My Worst Experience at a Restaurant

Farley’s restaurant in Roswell doesn’t look like a dump, but it is. It is a fairly new restaurant, one my wife and I had been wanting to try ever since it was first being built. Last year, we had a chance to try it for lunch. We went there with our two-year-old son. Initial impressions were positive. The restaurant looked like a neat place to eat. The decor seemed to follow a kind of hip-retro rock-n-roll kind of theme, and there was even an old Moto Guzzi motorcycle parked on a stand in the middle of the floor for atmosphere.The hostess showed us to our table, and we waited. The waitress came by and took our drink order. We waited some more, and the waitress brought our drinks and took our food order. We waited some more. And then we waited some more. We waited and waited and waited. Our little two-year-old was growing cranky and impatient, but we waited and waited for the better part of an hour. Finally, after watching other people who came in after us get their food, the waitress came by and said it would be just a few more minutes.A few minutes later, she came by and said the kitchen was just starting our order. We left. About a week later my wife asked me if I wanted to go back to Farley’s to give it another chance. â€Å"No way,† I said. â€Å"They forgot about our business before, so they can forget about it now. † But she was still curious, because the menu looked good to her. Shortly thereafter we were driving back from Grandma’s house, and our little son fell asleep in the back seat of the car.My wife said she wanted to get some take-out for lunch, so I reluctantly agreed to pull into Farley’s and wait in the car while she ordered some nachos. So I sat in the hot car with our sleeping son while she went in and ordered her take-out nachos. Again, we waited and waited. Finally, after way too long, she came back to the car with her order. We took our son home and put him to bed, and my wife ate her nachos. Later that night, she began to feel queasy, and then she became violently sick with food poisoning. She was sick all the next day, as well, and finally started to recover the day after. Later on, she told me that she thinks the kitchen staff might have dropped her order, and rather than fix her a new one, the might have just scooped it off the floor. I was pretty mad the first time we went to Farley’s and they forgot all about us. Now I’m just glad they didn’t have a chance to poison my son.

Prison Is Not a Cure for Crime Essay

There has been a great deal written about the fact that the number of crimes have dramatically increased in recent years. Educators have debated whether criminals should be put in jail or not. One idea that has received much attention is that prison plays an important role to reduce criminals. This essay will explain that prison is a cure for crime as fas as punishment for offenders and transformation of criminals into better citizens are concerned. One of the most important reasons why prison is a cure for crimes is that it is a punishment for culprits. For one thing, when someone commits a crime or does not obey to the law, he must be punished. In other words, offenders have to pay because of their wrong behaviours. For example, one of my friends who has committed a serious offence such as assault must spend a long time in jail. In addition to this, a long-term prison sentence will act as a deterrent for someone who is thinking about committing a crime. For another, innocent citizens will be hurt by culprits if government do not lock them into cells. Many countries use prisons like a tool in order to isolate and separate criminals from community. Public will live under constant fear when culprit’s have freedom outside prison. For instance, it would be difficult for an ordinary person if a murderer is living next to his door instead of in jail. Another reason is that the crucial purpose of prison is rehabilitation of criminals. First,many researchers claim that prison is a place where offenders have an opportunity to learn to be responsible for their mistakes. If someone behaves badly/ , other people should allow them to see what they have done is guilty whilst in prison, where they will learn how to prevent themselves from the evils. Criminals should be educated in prison in order to be sure they can be more and aware of their actions and not to re-offend. Also, jail provides culprits some skills in which they will be able to gradually make their way back into society without being discriminated for their work. For example, my close relative was sentenced for two years in jail when he committed multiple thefts. In prison, he realized several/ quite a few valuable lessons about life. After his release/ being released, his in-prison education/ training and skills helped him to turn into a good citizen. It is clear that priso n serves a great purpose to the community when criminals are steered in the right direction as well. Opponents of imprisonment may claim that prison is a convenient environment to help criminals learn a lot of skills to commit even more severe crimes. Moreover, the fact that governments put offenders to jail does not help to decrease the number of ctiminals. They have a point in thinking like that. On the other hand, they forget why we should put criminals to jail. The answer for this question is the more freedom offenders have, the more serious evils are conducted. For these reasons, jail is the best solution to limitation of crimes in the community. In conclusion, it is undenianle that prison serves a function in educating criminals. First, it helps to turn bad people into good ones before giving them the socond chance to rehabilitate. Furthermore, those who are guilty deserve the serve punishment so as not to re-offend. If this trend continues, the work will be a much safer place to live in and parents will be no longer frightened of the evils awaiting for their children.

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 9

Assignment - Essay Example alued and measured and as such how organizations will effectively communicate the contents of their business plan to key stakeholders such as the relevant investors and employees. Lastly this paper will provide my opinion on which of the three businesses is the most likely to succeed and which of the three businesses is most likely to fail. The format that this paper will take is to first present the business case, present a little background information on the company and follow up with the relevant analysis by conducting a marketing plan, operational plan, financial plan, an a human resources plan for each business. The first sample business plan that this paper will address will be Singapore Airlines proposed all business class service. According to the Company Website (2010) Singapore Airlines has introduced a daily air service to New York (Newark) and to Los Angeles on their new A340-500 which would be fitted with 100 seats configured in a 1-2-1 floor pattern. According to BTN Online (2008) it was the case that the airline had first proposed the idea a few years ago and had proposed a price at approximately $8,200 per person for the Newark flight. While this seems like a dramatic change for the airline it was the case that the company had been moving this direction for quite some time, as many of the same planes in operation have a two class system and feature only a total of 181 seats. Singapore airlines have long been known as the flagship carrier of Singapore, and operate a fleet known to be one of the larges air carriers in Asia. It is the case that the company according to their website has been in operation since 1947 when the company was founded as Malaysian airways. The company has long tried to differentiate itself from a number of its competitors as offering one of the more premium flying experiences in the world and as of 2010 it ranks among the top air carriers globally in terms of revenue earned from passenger kilometers. As the company is

Choice of Accounting as a Career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Choice of Accounting as a Career - Essay Example This essay declares that the role of accountants in the industries have changed significantly but the previous researches reveal that information about the same have not reached young career aspirants whereby the old perceptions about accounting profession as a non-innovative, non-technical and boring profession still prevails. These researches further add that while lucrative pay packets & job security have led to more aspirants choosing accounting majors, the gap in communication about the duties & responsibilities about accounting profession may lead to major surprises by students in the industry thus resulting in risks of drop outs & change of profession. This paper makes a conclusion that tThe modern industry requires large number of good quality accountants and the supply is still alarmingly inadequate. In this context, a short survey has been carried out to assess the level of awareness about accounting profession among young career aspirants and the factors that motivate them to choose accounting as their career. It was observed that unlike the outcome of some researches carried out in the early years of this millennium, the awareness about accounting profession among students is very high given that at very early stage of their education they are very clear about choosing accounting as their profession and also about the professional qualification that they aspire to achieve to nurture their respective careers in accounting.

Audit Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Audit Report - Research Paper Example Table 4 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Jewry Inn 2.1 2.4 3.91 4.68 5.75 6.3 5. The turnover index relatives of the three hotels for a base year of 2006, computed using Excel (rounded to whole numbers) are given below: Table 5 Year 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 Moorchester 66 73 83 102 99 100 The Frilton 51 56 67 82 90 100 Jewry Inn (index) 33 38 62 74 91 100 6. (a) Absolute and relative changes in the three turnover indices between 2001 and 2006 (round to whole numbers) are shown below. Table 6 - Absolute Growth in Turnover (Base year 2006) Hotel / Period 2001 - 02 2002 - 03 2003 - 04 2004 - 05 2005 - 06 Moorchester 11 10 19 -3 01 The Frilton 10 11 15 8 10 Jewry Inn 15 24 12 17 09 Table 7 - Relative Growth in Turnover (Base year 2006) Hotel / Period 2001 - 02 2002 - 03 2003 - 04 2004 - 05 2005 - 06 Moorchester 11 14 23 - 03 01 The Frilton 10 20 22 10 11 Jewry Inn 15 63 19 23 10 (b) Interpretation of results: (i) Moorchester: It had almost equal absolute growth during 2001 - 02 and 2002 - 03 but had a sudden rise during 2003 - 04. It had a steep fall during 2004 - 05. Then it had an insignificant growth during 2005 - 06. So far as relative growth is concerned, it had uniform rise in growth during three consecutive years 2001 - 02, 2002 - 03 and 2003 - 04. It had a major setback during 2004 - 05 and an insignificant growth during 2005 - 06. (ii) The Frilton: Its absolute growth during 2001 - 02 and 2002 - 03 were almost equal. Then it had an appreciable rise during 2003 - 04 but had much lower growth during 2004 - 05. During 2005 - 06 it had marginal growth. In terms of relative growth, it had an upward trend during 2001 - 02, 2002 - 03 and 2003 - 04. But the relative... (i) Moorchester: It had almost equal absolute growth during 2001 - 02 and 2002 - 03 but had a sudden rise during 2003 - 04. It had a steep fall during 2004 - 05. Then it had an insignificant growth during 2005 - 06. So far as relative growth is concerned, it had uniform rise in growth during three consecutive years 2001 - 02, 2002 - 03 and 2003 - 04. It had a major setback during 2004 - 05 and an insignificant growth during 2005 - 06. (ii) The Frilton: Its absolute growth during 2001 - 02 and 2002 - 03 were almost equal. Then it had an appreciable rise during 2003 - 04 but had much lower growth during 2004 - 05. During 2005 - 06 it had marginal growth. In terms of relative growth, it had an upward trend during 2001 - 02, 2002 - 03 and 2003 - 04. But the relative growth was reduced to half during 2004 - 05. However it maintained almost equal growth during 2005 - 06. (iii) Jewry Inn: The picture taking 2006 as base year is altogether different than that with 2001 as base year. In absolute growth it had up and down in alternate years during entire period of evaluation 2001 - 02 to 2005 - 06. The Laspeyre Index indicates that had the number of employees remained the same there would h

Stress Effect and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stress Effect and Management - Essay Example ing for a picnic with my kids, I would first get panic attacks on how to go there and after reaching the spot, I would worry about how we would get back. By practicing Yoga, I have become calmer and I am able to control these panic attacks, plan my activities better and small issues don’t upset me too much. Yoga has helped me to reduce the harmful effects of stress. Some of the harmful effects that stress causes are headaches, exhaustion, reduced resistance to common colds and flu, digestive problems and acidity, distraction at work that can cause attention lapse and cause injuries, increased occurrence of Type 2 diabetes, premature aging, insomnia, unable to concentrate and focus on work, loss of sense of humour and tendency for rash flare-ups that can cause strained relations with colleagues and other bad effects. Too much of stress is known to cause migraines, cluster headaches and tension headaches and these cannot be cured by taking medicines. Stress also causes exhaustion and a general feeling of tiredness that drains away the creative abilities and victims feel tired and drained out after work. Too much stress causes natural resistance of the body to reduce and people become ill more frequently with colds, flu and cough and they also have problems such as ulcers caused by too mu ch secretion of the bile juice inside the stomach. Stress is also known to make people preoccupied and this can cause lapse of judgement while driving or at work and can lead to accident. It is also known to cause cardiovascular diseases that can cause artery blockage, heart attacks and other serious illness. Other than these, stress also makes people irritable and they are prone to flare up at colleagues, with very little provocation. Such behaviour causes a breakdown in interpersonal relations and effects work performance besides vitiating the atmosphere at homes. The whole observation is that stress is a needless by product of life that reduces the quality of life and causes

Exam 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Exam 2 - Essay Example This particular approach is useful to understand due to fact that it has often been referred to as the primal case of the ends justifying the means. This is of course due to the fact that happiness or utility cannot be determined until the action or actions that are intended to evoke such a utility had been performed and can be measured. Many within the field of philosophy have noted that utilitarianism, perhaps more than any other approach, is quantitative and can oftentimes be referred to as reductionist with regards to its approach. This is due to the fact that the ends – means approach requires the individual to be completely and entirely cognizant of the fact that utilitarianism, if used as an overarching theory, must necessarily factor in all of the preceding actions and determinants that lead to whatever utilitarianism does in question. The ongoing debate then necessarily hinges upon the degree of inference and emphasis which should be placed upon the consequences of th e determinant actions that yield the end result. Similarly, with regards to John Stuart Mill’s quote, â€Å"It is better to be a human being dissatisfied than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a full satisfied. And if the fool, or the pig, is of a different opinion, it is because they only know their own side of the questions. The other party to the comparison knows both sides†, the reader can note the utilitarian concept being utilized with respect to the way in which Mill views the ultimate end. Whereas it is previously been discussed that happiness fulfills the ultimate end of utilitarianism, according to mills quote, the reader can understand that the true end that she seeks to remote is awareness and intellect. Accordingly, he compares and contrasts the utility of being satisfied versus unsatisfied, the utility of being a man or a pig, and lastly the utility and overall importance of opinion. 2 According to Kant’s theory of retributiv ism, this is an approach that society should take with regards to its response to crime. According to Kant, the theory places punishment proportionate to the crime. Although this may not seem as an earth shattering theory, this is only due to the fact that the current criminal justice system seeks to integrate a very large degree of Kant’s theory of retributivism into the way in which crime is currently punished. Ultimately, the theory is predicated upon the understanding of forfeiture. Accordingly, this forfeiture is most commonly understood with regards to the freedom of mobility for life that is sometimes required of the convicted. Furthermore, the reader can and should understand that Kant’s understanding of retributivism bears a direct correlation to the common expression †let the punishment that the crime†. In such a way, Kant sought to remove the level of emotional response/knee jerk reaction that is so oftentimes the response to crime and punishment within society. Although it may be tempting to assume that Kant was the first to put forward such a theory, the fact of the matter is is that he was merely the first to define it with an identifiable term. Ultimately, this fear he can be traced all the way back to the biblical interpretation of â€Å"life for life, eye for eye† etc. at its very core, this theory of retributivism engenders a degree of proportionality. As such, it is the responsibility of the punishing entity to ensure that the punishment for the crime is proportionate to the offending behavior that precipitated it. Naturally, such

Child sex trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child sex trafficking - Essay Example In this essay, the current activities of the United States’ government to address child sex trafficking are analyzed and discussed. The essay also provides some policy recommendations, in the form of ideas and suggestions on how to reduce the prevalence of child sex trafficking in the United States of America. Child sex trafficking is prevalent, not only in the United States of America, but also across the world because children are particularly prone to human trafficking. 27% of the global trafficking victims are children (Siskin & Wyler, 2013). These children have been exploited sexually in the commercial sex industry or as sex slaves. Women and child sex trafficking is so prevalent in the world that the United Nations Organization, through its Sectary General, Kofi Annan, termed the trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation as an international plague (Phinney, 2013). This crime is more prevalent in Eastern Europe and Asia, but evidence shows that women and child sex trafficking is a significant problem in America. It is associated with abuse of human rights (Phinney, 2013). Child sex trafficking involves the ‘purchase’ of a person. Later, the ‘purchased’ person is forced to engage in sexual acts for the economic benefit of the trafficker. Child sex traffickers capitalize on poor and the illiterate children. It should be noted that in most cases, child sex trafficking victims lack escape means, forcing them to remain in torture for so long. Victims of sex trafficking in the United States are overlooked. Authorities interpret that these victims are deviant and prostitutes (Brooks, 2011). Very many women and children are trafficked into the United States each year. The precise number of human trafficking victims is not yet known because the figures provided are not absolute, but mere estimates. This means that the figures could be much higher than what is reported. For instance, more than 800,000

Banking law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Banking law - Essay Example Thus Alice clearly intended to rely on Beatrice’s expertise as a financial advisor. In a typical case, where a fiduciary relationship is created such as the one between Alice and Beatrice, the fiduciary’s (Beatrice) discretion to manage the funds is limited by contract.2 The terms of the contract are not revealed by the facts of the case for discussion. The only know term is stated in broad terms: to build an investment portfolio. Regardless, fiduciary duties are typically provided for in standard contract forms. These duties usually include the no conflict rule, a duty of loyalty, the rule against personal profits and confidentiality rules.3 Despite the fact that the fiduciary duties are typically detailed in the standard form of contract, the fiduciary remains bound by the principle fiduciary duty of good faith.4 Frase advises however, that financial institutions such as banks are not typically regarded as fiduciaries in the ordinary course of their duties. In such a case, the relationship between the banker and the client is regulated by contract, leaving the client limited to remedies for negligence or breach of contract.5 However, financial advisors like all other members of the banking and investment market can be held to a fiduciary duty which operates outside of the contract with the client. According to Frase, in this regard, the fiduciary duty is â€Å"fact-based†.6 In other words, whether or not Beatrice, as a financial advisor is a fiduciary will turn on the particular facts of the case. As Lord Upjohn stated, it is necessary to evaluate all of the â€Å"facts and circumstances† to ascertain whether or not the agent in question is a fiduciary.7 Lord Upjohn went on to state that: The relationship must then be examined to see what duties are thereby imposed on the agent to see what is the scope and ambit of the duties.8 Lord Wilberforce also stated that the exact nature of the fiduciary’s duties â€Å"must be moulde d according to the nature of the relationship†.9 Frase explains that where a bank provides the ordinary services of receiving deposits or extending loans, it would not typically have a fiduciary relationship with its clients. However, the moment the bank goes beyond those contracted services, a fiduciary relationship will most often arise. For example in the event the bank or one of its agents, uses confidential information for its own use, a fiduciary duty arises.10 A fiduciary duty will also arise where the bank has a conflict of interest.11 It can be argued that Beatrice made personal use of confidential information connected to Alice’s account. Beatrice knew the details of Alice’s account and while she did not pass their information on to others, she used that information to access Alice’s account. Moreover, there is no doubt that a conflict of interest arose since Beatrice was concerned about her own financial difficulties and desires and put those ah ead of her client’s interest: to build an investment portfolio. The definition of a fiduciary as provided by Asquith LJ clearly captures the essence of Beatrice’s relationship with Alice. As Asquith LJ stated, a fiduciary duty

Entering the Age of Controller-Free Interactive Technology Research Paper

Entering the Age of Controller-Free Interactive Technology - Research Paper Example Testing Kinect has been thoroughly tested to work efficiently with the Xbox 360. It has built-in features that anticipate the Xbox’s potential downsides like heat. Gizmodo (2010) points out that Kinect tests out the heat in its environment with a sign warning passers-by in all caps, , DO NOT OPEN CRITICAL TEST IN PROGRESS. A tiny built-in fan turns on in demand when Kinect assesses a hot environment when the heat produced by the the three sensors and the atmosphere around it mix to create conditions warmer than Microsoft would like (Gizmodo, 2010). Leyvand et al. (2011) report that the developers of Kinect designed the system to reduce mistaken identities. From the tests, it still commits mistakes, but the system allows the players to correct their identity by running through the Kinect Identity process again to reduce the chances of future misidentifications. Ben Kilgore, Xbox’s general manager, claims that Kinect maps out as many people as it can detect depending on t heir distance from the sensor. It shades the people in different colors. However, if a person lines up with another, they both turn into the same color. Kilgore says the â€Å"design focus† was for two people (Gizmodo, 2010). Accessibility Microsoft is an organization committed to serving people of all kinds of abilities. It claims that its mission is to help people and businesses to realize their full potential with the innovation and technology they produce. However, as Kinect is its newest product, it has yet to develop more accessibility features for disabled users. As it is originally designed for full-body motion it has an inherent physical nature of the gameplay that may not serve disabled users well. Microsoft is working to improve the system’s skeletal tracking technology...Gaming technology has come a long way from the antiquated portable Game and Watch to the early video game consoles like Atari, Nintendo Family Computer and old versions of Play Stations. No w, three gaming consoles dominate the market namely Nintendo Wii, Sony Play Station 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. This paper will focus on Microsoft Xbox 360’s latest additional feature called Kinect which is a gadget designed to work with the Xbox for controller-free gaming and entertainment experiences. The article of Dudley-Nicholson (2010) entitled â€Å"Microsoft’s Back in the Game† which came out in the Herald Sun on November 17, 2010 is the springboard article for this paper. Originally known by the code name of Project Natal, Kinect for Xbox 360 works by using a camera to track 48 parts of the human body, from head to hips, knees to feet and identify colors. An infra-red projector and image sensor detects objects in three dimensions. It is also equipped with microphones to identify voices by removing background noise (Dudley-Nicholson, 2010). The human mind is never satisfied as it continually conceives of new ideas to implement and create intelligent technology to make life more convenient. This is evidence that no matter how impressive new technology continues to develop, human beings will still reign as its masters.

On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed Essay Example for Free

On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed Essay On September 11th 2001 the world was forever changed. The horrific events, which occurred at the World Trade Centers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington and on Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, have forever altered the way Americans view their safety. Every household in the U.S. tuned in to the news on TV, radio, or Internet to see how the world was being twisted in front of their eyes. These events dramatically proved that the United States, the greatest nation in the world, was no longer safe from outside threats. . The stock market crash of 1929, which led to the depression, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and the terrorist attacks of September 11th were all unexpected events that no one could have predicted but had such dramatic effects that they can never be forgotten. All three events seem to be categorized together for a few simple reasons. To the average American citizen these horrendous events were unforeseen, but noted historians would beg to differ. They believe in such instances as Pearl Harbor, The stock market crash of 1929, and September 11th, that the government and many political figures were forewarned. If they had taken their admonitions more seriously and acted upon them, historians believe that they could have at least made the consequent effects minimal. There were several proceedings that should have elicited American retaliation. It is said that Bin laden himself declared war on America in 1996. In the early 90s, The World Trade Center was car bombed, and Osama Bin Laden was the primary suspect for this assault. Even after that incident no one saw Bin laden as a serious threat and didnt think his dangerous ways could jeopardize our countries well being as a whole. After the attack of September 11th it seems the unification of the American people became so strong its virtually indissoluble. Our previously fragile society became a link so strong we believe it cant be touched by the outside perils of the world. The rise in Nationalism came about in a wave of red white and blue colors. It seemed every face in America was painted with the stars and stripes of our grand old flag. Our countries banner was now the latest fashion; closets were overflowing with the celebrated colors of our patriotic nation. Every news station put American flags on their lapels, and waving red, white and blue graphics were put on most channels. Many well-known Hollywood figures and successful businesses put together charities benefiting the victims and families affected by September 11. September 11 mended our nations pride and restored our dignity. Such a strong sense of nationalism can easily be compared to that of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, when East and West Germany celebrated their reunion as one, after being isolated for so long. Subsequent to September 11, the United States faced many abrupt transformations as far as pastimes, lifestyles, and entertainment goes. There were a few noticeable differences from the changes following WWII, to those of September 11th. For example, Baseball, the great American pastime was brought to a standstill after September 11, where as Roosevelt motivated people to go to baseball games, and had baseball play a part in the healing of the country. Another difference from 9-11 was that after Pearl Harbor, and the crash of 1929, there were severe cut backs and limitations on how much of certain commodities, such as gasoline and sugar, the average American could use. The difference now is that we are currently at war with the oil capitals of the world. The gas prices are booming and dont appear to be coming down any time soon; however, this does not stop the typical egotistic American from buying a brand new fuel consuming SUV. Racism is another topic that has been significantly affected by September 11th .In WWII we knew who the enemy was, it was strictly the Japanese and Germans, however, now its a pin the tail on the donkey1 mentality. After Pearl Harbor many Japanese men were put into internment camps to be interrogated for information and kept there, that did not happen after 9-11 however, many Arabs were questioned and racial profiling became a major issue. There was also a great deal of hate crimes aimed at the Arab race and people who had the visual characteristics of the middle-eastern inhabitants. The U.S. was unsure of which persons were solely responsible for the crimes, therefore no individual has the right to go pointing their fingers at any particular group, But the stereotyping and profiling still persists. . Exactly one year after Pearl Harbor the stock market had climbed up to almost where it was before (within 10%) now we are suffering a recession because of 9-11. Another fact is that before Pearl Harbor, the country was just coming out the depression and wasnt even fully out. The war effort boosted production. 9-11 happened right when the US was at its prime in the economy and the attack destroyed industry and commercial enterprises. Also the government suspended a monopoly trial against GE so that it would not hurt the war effort. After 9-11 the government focused on companies such as Enron and WorldCom. Noticeably there are numerous features of September 11th that could be considered. However, It would be virtually impossible to cover all the aspects and phases of such an important date. September 11th, 2001 was a horribly significant date in not only American history but in world history as well. It brought back horrific memories of such instances as The Bombing of Pearl harbor and can even be compared to the hardships and struggles of The Stock Market Crash of 1929. As a result, the American people came together as one in a battle we like to call the war on terrorism 2. It is obvious this war may be infinite but it is worth the struggle, just knowing, in the future we may perhaps avoid such devastating events. As James Baldwin once wrote A country is only as strong as the people who make it up and the country turns into what the people want it to becomewe made the world were living in and we have to make it over. 3 I think we should all recollect on the events step by step of September 11th, and take into mind, the advice that Baldwin has given us. Someday our country can completely overcome all of its vulnerability and end any chances of a date like this form reoccurring. Bibliography: www.time.com/archives/911 www.encarta.com/911 www.bostonherald.com/911/media www.bostonherald.com/911/race www.american-history.com/history/september11.mgi www.alternet.org/story.html ENDNOTES: 1. Lauren mills, a noted historian currently attending B.H.S. September 15th 2002. 2. George W. Bush Jr., AlterNet: One Year Later: Unintended Consequences of 9/11 and the war on terrorism. War against Iraq pg 3 3. James Baldwin, AlterNet: Before and After Septemeber11 True courage pg. 5

The Rogerian approach to therapy and its limitations

The Rogerian approach to therapy and its limitations One of the phrases that Carl Rogers used to describe his therapy is supportive, not reconstructive. It is possible to explain a person to himself, to prescribe steps which should lead him forward, to train him in knowledge about a more satisfying mode of life. But such methods are, in my experience, futile and inconsequential. The most they can accomplish is some temporary change, which soon disappears, leaving the individual more than ever convinced of his inadequacies (Rogers 1961, p33). Influences Rogers never undertook specific training as a psychotherapist (Rogers and Russell 2002, p242), and was initially heavily influenced by his childhood and the restrictions and control exercised by his parents and by an early tutor, Goodwin Watson. Philosophically, Rogers cites Emerson, and in particular Kierkegaard and Buber as his key influences (Rogers and Russell 2002, p169). Psychologists influencing him included Maslow, Combs and Snygg (Nelson-Jones 2000 p99) Rogers belief in an individuals capacity for self-direction although primarily founded on his clinical experienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦was buttressed by his understanding of Ranks work (Rogers and Russell 2002, p9), and he talks of being much influenced by Jesse Taft and Frederick Allen as well as alluding to the work of Karen Horney in his paper on newer concepts in psychotherapy in December 1940. Theoretical Development Corey (2001, p170) references Zimring and Raskins (1992) identification of four definitive periods of development in Rogers approach, commencing in the 1940s with the introduction of non-directive counseling. Corey comments He caused a great furor when he challenged the basic assumption the the counselor knows bestà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Based on his conviction that diagnostic concepts and procedures were inadequate, prejudicial, and often misused, he omitted them from his approach. During this time Rogers placed emphasis on a permissive and non-directive climate aiming to gain insight into client feelings. During the second period, Rogers shifted focus from the therapists approach onto the phenomenological world of the client. The clients internal frame of reference and the actualising tendency as the driver for change received attention, with the approach subsequently being renamed client-centred therapy. The third period observes Rogers further refine his approach, focusing on the nature of becoming the self one truly is (Corey p170), or the necessary and sufficient conditions of therapy as outlined by Rogers in his article in volume 21 of the Journal of Consulting Psychology in 1957 (Kirschenbaum and Henderson p 219-235), in which he explains his hypothesis for a set of facilitative conditions related to psychotherapeutic change. Rogers also undertook extensive research into the client / therapist relationship at this time. The final stage outlined is 1970 onwards when the focus became far broader, encompassing education, industry and world politics, subsequently becoming the person-centred approach. Rogers early work in counselling and psychotherapy therefore outlined new concepts in the world of psychotherapy suggesting a new way of viewing the therapy relationship. These developments resulted in the formulation of a non-directive approach with an emphasis on the present rather past, feelings rather than thoughts and focussing on the clients rather than the therapists resources. This led to a supportive therapy relationship, which Thorne (1992) believes Rogers maintained as key to the therapeutic process throughout his life. the whole conceptual framework of Rogers ideas rests on his profound experience that human beings become increasingly trust-worthy once they feel at a deep level that their subjective experience is both respected and progressively understood (Thorne 1992, p26) Key Concepts In a 1957 article in the Journal of Consulting Psychology, Rogers listed the conditions of the therapeutic process in which such an atmosphere can come about. For constructive personality change to occur, it is necessary that these conditions exist and continue over a period of time: Two persons in psychological contact The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable or anxious The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard for the client. The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the clients internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client. The communication to the client of the therapists empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved. No other conditions are necessary. If these six conditions exist, and continue over a period of time, this is sufficient. The process of constructive personality change will follow. (Kirschenbaum and Henderson p221) Stedmans provide a medical definition of Supportive psychotherapy as psychotherapy aiming at bolstering the patients psychological defences and providing reassurance, as in crisis intervention, rather than probing provocatively into the patients conflicts and in consideration of this the above conditions can be interpreted as a framework for the provision of a supportive environment for the therapeutic process. Therapeutic Process The case of Mary Jane Tilden, seen by Rogers in 1946, is noted by Patricia Raskin (1996, p135) as being an excellent example of the classical Rogerian approach, subsequently being subject to review from both client-centred and contemporary psychoanalytic viewpoints. The case of Mary Jane involves a withdrawn woman of 20 brought into therapy by her mother, seemingly struggling to break free from the influence of others and to resolve deep internal conflicts, apparently having tried but repeatedly failing to pass through the adolescent stages of life into maturity. Rogers had a total of 11 sessions with Mary Jane, during which marked changes are seen to take place, particularly in the later sessions when more rapid change becomes evident. Throughout the early sessions Rogers continues to support, recognise and clarify feelings even when the client portrays an extremely bleak outlook, making repeated references to sanatoriums, inadequacy, comparison to others and even mentioning suicide and possible brain damage. Mary Jane repeatedly tries to place ownership onto Rogers, asking many questions and seemingly becoming quite frustrated at his refusal to provide answers. Rogers refuses to supply answers whilst consistently remaining empathic and supportive. In the third session we see Mary Jane pushing for answers but interestingly on this occasion when left to her own thinking she works out the answer for herself. Reviewing the Mary Jane case Dingman (1996) considers that Rogers consistently refrained from providing the answers or strategies repeatedly requested, or to provide advice or guidance choosing instead to remain emphatically present, to understand her frustration and confusion without prescription for changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [and] would not undermine Mary Janes movement toward encountering fully the what I am by providing answers (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p202). Although tentative moves toward improvement in earlier sessions are apparent, a definite step change is noted during session seven as Mary Jane recognises her internal conflicts. Lengthy pauses prevail as Rogers allows time for independent information processing and solution identification. In session eight the realisation of her parents influence becomes apparent however the hopelessness is now clearly interspersed with awareness, insight and tentative positivity. Dingman proposes within the empathic enclosure that Rogers provided, Mary Janes introspective, intellectual interest in self shifted slowly to more primary experiencing (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p202). Geller and Gould (1996) acknowledge Rogers achieved success in strengthening Mary Janes capacities for autonomy and mutuality and that she had become increasingly self-accepting, but argue Rogers and Mary Jane never did achieve full agreement on the goals of treatment, their relative responsibilities or the kind of relationship required to do the therapy work (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p218). They argue Rogers responded to Mary Janes strengths but was neither empathic nor perceptive about her more negative feelings, failing to address unconscious conflicts and therefore potentially limiting the depth of her explorations in these areas. They question whether follow through would have produced more enduring gains. Accelerated change is observed during the last few sessions, with Mary Jane confronting dependence issues. Although still asking questions she no longer pushes for responses, instead progressing to answer independently. In the final session Mary Jane speaks of progress made and changes experienced, noting that it has become easier to talk with more reliance on instinct and an ability to act natural. Raising concern improvement may be temporary, she nonetheless appears confident that she now has the ability to cope. Considering Mary Janes movement toward adjustment, Dingman refers to the necessity for resolution of all her preconceived notions of what she should do and should be prior to ceasing to resist and so shift toward acceptance of what I am, stating Evaluation, comparison, analysis, the longing to be what one is not all this had to die for the new living pattern to emerge. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p208) In reviewing Rogers management of the case, Geller and Gould comment Rogers style of working can be viewed as essentially directed toward helping Mary Jane forge a cohesive sense of self, capable of individuationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Rogers primary aim was to support the development of the clients unique individuality and expressiveness further stating the belief that Rogers approach did promote therapeutic change in Mary Jane through consistently providingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦empathic responsiveness tempered by optimal frustration, remaining non-judgemental and through a refusal to provide answers or to provide guidance or reassurance thus forcing Mary Jane to take increasing responsibility for her own life. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p224) Geller and Gould state the classical psychoanalytical view that reconstruction was paramount to the therapeutic process, noting that this view has since evolved to recognise the role of the relationship and concluding that Carl Rogers demonstrated, 20 years before the current popularity of short term psychodynamic psychotherapy, that it was possible to achieve ambitious therapeutic goals within a relatively short space of time and believe that [Mary Jane] did create some enduring internalized representations of Rogers warmth, support and helpfulness. (Farber Brink and Raskin 1996, p228) The case is therefore a good example of Rogers not deconstructing the past to effect reconstruction, consistently remaining supportively and empathically present. Mary Jane, rather than the therapist, carried out independent deconstruction with subsequent disintegration of all analysis and previous structure before progression toward a reconstructed self resultant from a supportive and empathic relationship. Reconstructive Therapy In understanding the term reconstructive therapy Stedmans definition is considered: a form of therapy such as psychoanalysis, that seeks not only to alleviate symptoms but also to produce alterations in maladaptive character structure and to expedite new adaptive potentials; this aim is achieved by bringing into consciousness an awareness of insight into conflicts, fears, inhibitions, and their manifestations. Sperry states supportive psychotherapy is differentiated from reconstructive psychotherapy and considers the goal of reconstructive psychotherapy is to work through the abandonment depressionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ This leads to the achievement of ego autonomy and the transformation of split object relations into whole object relation and the split ego into a whole ego. Supportive psychotherapy is noted as being less intensive and regressive. (Sperry 2003, p97) To achieve deeper understanding of differences between reconstructive and Rogerian therapy, Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy is considered. Benjamin states therapy starts with learning to recognise your patterns, where they came from and what they are for (Benjamin 2006, p21), considering problem behaviours and associated symptoms represent attachment centred around dysfunctional relationships with important persons in early life, referencing Bowlbys 1977 assumption that important early relationships provide internal working models for a child. Benjamin explains The linchpin of IRTà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦is the process of coming to terms with important persons and their internalised representations (IPIRs)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦coming to terms compares to working through in traditional psychodynamic therapy (Benjamin 2006 p73). In total contrast to the Rogerian approach, IRT is structured and directive, aiming at reconstruction and is configured of five sequential steps commencing with the identification of patterns. Movement through a deconstruction stage relying heavily on regression, before progression through a reconstruction process leads to final embracing of change. The goal is that the impossible wishes that support the quest for psychic proximity to the IPIRs must be recognised, grieved for and given up. Then reconstruction of personality can begin (Benjamin 2006 p326) Research Basavanthappa (2007) considers Supportive therapy to be the most widely practised form of individual psychotherapy today, and on review of the Mary Jane Tilden case there is seemingly agreement that Rogers supportive approach successfully achieved a positive outcome. To quantify these opinions research evidence is explored, prior to consideration and discussion of any potential limitations a strictly Rogerian approach may present. Two independent studies (Friedli et al 1997; Bower et al 2000) based on randomised, controlled assessment concluded that person-centred, non-directive therapy more than holds its own compared with other forms of therapy. (Feltham and Horton, 2006, p296) Analysing the outcome of The Menniger Psychotherapy Research Project carried out in the 1950s, Howitz (1974) suggested that patientsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦did improve significantly in supportive therapy, given the achievement of a powerful therapeutic alliance. (Fonagy, nd). Reanalysis by Wallerstein in 1986, reported on the long term follow up (Fonagy, nd), and Sperry (2003) states the report outcomes suggest that supportive treatment is able to bring about the basic personality changes that were expected only from reconstructive dynamic psychotherapy, before concluding despite Kerbergs (84) characteristic of Supportive Psychotherapy as a treatment of last resort Supportive Psychotherapy is a potent intervention. (Sperry 2003, p98) The Hamburg study (1981), involving comparison of client-centred and psychoanalytic therapy, concluded In direct comparison of psychological test scores between cct and pt groups, few significant differences emerged and none of those that did were replicated in subsequent analyses. (Fonagy nd, p301). Cooper (2008, p128) notes that psychotherapy researchers such as Lambert have estimated that relational factors account for around 30% of the variance in outcomes whilst technique and orientation factors may contribute only 15% toward overall outcome of therapy with Wampold (2001) calculating a much lower figure of only 1%. Furthermore, the Task Force of the Psychotherapy Division of the American Psychological Association, found demonstrably effective elements for positive therapeutic outcomes to include empathy (Bohart et Al 2002) and promising and probably effective elements to include positive regard (Farber and Lane 2002) and congruence or genuiness (Klein et al 2002) (Feltham and Horton, 2006, p67). Research by Bohart and Tallmand (1999:51) concluded from a client perspective, the most important aspects of therapy typically are the non-technological factors: having a time and place to talk; having someone care, listen and understand; having someone provide encouragement and reassurance; having someone offer an external perspective and advice (Cooper 2008, p99). These findings reinforce Heines 1950 study quoted by Rogers (1967) concluding that regardless of therapeutic orientation it was the attitudinal elements in the relationship that accounted for positive outcome. These include trust felt in the therapist, being understood by the therapist, the feeling of independence they had had in making choices and decisions and therapist ability to clarify and state feelings. Elements found to be unhelpful included the giving of direct specific advice or emphasising past history rather than present problems. Cooper concludes that the quality of the therapeutic relationship is closely associated with therapeutic outcomes across both relationally and non-relationally orientated therapies (Cooper 2008, p120). On review of empirically supported treatments subjected to rigorous experimental studies against specific forms of psychological distress, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is repeatedly presented as a treatment of proven effectiveness (Cooper (2008) p38-45), consequently being adopted by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment of choice for many psychological disorders. Cooper notes, however, that the lack of evidence does not correlate to lack of effectiveness pointing out the need for further research to support the effectiveness of other therapies. In summarising technique and practice factors, Cooper considers that although there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of one technique over any other, CBT has the strongest evidence base, particularly for anxiety related issues. Cooper also suggests that although there is evidence to support directive and non-directive methods extremes of either should be avoided. Humanistic techniques, when undertaken effectively and with the result of deepening levels of experiencing and emotional processing can be linked to positive therapeutic outcome. (Cooper 2208, p154) Research by Glass and Arnkoff (2000) suggests that a collaborative approach is favourable, and whilst the above research promotes the effectiveness of CBT, Kirschet al. (1995) found hypnotic procedures have been found to significantly enhance the efficacy of CBT (Cooper 2008, p174). One such model taking this approach is presented by Assen Aladdin in his Cognitive Hypnotherapy model, with Aladdin quoting research studies by Schoenberger (2000) and Kirsch, Montgomery and Saperstein (1995) as concluding that hypnotherapy was found to be significantly superior to non-hypnotic treatment when combined with CBT (Aladdin 2008, p10). Limitations Considering limitations of the client-centred approach Corey (2001) quotes feedback from an exercise by Cain (1988): Person centred therapy is too simple. It is limited to techniques of attending and reflecting. The approach is ineffective and leads to undirected rambling by the client. Rather than emphasising the counsellor as a person, it would be better to focus on developing a variety of techniques that can be applied to solving specific problems. More emphasis should be placed on systematic training of counselling skills and less on the attitudes of the counsellor. It is not necessarily true that individuals have within them a growth potential or actualising tendency. Not all clients have the capacity to trust their own inner direction and find their own answers. (Corey 2001, p186) In reviewing the above, one could question whether these represent the failings of the approach if carried out incompletely than in the method originally intended by Rogers. Indeed, prior to this Corey comments Therapist authenticity and congruence are so vital to this approach that those who practice within this framework must feel natural in doing so à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If not, a real possibility is thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦therapy will be reduced to a bland, safe, and ineffectual pabulum. (Corey 2001, p185) By nature, the purist Rogerian approach is heavily dependant on the therapist and their abilities to meet the conditions Rogers considered essential to ensure necessary and sufficient conditions of therapy, and therefore the extent to which the outcome is also dependent on the therapist has to be questioned. On reviewing the nine case commentaries in The Psychotherapy of Carl Rogers Cases and Commentaries (1996), it becomes apparent how inconsistent Rogers approach can appear, with notable changes in both his style and approach between clients, not only indicating the importance of therapist ability but further questioning the extent of therapist influence on the process. Research by Sasche(2004) concluded that clients are not particularly good, by themselves, at deepening their levels of processing and that they are strongly influenced by their therapists statements Sasche explains that deepening statements conducive to more productive therapeutic work are actively achieved by the therapist through reflection at a deeper level, with flattening statements reflecting back at the same or shallower level producing more superficial client processing (Cooper 2008, p141). This suggests the therapist is therefore very much in control of the therapy process, even in a non-directive approach. Whilst it is evident on study of Rogers cases that he frequently encourages deepening of experience in the way that his reflection is carried out, he also appears to subtlety challenge clients in the process. Corey (2001, p185) notes that many therapists fail to achieve this and that they have limited the range of their responses and counselling styles to reflections and emphatic listening becoming client-centred to the extent that they diminish the value of their own power as a person and thus lose the impact of their personality on the client Conclusion There is considerable research evidence suggesting the importance of the therapeutic relationship, and moreover to the specific qualities of empathy, positive regard and congruence all of which are pivotal to Rogerian therapy, however further empirical research is required to enable links to positive outcomes for specific psychological issues. research evidence that the therapeutic conditions are both necessary and sufficient is not unequivocal, though much of it suffers from inadequate methodology and the possibility of poorly reported and discussed reportsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦this research forms the basis of the mainstream viewà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that the therapeutic relationship is the key factor in successful outcome. (Feltham and Horton 2006 p296) Whilst the relationship is evidently key for a positive therapeutic outcome, utilising relationship alone relies solely on therapists ability to emulate Rogers intended approach. It is logical to assume this is likely to produce more inconsistent results than a structured therapy integrating the Rogerian approach could achieve. There is also evidence to suggest that extremes of either directiveness or passiveness are detrimental and also that a collaborative approach is the most appropriate intervention in ensuring a positive outcome. A feasibly conclusion can be drawn that a collaborative approach (Glass and Arnkoff 2000) combining a relationship comprising empathy, positive regard and congruence (Task Force Study) with CBT (Cooper 2008) and enhanced by hypnotherapy (Kirsch et al 1995) could hold the potential to provide a consistently effective and positive therapeutic intervention in the alleviation of psychological disorders with further empirical research needed to prove efficacy for specific forms of psychological distress.

Two Means Of Mass Communication Media Essay

Two Means Of Mass Communication Media Essay Is print either superior or inferior to video? How would one decide such a matter? When superficially comparing two means of communication largely used nowadays, namely print and video, one could venture stating that the latter is better just by looking at the audience rates for each medium. However, the issue of deciding which type of medium is better is far more complex, starting even from establishing what better means. Being in no position to offer a clear-cut answer to the essay question, in the following lines I will draw some theoretical guiding lines and then outline and discuss some of the important advantages and disadvantages of using print and video as message conveyers, guided by the idea that each medium has its characteristics and each person has to decide which one better suits him or her. The focus points in comparing the two media will be related to the audience rates for each medium and their possible causes, the characteristics of the two media and of the media pr oduct on offer and, lastly, to the impact on the two types of media consumers. Marshall McLuhans famous phrase the medium is the message (1964: 7) represents a suitable starting point in comparing print and video. It indicates that the medium through which a message is conveyed has high importance in the reception of the meanings of the text. Moreover, it implies that each medium shapes the messages it transmits to the audiences according to different factors which I will later present. In discussing these two media in this essay I will mainly refer to newspapers as being representative for the print medium and to television for video. Moreover, the media products which will be addressed will be non-fictional, i.e. not movies or literature. However, it should be noted that print is actually referring in general to the written messages, no matter which is the medium through which we gain access to them (P. David Marshall, 2004). Each medium, nevertheless, inscribes different characteristics on the message it conveys, as I shall attempt to demonstrate in this ess ay. Firstly, I will cast my attention on the audience rates of the two media and on how these could be explained. As stated in the introduction, one could fall into the trap of considering video better than print only because of the number of media consumers each medium has. Indeed, the number of audiences is relevant when studying a medium, especially the effects it can have on people, an aspect which could help one decide which medium is better. The data presented by McQueen indicates that British people spend an average of over 25 hours watching television a week, with, on a typical day, 80 per cent of the population tuning into television (Cultural Trends, 1997, quoted in Glastier, 1997) (1998: 3). Barwise and Ehrenberg draw a more generalised conclusion: people in many countries spend between a third and a half of their free time with television, more time than we spend on anything else except sleep and work (1988: 12). Moreover, the specific example Bourdieu (1998) gives about Fren ch TV viewing being more popular than all newspapers is eloquent. Bourdieu also draws the attention on the possible dangers of the large number of audiences: television poses no less of a threat to political life and to democracy itself (1998: 10). Not only does television manipulates through its nature (Hall, 1996), but it also alienates its audiences, according to the data presented. Audience rates reflect the particularities of print and video consumers. The difference in audience rates is due mainly to the fact that television does not require the audiences to be literate in order to become television consumers: television offers viewers a variety of subject matter, requires minimal skills to comprehend it, and is largely aimed at emotional gratification (Postman, 1987: 88-9). Moreover, the two media have different target consumers. Newspaper reading is similar to other intellectual activities: it is habituated in the youth and then it becomes a custom (Putnam, 2000), the readers choosing certain newspapers due to their clearly defined policy with which its readers can identify themselves [†¦] [because newspapers] express the feelings and hopes, often unexpressed, of its millions of readers (Hornby, 1965: 102). Even if television viewing creates dependence, TV viewers are more flexible than newspaper readers, surfing the TV channels in search for suitable programmes which will attract them, as well as new television viewers. Furthermore, print has always been addressed to older, educated people, to the literate (Putnam, 2000), whereas by its nature the video medium creates the illusion of reality (Hall, 1996) and thus appeals to all people, disregarding their social status, sex, age or race. Extensive research shows that people consider watching TV mainly as a time-passing, relaxing activity, as Barwise and Ehrenberg note: television is so popular because it provides large amounts of distraction and relaxation at a trivial cost with minimum effort to the viewer (1988: 19). By contrast with printed material, video media products have the advantage of being more entertaining. If newspapers have the aim of informing their readers more than other media (Monaco, 1978), TV producers have to create entertaining programmes that can attract audiences and keep them tuned in. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to have access to multiple resources, including equipment, a setting, money, a team etc. In this respect, print is more cost-effective, less constrained than the video medium and more at the disposal of media consumers. Nevertheless, newspapers are not the only form of print, the contents of some magazines and tabloids being more similar to TV programmes than any other print medium, because they have the same role: to entertain their public. If different in audience rates, the two media, print and video, are also dissimilar in what concern the social effects they determine. Putnam (2000) argues that TV viewing alienates the media consumers in different respects, such as determining them to be passive and encouraging less social communication in all its forms written, oral, or electronic (2000: 231). Whereas texts conveyed by print engage their audiences in a one-to-one process, video media facilitates social interactions indoors, in front of the TV, as McCullagh argues: [t]elevision may, for example, facilitate family communication and talk, but the content of the talk and conversation often has little relationship to what is on the screen (2002: 169). Nevertheless, McCullagh pursues his line of argument by stating that the increased time spent in front of television must reduce the time that is available for other forms of social activity, especially those outside the home (2002: 172), while newspapers can be read ever ywhere, at any time. After having discussed a few important social issues regarding the two media which could balance the weight in favour of one of them when judging which is better, I can now look at other characteristics of both media. According to Postman, televisions conversations promote incoherence and triviality (1987: 81), while print is seen by him as a serious, coherent place, capable of management by reason, and of improvement by logical and relevant criticism (1987: 63). His line of thought is developed by Fiske and Hartley: The written word (and particularly the printed word) works through and so promotes consistency, narrative development from cause to effect, universality and abstraction, clarity, and a single tone of voice. Television, on the other hand, is ephemeral, episodic, specific, concrete and dramatic in mode (Fiske and Hartley, 1978, cited in Abercrombie, 1996: 9). Moreover, print texts offer the readers the possibility to have much more control: skipping, pausing, re-reading, and so on (Barwise and Ehrenberg: 1988: 129), unlike video which is an ephemeral medium. This does not imply, however, that television is inferior in all respects to print. One of the matters concerning each medium is related to the amount of time it takes to transmit information to the public and between the occurrence of an event and the moment when the public is informed. In what concerns the video medium, information is transmitted faster to the audience, even if it is usually presented more briefly. Due to the technological characteristics of broadcasting which permit transmitting live footage 24-hours a day, television can deal with todays news, or even news as it breaks, unlike most daily papers which can report only yesterdays events (McQueen, 1998: 100). Another aspect of transmitting news through the video medium compensates this advantage: [f]acts push other facts into and then out of consciousness at speeds that neither permit nor require evaluation (Postman, 1987: 71). There is the risk of loosing the complexity of a news story because of being constraint by time, similar to the lack of space for newspaper news: a television script (e.g. fo r the news) can be more succinct, using fewer adjectives and adverbs because the pictures convey much of the detail (Barwise and Ehrenberg: 1988: 128-9). However, the effect of this simplification of news is that we are presented not only with fragmented news but news without context, without consequences, without value, and therefore without essential seriousness; that is to say, news as pure entertainment (Postman, 1987: 102). Postman further argues that the short length of TV news reports has the role not to let the viewers engage too much with a particular subject, because if they do, they can lose the entertaining sense of the news programme. Spending approximately a day a week viewing TV, people happen to find out more on a particular topic without necessary having in plan to; hence, watching video materials doesnt always involve a voluntary engagement with the subject of the broadcast. Therefore, TV audiences are more likely to be passive because of the longer periods of time in contact with this means of communication, unlike the limited interaction with written texts, which is more likely to be a voluntary action, being more personal as well: the mood of reading is quieter and more reflective (Hornby, 1965: 32). Due to the limited number of pages and the one-to-one character of reading a written text, the reader is more of an active media consumer while a TV viewer could engage in other activities while the TV is on. Moreover, as Monaco argues, in order to read a text, one has to be willing, to invest a more intense intellectual effort because he has to supply his own images [and sound] (1978: 6), whilst to hear or se e something on television does not need such a mental effort. Hence, a written media text is more likely to be read in an active manner than a TV broadcast. This does not imply, however, as McCullagh (2002) argues, that newspapers cannot be read in a distraught way. Related to the issue of active/passive audiences is also the creativity of the media consumer. Print texts encourage people to be creative more than when viewing video materials, in which case the media consumer is a mere spectator, not the essential constitutive element of forming the mental image suggested by the text. News broadcasts comprise reading previously written news (news scripts), (motion) pictures, sounds and testimonies. By contrast with reading texts, where one has to imagine what he reads, the synchronisation voice-over with images [†¦] makes it appear as if the images speak for themselves declare their own transparent meaning, without exterior intervention (Brunsdon and Morely, 1996: 14-5). Ellis notes the characteristics of the video medium, which makes use of images as its main support: it helps communication by providing more redundancy, and provides emphasis by doubling information in both sound and image (2000: 97). Hence, the technologies the video medium is using can bear advantages over the print medium, making the former as popular as it is. The human resources for what is conveyed through a medium are an important part in offering a qualitative product. With regard to print, written texts have authors who express their opinions, their own views, and state their knowledge about different subjects in order to inform the readers. Hence, the articles are more personal than video media products which usually have a team to produce them. If an article is signed by its creator, the news are presented in an impersonal, but not necessarily objective, manner; this is the case of news broadcasts presented by anchors, not of broadcasters whose TV shows are associated with the style, manner and personality of their presenters (Hall, 1996: 9). The video broadcasts are varied in the way they are presented, in the way information not witnessed by the audiences is mediated to the public. This aspect could also influence the viewers due to the complexity of the stimuli conveyed through video. Apart from the statistics on audience rates and the features of the two media there is a great concern with the effects of media on audiences, which mainly derive from the technological characteristics of the medium. Unsuitable material presented on TV is more damaging than in the case of printed texts because, unlike print, video offers a more convincing image of reality. Thus, the impact on audiences is higher over a short period, which, however, cannot challenge the place of the newspaper as the medium that daily records in some detail, life in all its aspects (Hornby, 1965: 98). In print, words and a limited number of images cannot present an exact picture of an event because all is filtered through the mind of the journalist; thereby, the reader receives second-hand information. The video medium offers a more exact image of the world, due to the images, comments and interviews presented. However, both perceptions of the world are biased because they are presented by people. There could be said much more about print and video, two different types of media, which, I would agree with Putnam, are complements, not substitutes (2000: 219). Therefore, it is hard to decide which one is better. Each media is good at responding to the expectations of its target audience and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages, some of which I have discussed in this essay. To conclude, I will emphasise once again the role of the two media: print mainly informs, whilst the video media mainly entertains. It rests with each person to decide which one is more suitable for them and if they can cope with the negative aspects of the specific medium. Student No: 0831496 Module: Media Sociology Word count: 2375 Mark: 65 (Mid Upper 2nd) Date of submission: 28.04.2009

The Most Influential Woman of the Past Millenium: Elizabeth Cady Stanto

The Most Influential Woman of the Past Millenium: Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Mary Wollstonecraft, and Rosa Parks Elizabeth Cady Stanton If there had never been born an Elizabeth Cady Stanton, women may have never seen the rights and privileges granted to us in the Nineteenth Amendment. She was the leading fighter and driving force for women's rights; she dedicated her whole life to the struggle for equality. Elizabeth had learned from her father at an early age how to debate and win court cases, and she had also experienced the discriminations against women first hand. These two qualities lead to the most influential and motivating speeches against inequality when she was older. Elizabeth vowed to herself that she would "change how women were viewed in society" (Hildgard 2); and that, she did! Due to her strong belief in equality, she had the word "obey" removed from her wedding vow before she would marry Henry Brewster Stanton, an abolitionist, who "loved her haughty nature and strong will" (Raven 85). While partaking in their honeymoon, they attended the World's First Anti-slavery Convention in London, Stanton and Lucretia Mott were failed to be noticed as "legitimate delegates"(Read 417). The convention's sexual barrier humiliated and angered Stanton; she promised to start a women's convention to battle the issue of equality. A cause that she faught against for most of her lifetime. Eight years later, Stanton, along with four other women, held the first women's convention at Seneca Falls. Here hundreds of women met to discuss the fact that they had been denied their natural rights and religious freedom. The women used the Declaration of Independence to write the Declaration of Sentiments, which included the women's bil... ...king Press, 1972. "Hildgard." Distinguished Women, Fields of Activtity. Distinguished Women. 28 January 2000 . James, Edward T., et al ed. Notable Women. Volume I. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The Belknap Press. Martin, Linda, et al., eds. 1000 Makers of the Millenium. New York: DK Publishing, 1999. Raven, Susan, and Alison Weir. Women of Achievement. New York: Harmony Books, 1981. Read, Phyllis J., and Bernard L. Witlieb. The Book of Women's Firsts. New York: Random House, 1992. Saari, Peggy, ed. Prominent Women of the 20th Century. Volume 4. New York: International Thompson Publishing Company, 1996. Schlesinger, Arthur M. Jr. Eleanor of Acquitaine. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. "The National Women's Hall of Fame." Internet. 19 January 2000 .

College Freshman - How NOT to Gain Weight Essay -- Proposing a Solutio

College Freshman - How NOT to Gain Weight Starting college life is far from difficult; in fact it is fun starting a new way of life. Life without the constant objections from your parents and annoyance from your little sibling is one of the many advantages you gain from college. Cancelled classes, late night parties and deleterious amounts of food make college enjoyable; however, this can lead to weight gain. â€Å"Freshman 15† is not a myth and although you may not be unfortunate enough to gain 15 pounds, you might gain some weight. To avoid gaining weight, freshmen should eat healthy, avoid alcohol, and maintain a positive moral.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the problems that cause weight gain is the lack of parental supervision over what the student consumes. In college, a student can easily stock themselves in fatty snacks such as Twinkies, cookies, chocolate, and chips. Also, the all-you-can-eat buffet seems to most likely run out of the pizza, french fries, and ice cream before the salad. A students schedule sometimes plays a factor in the consuming of too many snacks. If a student is in a hurry, he or she will grab a pop tart and be out of the door with a 200 calorie breakfast. A student should keep away from the high-fat snacks and concentrate on salubrious foods. At the cafeteria, a student should try to eat salads and attempt to eat new kinds of foods since the buffet has so much to offer. And for food on-the-go, one should try to buy healthy snacks or try to wake up earlier ...

Gullivers Travels †Comparing the Yahoos to Humans :: comparison compare contrast essays

Gulliver's Travels – Comparison of Yahoos to Humans The comparison of Yahoos to humans in Book Four of Jonathon Swift's Gulliver's Travels is entirely inappropriate. The Yahoos are shown as base creatures of barbaric nature and with little or no aptitude for learning. Swift's use of these lowly creatures to symbolize man is harsh, however, it does serve to enhance his satire to a certain degree. Nonetheless, his comparison is inaccurate and degrading to Mankind. In his novel, Jonathon Swift uses the Yahoo, a creature with a great likeness to humans except in the amount of hair and the colors of their skin, to represent the nature of Man. He implies that we are all "...strong and hardy, but of a cowardly Spirit, and by consequence, insolent, abject, and cruel."(p. ). Perhaps he is right about some people, but this is not true of all Mankind. Most people are not insolent or cruel, and many have truly courageous Spirits. Any man or woman who joins the army in the time of the "War on Terrorism" can not be a coward. In the World Wars, millions of people died for the love of their country, can you call that cowardice? As well, millions of institutions of higher learning have been established across the world. The Yahoos are shown to be ignorant and without any ability to learn. Human beings are constantly in the pursuit of knowledge, going to extreme lengths to satiate their boundless curiosity for the way things work within their world, and even without. Without a doubt, many human beings possess similar qualities to those of the Yahoos. We are capable of great cruelty, but also of great compassion. We can be insolent and rude, or we can be respectful and polite. We can be cowardly, but we are also capable of great feats of bravery. Mankind is not limited to the aspects of his nature that are unpleasant; he is constantly striving to surpass those negative characteristics. Swift's comparison may be inaccurate, but it is also quite effective. In one's mind's eye, one can almost see the lowly creatures. Picking out only those negative aspects of our natures and magnifying them allows us to see them clearly, without making excuses for ourselves.

In Howards End, Forster is very much on the side of women, and unfair to male characters

Edward Morgan Forster was born in 1879 in London. His father died before he was born and subsequently it was women who brought him up, his mother and great-aunt Marianne Thornton. Foster spent his childhood largely in the female company and in their sheltering presence, who no doubt gave him knowledge of how women were perceived and where their role was in the society. It was his aunt who left Forster a legacy of eight thousand pounds, a considerable sum in those days when remembering that Margaret Schlegel lives very well on six hundred a year. The inheritance from his aunt enabled him to write in independence and security. It is therefore unsurprising that Forster held a high opinion of women, and being brought up by them, not surprising that he would take ‘their side'. Forster exposes the constructed nature of gender and his own ambivalent relationship to traits coded ‘masculine' and ‘feminine' in his culture. However, there is substantial evidence to suggest that Forster was deeply troubled and preoccupied by his own gender identity in this period. This may be reason for Forster to side with women in the play. Forster uses Margaret as the central character in the novel and the most completely drawn. Through certain parts of the novel, the narration seems to vacillate between Margaret and Forster. This shows that Forster is much more inclined to take the side of women rather than men. She is the centre of consciousness in nearly every scene. In chapter two Forster sums her up and sums up the cause of her fascination; she has ‘a profound vivacity, a continual and sincere response to all that she encountered in her path through life'. Forster seems to be always able to rise to the challenge of that description. Helen has a lot in common with Margaret. We are told that she is much more beautiful than Margaret as well as being more impulsive, idealistic and uncompromising. Helen is a character who is ‘rather apt to entice people, and, in enticing them, to be herself enticed'. Forster presents Helen as an imaginative character although she often talks without thinking. Helen's responses to life are intense, excitable and exaggerated. The difference presented by Forster is that men view life as a conquest to gain materialistic pleasure, which although may be enjoyed presently, they are not able to take theses pleasures with them. Women differ, as Helen states in chapter twenty-seven, that money is not an end to all means, and that life is more about emotional conquest. However this is easy for Helen to say as she is set up for life with inheritance money. Therefore, money should not be an issue to Helen, which is proved when she tries to offer Leonard five thousand pounds. Forster's central opposition between man and woman seems to be played out by Henry and Margaret, in which it is blatantly obvious that Forster sides with Margaret. This can be seen in the conversation on the levels of houses. Margaret recognizes that ‘ours is a female house†¦. It must be feminine and all we can do is see that it isn't effeminate. Just as another house I can mention, but I won't, sound irrevocably masculine, and all its inmates can do is see that it isn't brutal'. Through Margaret Schlegel, the traditional terms of masculinity and femininity are scrutinized and are subjected to the demands of higher integration. Margaret's point of view is ultimately not representative of a view that might be coded as essentially female or feminine. Forster is sensitive both to the essentialist conceptions of the female and the social coding of feminism. Margaret is much the voice of Forster when speaking and underlines Forster opinions of women and the fact that he is very much on their side throughout debate and speeches in the novel. In conclusion, in my opinion, the fact that Forster was troubled by his own sexuality and the fact he was a homosexual would incline him to take the views of women. This is also propelled by the fact that his upbringing was done only by women in the form of his mother and his aunt. Forster's inheritance ensured he would not have to labor in order to educate himself, so in fact may never of had much contact with ‘the real world'.

Outcomes in human resource agency

Costing is highly important in business activity. Labor costing is an essential element in calculating the total cost incurred during performance of an activity. Generally, cost per output and outcome are important components in costing. Cost per output implies the total compensation in the factors of production for a particular amount of output. For a human service agency, cost per output would be the total labor cost per specific quantity output. This is an important phenomenon which is used to analyze the ratio between the productivity of labor in relation to the quantity of output.If the change were disproportionate to the percentage change in output, then the labor productivity would be lower. It would imply that the cost for production of increasing amount of output would be higher than the threshold with which the output increases. Such changes in units of inputs/labor would reflect the effect of the net changes in the worker’s compensation which relates to his producti vity. (Sparrow, Brewster, Harris, 2004) Unit costs will substantially cause upward shifts to the firm’s marginal cost and average cost curves. Increasing labor cost per output will then reduce the profits of the organization.Cost per outcome is the average change in the cost of programs over the number of the programs. It is obtained by dividing the total cost of the outcomes by their number. It is important in analyzing the change in the cost for the different outcomes. Outcomes in human resource agency could be the total number of activities and bunches of output produced/performed by the workers as a whole. For every outcome is a labor cost variable attached d to it. However, cost per outcome may be increasingly adverse for different outcomes when compared to the productivity of labor.Cost per outcome is important in studying the relationship between the labor costs involved in the outcome and the relative revenue implied by the outcome. It measures the efficiency with whi ch the total outcome benefit responds to the total labor. It measures the state of cost-benefit efficiency between labor use and the benefits for various activities within an organization. (Sparrow, Brewster, Harris, 2004) Reference. Sparrow, P, Brewster, C & Harris, H. , (2004) Globalizing Human Resource Management. London: Routledge.

Research and development Essay

The Human resource management department of the business is responsible for the hiring and firing of the staff that work in Boots PLC outlet stores and any other jobs that are related to the company. Their main aim to make sure that there is the right amount of workers in the specified place at the right time in order to contribute to the maximum output that the staffing effort can help towards. The hiring and firing is very important as it makes sure that the right people are hired for the job that are in appropriate situations to fulfill vacancies. On the other hand however the firing is just as important. If staff are not pulling their weight or are incapable of carrying out the jobs they are meant to they may be fired. Also if there is no need for all staff then they may be laid off. This is a way of maximizing profits as less go on output of wages which is a great percentage of the businesses output. The HRM is also responsible for the training of staff. It is their responsibility to make sure that all staff is fully trained for the job they are employed for. These increases the customer reliability and satisfaction as when staff are asked questions they will hopefully know they answers and also that they are capable of approaching customers comfortably and in a good fashion. This adds to customer satisfaction and this is important to Boots it is also one of their objectives listed previously in the report. HRM are responsible for forecasting labour amounts and the amount of man power that will be needed at different times of the day week and year. If manpower is low in rush hours or periods such as Christmas then the company may not reach its maximum out put through mistake of their own. Staff receives appraisals when they work for Boots. This lets them know if the business is happy with them and if they are considered a valued member of the work force. The appraisals are again responsibility of the HRM department and they help to maximize business by insuring workers are reaching their full potential within in the business. Boots recently proposed to train up 7000 people to become more knowledgeable about technology so that the business will benefit from this. Boots PLC also employ a further 45% of their workforce on top of their usual numbers to help in outlet stores over Christmas period with tills, stock rotation and demonstrations. This shows the business has been planning the workforce amounts according to potential times of increases in demand. This area of the business can be very economical and save the business money when it comes to hiring and firing staff. This is however also very beneficial to the staff also. When jobs in the business become available instead of employing new staff they promote current staff. This saves money as described in management styles later on. The HRM area of the business works towards the organization and in turn globalization objective of the business. The statement of â€Å"we aim to develop staff and provide them with the right skills and attitude in order to achieve the organizations goals† suggests that it be aimed at all the objectives of the business, which will reflect on the globalization and expansion conclusively. The fact that more staff was hired acts on the objective of improving customer satisfaction as more staff means that there are more hands to deal with the tasks needed which leaves more staff to be available to help customers and aid them with their shopping needs. The Marketing section of the business is responsible for satisfying customers needs at the right prices and once again as in Boots objective consumer satisfaction. To do this the marketing section of Boots PLC is responsible for researching what the target markets want and interpreting what their future needs would be and how they will change. They persuade the customer to buy products by advertising. They either increase awareness by advertising to all on TV or radio, or advertise specifics. These include in store adverts for particular products, which they make the customer, think they need. Free demos of some products also help to draw in custom and Boots does this in its make-up and its perfume range where there is always trained staff available to recommend and advice. The marketing aspect of the business has lead to the birth of the Boots Advantage Card. Boots customer services is an outstanding department as they have been able to established customer loyalty by the use of this Advantage card. Referring back to Boots objectives the wish to increase customer loyalty is proven as the Advantage Card is used by more than 70% of all key customers. Boots objectives on marketing were to increase promotion and stature by globalization. This has been attempted by opening several firms in Taiwan. A strategy that separated them from their competitors and attracted thousands of consumers over the Christmas period was the three for two-mix and match strategy which was introduced after a market research poll into marketing strategies return the mix and match as a popular suggestion. This was reflected by the feedback it returned. It is very important to be able to forecast and predict what will happen to the market. In order for a company to success in the long term it must have an idea of where it is going. One of the best ways to do this, which also show the success of the business, is to look at its accounts. This will show if there is a gradual increase or decrease in profit and it will show what products sell, how they sell and in what quantity are they likely to still be required as the majority of tangible inessential goods reach saturation point and are no longer needed. The finance section of the business is the area that looks after the accounts and the money flow forecasting. The Financial area of the business makes sure all the finances of a business are properly recorded. This involves keeping detailed accounts either manually or on a computer of all the money that comes in, and how it comes in to the business and how and where it goes out. The financial information is used by Boots and published in the yearly reports to show how the business is getting on. Boots PLC uses computer technology to record all the information and trained staff regularly analyzes it to spot correlation in output or product relationships. This is done to try and find out where Boots could benefit from altering the market and changing product ranges or increasing product base. This section of the business is also capable of raising finance when the business needs to raise capital for an investment or expansion. There is only a small aspect of the objective system that it appears the financial function touches on. This is the objective to act towards modernization. Boots keeps its financial records in the form of computer files as apposed to storing them manually. This shows that Boots keeps up with the development of technology, which was a specific objective. This shows that an objective has been worked towards and met which has been beneficial as now the financial function is a lot less time consuming in storing data and retrieving it. Although there is always more problems with modern technology it is likely that in the long run it is less time consuming. Production is another one of the functional areas but as there is little that Boots actually produce due to the fact that they are in the tertiary sector this function does not really affect them. The only way it does affect them is that Boots must keep in touch with the production (secondary industry) business to ensure that they can meet the demands that they need in order to increase customer satisfaction. Coinciding with this the staff at Boots must check produce that is received from the production companies to make sure it is correct. This section does not really affect any objectives that the business has directly. However indirectly it does regard the objective of wishing to increase the proportion of their own brand. There is little evidence I can provide of this objective been carried out but they do have their own cosmetic range that goes by the name of No7. This appears to have been doing very well. The main cogs of the business are the Administration section. This keeps the day to day workings of the business going. Again these are skilled staff trained in their field and Boots pride them selves on the level of training and standards that their staff operates to. The administration maintains the business premises and equipment and if anything goes wrong they are responsible for fixing it of finding someone to do so. Anyone who works for Boots doing photocopying, printing (stationary jobs) catering, computer services, data storage, all these types of jobs come under the job description of Administration. As boots is expanding it is relying less on its own workers to carry out some of these tasks and it calls in people from out side the business, this is called ‘outscoring’, these people are usually found by the administration team. The administrative function as it is a necessity in the business and keeps it flowing hardly relates as a contribution to any objective at all. The only objective I can see that the administrative function applies to id the modernization of the company. This is due to the fact that in order for the administration staff to act efficiently they need to be modernizing as technology such as computers develops. This will benefit all areas of the business. As the target markets demands are forever changing and new fashions are coming in and the months of the years come in and out the products that Boots supply are always changing. It is hard to keep on top of the supply for goods, as there are so many aspects that alter the product demands it is hard to be aware of where they will go next. The research and development of the business is responsible for trying to find out where to go next. They keep the other parts of the business informed about changes as much as they can. This is a main part of the marketing for the business. The research and development sector look at sales figures, accounts, customer trends and spending and try and deduct where the majority of the money goes and also where it doesn’t. They do not look to replace products all the time but also to look for new products that would be beneficial to bring into the product range to increase sales or attract new business. It was the idea of the research and development of Boots to open the optician section of the business, as this was an area that they had not yet spread into and would be beneficial. The people in the research and development part of boots also look at other businesses and see how they operate, what they sell and how much they charge. All this contributes to the smooth running of the business. As Boots main objective is to produce a well-established firm that caters for the consumers needs research and development is a major part of decision making. Diversification is also reliant on this department as in order to diversify research needs to be carried out to find out which areas it would be beneficial to divert into in respects of the customers and the company as a whole. Boots has got a large research and development department. The paragraph below shown what affects the research and development has had on the company’s expansion. â€Å"The first Health and Beauty Experience store opened in Kensington High Street in September this year. It moves Boots into new areas of the expanding health and beauty market. Services include physiotherapy, osteopathy, homeopathy, herbalism, aromatherapy, reflexology and nutrition. These sit alongside beauty services including facials massage, false tan, ear piercing, pedicure, manicure, nail bars, and make-overs, plus lifestyle advice on weight management, smoking, sleep management, relaxation and stress management. All combine to offer a total wellbeing offer. † This paragraph gives list of some of the new products and services that have been introduced. These expansions in the business would not have been the result if research and development had not taken place. This shows that research and development has also contributed to the firm expanding, which was another objective of Boots.

David Humes Thoughts On Empiricism Essay

One of the most notable figures in the history of western philosophy was Scottish philosopher David Hume. Hume was widely known for his views on Empiricism. Empiricism has been pondered since the beginnings of philosophy by many famous figures, from Aristotle to John Locke. (Wikipedia) Empiricism claims that human knowledge is founded on observation and use of the five senses. Hume published a literary work titled Enquiry concerning Human Understanding. This had a profound impact on empiricist philosophy. (Heter) In section 2 of the Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, titled Of the Origin of Ideas, Hume makes distinctions about impressions and ideas. Simply stating how a memory obtained from the central nervous system can never reach the level of raw, vividness that the original impression had made. An example of this concept can be something along the lines of experiencing free fall. We have all experienced free fall at some point in our lives. Simply recalling that moment can never fully allow us to grasp the gut wrenching excitement of pure gravity. An interesting thought brought forward in section 2 is The Copy Principle. Hume states â€Å"But though our thought seems to possess this unbounded liberty, we shall find, upon a nearer examination, that it is really confined within very narrow limits, and that all this creative power of the mind amounts to no more than the faculty of compounding, transposing, augmenting, or diminishing the materials afforded us by the senses and real life experience†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (Enquiry, Section II) In layman’s terms, imagination of the human mind might be perceived as limitless. However, in  reality, it is really a combination of sensory information and real life experiences. To this end, Hume believes that there are no truly original ideas. Everything we can conceive is a â€Å"copy† or modification of material afforded to us by our surroundings. Examples of this can be found all around us. Such as the design of a plane matching the shape of a bird or Velcro behaving as burdock burrs. (Bloomberg) An interesting point Hume brings to our attention is the Blind Man Argument. Hume claims that a person born blind has no notions of what color is. If you grant that individual the ability to see, you present him with a new channel for ideas. Without this inlet, he would have no idea what color is. Therefore, color must come from the senses. (Enquiry, Section II) One might object to Hume’s copy principle by stating that original ideas are created quite frequently. A perfect example of this is the telephone. There was no object in the known universe that was able to transmit encoded sound waves through electrical wire over vast distances to a receiver before the telephone. This invention came into existence through pure innovation. The blind man argument presents an error. Just because a blind man cannot make an association between the word red and the color red doesn’t mean that they have never seen it before. Perhaps the man has seen the color red countless times in his dreams. However, without having another individual identify the same color and help him form the association between the word and the color, the blind man will never know what â€Å"red† means. Countering my objection to The Copy Principle, all the natural resources we are afforded on earth  can be combined, transformed or restructured to create something else. Basically, everything we have created can be broken down to the raw materials found within our environment. This makes it impossible to create something truly new. The telephone is simply a combination of oil, copper, aluminum, silicone, ect. In defense of The Blind Man Argument, people born without the ability to see, claim they see â€Å"nothing†. They might understand how the color spectrum works but they will never be able to sense what the actual color looks like. For one to know the answer to this debate, he or she have the ability to see and be blind at the same time. Hume certainly brings up some interesting concepts. For this reason, scholars have been studying his ideas for centuries. Empiricism and rationalism are in constant disagreement. Both philosophical notions are extremely hard to disprove. Works Cited Hennighausen, Amelia, and Eric Roston. â€Å"14 Smart Inventions Inspired by Nature: Biomimicry: Nature as R&D Lab. † Bloomberg. com. Bloomberg, 19 Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. Heter, T. Storm. â€Å"Empiricism. † First Philosophy: A Handbook for Beginning Philosophers. N. p. : n. p. , n. d. 15-21. Print. Hume, David. â€Å"Section II: Of the Origin of Ideas. † An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding. N. p. : n. p. , 1784. N. pag. Print. Wikipedia contributors. â€Å"David Hume. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 21 Sep. 2013. Wikipedia contributors. â€Å"Empiricism. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Sep. 2013. Web. 21 Sep. 2013.