Literature as Knowledge for Living Essay Example for Free

Literature as Knowledge for Living Essay According to Vera M. Kutzinski in his introduction, Ottmar Ette was sent to the east of Germany after the reunification of Germany to strengthen academic institutions. There, universities were going to receive the so-called â€Å"Initiative for Excellence†, which would make German universities more competitive. But, when it came to application, a little percentage of humanities institutions were selected, because the focus was actually on science and technology. This fact was what fueled Ette to take a turn on his work and started to work on not trying to convince why literary studies were better or worth more attention or research, but to make skeptical see why society cannot do without literary studies. Ette’s official work on this matter is titled Lendemains, where he focuses on literary studies as something that society needs to survive and the relations established between human beings in literary terms. Below is presented a short review on his evaluation on this matter. Ette argues that literature and language do not seem to deal with language about life any longer. Instead, scientific and technological academic fields have taken over. So what has to be done for the humanities to deal with life again would be, according to him, reorientating the idea of life, which should be based on making society see how the humanities can improve how human beings live with one another, and this should be done together with the biosciences, creating an easily understandable language which allowed scientific and literary discourses to work together as equals. Ette also discusses how biotechnology and natural-scientific fields of study have become the â€Å"sciences of life† because it has been socially accepted, since their subjects of study have to do with life. And also how literary scholars do not pay attention to the humanities losing ground on this respect. So, according to the author, the concept of life should be changed from a bio-chemical, biophysical, and biotechnological and medical, to a cultural-literature-oriented one, as other scholars also maintained before (Leo Spitzer and his ideal of literature being the science that seeks to comprehend the human being to the extent to which he expresses himself in words and linguistic creations). Then, the author introduces the concept knowledge for living as the kind of knowledge inherent to literature, this is, literature having knowledge about or of life. But then, it comes the following question: how to acquire this knowledge for living? This could be answered (according also to Wolfgang Iser’s work) by the act of reading, this is: reading fictional literary pieces and having experiences through it that make the reader gain a kind of knowledge that he/she would not experience in their own life otherwise. This introduces the concepts of intratextuallity (the knowledge of living that characters of novels possess) and extratextuallity (the ways of acquiring certain cultural and sociohistorical knowledge for living), both of which influence the reader culturally, in their behavior, their life, etc. depending on what they read. These two dimensions of the knowledge for living constitute, at the same time, the knowledge for living together, which is acquired by the readers through literature as the conditions for people to live together which have been shaped all throughout history. In these terms, the author mentions Roland Basthers’ work Comment vivre ensemble, and how literary analysis could connect literature and life. This is, for example, how to live (in the novel), how certain people have lived (in biography), etc. In addition, these knowledges should take into account different contexts and cultures, gender and social differences, in order to be universal and valid. The conclusion of the author is that the humanities first need to realize the potential that they possess concerning knowledge for living which, in conjunction with the natural and social sciences, would give new perspectives for the exploration of art and literature as knowledge for living.

New York University Essay Example for Free

New York University Essay Bill Pope born in Bowling green, Kentucky, USA on 19th June 1952, he is a graduate from New York University with a master degree in fine art. While in university, he did many projects, he shot one of his best documentaries called â€Å"The Sixth Week† which was nominated and won the academy award for the best student documentary. After completing his study in the university, he started working on commercials and music videos for artist as Janet Jackson, Mick Jagger, Metallica Peter Gabriel, Chris Isaak and Motley Crue, among others. His best work won awards in both categories. Since then he had baged many awards which include: 1996-Independent Spirit Awards Best Cinematography, 1999-British Academy of Film and Television and Best Cinematography He developed a passion in cinema and filmmaking. He is an award winning American cinematographer, known for his work on Sam Raimis films and the Matrix trilogy. He had work with film production personalities such as Wachowski Brothers, Robert Zemeck, Editor Zach Staenberg, production designer Owen Paterson, visual-effects supervisor John Gaeta and other. Their collaboration has produced triumph works. Pope was nominated for the best cinematography for his work on Stings â€Å"We `ll be together tonight†. Pope received an MTV award for Best Cinematography. His successive film credits include Clueless (1995) and the feature-length pilot for the ABC television series Maximum Bob (1998), which was directed by former cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld. Since then he had been one of the most adored film directors of all time directing movies such as Janet Jackson: Design of the decade 1986-1996 which was produced in 1996, Bound (1996), Gridlocked (1997) and many other, many he played the role of the director of photography, these movies includes: Zero Effect (1998),Bedazzled (2000),The Matrix Reloaded (2003),Enter the Matrix (2003),The Matrix Revolutions (2003), Spider-Man 2 (2004),Team America: World Police (2004),Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006),Spider-Man 3 (2007) and the latest one which is the â€Å"The Spirit† (2008) There are element which influences pope for example, the family, Rights and The Black Power Movements as Social Sculpture, Criminality, Experimental/Popular Music, class and color-caste relations the U. S. and many others. MODE OF PRODUCTION Spider man film series are the most financially successful film. The series include the spider man 3 which was the best film financially. The Spider-Man film series which consisted of three superhero films spider -man in 2002, spider man 2 in 2004 and spider man 3 in 2007, based on the fictional Marvel Comics character of the same name, which are portrayed by Tobey Maguire. Its rights were purchased in 1985 and moved through various production companies and studios, at one point having James Cameron to direct, before being secured by Sony Pictures Entertainment. DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY STYLE Bill pope show interest in comic, fictitious and superhero films which he mostly direct. He been in the film industry almost two decade since late 1980`s to now and he seem to be strong as the time goes, he had directed a movie like We `ll be together tonight† by Sting (a bit of Classical Hollywood Studio Era), matrix (Hollywood Renaissance) and spider man-3 (Blockbuster Era). He had been a role model to many young directors would are interested in filmmaking arena. MISE EN SCENE Mise-en scene has evolved as a creative concept through the years in parallel with the evolution of film techniques and procedures. A filmmaker has to be carefully designing the composition and cinematic look of the material setting framed in the images added to their films. In cinematography affects there are mise en scene which means staging, which in French it means ‘having been put into the scene. This covers: Location, sets, props, Costumes, Lighting, and Movement within the frame and Sound. SOUND Sound is one of the main mise en scene which contributes to the quality of a cinema. Sound can be the priority aspect in a film; it goes in hand with the pictures. One cannot enjoy a film if either the sound or picture is not quality in the aspect of picture, the light comes in. The dialogue has to go well with the characters and match the time and place where the film is set. LIGHTING The lighting of a stage or plot is very essential when picture quality is concerned. It draws viewer attention to an object on the screen. Long time ago lighting in holly wood was not mean to draw attention but to eliminate darkness in the picture but today lighting is used to add effects. There are three main aspects to lighting: ? Key lighting which is used to highlight a particular object it is also called the hard light ? Fill light which light up the bordered space overall ? Backlighting it alter and bring out silhouettes and are commonly used in horror films. ? Source light create different effects ? Low-key it gives sharp contrast and deep shadows. LOCATION The fundamental planning of a location, be it anywhere is very it correspond to the characters dress. It gives a lot of information about the persons that fit in it, and even what to take place. PROPS They are parts of the sets or as tools or object used by actors. Props obtain special significance when they are used to communicate characters’ thoughts and feelings, powers and abilities in the primary themes of the film. COSTUME AND MAKE UP Costume and make up serves three fuction in a film ? It supports scenic realism to reproduces as real as possible, while clothing and facial signifies time and place of living. ? They describe parts of character or actor personality. ? They act as narrative make, their change makes someone understand and follow the story line. DIGITAL CINEMATOGRAPHY Digital technology is widely spreading in all sectors. In cinematography, the recent release is the new generation 2/3-inch 3-imager HD acquisition technology. It uses single sensor systems based on variants of the 35mm image format and can also found in market place. The promise of 4K in the NAB Digital Cinema Summit gathered global attention. They addressed issues concerning Hollywood and the global film industry’s transition to digital technology. This panel represents those creating these exciting new technologies. There are many challenge cinematographer encounter, the cinematographer need to develop a system where stereoscopic movie making is enhanced by the use of new set of creative tools in 3D image capture. REFERENCES www. nationmaster. com/encyclopedia/List-of-noted-film-director-and-cinematographer-collaborations 237k Cached Similar pages www. thedailypage. com/isthmus/article. If Spiderman Were Made in the 90s. RetroJunk. Retrieved on 2007-11-07. Leslie Simmons (2008-09-06). Two more Spider-Man films on the way, The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2008-09-06. http://www. centres. ex. ac. uk/bill. douglas/menu. html Larry Carroll (2008-10-16). Sam Raimi Talks ‘Spider-Man’ Sequel Double-Shoot, Futures of Kirsten Dunst The Lizard, MTV Splash Page. Retrieved on 2008-10-16 http://www. discoveryfilmfestival. org. uk

Effect of the Financial Crisis on House Prices

Effect of the Financial Crisis on House Prices Financial Crises. Analysis of House prises in London  and Almaty and how world financial crises  affected Kazakhstans economy. The subprime market crisis that hit the financial markets in the summer of 2007 caused a series of negative market reactions on a global scale. The tightly entwined nature of world financial markets represents a global loop whereby occurrences in one market have implications in and for others. This factor has been and will continue to be one that triggers international financial incidents, and in some cases they result in what are termed as a crisis. A crisis is defined as â€Å"†¦an unstable or crucial time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending; especially :one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome†[1]. This describes the financial situation that forms the basis for this study, the subprime mortgage meltdown in the United States that hit the global stage in the Summer of 2007. In equating the ramifications of the preceding, two locales will serve as the focal point of the foregoing. London and Almaty are two examples that offer a distinct contrast in terms of where they sit in the global economic arena. London is located in the financial stable European Union, and is a city that has gone through differing economic turmoil in its long history. Almaty, is located in Kazakhstan, a new country that was borne out of the ashes of the break-up of the Soviet Union, and is seeking its economic identity through creating an infrastructure that is being crafted from the state run Soviet system that left few positives in its passing. The financial services sector is often a little understood arena owing to the complexities of how it operates within the context of international economic activity and the variables of the market economy. The intricate nature of the ties between differing regions, and how they interact upon one another represents a complex set of macro and micro economic aspects within which this crisis developed and impacted every corner of the globe. This study shall look into the manner in which this financial crisis affected the real estate markets in Almaty, Kazakhstan as well as London, England looking to uncover the why of this impact, along with the ramifications. 1.0 Introduction The tightly interlinked nature of the global economy has brought every corner of the globe closer together as a result of the advances in technology. This fact is also of course true for the financial services sector. In the later part of 2006 a financial issues began brewing in the United States as a result of lending activities in the home real estate sector. The underlying problems created from the lending of favourable interest rate loans that were put into motion by the Federal Reserve System in the United States to spur economic growth translated into a later meltdown as a result of defaults. The Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Paulson, Jr., stated that the situation â€Å"†¦ came about because of some bad lending practices[2]. Timing, circumstances, and other factors in the complex web of national economics that are tied to global economics can generate an unpredictable set of occurrences that can mushroom in almost any direction. Such is the situation that befell the subprime mortgage arena as it reeled from a cascading series of events than impacted global markets. So great were the ramifications that the situation still threatens the U.S. economy. Fears of a recession have been forecast as a possible outcome of the downturn this situation contributed to. The discussion of what transpired in the United States is integral to understanding the wave of events that represent the focus of this study. There are those who believe that the foundation for the crisis was laid in good economic principles, and it was the greed of some operators in the U.S. financial sector that abused the directive with what is termed as predatory lending practices[3]. There are others who fault funds and banking systems for helping to fuel the underpinnings that lead to the crisis, and still others who think that such market shake outs are the way in which the international financial sector finds ways to deal with loose bolts within th e system[4]. Alexander et al (2002) tell us that[5]: â€Å"Finding that some loans are more risky than others does not, by itself, imply a market inefficiency. Inefficiency exists only if loans with different risk receive similar interest rates. We document such an inefficiency†. The ramifications of the tightly wound international financial system is that while it provides opportunities to make money, it also magnifies the downsides and loses money. Gains always have their negatives, thus financial mishaps have and will continue to happen. In understanding the subprime financial crisis, a broad number of topic areas will be covered herein to draw a picture of the matter in which financial markets work in this instance. One key aspect of the foregoing is liquidity. McGee[6] tells us â€Å"The essence of a liquidity crisis is a flight from riskier assets to cash†. In understanding the many contributing factors, one has to be mindful that this situation originated in the United States, thus there are other considerations that also factor into the equation. Financial crises situations are nothing new; they are market occurrences that appear on an all too frequent basis. Chi and Gai[7] provide a perspective on this: â€Å"The spate of financial crises in emerging market economies as diverse as Brazil, Korea, Mexico, Russia, and Turkey, during the 1990s has focused attention on the importance of improving the policy framework for the management and prevention of crises. A distinctive feature of these modern crises has been the role of imbalances in the national balance sheet. Maturity, currency, and capital structure mismatches meant that the capital account took centre-stage, with large external financing gaps emerging as a result of unparalleled reversals of capital flows. Foreign investors wanted, and attempted, to withdraw from these countries at the same time, much like a run by depositors on a bank. Once sentiment soured sufficiently so that a critical mass of investors rushed to withdraw their claims, the crises became self-fulfilling as others found it rational to join the herd.† The preceding situation represents a different financial crisis, however it does provide us with some valuable insights that will guide us through the varied aspects that will be discussed herein. The important part of their statement is the fact that risk represents an underpinning in financial transactions, thus risk is a situation to be minimised. A sense of the complexity of this examination is provided by Langley[8] who states: â€Å"Any attempt to apprehend contemporary world finance encounters not only significant structural changes that cannot easily be captured, but also the predominance of neo-liberal political economy in framing our knowledge of world finance. Alternatives to the neo-liberal mode of knowledge of world finance are a necessary first step towards forestalling the worst eventualities of the current structural transformation. Neo-Liberalism represents a facet of this examination in that[9]: â€Å"The most powerful coalitions between state agents and economic actors are found in liberal political economies. The Soviet Union offered an alternative to capitalism that theoretically emphasized economic justice and material welfare, one that intertwined economic and political power even more closely together than elites are thought to be in liberal capitalist states. Even so, the power of the economic agents of the Soviet state was more structurally constrained than the power of capitalist states and their agents. In a global economy, the underpinning foundation is capital, and the movement of that capital to effect borrowing and lending, along with the financial instruments that accompany such action[10]. Capital movements have cycles that are marked by up turns and down turns based upon the activities within markets and the decision of the cogs (individuals) that run the machinery. The foundation, influence, reasons and reasoning behind those decisions represent paths that lead in differing directions which impact other course of actions that create cycles. This study shall follow these paths as they related to the subprime crisis. 2.0 Background As indicated, the financial crisis under examination originated in the United States, starting as far back as 2002. The ramifications of that event shall be covered in the Literature Review of this examination. In setting up the path of understanding for the journey through the twists and turns of the crisis, a foundational pillar of understanding is necessary in order to see the varied ramifications. Carrada-Bravo[11] advises â€Å"the process of creating value starts with the identification of a market need.† Today’s international financial system is an outgrowth of[12]: â€Å"The collapse of the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates in the early 1970s marked the last major turning point in the evolution of global finance, ushering in the generalised non-system of exchange rate arrangements that survives today. However, at least as important in the development of international financial relations since then has been the enormous growth in the volume of international capital flows. In large part, this growth is attributable to the dismantling of the panoply of exchange controls introduced during the Bretton Woods era to facilitate exchange rate management by central banks under the auspices of the International Monetary Fund.† In understanding the dynamics of the circumstances that comprise the comparison of events in London and Almaty, Makin[13] provides us with an important capsulisation of the underpinnings that will be brought out herein: â€Å"The domestic financial markets of many economies have therefore been increasingly internationalised in the wake of liberalising policy initiatives implemented by governments around the world. Financial market liberalisation in many advanced economies was virtually complete by the late 1980s. With the removal of previously stringent regulations over domestic and international financial transactions, institutional barriers impeding the movement of financial capital between many regions of the world have now largely disappeared. Accompanying the domestic deregulatory changes were tighter prudential arrangements in advanced economies aimed at strengthening the capitalisation of banks and hence the stability of domestic financial systems. Such accompanying arrangements have been lacking in many emerging economies however and this has been a fundamental reason for recurrent financial crises in these economies†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The highly integrated nature of international financial markets as a result of globalisation has integrated national economies to the point that the world is virtually a seamless flow of capital. The foregoing, combined with the international liberalisation of world financial markets that arose out of Bretton Woods facilitated a dramatic increase in financial movements across borders that has been aided by advances in technology that have reduced transaction time, and lowering costs[14]. The increased efficiency of the preceding has helped to increase the pool of funds available for lending activities to all nations. Capital mobility is the underpinning for the preceding as fund availabilities can be quickly correlated. These advances have brought with them inherent problems, one of which is an important facet of the manner in which the subprime crisis impacted Almaty more than it did London. The following provides insight into an area that is an important point of understanding to b e remembered[15].: â€Å"International money market activity of this order and the lightning speed at which funds can now quit countries has also prompted many commentators to question its worth and, in light of heightened vulnerability to foreign investor sentiment, to emphasise its perceived dangers. In particular, strong objections to the ever-increasing trend of financial globalisation have been raised on the grounds that the governments of the economies most affected have ceded their economic sovereignty to international investors.† Thus, the actions of individuals within a market can start a feeding frenzy based upon the promise of available opportunities that seem to be available in the future to entice bankers into lending policies that incur the preceding. This is exactly what occurred in Almaty, as shall be explained in the Analysis. Given the aforementioned complexities involved in a discussion of this crisis. This background is being utilised to inject core issues that will be useful in understanding the circumstances and other areas to be explored. In finance, risk equates into a higher rate of return as fewer opportunities for borrowing are present. This has been a fundamental principle of lending since antiquity. High current account deficits along with rising foreign debt, means more risk, thus interest premiums must be charged. This makes the cost of money higher inside a country and acts as an inhibitor to borrowing. The preceding translates into the creditability of the borrower and the circumstances involved. Desai and Said[16] help us in understanding the relationships involved in international finance in term of how they apply to the countries in which London and Almaty are located in, which impacts the events that occurred: â€Å"Financial crises, from the perspective of territorial order, arise because of a loss of control by sovereign states over financial markets and financial flows. The problem is invariably seen as one of inadequate regulation, the failure of governments either individually, or in concert with others, to exert sufficient control over the international economy. Economic agents have created patterns of activity which have escaped the control of governments. The response to these problems is to find ways of restoring the control of each sovereign state over these activities by increasing regulation. This may involve enforcing existing powers, or creating new institutions, either intergovernmental or national in their scope.â€Å" In times of crisis, increased financial regulation is imposed either internally by the sovereign state, or externally by lending controls that make the cost of money more expressive, and thereby limits its use. This represents what Desai and Said[17] tell us is â€Å"cosmopolitan order† in global finance that:  ·Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ emphasises not state sovereignty but either market sovereignty or the sovereignty of capital accumulation. There are many different variants of the cosmopolitan conception of world order including neo-liberal, Marxist and Austrian strands but what all of them share is the assumption that the state and politics are subordinate to the way in which the economy is organised, whether this is the spontaneous market order of Hayek or the system of production relations of Marx. These structures determine how the society as a whole evolves and they supply its ordering principles. This means that states have to operate within fairly tight constraints, imposed by the way in which markets and accumulation work. They do not have much discretion in determining their responses. The growth of a global system of production and exchange, from the very first, tended to run ahead of states and national jurisdictions. It ended up undermining and circumscribing them. It has not destroyed them, but it has created powers, resources, networks and institutions which go far beyond them and which it is impossible for states to control without destroying the conditions for economic growth and prosperity and with them the fiscal basis for their own existence. World order is cosmopolitan rather than national in this sense. It is based not on states and intergovernmental co-operation, but on the logic of markets and capital accumulation.† The preceding is another important central aspect that is a part of this study, in that it applies to Almaty, and how the subprime meltdown ripple effect was handled to bring about a correction in Kazakhstan. 3.0 Methodology The approach to this study utilised a number of techniques to approach the examination of how the United States subprime mortgage crisis impacted Almaty and London. The complexity of the situation entailed looking at economic, statistical, historical, pre and post market factors, and other elements to equate the forces acting upon various markets in order to glean a picture of the what transpired. The following will set forth the various techniques used. 3.1 Research Philosophy and Approach Qualitative and quantitative research was used in this study as the combination of these two approaches led to a more comprehensive understanding of the forces acting upon the situation. The foregoing aided in equating key aspects of the study as represented by occurrences that transpired in the market, along with historical components. Secondary research that entailed books, journals, magazines and the Internet were used as the study entailed gathering past data and contemporary information in order to compile a picture of the situation and aspects associated with this investigation. As the range of the examination took in a broad array of financial, market components, it must be understood that in researching data it might have been possible that some information was either overlooked and or not available. The volumes of data on the study also rendered the possibility that some more important sources of information where not found that could have potential altered the findings, ana lysis, conclusions and or recommendations reached. In order to guard against such possibilities a number of differing sources were reviewed in order to form a more balanced assessment of the information. 3.2 Research Strategy One of the research methods utilised in this study represented what is termed as a cross-sectional study. The foregoing represents a method entailing observation of a number of items during the same point of time[18]. The preceding was utilised as opposed to a longitudinal study as the later represents observations occurring over a long period of time[19]. In conducting this study utilising the cross-section method, the foregoing entailed explorative, as well as descriptive and explanatory facets as it delved into the nuances of the industry, seeking to describe the contextual factors, along with the explanation of strategies, and tactics. The vast views of approach, and thought contained in understanding this study takes in a broad range of secondary research as this method provides exposure to a balanced view that is not skewed by what can occur in primary research. Secondary research allows us to be in touch with many different points of view, however, it can not always be relied upon as the researcher may have sourced the wrong materials in making the analysis, and or missed certain key points that were either not available, or unknown at the time the study was conducted. Secondary research represents the gathering of information from books, journals, articles, other research sources, and case examples. Secondary research represents a means to collect information regarding techniques and procedures, as well as strategies, rationales and the reasons behind courses of action, and or circumstances. Within this study, the literature search represented the main sources of information. It, the literature search, consisted of an examination of existing material, searching for information pertinent to the project. The means via which to approach the study of a project can take on many forms. Inductive and deductive research represent two techniques that can be brought together to understand the views of differing approaches to the area under examination[20]. The combining of research methodologies has been advised as a means to improve the quality of an examination, and it is possible to bring these different approaches to bear on one study, whereby there are advantages in so doing. Table 1– Comparison of Inductive and Deductive Research[21] Saunders’ (2006, p. 121) advises that the path of deductive research often is faster in terms of completion, as the data collection is usually based on what he terms as â€Å"†¦ one take†. Inductive research however, states Saunders (2006, p. 121) â€Å"†¦ can be much more protracted †¦Ã¢â‚¬  in that frequently the ideas are â€Å"†¦ based on a much longer period of data collection and analysis † all of which has to emerge gradually. 3.4 Research Questions In order to equate the answer or answers to the query entailing how the financial crisis impacted the real estate sectors in London and Almaty, the research questions entailed looking into an understanding of how economies work on a national as well as international level, along with financial market operation on a national and international level. 4.0 Literature Review Allen[22] in his book â€Å"Financial Crisis and Recession in the Global Economy† tells us of the fact that the â€Å"†¦rapid expansion and globalisation of financial markets shadows most other recent developments in international economics†. The foregoing is a critical component in the understanding of the recent U.S. sub prime mortgage crisis and its impact on global markets. Allen[23] advises that during the past twenty years, the international financial sector has changed and advanced in dramatic fashion, earmarked by the introduction and success of an entirely new currency, and change in the underpinnings of financial cohesiveness that impacts the countries of the European Union as well as the rest of the world. The Euro is the singular most noteworthy development in the rapid expansion of international finance that is marked by a host of important occurrences. He explains that new financial instrument such as derivatives, offshore banking, offshore financial markets, along with numerous other developments are at work in a global financial system that binds itself closer and closer by degrees each day Allen[24]. In his book, Allen[25] explains that the advances in information technology has directly impacted the growth and interlinkages in international finance as he states: â€Å"A financial transaction can loosely be defined as any business arrangement where money changes hands but the only other thing that changes hands is documentation. Both money and documentation are moved by information technologies; therefore financial market activity is enhanced by advances in those technologies. Expanding use and performance of electronic and regular mail service, telephones, computers, fax machines, image processing devices, communication satellites, fibre optics, the World Wide Web and so on creates better opportunities in finance† In illustrating the foregoing, Allen[26] explains that in the early 1980s financial transactions were communicated across telephone lines, via facsimile machines, and satellite transmissions that were â€Å"†¦collectively owned and operated by national governments through Intelsat in proportion to national use†. In his book, Allen[27] advises that developments in the speed of transmission of the facsimile machine during the 1980s corresponded to increases in international financial transactions. In the early 1980s a single page transmission took six minutes, by the end of the 1980s that time frame was down to three seconds. Increased speed in transmission times helped to facilitate international financial transactions, thus bringing global financial instructions closer together in terms of their ability to conduct business in a more timely manner. In today’s world, international financial transactions take place over T1 networks employing packet-switching networks that can communicate with any bank, anywhere almost in real time, as volumes of data and documents can be transmitted in seconds[28]. The significance of the advance of technology is further explained by Allen, as he stated[29]: â€Å"Changes in communications have always affected the structure of finance, but these developments of the last few decades are responsible for the truly global nature of todays financial markets. As participants use these new technologies and networks, linkages are formed between various national and international sub-economy financial markets. New international opportunities have occurred for centuries, but only recently has interdependence become so pervasive to merit the word global† The rapid developments of information technology and its impact on global monetary movements brought capitalist economies closer together and rendered the opposing state planned economy as a dinosaur, thus, along with a long list of other important development, helped to lead to the collapse of communism as an alternative economic system[30]. The developments in information sharing systems, transmission, interbank transactions, international currency and stock trading underpins what is termed as the global economy that transcends the century’s old manifestation of borders. DeMartino[31] helps us to better understand the preceding by explaining: â€Å"†¦emerging today is not just the latest experiment in economic organization, it is, indeed, the highest possible form of economy. Global neoliberalism, the extension of market-based economic integration across all local, regional and national borders, will provide humankind with the optimal means to achieve prosperity from now until eternity. With the perfection of the global capitalist market economy—and the consequent eradication of communism socialism and all forms of state planning—economic history as the contest among alternative forms of economic systems †¦ come(s) to an end.† DeMartino’s[32] statement concerning neoliberalism represents an important concept within the context of this examination, thus it shall be explored briefly, to add illumination as to its meaning. Martinez and Garcia[33] help us to understand the foregoing by stating: â€Å"Neo-liberalism is a set of economic policies that have become widespread during the last 25 years or so. Although the word is rarely heard in the United States, you can clearly see the effects of neo-liberalism here as the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer. Around the world, neo-liberalism has been imposed by powerful financial institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and the Inter- American Development Bank.the capitalist crisis over the last 25 years, with its shrinking profit rates, inspired the corporate elite to revive economic liberalism. Thats what makes it neo or new.† The concept of neoliberalism comes into play in terms of the ramifications of the recent U.S. subprime crisis. The following, represent market undercurrents that help to explain the underlying as well as overt facets involved that were linked factors that impacted the economy of Kazakhstan, along with the banking and financial market fallout from the subprime crisis. Per Martinez and Garcia[34] neoliberalim’s key points represent: Rule of the Market: This aspect of neoliberalism represents the freeing of private enterprise from bonds that are imposed by the state, irrespective of the impact such causes in terms of social change. The preceding entails developing internal mechanisms and policies that foster an increased openness to international investment as well as trade. In addition, price controls are removed, along with freedom of capital movement, services and goods. Deregulation: This aspect calls for the reduction of state regulation of all areas that would have an impact on reducing profits. Privatisation State owned enterprises are divested, representing banking institutions, utilities, hospitals, important industries, education system and allied areas. Unfortunately, in most instances privatisation has had the effect of putting a concentration of wealth in a few hands when systems are dismantled, as has been the case in Kazakhstan as well as other former Soviet bloc states, resulting in higher prices for goods and services. Elimination of the Concept of the Public Good or Community This represents replacement of the foregoing with what is termed as individual responsibility. This is exampled by pressuring the poorer segments of society to find their own solutions for lack of health care, employment and education, and then finding fault when they do not solve these and or similar problems Martinez and Garcia[35] further explain neoliberalim, by advising that it represents a policy reform that has been imposed by the World Bank and other g

Mapping the Human Genome Vision :: Essays Papers

Mapping the Human Genome Vision- In the past, the discovery of human disease genes has historically been an arduous undertaking. Extensive and exhaustive studies of genetic inheritance and pedigrees in generations of families led to the discovery of the color blindness gene on the Y chromosome in the early 1990's. As more biological tools became available, the pace of gene discovery increased. However, much of the biological laboratory practices were still rooted in intensively manual procedures. With the introduction of computing power in the mid-1980's, disproportionate amount of resources were being applied to hundreds of individual gene discovery efforts, such as Huntington's Disease and muscular dystrophy. It was with this realization that a large-scale effort at mapping the human genome was undertaken and in 1990, the Human Genome Project was deemed possible and launched officially by the National Institute of Health (Pollack 1,2). Presently, computers are being used to hold the vast databases of all the sequencing information for every gene of the human DNA strand. If computers were not available, the paper needed to contain all this information would stack higher than the Washington Monument, over 555 feet high. And this would only be for the data, not the analysis of that data. Imagine the nightmare of trying to find the correct gene pair, there are over 3.2 billion of them, in all that paper. But providing a database for the sequencing information of the human genome is only one way in which computers are helping in the mapping of the human genome. They also provide the computational power needed to speed the calculations for each gene as well as producing maps and the such for genetic information on each chromosome (Smith 14). In fact, Compaq Computer Corporation built specific technology enabling completion of the Human Genome. In the future, computing power will become greater and greater allowing for faster calculations and analysis of sequencing data. Also, there will be new robotics, micro-fabrication technologies and laboratory information management systems that will have to be applied to the challenges of the Human Genome Project (Bishop, 137). Furthermore, cutting edge researchers believe the really important discoveries won't come from looking at linear strands of genes but from examining the interaction between dozens of genes at once. Scientists could in theory use "biochips," arrays of hundreds of bits of your DNA placed in a silicon wafer, to examine how how a drug would interact with your particular biochemistry (Moore, 56).

Galileo :: essays research papers

Galileo Galileo was born in Pisa in 1564, the son of Vincenzo Galilei, well known for his studies of music. He studied at Pisa, where he later held the chair in mathematics from 1589 - 1592. He was then appointed to the chair of mathematics at the University of Padua, where he remained until 1610. During these years he carried out studies and experiments in mechanics, and also built a thermoscope. He devised and constructed a geometrical and military compass, and wrote a handbook, which describes how to use this instrument. In 1594 he obtained the patent for a machine to raise water levels. He invented the microscope, and built a telescope with which he made celestial observations, the most spectacular of which was his discovery of the satellites of Jupiter. In 1610 he was nominated the foremost Mathematician of the University of Pisa and given the title of mathematician to the Grand Duke of Tuscany. He studied Saturn and observed the phases of Venus. In 1611 he went to Rome. He became a mem ber of the Academia dei Lincei and observed the sunspots. In 1612 he began to encounter serious opposition to his theory of the motion of the earth that he taught after Copernicus. In 1614, Father Tommaso Caccini denounced the opinions of Galileo on the motion of the Earth from the pulpit of Santa Maria Novella, judging them to be erroneous. Galileo therefore went to Rome, where he defended himself against charges that had been made against him but in 1616, he was admonished by Cardinal Bellarmino and told that he could not defend Copernican astronomy because it went against the doctrine of the Church. In 1622 he wrote the Saggiatore (The Assayer), which was approved and published in 1623. In 1630 he returned to Rome to obtain the right to publish his Dialogue on the two chief world systems, which was eventually published in Florence in 1632. In October of 1632 the Holy Office to Rome summoned him. The tribunal passed a sentence condemning him and compelled Galileo to solemnly abjur e his theory. He was sent to exile in Siena and finally, in December of 1633, he was allowed to retire to his villa in Arcetri, the Gioiello. His health condition was steadily declining, - by 1638 he was completely blind, and also by now bereft of the support of his daughter, Sister Maria Celeste, who died in 1634.

Ancient Egyptian Culture :: Egypt Ancient World Culture

Somewhere around 1375 years before the birth of Christ, an Egyptian pharaoh publicly changed his name. That change signalled a return to long-standing tradition, a hallmark of Egyptian culture that flourished for more than three thousand years peacefully in the rich Nile River valley. The king had been called Tutankhaton. The last portion of his name, aton, was the name for the sun-god, which, in the years before the king's reign, had achieved preeminence among the competing deities in Egyptian religious tradition. The king changed his name to the one by which he is known today -- TUTANKHAMEN or, more popularly, King Tut -- and ended the brief experiment in monotheism in favor of the older religion with its promise of an afterlife. And what an afterlife the pharaoh would have! Embalmed in order to endure the elements of disintegration, richly attired to attest to his fabulous earthly wealth, magnificently housed to remind all on-lookers of the towering greatness of the entombed human -- the pharaoh lived on in perpetual association with the stone structures that rose portentously out of the hot, barren sands of the desert so close to the life-giving, greening Nile. And the solemn bearing of these great structures reminds people today of the human hope for immortality and the way an entire culture fashioned a collective immortality in astonishing stone. Here was a culture that would persist, just as its pharaohs would live on in their silent palaces. More interesting, perhaps, is the collective underwriting of the PYRAMIDS. No fewer than 70,000 workers would have been needed to lug limestone blocks from desert miles away to the building sites. Yet there is little evidence that the pharaohs had to coerce their subjects to leave their fields and families in order to build a monument whose completion any single worker would certainly never see.

Managing Quality in Partnership Working with Service Users

Central College London Module Study Guide G: Managing Quality in Partnership Working Graduate Diploma in Health and Social Care – Level 5 Module G: Managing Quality in Partnership Working The learner will: 1 Understand differing perspectives of quality and partnership working in relation to health and social care services Partnership: empowerment; independence; autonomy; power; informed choice; staff and organisation groups eg statutory, voluntary, private, independent, charitable; service usersQuality: audit; quality control; role of agencies eg Care Quality Commission, NICE; role of staff and users; quality perspectives eg Servqual-Zeithaml, Parasuraman and Berry; technical quality; functional quality http://areas. kenan-flagler. unc. edu/Marketing/FacultyStaff/zeithaml/Selected%20Publications/SERVQUAL-%20A%20Multiple-Item%20Scale%20for%20Measuring%20Consumer%20Perceptions%20of%20Service%20Quality. pdf The learner can: 1. 1 Discuss the philosophy of working in partnership in health and social care 1. Analyse the role of external agencies in setting standards and the impact this has on service quality The learner will: 2 Understand how to promote partnership philosophies and relationships in health and social care services Partnership working: empowerment; theories of collaborative working; informed decision making; confidentiality; professional roles and responsibilities; models of working eg unified, coordinated, coalition and hybrid models; management structures; communication methods; inter-disciplinary and inter-agency working and joint working agreements.Legislation: current and relevant legislation eg safeguarding, equality, diversity, disability, data protection Organisational practices and policies: current and relevant practices; agreed ways of working; services planning procedures and employment practices for different bodies ie statutory, voluntary, specialist units; risk assessment procedures The learner can: 2. 1 Compare models of partners hip working and discuss how differences in working practices and policies affect collaborative working across the sector 2. Evaluate current legislation and organisational practices and policies for partnership working in health and social care The learner will: 3Understand strategies for achieving quality in health and social care services Standards: minimum standards; best practice; benchmarks; performance indicators; charters; codes of practice; legislation eg local, national, European Implementing quality: planning, policies and procedures; target setting; audit; monitoring; review; resources (financial, equipment, personnel, accommodation); communication; information; adapting to changeBarriers: external (inter-agency interactions, legislation, social policy); internal (risks, resources, organisational structures, interactions between people) The learner can: 3. 1 Explain the standards that exist in health and social care for measuring quality 3. 2 Evaluate different approaches to implementing quality systems 3. 3 Analyse potential barriers to delivery of quality health and social care services The learner will: 4Evaluate the outcomes of partnership working for users of services, professionals and organisations in health and social care servicesOutcomes for service users: positive eg improved services, empowerment, autonomy, informed decision making; negative eg neglect, abuse, harm, anger, miscommunication, information overload, confusion, duplication of service provision, disempowerment Outcomes for professionals: positive eg coordinated service provision, professional approach, clear roles and responsibilities, organised communication, preventing mistakes, efficient use of resources; negative eg professional conflict, miscommunication, time wasting, mismanagement of fundingOutcomes for organisations: positive eg coherent approach, shared principles, comprehensive service provision, common working practices, integrated services; negative eg communicatio n breakdown, disjointed service provision, increased costs, loss of shared purpose Barriers to partnership working: lack of understanding of roles and responsibilities; negative attitudes; lack of communication; not sharing information; different priorities; different attitudes and valuesStrategies to improve outcomes: communication; information sharing; consultation; negotiation; models of empowerment; collective multi-agency working; dealing with conflict; stakeholder analysis The learner can: 4. 1 Analyse outcomes and barriers for partnership working for users of services, professionals and organisations 4. 2 Describe strategies to improve outcomes for partnership working in health and social care services The learner will: 5 Understand methodologies for evaluating health and social care service qualityMethods for assessing quality: questionnaires; focus groups; structured ans semi-structured interviews; panels, complaints procedures; open forums Perspectives: external eg inspect ion agencies; internal eg service standards; continuous improvement : mechanisms eg consultation, panels, user managed services The learner can: 5. 1 Analyse methods for evaluating health and social care service quality with regards to external and internal perspectives 5. 2 Discuss the impact that involving users of services in the evaluation process has on service quality ————————————————- Internal Assessment Guidance – Module D:Task 1 – Type of evidence: Presentation Assessment criteria: 1. 1, 1. 2, 4. 1, 4. 2 Additional information: Constitutes 30% of module mark Activity Review how a local health or social care provider engages with relevant partners in the delivery of their service, and how this can impact on the quality of the service they provide. You may already be familiar with this health or social care provider and have some knowledge of their app roach to partnership and quality standards OR you can choose a provider and analyse their practice based on the information contained: * Within their marketing / promotional material On their website * Within their latest report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Please note in order to maintain confidentiality you can only refer to information that is available within the public domain Review their practice and answer the following questions in your presentation: a) How do they work in partnership with: outside agencies; specialist services; service users; professional bodies; voluntary and other organisations? (1. 1) b) How do these partnerships impact the quality of service provided? 1. 2) c) Analyse outcomes and barriers for partnership working with service users within this service (4. 1) d) Describe strategies that could improve outcomes for partnership working within this service (4. 2) You will need to prepare a presentation of approximately 10 minutes duration to illust rate your answers to the questions above. In your presentation you need to include copies of slides and presentation notes and submit a copy to your assessor. Your final slide should list correctly any references used.Presentation date: Week 3 Task 2 – Type of evidence: Report Assessment criteria: All of 2, 3 and 5. Constitutes 50% of the module mark Additional information: Word limit 1500 words Activity Using information available related to the health or social care provider that was the focus of your presentation for Task 1, submit a report answering the following questions: 1) Identify positive aspects of partnership practice within the service, and discuss how partnership practice could be improved (2. ) 2) Evaluate how relevant legislation is implemented to affect organisational practice related to partnership working (2. 2) 3) Explain at least five standards that exist for measuring quality (3. 1) 4) Identify and evaluate approaches to implementing quality systems (3. 2) 5) Analyse any barriers or potential barriers to delivering a good quality service (3. 3) 6) Analyse methods used for evaluating the quality of the service provided (5. 1) 7) Discuss the impact of any involvement of services users in the evaluation of service quality (5. 2)In order to promote confidentiality, ensure that you only refer to material and information that is available within the public domain. All sources of evidence should be accurately referenced at the end of your report. Task 3- Essay (500-700 words) . This will constitute 20% of the module mark. Reflect and write an essay which will identify what you have learned from this module to include personal strengths and weaknesses during the learning process. Highlight any need that will require development for the future which would enhance your employability. Submission date: 17/05/2013