieve a series of data. Steps 2 to 5 were repeated for all of the blunt-notched samples and then the sharp-notched samples. Steps 2 to 6 were repeated for the unnotched, the blunt-notched and the sharp-notched at -20à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. Results and Discussion 1. Tabulate the individual values and average value of impact energy absorbed by the specimens for each test temperature. The individual data and average values of impact energy absorbed by the specimens for both two temperatures are listed in the two tables below. Table 3 illustrates the data at room temperature, and Table 4 exhibits the data at -20à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™. 2. Discuss the effect of temperature on impact energy for sharp notched, blunt notched and unnotched samples. Since the impact strength is dependent on the energy absorbed, a structure that is much easier to move will respond better to the impact [4].Therefore, the impact strength will increase with the increase of temperature and rubbery state has higher impact strength than glassy state. The higher the temperature is, the more severely the molecular chains will move. As a result, the impact energy is significantly lower at -20à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã†â€™ than that at room temperature. It can also be found in Table 4. 3. Analyze experimental error (a) When the parameters of specimens were measured, the apparatus error of vernier calipers could not be avoided. At the same time, the location of specimens was changeable, which was an operation error existed. (b) The sharp-notched samples were cut artificially, thus the factitious errors could not be ignored. (c) For the low temperature test, the frozen specimens were moved from a freezer to atmosphere, which might lead to the rising of temperature. As a result, the impact energy got a slight increase. (d) The errors of Charpy impact test equipment could not be ignored. Movement in the clamp and energy imparted to broken fragments might be the factors of the remaining energy of the pendulum and therefore the impact energy increased. [5] 4. Explain the cause of the whitening observed in some of the fractured samples. All kinds of the samples are listed in the Fig.3. Fig.3 The tested samples Through the observing of all different kinds of specimens, whitening is the most obvious in the unnotched samples. Many reasons listed lead to this phenomenon. Stress-whitening crazing usually can be observed for thermoplastics at levels of stress that below those required for large scale yielding. [6]When there is a sudden load to the sample, fracture crazes will be developed. Most of the time, it occurs in amorphous, brittle polymers and generally consist of an open network of polymer fibrils between 10 and 40nm in diameter, interspersed by void of about 10-20nm. [6] Conclusions After the experiment completed, many benefits of toughness and impact test have been listed below. There is a large variety of methods to measure impact energy of polymers and the most common used test is the Charpy test. With the decrease of temperature, the impact energy of same shaped specimens has a significant decline. The whitening of polymers is easier to be observed in the unnotched samples than that in sharp-notched and blunt-notched.

Invisible Man: Plot Summary :: Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man opens with a prologue describing the main character in time after the begining of the body of the book. In the prologue, Ellison tells of the main characters invisibility. It is not a physical invisiblity, but rther he is not recognised, and therefore persieved, by the world at large. This is coupled with the fact that he is constantly trying to be someone else, other than himself, creates for his a complete loss of identity, and he becomes a man without a soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with the main character being forced to partisipate in an archaic and animalistic free-for-all in order for him to be allowed to give his speach that will determine wheather he will be accepted to the 'college'. He is accepted and goes through two of his years at the college uneventfully. He is ejected from the school during his junior year when the trustee who ws in his care while visiting the school fell ill and is taken to a local bar to get some alchohol. He is given seven letter of what he suposes to be recomendation to give to people in New York. He moves to Harlem and delivers the letters. He finds out that these letters were not recomenation but rather advisments against hiring him. The seventh reciever of a letter gives him a job in a paint factory. He does not derform well there and evetually causes he own dismissal by ignoring hes work and getting knoked out by an explosion that is his fault. He joins a black power group called The Brotherhood and is sent out to spread the word of the group. He meets a man named Clfton, his first real freind, and clifon is shot by a police officer. He speaks at Clifton's funeral and the Brotherhood does not like what he says. he befriens a middle aged white woman whao flirs with him a good bit. one night while with her is is asked to come to Harlem and come a riot that is occering. Invisible Man: Plot Summary :: Ralph Ellison, The Invisible Man   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man opens with a prologue describing the main character in time after the begining of the body of the book. In the prologue, Ellison tells of the main characters invisibility. It is not a physical invisiblity, but rther he is not recognised, and therefore persieved, by the world at large. This is coupled with the fact that he is constantly trying to be someone else, other than himself, creates for his a complete loss of identity, and he becomes a man without a soul.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story begins with the main character being forced to partisipate in an archaic and animalistic free-for-all in order for him to be allowed to give his speach that will determine wheather he will be accepted to the 'college'. He is accepted and goes through two of his years at the college uneventfully. He is ejected from the school during his junior year when the trustee who ws in his care while visiting the school fell ill and is taken to a local bar to get some alchohol. He is given seven letter of what he suposes to be recomendation to give to people in New York. He moves to Harlem and delivers the letters. He finds out that these letters were not recomenation but rather advisments against hiring him. The seventh reciever of a letter gives him a job in a paint factory. He does not derform well there and evetually causes he own dismissal by ignoring hes work and getting knoked out by an explosion that is his fault. He joins a black power group called The Brotherhood and is sent out to spread the word of the group. He meets a man named Clfton, his first real freind, and clifon is shot by a police officer. He speaks at Clifton's funeral and the Brotherhood does not like what he says. he befriens a middle aged white woman whao flirs with him a good bit. one night while with her is is asked to come to Harlem and come a riot that is occering.

The Bright Side of Regret Essay -- Literary Analysis

â€Å"There is no person so severely punished, as those who subject themselves to the whip of their own remorse,† wisely summates Lucius Annaeus Seneca 1st century Roman philosopher (qtd. in ThinkExist.com Quotations). Effectively illustrating this idea as a concise confessional, the short story, â€Å"I Stand Here Ironing,† is written in an autobiographical style by Tillie Olsen, contrasting the festering damage that unresolved internal remorse creates with the reassuring serenity that unconditional acceptance generates. Regretfully, this stark reality often becomes the harrowing plight of the nescient parent. That having been said, taking a closer look into Olsen’s story will undeniably prove that a conflicting introspective battle between regret and contentment can only be resolved through the emancipation of unconditional acceptance. When experiencing regret, a person has the tendency to repeatedly replay the details of whatever caused that emotion. However, recounting past events is only the first step in the healing process, but it is not the end solution. This is abundantly evident in Olsen’s story which begins with the narrator’s rapid emotional descent into regret. This happens when, as she has probably done a thousand times before, an unnamed third party questions the mother about her eldest daughter, Emily, asking how they can â€Å"help† and â€Å"understand her† better (Olsen 607), for surely she would know. Unfortunately, the answer to this request sends the mother helplessly down memory lane into regret valley. With Olsen’s strong symbolism, the reader becomes more keenly aware of the inner â€Å"torment† she feels while reminiscing about her callow method of raising Emily. Consequently, as the mother â€Å"moves†¦ back and forth† emotionally, ... ...ot have to automatically mean something negative. Therefore, though deep emotions are involved in the healing process, we now know love and acceptance, not guilt and sadness releases us from wasting precious energy on negative thinking and opens up a completely new opportunity, being able to enjoy the bright side of regret. Works Cited Page Kathryn Schulz. â€Å"Don't Regret Regret.† 2011. Video. TED Conferences, LLC, New York. Web. 24 Apr 2012. http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/kathryn_schulz_don_t_regret_regret.html Olsen, Tillie. â€Å"I Stand Here Ironing.† Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. Kennedy, X.J., and Dana Gioia. 11th ed. New York: Longman, 2011. 607- 612. Print. ThinkExist.com Quotations. â€Å"Seneca quotes.† ThinkExist.com Quotations Online. 1 Mar. 2012. Web 23 Apr. 2012. http://en.thinkexist.com/quotes/seneca/

Collective Security Essay -- History, Greek

One of the most confusing and internationally argued topics that gathers so much debate from professors to journalist, journalist, to politicians, and politicians to generals, is known as collective security. The idea of collective security has been around for centuries dating back to the time of the Greeks, however the credit for creating the idea of modern collective security belongs to Woodrow Wilson who coined the theory a couple of years before the beginning of World War I. The theory basically forms the concept that each nations security no longer depends on it having to defend itself against attacks but rather use the joint security of other nations to deter any signs of aggression that can cause any instability among nations. It follows the Balance of Power Theory, but instead of using force to solve any indifferences to use any and all political actions before it gets out of hand and that no other member is more important than the other: all for one, and one for all (1). â€Å"â€Å"My conception of the League of Nations is just this, that it shall operate as the organized moral force of men throughout the world and that whenever or wherever wrong and aggression are planned or contemplated, this searching light of conscience will be turned upon them† (2) In an ideal world, the concept of collective security would be adopted since it would be beneficial for every nation. However, this is not an ideal world, and the theory has been highly criticized from start to finish. Many believe that if a threat were to occur from outside the party than the theory would be useless, (3) as that state is not bounded by any rules and obligations. Another problem consistent with the theory of collective theory is that not every nation may be... ...generality of the system (12), it creates the depiction of the group as a global security institution to be enduring and nonbiased. These seven fundamental aspects are the key to creating a safer world without the fears of terrorism, civil wars or even a world war constantly on our minds. As time goes on, new and old threats are clashing in a subtler yet more public way. Today we are facing the threat of terrorism, civil wars, genocide and nuclear wars. As stated earlier, if a threat where to occur from outside a member then the theory of collective security would be useless, terrorism is one of those outside threats. Nations are no longer dealing with another political party to discuss and resolve issues with but rather a small-scale size of people who are fighting for something they consider a just cause, whether it be the ETA, Al-Qaeda, or the Taliban.

Hispanic Voting Related Literature Essay

The coming of the 2008 US Presidential Elections has made studies on voting behavior a fad in the scholastic community. Everybody wants to know, especially the candidates, how America or segments of its population will vote or the chances that a candidate will win based on some observations on voting patterns. Unfortunately, and not many people know this, studying voting behavior is not as simple as looking at the voting statistics. As one scholar commented, â€Å"voting is among the acts hardest to explain† (Uhlaner, 1989, p. 390). For one, Samuel Eldersveld (1951), defined voting behavior to connote â€Å"more than the examination of voting records†, but also includes â€Å"analyses on individual psychological processes and their relation to the vote-decision, of group structures and functions and their relation to political action, as well as institutional patterns and their impact on elections† (Eldersveld, 1951, p. 71). Thus, studies on voting behavior have also become multi-disciplinary, and were never confined in the field of political science. Still, studying voting behavior holds so much promise as far as theory construction is concerned, because it is viewed to be an area where theory can be systematically and quantitatively measured and tested. Also, this area offers more valid and reliable statements of causal determinants and a wealth of hypotheses, as voting behavior can be studied with respect to several possible variables. (Eldersveld, 1951, pp. 72-73). In her emphasis on the role of groups, Carole Uhlaner hypothesizes that voters act as part of groups with shared interests† (p. 390). Based on a utilitarian model of consumption benefit, she suggests that a group votes for a certain candidate because it would benefit from the policy positions of that candidate. From here, it is not difficult to presume that ethnic groups vote for candidates coming from their own group because they are expected to represent their interests. Though there has been a debate, in the case of Hispanic Elected Officials (HEOs), on whether Hispanic members of the US House of Representatives substantially represent the interests of their Hispanic constituents (Hero and Tolbert, 1995; and Kerr and Miller, 1997), it is useful to start with the assumption that groups, particularly ethnic groups, play an important role in determining voting behavior as identities and affiliations affect voters’ interpretations of the political world, preferences, and actions. (Uhlaner, 1989) Thus, a very interesting, yet under-studied (Antunes and Gaitz, 1975; Hero, 1990; Arvizu and Garcia, 1996), subject of inquiry on voting behavior would be the Hispanics in the United States. Scholars and politicians alike are interested in finding out how Latinos vote because despite the increasing significance of the group, being the fastest growing minority group in the US (Tanneeru, 2007), there seems to be the absence of consistent or predictable patterns on Hispanic voting across areas and through time. It may stem from the fact that the Hispanic community is diverse and voting interests are not homogenous. A Cuban-American may vote for a Republican because of the party’s long-standing policies toward Cuba, while a Hispanic in a border state may be affected by the stringent immigration policies. The culture of a state can also affect a Hispanic voter’s behavior: Texas voters may be more conservative in contrast to more liberal Hispanic voters in California. A study on the impact of religion also revealed that first and third generations placed more importance on religion than the second generation Hispanics in the US (Tanneeru, 2007). Socio-economic factors — such as social class, occupation, poverty indicators, among others — are also seen as significant determinants of voter turnout (Arvizu and Garcia, 1996; Antunes and Gaitz, 1975). In her explanation of the Hispanic low voter turnout, Cassel even suggested that Hispanics vote less than Anglos during presidential elections because they â€Å"tend to be younger, less educated, poorer or less frequently contacted by a political party or candidate† (Cassel, 2002, p. 397-398). In a comparison between the election of Federico Pena as Mayor of Denver, Colorado in 1983 and the bid of Victor Morales from Texas for US Senate in 1996 points to more variables that shaped the two campaigns. These include the size of the constituency, size and demographics of the Hispanic population, ability of the candidates to build coalitions of ethnic groups and sectors, personal qualifications or experience of the candidate, membership in civic organizations, political party support and campaign funds. This also tells us that the mere presence of a large Hispanic population in an electoral district could not ascertain victory for a Hispanic candidate. In a study by Rodney Hero comparing Hispanic political behavior in two Colorado cities – Denver and Pueblo – with other California cities, it appears that the governmental structure plays a significant role in determining different levels of mobilization of Hispanics in the cities. Colorado cities, with their unreformed structure, particularly Denver which has a strong-mayor system, have obtained greater political influence than what can be observed among California cities. This study supports the observation in 1983 in Denver, Colorado wherein Pena was elected into office with the highest Hispanic voter turnout ever recorded in the city. It also proves that it is not always the case that Hispanics are politically â€Å"acquiescent† and politically inactive and/or ineffective. (Hero, 1990) The observed political apathy of Hispanics had been explained by several studies in different ways. A study on voting behavior in Texas from 1960-1970 asserts that discriminatory devices such as the poll tax, the requirement of annual registration, short registration periods, and length of time between the end of registration and general election had restricted qualified electorate in favor of white persons and those with greater education and income (Shinn, 1971). Such means of discrimination, including literacy tests and printing of ballots in English, had also been used by the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), to extend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to include large jurisdictions where large Mexican American populations live. Arguing that Hispanics never really met the level of discrimination suffered by the blacks, for whom the Voting Rights Act was originally intended, Linda Chavez points out that Hispanic votes had been aggressively courted by presidential candidates since 1960s and that hundreds of Mexican Americans had held office since the 1970s. She contends that in places where Hispanics make up a large segment of the constituency, several other factors, not the absence of safe seat for Hispanic representative, explain why no Hispanics hold office (Chavez, 1992). Complementing the initial observation of Chavez, George Antunes and Charels Gaitz found out in 1975 that in their interpretation of ethnic differences in the levels of participation among blacks, Mexican-Americans and whites, ethnic identification process among minority groups only partially account for the higher level of political participation of the discriminated groups. However, they stressed that compared to blacks, Mexican-Americans have lower participation rates for nine of eleven indicators of political participation, including voting. This is basically because of the cultural norms of participation inculcated in black communities owing to their history of discrimination wherein they suffered more than the Mexican-Americans (Antunes and Gaitz, 1975). Political history is also one of the aspects that Carol Cassel examined in her explanation of low Hispanic political participation as evident in their low voter turnout, compared to the African-Americans. Seeing that Hispanics vote at the same rate with other ethnic groups during presidential elections, Cassel suggests that low turnout in low visibility races can also be attributed to the Latinos’ lack of political networks or just because Latino political leaders prefer to mobilize voters in more competitive elections (Cassel, 2002). Mobilization efforts also figured as a very important determinant in the 1996 elections voting turnout in California, Florida and Texas (Shaw, dela Garza and Lee, 2000). Nevertheless, Harry Pachon and Louis De Sipio recognize that the structural changes such as the extension of the Voting Rights, combined with ethnic political mobilization in Latino communities and efforts of groups such as MALDEF, contributed to the increased electoral and political clout of the Hispanics. In their list of HEOs in the 1990s, they have found out that there were 4,004 Hispanics holding publicly-elected offices nationwide – 1% of the national total; nine states accounting for 96% of HEOs in the US; and that Hispanics were represented at all levels of government, except for the Presidency. The only factors that could mitigate the increasing trend of HEOs in the following years would be young Hispanic population and non-citizenship. (Pachon and De Sipio, 1992). Thus far, the numerous and variegated variables and determinants presented above attest that it is not easy to explain Hispanic voting behavior. Thus it is best to start with a single locality to test which of these – or a combination of these — variables could best explain Hispanic voting. (In this case, I have chosen to zero in on Houston, Texas, the fourth largest city in the United States. ) Though in the process, I should be cautious against committing what Eldersveld warned with respect to generalizing from single cases. Nonetheless, I believe that studies such as this could make a good case for comparing with similar political settings, and eventually, in explaining Hispanic political behavior. References: Antunes, G. and Gaitz, C. (1975) Ethnicity and Participation: A Study of Mexican-Americans, Blacks and Whites. The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 80, No. 5, 1192-1211. Arvizu, J. and Garcia, C. (1996) Latino Voting Participation: Explaining and Differentiating Latino Voting Turnout. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, Vol. 18, No. 2, 104-128. Cassel, C. (2002) Hispanic Turnout: Estimates from Validated Voting Data. Political Research Quarterly, Vol. 55, No. 2, 391-408. Chavez, L. (1992) Hispanics, Affirmative Action and Voting. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 523, 75-87. Dela Garza, R. , Lee, J. and Shaw, D. (2000) Examining Latino Turnout in 1996: A Three-State, Validated Survey Approach. American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 44, No. 2, 338-346. Eldersveld, S. J. (1951) Theory and Method in Voting Behavior Research. The Journal of Politics, Vol. 13, No. 1, 70-87. Hero, R. (1990) Hispanics in Urban Government and Politics: Some Findings, Comparisons and Implications. The Western Political Quarterly, Vol. 43, No. 2, 403-414. Hero, R. and Tolbert, C. (1995) Latinos and Substantive Representation in the US House of Representatives: Direct, Indirect or Nonexistent? American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 39, No. 3, 640-652. Kerr, B. and Miller, W. (1997) Latino Representation, It’s Direct and Indirect. American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 41, No. 3, 1066-1071. Pachon, H. and De Sipio, L. (1992) Latino Elected Officials in the 1990s. PS: Political Science and Politics, Vol. 25, No. 2, 212-217. Shinn, A. (1971) A Note on Voter Registration and Turnout in Texas, 1960-1970. The Journal of Politics, Vol. 33, No. 4, 1120-1129. Southwestern Social Science Association. (1997, March 27) The Victor Morales for US Senate Campaign: Did the Sleeping Giant Notice an Unusual Campaign? Tanneeru, M. (2007, September 28). Inside the Hispanic Vote: Growing in Numbers, Growing in Diversity. Retrieved from : http://www. cnn. com/2007/US/09/28/hispanic. vote/index. html Uhlaner, C. J. (1989) Rational Turnout: The Neglected Role of Groups. American Journal of Political Science, Vol. 33, No. 2, 390-422.

Mtv’s 16 & Pregnant Glorifies Teen Pregnancy Essay

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 86 percent of mothers who give birth out-of-wedlock are teenagers. MTV’s show â€Å"16 & Pregnant,† which has only been on air since June 2009, is already reflecting the rapid boom in teenage pregnancy across various cities in America. Since the early eighties MTV has been considered somewhat of a cultural phenomenon for American adolescents and its depiction of gender has a strong impact that continues to this day (Holtzman 2000). Created by Morgan J.  Freeman (director of teen shows Dawson’s Creek and Laguna Beach), the show â€Å"16 & Pregnant† has been said to be guilty of exacerbating, normalizing and even glorifying teen pregnancy. Perhaps, it’s just reflecting a current social dilemma occurring amongst female youth. Each week a new episode revolves around a different girl struggling with the challenges of teenage pregnancy. The network presents these characters as â€Å"real†, plucked from the grips of reality, validated and â€Å"chosen† to represent some sort of normalized or otherwise glamorized middle-class identity of teenage motherhood. The show depicts women’s roles that are often typified to include traditional gendered norms of heterosexual relationships, marriage, motherhood and femininity. â€Å"16 & Pregnant† serves as a platform to broadcast what is seen as a stereotypical American culture that is now engulfing teen girls everywhere. The social identities MTV presents reinforces those of traditional female roles and gender norms and attempts to establish a new model for pregnant teens in a modern age. Just by airing the show, MTV is assimilating new ideas of teen pregnancy into American society. Historically, there has always been some sort of unspoken Christian tradition that has governed American women’s birth rights; that one should not get pregnant out-of-wedlock. Today, however, teenage pregnancy is so rampant that families are forced to deal with the situation in a positive manner, often honoring the decision the child has made in regards to keeping and raising the newborn child (Gallagher 2009). In a 2004 survey, the Parents Television Council reported that MTV is the most watched program for those between the ages of 12 and 19. Studies showed watching MTV created a more liberal attitude toward pre-martial sex. Teenagers who watch MTV receive messages about sex that are likely to sway their own behavior. MTV is shaping the identity of the â€Å"teenage mom,† a pregnant 16 year old high school student whose uncertainty about motherhood is due to the fact that she views her pregnancy as the consequence of a selfish action that was ultimately unavoidable. 16 & Pregnant† normalizes sexual behavior that eventually forces teenage girls into the traditional gender role of the â€Å"grieving mother†, one who is forced to take care of a baby while struggling to support herself (Schmidt 2009). The first episode of â€Å"16 & Pregnant† takes place in Chattanooga, Tennessee and documents the life of Maci who gets pregnant by her first boyfriend, Ryan. For Maci, adoption and abortion were never an option, she figured she made the decision to have unprotected sex so now she must deal with the consequences. At one point during an argument in the show, Ryan yells out, â€Å"If we didn‘t have a kid, we wouldn’t be together,† and it’s clear from watching the that the two are still just teens. Maci struggles to take care of her newborn child, who, once born, requires constant attention and deals with the turmoil of trying to get Ryan involved in the relationship of fatherhood. The â€Å"teen mom† is now a stable identity offered up on the MTV network to heterosexual female youth; a child who is forced to mature and deal with adult realities as an accepted way of life. The show is sending a message that it is normal for teenage girls to deal with such serious issues as: birth control, adoption, abortion, marriage, and finances, further cementing these issues into the female identity at a young age. Maci symbolizes that it is now acceptable for a sixteen year old girl to be a dedicated mother in America. Episode two introduces Farrah, a cheerleader from Council Bluffs, Iowa who juggles school, work and cheer practice. Her life becomes a lot more complicated when she finds out she is pregnant. Farrah’s best friend turns on her spreading nasty rumors, forcing Farrah to finish school online. Farrah’s ex-boyfriend, also the baby’s father, begins to harass her after he finds out she is pregnant which leads her to change her number. â€Å"I would have never lost my virginity to someone I believed would treat me like this,† Farrah exclaims about her ex-boyfriend. Farrah struggles with single motherhood and has to deal with a judgmental parent who looks down upon her decisions. Episode two again reinforces traditional American cultural eliefs of female gender roles by portraying the woman as the single mother, ultimately responsible for the child, showing the girl dealing with emotional problems while trying to hold the family together, tasks and situations often associated with femininity. These images become engrained on a young viewers minds and being sixteen and pregnant becomes just another fad for young girls to consider. â€Å"MTV has a long history of reflecting the lives of our viewers with compelling reality stories,† says Tony DiSanto, MTV’s president of programming. The program’s featured girls come from rural Mid-Western or Southern states, usually from small, working-class towns, in attempt to appeal to teenage girls of the same background. The implicit message at the center of the series’ class prejudice implies that working-class girls from middle America, should opt to have a child because it’s as good a road to character development as working on the high school yearbook (Bellafante 2009). The show reinforces the stereotype that a woman is at least a good mother, if not anything else and displaces the identity of â€Å"teen mom† onto middle American teenage girls. 16 and Pregnant† seems to, above all, incite viewers to working-class voyeurism, given how many cliches of lower-income American life are exploited. It could be possible that other MTV shows, are themselves, responsible for increases in teenage pregnancy. Shows such as â€Å"The Hills† and â€Å"The Real World† both portray the loose sexual morals of a younger generation, which eventually leads to an adoption of those ideals from the show’s younger viewers. Researchers at the Rand Corp. say they have documented for the first time how such exposure to sexual content on TV can influence teen pregnancy rates. They found that teens exposed to the most sexual content on TV are twice as likely as teens watching less of this material to become pregnant before they reach age twenty. This means that if teenagers think having sex is the â€Å"norm† they will continue to engage in it. â€Å"The relationship between exposure of this kind of content on TV and the risk of later pregnancy is fairly strong,† says Anita Chandra, a behavioral scientist. â€Å"Even if it were diminished by other contributing factors, the association still holds† (Bellafante 2009). So, is it in fact MTV who is esponsible for the abundance of pregnant teens it is helping to exploit? One thing for sure is that such a program like â€Å"16 & Pregnant† is endorsing and sanctioning teenage girls as hyper-sexed individuals. So, why does a television show have such an immense impact on the female identity? Sociologist Chris Barker’s study of British Asian girls’ television viewing practices in the U. K. suggest that soap operas provide young women with resources to discuss issues that may not be sanctioned within some of the religious and cultural spaces they inhabit (N&K 2008). Nayak and Kehily, authors of Gender Youth & Culture (2008), would argue that this theory could be applied to teenage girls and reality television shows in the U. S. By watching these shows the conceptualization of â€Å"appropriate femininities† are derived. These shows allow young girls to make moral and ethical judgments about what they see and refashion gender values to suit their own identities (N&K 2008). The girls in â€Å"16 & Pregnant† largely conform to the values of normative femininity in their search for romance, marriage, and long term happiness with a male partner In the end, MTV is glamorizing the life of a teen mother and cementing its identity in a society where sex at a younger and younger age is already becoming the norm. â€Å"16 & Pregnant† is perpetuating the normalization of traditional gender roles by portraying young girls who have already been forced to take on such general notions of femininity and female identity. The young, unwed mom has now become a new identity for young girls to aspire to. Popular culture and the ways in which it is consumed forms a key site for the learning of gender identities, and MTV is the designated teacher.

Of Mice and Men’ is a novel about people Essay

Of Mice and Men’ is a novel about people. Are there â€Å"too many cripples, misfits and unusual characters† in the novel to consider Steinbeck’s portrayal as true life? Steinbeck’s novel is based on ordinary people during the American Depression. Steinbeck has an understanding of how migrant workers were and how it was as he had his childhood in California near Salinas Valley. During the period in which the novel was wrote was written migrant workers went from ranch to ranch working for money never really having a secure job as new technology in machinery made it cheaper to harvest crops. This introduces the two main characters George and Lennie, migrant workers, who do not fit into 1930’s society. The novel based is on characters that represent different walks of life during the period illustrating the American culture. Steinbeck portrays the American culture in a condensed version occurring only on a ranch, showing the grim truces of the society, when the novel was written In Steinbeck’s novel the character Candy is a man who has gone past his prime of his life. He has a stumped hand and therefore he is too maimed to be working in the fields, he can be seen as a cripple in the novel. The result of this is that he has menial job as a swamper. To represent the fears of time Steinbeck writes about Candy being worried about getting the †can† as a result of his unimportance on the ranch, and this is shown when Steinbeck wrote †I ain’t much good with o’ny hand. I lost my hand right here on this ranch. That’s why they give me a job swampin† This suggests that the job was only given to Candy out of sympathy. Furthermore Candy saying †I ain’t much good† shows his awareness of his own situation, being worthless to the ranch. Candy represents the aged sector that exists in every society, at the time the novel was written work was very scarce and if people were employed they would have to work hard to say in work. Candy as an aged person is on his last job, because if he loses it no one else will take him on. This is his major fear throughout the novel and Steinbeck portrays the aged migrant worker as a pathetic man with only a dog to keep him company. Steinbeck writes †Candy looked a long time at Slim to try and find some reversal† The above statement suggests that Candy has no authority with the other workers on the ranch and needs Slim to assist him; this shows Candy, as a cripple, has no respect from the other characters, which is a portrayal of true life during the American Depression. With the ‘dog eat dog world’ of the period skill, strength, intelligence, age and skin colour affected authority. Candy has a change of attitude after hearing about the ‘dream’ soon after his dog was shot, Steinbeck choosing to write the ‘dream’ being heard by Candy at this point in the novel when the character had lost everything that was important, gives the cripple hope for the future as his past (with his dog) is finished. Sadly the dog is a symbol of his possible future, the fate of the aged. In a time of mass unemployment and the fear of loneliness compels Candy to latch himself onto a belief to persevere in the harsh lonely world and this gives Candy the renewed confidence. Steinbeck shows the change of Candy’s attitude after he hears about the ‘dream’, †Candy joined the attack with joy ‘Glove fulla Vaseline,’ he said disgustedly.† This quote enhances the change in the character of Candy, as before he did not say anything in general conversation between the workers and at this point he was important. The verb †attack† shows Candy’s aggression against Curley, who has a higher status than Candy and is more important to the running of the ranch and is the bosses son, not a cripple and stronger. The adjective †disgustedly† in the quote shows that Candy is sickened by Curley and Curley’s attitude to others and Candy himself. This shows Candy is more than a cripple in the story, but a character who needs an image of a better future for himself with no worries. The ‘dream’ of getting a ranch of their own is the need for some security can be compared as a pension in a modern view. Once Candy has this security in the ‘dream’ Steinbeck enhances the character making him bolder, and his character comes out from the shell of an old cripple. In chapter two Steinbeck introduces the reader to the character of Crooks. The name Crooks is not used for him at the start of the novel and it is only later on that he is called Crooks. The names used for him are derogatory labels including ‘stable buck’, ‘nigger’ and Crooks. Throughout the whole novel the reader never finds out the character’s real name, which adds to the effectiveness of the character being a misfit. Steinbeck enhances the idea of Crooks being a misfit when he writes †They let the nigger come in. Little skinner name of Smitty took after the nigger. Done pretty good, too† This depicts that the other characters do not see Crooks a real human being but as an object of entertainment. Steinbeck conveys how a black man fits into the society of the period through racism. Crooks is a misfit in the novel because of his skin colour and his physical appearance, because of this he is segregated from the other workers on the ranch. This can be shown by †They let the nigger come in† this implies that the others do not want to be around him and that it is an important event when he does. The above quote can also suggest that Crooks wants to be sociable with the others and the word †let† suggests that the character has tried before. His injury to his back illustrates to the reader that he can be put into a category with Candy, as a cripple. The connection between the two is deeper than them both have a disability. Steinbeck brings them both together in chapter 4 at the start of the novel when he writes †Yeah. Nice fella, too.† Candy is shown to have a high regards and respect for him; Steinbeck puts them in the same situation in the novel. Candy and Crooks as cripples both need to belong to something as there is always the threat of getting the ‘can’ or a similar consequence to of Candy’s dog. One may think that Steinbeck was trying to portray a bridge across racism in the period with a white man and black man wanting the same ‘dream’. As Crooks changes his view in the novel from being a defensive one to felling some hope about the dream too. At first Crooks’ attitude to †little piece of land in his head† is an objectionable because society has made him pessimistic and spiteful to any sign of others having some ‘dream’ of happiness knowing that he can not have any because of race. However when he hears about the money he is more open and suggests he wants to be apart of it, this can be shown when Steinbeck wrote †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦If you †¦ guys would want a hand to work for nothing- just his keep† This quotes conveys Crooks’ hope in the ‘dream’ and he wants to be apart of it to be secure and treated as an equal. The reader learns a valuable lesson from Crooks and Steinbeck portrays it effectively that society is in the wrong not that the characters. Steinbeck illustrates Crooks as being †a proud son of a bitch† with his tidy room but this does not make just a misfit or a cripple but he has humanity with all other blacks. That’s why a lot of time is devoted to him in the novel, his role is equally important to the social statement made by Steinbeck. The end of this key chapter with Crooks in, chapter 4, unhappily ends how it began with Crooks rubbing medicine into his back, this is a powerful message put across to the audience which may evoke the reader to think that society will not change unless we change society. Crooks had briefly gained some respect from other white males and had hope for the future, but it is when this happens that a women shattered his hopes, this would be terrible to Crooks because women were thought to be lower and weaker than men, so being put down by Curley’s wife made him worth nothing, just like during the beginning of this chapter. A character that is, in essence, unusual is Curley’s Wife. She is unusual because she is the only female character who speaks in this novel. Steinbeck’s portrayal of women in this novel is not in a good light, given that the men go to a brothel. Women typically represented as objects of sexual nature not as partners or equals but as. Curley’s Wife is unusual in a way that she is the only women on a ranch full of men going around dressed to seduce, this can be shown in †She had full, rouged lips and wide-spaced eyes, heavily made up. Her fingernails were red.† Steinbeck suggests that she is trouble by all the †red† in the description, with †red† bringing up connotations of danger. The red also can connote seduction. Steinbeck’s character has a habit of looking for her husband which can suggest that she is lonely and is constantly seeking attention from the other men, another reason for dressing up seductively is to conceal her loneliness, Steinbeck includes her in the novel to portray the American housewife, wanting to be something more than a housewife. This was typical during this period of social change with Hollywood and women becoming celebrities, which is exciting compared to a life on the ranch. Steinbeck effectively portrays this in †He says he was gonna put me in the movies. Says I was a natural.† This implies to the reader that she wanted something more to her life than to be stuck on a ranch. This however makes her a misfit on the ranch in the novel because of her wanting a different ‘dream’ to come true, but during that period people were fascinated about celebrities so the character of Curley’s Wife can represent the women’s struggle during the American Depression. We learn from the novel that society during that period was male orientated and that women were beginning to have their own ‘dreams’ other than finding a good man to marry. Throughout the whole novel the reader is aware of Lennie being a misfit in the novel. When the reader is first introduced to this character his physical description suggests that he is misfit †large pale eyes† can connote the lack of intelligence, giving the sense of subdued expression, the adjective †large† agrees with the stature of Lennie, though the adjective †pale† implies the mindlessness of him. The other characters in the novel who are misfits, unusual characters or cripples have a physical or emotional problem but Lennie as one of the lead characters is different with an intelligence problem; this engages the reader’s sympathy as Lennie is every childlike. Steinbeck writes about the childlike behaviour of Lennie in †Lennie was still smiling with delight at the memory of the ranch† This quote depicts Lennie’s lack of social skills, like a child, which gets the character into a trouble that wouldn’t have really happened in the novel if the character was not a misfit, such as what happened in Weed where he stroked the women’s dress not knowing that he was doing something wrong and ended up being outcast and hunted. Steinbeck’s 1930’s society is not tolerant of Lennie and his disability to handle a difficult social problem. Society when this novel was written is not an understanding one and Steinbeck dramatically portrays this by the fight in the novel. Steinbeck shows the reader during that period people acted too rash and unsympathetic, and Steinbeck with this novel wants people to take notice of society and for it to be more tolerant to misfits, cripples and in a sense unusual characters. Steinbeck leaves the ending of Lennie at a moderately neutral point of view; this lets one make up ones mind to know that it’s a tragedy. On one side that it is a tragedy that Steinbeck’s characters have no acknowledgment of Lennie killing Curley’s Wife by accident and that he has no understanding of death and his own strength. On the other side some readers may believe that Lennie should be shot because he killed a human, even with his lack of intelligence it still make him a danger to society. Steinbeck writes his death in the place where Lennie suits best throughout the whole novel, in nature †Suddenly Lennie appeared out of the brush, and he came as silently as a creeping bear moves.† This quote implies that Lennie suited the environment that he was in, and the metaphor †a creeping bear moves† is a powerful one. In addition, it conveys the character to be almost part of nature and if he was never meant for society. As a result of this, the reader may think it is less of a tragedy as Lennie dies where he belongs. Steinbeck portrays the purpose of Lennie’s character of being the character that allows people to have a ‘dream’. Lennie is the one to console in and not to put down people, because he has no real understanding of how the world works. Candy and Crooks benefit from having time with Lennie as Candy has someone to talk too furthermore ensuring Candy a no opposition to joining the ‘dream’, which may not have occurred if Lennie was not a misfit to society. Crooks has someone to talk to without no prejudice as it because of Lennie being unintelligent, he did not understand the concept of racism. Lastly, Lennie ensured Curley’s Wife finally got someone to talk to in the novel. Steinbeck’s misfit Lennie shows the flaws in society that needs to be exposed in true life. If there were more people like Lennie on the ranch (society) there would be more empathy towards others and their feelings and there wouldn’t be feelings of superiority other one another. George and Lennie have a friendship that is not typical of the period in which the novel was set. Two men travelling around together and working together was unheard of, the American Depression saw people distant themselves from each other. With no security, men chose not to trust each other. Steinbeck depicts this effectively throughout the whole novel. This relationship is not typical of the era, Steinbeck shows this when he writes †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Guys like us, that work on the ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This illustrates the stereotype of the migrant worker making this unusual relationship out of place in the novel and Steinbeck wanted to show this by the effects of their relationship upon the characters. The relationship being not of true life has a sense of inevitable doom to it. Steinbeck depicts the relationship to draw other characters to it so that they can belong even though the friendship creates suspicion in; †He hooked his thumbs in his belt and squinted one eye nearly closed† This expresses to the reader the Boss had never seen it before and that thinks it trouble, with †squinted one eye† the verb creates suspicion. This clearly emphasis the idea, that the relationship sparks the plot with eventually, Lennie killing Curley’s Wife. Perhaps Steinbeck shows this because he is making a social statement on the period where people just can not trust in one another or be emotionally close to each other, with out anything going wrong. George and Lennie’s relationship shows one how much empathy and understanding one man can have in another. Against everyone being antagonistic to the relationship George stuck by Lennie until he could no more. Steinbeck’s characters have a friendship that is destroyed by the attitudes in society of the period. In conclusion to this essay, Steinbeck has wrote misfits, unusual characters and cripples in ‘Of Mice and Men’ to show the faults and prejudices during the 1930’s American depression, in which the novel was written. Steinbeck’s characters portray different aspects to the life in the period. Crooks represents the life of a black man having to struggle through life being worth nothing because of skin colour, whilst Curley’s Wife represents how a women struggles in a male dominant society, the male dominant society being the ranch itself. Candy symbolises the aged in the period, being old is being useless and unwanted. Though the novel has misfits, unusual characters and cripples they would not have as much affect if they were not contrast to the more stereotypical characters of the period. Curley and Carlson show the reader the bleak and lonely lives migrant workers had. The contrast has a bigger and more meaningful social statement made by Steinbeck. The writer effectively shows this at the end of the novel. †Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Now what the hell ya suppose is eatin’ them two guys?†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ This enhances the social statement made by Steinbeck, with Slim consoling George but the other more usual characters, Curley and Carlson, not coming together after the whole plot Steinbeck keeps them apart and socially distant, unaware of the situation George is in. the novel is also concluded within the novel where the image of the water snake an the heron. The whole novel is summarised, with the calmness to the heron snatching the water snake. Steinbeck implies this animal image that humans in a society live like animals and how that we have not evolved to be more tolerable of peoples differences; the consequence of this is Lennie’s death. Steinbeck conveys marvellously that this will keep transpiring as the heron returns to the pool to catch another water snake.