Monday, September 30, 2019

Love in the Time Essay

The actions of human nature with regards to sexual drive and concepts of love are not easily explained using only conventional conceptual studies such as Evolutionary Sociology. For instance it is some how difficult to explain human behaviors such as celibacy, homosexuality, and adoption from these aspects. However, the evolutionary process is used to describe how humans came into being by a process of change over a substantial period of time. In this case, some human actions is viewed as direct results of certain behavioral evolution, which makes use of thorough studies of other primates and many other animals in the animal kingdom, with the aim of discovering linking keys to unlock some behaviors. On the other hand, some of the strongest concepts can be linked to Evolutionary Sociobiology where the evolutionary past of humans is a vital tool for the explanation of their present actions. Additionally, all concepts that humans act upon, not easily explained with evolution in today’s world, can be shown to be results of the interactions of an information pattern, held in each individual’s memory and which is capable of being passed to that of another individual. Thus, these ideas can be stored biochemically in human brains, but also can be transmitted in visually or orally, in writing, music, or TV for example. These facts are fundamental to the views of this paper, which is a stringent account aimed at exposing the influences of two seemingly dicey elements of human interactions, namely; love and lust. This paper presents its views with vital emphasis on the lessons inherent in two of Scott Fitzgerald’s publications; that is ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘The Offshore Pirate’, as well as other vital resources which were consulted during this research. Introduction. Love can be defined as a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection. It can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, including pleasure (for example, one can be in love with a substance such as fashion, life style, car and so on) and in interpersonal attraction (such as falling in love with someone). The circumstance in which one falls in love with a particular entity can some times be strange. An instance of this is found in the fiction story ‘The Offshore Pirate’, in which one the characters (Ardita) fell in love with a stranger whom she met under an unforeseen circumstance, thus she didn’t hesitate to confess her feeling to him (Fitzgerald 29). Although the nature or essence of love is a subject of frequent debate, different aspects of the word can be clarified by determining what isn’t love. As a general expression of positive sentiment (a stronger form of like), love is commonly contrasted with hate (or neutral apathy); as a less sexual and more emotionally intimate form of romantic attachment, love is commonly contrasted with lust; and as an interpersonal relationship with romantic overtones, love is commonly contrasted with friendship, although other definitions of the word love may be applied to close friendships in certain contexts. On the other hand, lust is a shallow type of love known as Eros. Recent critics have tended to prefer desire or Eros over love not only because of the latter word’s association with sentiment but also because an earlier generation of Shakespeare scholars identified it with a state in which characters rise above the trammeling conditions of social, political, and economic relations (Schalkwyk 76). Thus, Lust is merely a variation of consciousness’s project to become its own foundation, a project that necessarily fails. How Can Love Be Identified? Love between humans can be identified in many ways, but the most common way is that it connotes a sense of steady friendship and faithfulness as well as the spirit of forgiveness even in the face of faithfulness. Just like the couple (Tom and Daisy) in Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ forgave each other’s flaws. Love is a subset of desires of which sexual acts such as kissing is an integral part. So it is not strange for one to develop such desires at first sight of what he or she wants or would love to have. Thus, the case of the nineteen year old ‘Ardita’ expressing her feelings for the young stranger she met (Fitzgerald 30). Love tends to bring together things that would naturally be in diversity, forcing these to rather identify what they have in common (Fitzgerald 23). Hence, it is a gateway to romantic relationships. A romantic relationship is an important part of many people’s lives, but not the whole. Balance is about understanding where your relationship fits into the life you have. A person who’s working 80 hours a week may genuinely not have time or energy for any kind of relationship at all. A person who’s raising children must consider their needs as well as his or her own. Emotional honesty (starting with that first time you confess love) isn’t achieved simply or quickly. It takes work, work that will go on for the rest of your relationship, both with yourself and with your partner. It also brings deep rewards in the form of closeness and trust. Signs of healthy relationships include being open to change, to the process of facing and accepting uncomfortable emotions. More than any other part of a relationship, the work of emotional honesty is founded in love. It takes a leap of faith to drop your defenses and trust your partner with the feelings, thoughts, dreams, ideas and words that are most essentially yours. Human Actions mentored by Love. Responsibility; this act includes having the time to devote to the physical capacity to carry out certain tasks. This requires a lot of time and sacrifice from all parties involved. Time, more often than not, is something that gets in the way of being able to devote oneself. Commitment; this involves boycotting all nefarious acts such as unfaithfulness, which tends to breach the contract instituted by love. Achieving Goals; this includes the ultimate goal of mastering the art of love as well as all the stepping stones along the way. Staying focused on the present is important, yet without an idea of where one is heading it’s easy to get lost. Confidence; love serves as an instrument that bestows confidence among it participants Patience; hand-in-hand with confidence, patience is needed to persevere through the low points. If martial arts were easy, everyone would do it. The same goes for love. Truly opening yourself to another, being vulnerable, and accepting the other unconditionally takes a lot of effort. It is a common misconception that â€Å"love should just come naturally. † Persistence; working closely with confidence, persistence requires having faith in the process of learning. That even though you don’t get it all now, if you keep at it, eventually you will. Action that Depicts Lust. Lust is a physical emotion that humans act upon in the heat of the moment. Yet few would fall in love with someone who didn’t turn them on, and that can lead to problems. Here are some tips to identify lust; †¢ If one only want to be with another person just to have sex, it’s lust. †¢ If one tries to describe his or her friend and can only talk about physical appearance and body parts, that’s lust. †¢ If a person doesn’t call or converse with the other party except when he or she wants physical pleasure, that’s lust. †¢ If one lies to someone in order to get into bed with him or her, that’s lust. It’s possible for an affair based purely on lust to develop into a healthy relationship based on love, but it doesn’t occur often. You may be better off spending your time with someone who sees and appreciates you with clothes on. Conclusion. Real love exists between equals. Neither partner is considered inferior or superior, though different roles may be assumed. One party’s wants, needs and fears are no more or less important, though they may at times be more or less urgent, than those of the second party. Both deserve time, energy, and resources. In summary it is important to note that humans are all animals being controlled by a conscience in one form or another. Its hard to have any proof of what it is actually. However, it is some form of a soul or divine presence or just a series of memes that have dominance in our minds taking over some of our functions to insure that the meme itself is able to survive as long as possible and to reproduce itself, spreading to other minds and trying controlling them in much the same way, truly acting like a virus for the computer that is our brain. Thus, memetics may basically provide a partial answer to how love or lust mentors our behaviors, just as evolutionary sociobiology, but do these two concepts complete the picture of human behavior? Maybe there is a part to us that is non-material a spirit or such that instead of being memetics controlling us, it controls us and memetics influences that. Something has to select the memes, decide between them and there maybe something beyond our comprehension to explain this. Works Cited John Armstrong, Conditions of Love: The philosophy of Intimacy. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2003. Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera . New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2003. Diane Ackerman, A. Natural History of Love . New York: Random House, 1994. Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Offshore Pirate. Kessinger Publishing,2007. Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Great Gatsby. Schalkwyk, David. â€Å"Love and Service in Twelfth Night and the Sonnets. †Byline56(2005) p76.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Journal Writing Essay

During this class I have made two self- discoveries that will positively impact my career goals. Those self- discoveries has helped to mold, and shape me into a student that I have never thought I would be. Those discoveries were that I am an organized learner, because I made a study plan to help me determine when, and how I would study. Being that I have five children, I had to make sure that I had set a schedule so that my course work including study time would not affect my family time and take away from spending time with my children and fiance`. Since these are the competing priorities in my life right now learning to obtain trust and consistency in the home while I have been attending school has also improved because not only do I see my success so does my children and fiancà ©. Knowing that I had that support also has made it possible to do my best in school, setting the pace for them to do the same in school also, whether it be good grades, sports, etc. I know that they will continue to be good at what they do and have proven to do so time after time. Another self- discovery that I have made that will positively impact my career goals is my willpower. Willpower has become my greatest strength. Being able to control what I do, leaded to personal improvement. I realize that lack of willpower not only causes you to lose focus it also allows you to fail to achieve goals. My ability to resist short-term temptations have helped me to meet some of my long term goals already. There has never been a day that I thought that I could not achieve my goals. I kept a positive mindset just so I could keep going. Negativity takes a lot of willpower from you and I think success is a part of having a positive mindset. Having that determination was not easy at first I can say that, but having that willpower and thinking about my future will positively impact my career goals. Two self-discoveries that I believe will positively impact my personal life, o ne is my happiness. If I am not happy there is nothing good that will come out of being unhappy. In my life I noticed that unhappy people wait for something to make them happy. Happy people make themselves happy without hesitation because they choose to have  positivity surround them in all areas of their lives. I am that happy person, I do not feel like being unhappy because it drains energy, it drains potential, it sucks the life out of you, and it keeps you from becoming successful. I am happy because I am not afraid of change, I am valued, and I attend school knowing that I am a success story. I learned to create positive changes in my life. In doing so this has made a positive impact on my personal life. My character will also have a positive impact on my life. Knowing who I am, my beliefs, values, and morals. The clearer I became about what I value and what I believed in the more effective I became not only for me, but for my family, my friends, and my peers. I have this thirst for knowledge and a thirst to make the best out of any situation and this impacts my personal life in so many positive ways because when I know who I am , my children will learn their true identity because they are my children and they share the same DNA. My grandmother use to tell me that I can be different from everyone else and still be blessed and fabulous, and I believed her.So this has played a part in my self- identity. I also had to explore what my heart wanted, so that I could truly identify who I was, the most beautiful thing that could have happened to me was unfolding that I was an excellent mother, a great friend, and a superb student. Knowing these few things lead me to know who I was in the beginning and knowing this has made a positive impact in my personal life. My biggest take way from this course is keeping a growth mindset and knowing that I always have room for improvement. I want to keep ownership over my learning experience. I am in control of my success. I am able to keep this in mind and always grow with it. This is something that I had to develop because when I was younger I had a fixed mindset I did not want to change because I was set in my ways and it felt like everything I was doing had failed me, so I figured that I would quit trying and give up. One day that change I started thinking of other approaches of how to be better and I used trial and error as a way of figuring out what I needed to do. So as I was thinking and applying I realized that I had that growth mindset and I have kept it all through the years. While learning about the fixed mindset and growth mindset I gained a better understanding on what life is really about also and I saw the bigger picture. The way I perceived it to be is to  noticed that if something is not working right the way you are doing it, then try another way and if that works out better than stick with it, but have fun with it and be creative and then you will be successful that way . Life is about trial and error and never giving up no matter what.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Globalization Issue according toThomas L. Freidman and William J Essay

Globalization Issue according toThomas L. Freidman and William J. Duiker - Essay Example The book portrays a scenario where untimely flattening of the opponents of globalization is inevitable. William (2009:340-344) shares his sentiments in his book ’The contemporary world History’. He feels that the forces of fragmentation are too strong to allow globalization to gain a stable footing. Critical analysis of the thoughts of the two writers tempts an individual to take a position. Although William presents steep challenges to globalization, the basis of his arguments and speculation are on uncertainties. The past global trends have shown that globalization has received positive attention all over the world. Although some nations may not appear in public to support globalization, researches have shown that it remains a hot subject in their boardroom meetings. This shows that globalization is live and soon the world will be a global village. Thomas explicitly lays out the benefits of globalization. However, he does not overlook the possible challenges that glob alization might be faced with. This makes Thomas’s convictions correct, more sensible, and real in the current world. The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention which Thomas subscribes to affirms that there cannot be disagreement between countries, which share a common interest. He emphasizes that globalization is the sole solution to the most conflicts in the world. In essence, Thomas signifies that the nations that embrace globalization have reaped benefits and not enmity. Globalization is the only safe platform to enrich cultural, economic, technological, and political ties while appreciating diversity. Thomas points out that there are still impediments to globalization. He argues that overcoming anti-global forces must be at the heart of its proponents. Freidman (580-604) highlights some of the issues which include poor education systems, weak economic powers, diseases, and bad infrastructure. Compromised education system negatively affects globalization. This is evident in t he third world countries where only the privileged in society acquire quality education and skills.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Does being in jail rehabilitate or institutionalize nimates Essay

Does being in jail rehabilitate or institutionalize nimates - Essay Example As asserted by Red Redding from the film: â€Å"These walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them, until it gets to you depend on them. Thats institutionalized† (Voegele, n.d., par. 2). The current discourse hereby aims to reflect on the events that transpired in the lives of prisoners in the film, Shawshank Redemption and to respond to the question: Does being in jail rehabilitate or institutionalize inmates? One hereby affirms that the effect of being in jail could either be to rehabilitate or institutionalize inmates, depending on the length of time that these prisoners have been confined in jail, as well as the expected life there still is outside prison walls. The justice system has been observed to be designed in such a way that prisoners who committed a crime and were found to have made major violations of the law would be accorded the chance to be transformed, rehabilitated and reintegrated in society. One’s assertion is that rehabilitation would only be deemed successful when some factors or conditions are present: perceiving an optimistic and productive life after prison and having support systems (housing, health care, and employment). These factors were summed by Voegele (n.d.) as the presence of hope. As such, one of the major characters in the film, Andy Dufresne, remained steadfast in faith and hope that he would someday get out of the prison walls and leave a quiet and peaceful life in a little obscure place in Mexico. Prison, for Andy, would be a means of rehabilitation: a chance to reflect on the life where hard work insitutionalized him. Concurrently, there were prisoners who knew nothing about the outside world as most of their adult lives have been spent in prison. From various studies and discourses, and from observing the lives of prisoners in Shawshank Redemption, there were psychological effects of imprisonent which could be described in the concept of institutionalization. It could therefore be inferred that

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Internship Report on Pricewaterhouse Coopers Research Paper

Internship Report on Pricewaterhouse Coopers - Research Paper Example epartment 1 Executive summary 2 Acknowledgment 3 Introduction 6 Company Background 6 Company Activity and Size 8 Organizational Chart of PwC Middle East 10 A SWOT analysis of PwC 11 Strengths: 11 Weaknesses 11 Opportunities 11 Threats 11 Vision 12 Mission 12 Marketing Strategy 13 Organizational competitive strategy 14 Job history 14 Conceptual framework 15 Global structure of PwC 15 Services offered by PwC Middle East 16 Consulting activities of PwC Middle East 16 Technical aspect of PwC Middle East 17 Evaluation of the internship experience (Form) 19 Summary of findings and recommendations 19 Conclusion 20 References 21 PwC (n.d.). PwC Middle East Corporate Responsibility Annual Report 2010 / 2011. Retrieved December, 20, 2011, fromhttp://www.pwc.com/m1/en/publications/crannualreport.jhtml 21 Introduction PwC is an internationally recognized company with numerous firms that are in partnership with it, with its many years in the field of accountancy, consultancy and even tax related issues it has proven to be one of the world’s most reliable firm. Their aim has been to support its clients in designing, managing and executing lasting beneficial change. Change management is an essential operation factor for any given company. In this regard, PwC’s diversity and dynamism over time is stronghold in the activities undertaken by the company. Globalization has impacted on many international firms, and so has it on PwC. The consistent process of converting the world into a global village has been realized through the contribution of many internationally competitive firms. The role played by PwC in that process cannot be ignored. Client welfare and success in the pursuit of the desired goals and objectives has been the primary line of business for PwC. Its major operations... The intention of this study is PwC as an internationally recognized company with numerous firms that are in partnership with it, with its many years in the field of accountancy, consultancy and even tax related issues it has proven to be one of the world’s most reliable firm. Their aim has been to support its clients in designing, managing and executing lasting beneficial change. Change management is an essential operation factor for any given company. In this regard, PwC’s diversity and dynamism over time is stronghold in the activities undertaken by the company. Globalization has impacted on many international firms, and so has it on PwC. The consistent process of converting the world into a global village has been realized through the contribution of many internationally competitive firms. The role played by PwC in that process cannot be ignored. Client welfare and success in the pursuit of the desired goals and objectives has been the primary line of business for Pw C. Its major operations are focussed on how effective the company meets the demands of its clients. Bringing affiliate firms on board has been a key driver of how well PwC manages its client base and operational portfolio. PwC is known to host most of the knowledgeable and experienced staff members that offer the necessary help one may require in handling complex financial accounting related issues, this may comprise matters such as share plans, valuations, pensions, listings, conversion of IFRS, corporate treasury functions and company secretarial functions.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

During the placement identify a specific issue relating to nursing Essay

During the placement identify a specific issue relating to nursing practice. (Progression development in mental health nursing) - Essay Example It requires a perfect understanding of the health problem, its effects and implications for other life and health functions in older people. Therefore, it is imperative for mental health nurses to develop professional awareness of the dementia problem and its risks in older people, in order to understand the ways of addressing this problem, as well as the personal and medical needs of older people. This paper aims at investigating the issue of dementia in older people from the standpoint of a mental health nurse. The paper will discuss and critically evaluate the significance of the problem for older people. Prevalence of dementia in older people and its effects on the critical life functions will be discussed. The paper will analyze the challenges, which mental health nurses face, while trying to deliver high quality nursing care. Other aspects of mental health care will be discussed, including nursing paradigms and therapeutic approaches, the role and the boundaries of a mental hea lth nurse in dementia care, and the role of effective planning and nurse-patient interactions in caring for older patients suffering from dementia. Legal and ethical factors of dementia care will be evaluated. This paper will expose the key problems related to mental health nursing and its role in dementia care. Practical recommendations for mental health nurses will be provided. ... ing those with dementia, constantly grows, and (b) dementia requires that nurses develop complex approaches to care, in order to reduce its negative influence on other life functions. The World Health Organization believes that the growing proportion of older people to the total population is a global phenomenon, and increasing age turns chronic health conditions into the issue of the main health importance (Anonymous 2009a). Among the most common health problems in older people, mental health disorders and cognitive impairments feature prominently (Anonymous 2009). Dementia and depression as the two most widely spread forms of chronic mental conditions later in life (Anonymous 2009a). Needless to say, the higher the proportion of older people to the general population, the more acute the problem of dementia grows. In its 2009 report, WHO estimated that almost 36 million of older people worldwide would be diagnosed of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in 2010 (Sorrell 2010). Th is number is likely to double every 20 years (Sorrell 2010). These statistical results have far-reaching implications for health care systems’ operation and functioning. These implications are equally relevant to mental health nurses. Nurses need skills and knowledge to anticipate the development of cognitive changes in the older people and guarantee high quality care, which reduces social stigmatization of patients with dementia and improves their life and wellbeing. The problem is dangerous and complicated in the sense that dementia produces multiple negative effects on life and health functioning in older people. According to The World Health Organization, quality of life is â€Å"an individual’s perceptions of their position in life in the context of the culture and value system in which

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Object Database Management System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Object Database Management System - Essay Example There are two most important factors that lead users to implement object database technology. Firstly, relational databases turn out to be cumbersome to use with composite data. Secondly, data is usually operated by application software written using object-oriented programming languages such as C++, Java, Delphi and C#, and the code required translating between this demonstration of the data and the tuples of a relational database can be dreary to write, and prolonged to execute. This variance between the models used to represent information in the application programs and the database is sometimes referred to as an impedance variance. Now a day Client-Server applications that depends on a database on the server as a data store while servicing requests from multiple clients are quite ordinary. The majority of these applications use a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) because their data store while using an object oriented programming language for development. The "impedance mismatch" caused as a result of having to map objects to tables and vice versa has long been accepted as an essential performance penalty. Object-oriented databases are designed to work well with object-oriented programming languages such Java, C#, and C++. ODBMS used exactly the same model as object-oriented programming languages. Object database management systems added the notion of persistence to object programming languages. The early commercial products were integrated with various languages: GemStone (Smalltalk), Gbase (Lisp), and Vbase. (COP). COP was the C Object Processor, a proprietary language based on C that pre-dated C++. For much of the 1990s, C++ dominated the commercial object database management market. Vendors added Java in the late 1990s and more recently, C#. (Object database - Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia) Theory We now introduce some basic concept of general system theory. This is essentially a way of understanding a system in terms of those components and characteristics that are common to all systems. We use the term system here in a very specific sense; although one that has much broader application than just computer systems. In everyday speech people may refer to the legal system, a tropical storm system, the system of parliamentary democracy, an eco-system, a system for winning at roulette, a computer system in someone's office, a system for shelving books in a library, a system-build house and many more. Some of these certainly meet our definition of a system and others do not. Probably the only thing that they all have in common is that they have some kind of organization. But in general systems theory, a system is rather more than just anything that shows a degree of organization. Characteristics of a system A system exists in an environment. A system is separated from its environment by some kind of boundary. Systems have inputs and outputs. They receive inputs from their environment and send outputs into their environment. Systems have interfaces. An interface allows communication between two systems. A system may have sub-system. A sub-system is also a system, and may have further sub- systems of its own. Systems that endure have a control mechanism. System control relies on feedback (and sometimes feed-forward). These comprise information about the system's operations or its

Monday, September 23, 2019

Mental Health Counseling Field (Social Work perspective) Essay

Mental Health Counseling Field (Social Work perspective) - Essay Example It is the belief of Marx that a struggle among social classes will engineer the change required (Marx, 2008). According to Kirst Ashman, structural reasons are common causes of poverty, which fall under the economic and political systems. The economic factor of poverty occur where wages are low for the working class and not adequately fulfilling the survival needs of the workers, hence they remain under the poverty line. The movements of industrialists to North America where there are cheap production costs have also increased poverty because the availability of employment has decreased (Ashman, 2010). The consequences of poverty are declining healthcare where most of the employment paying their workers poorly provides no healthcare policies. Insurance policies have forbidding costs that the lower class people cannot afford to raise. Nearly 15 per cent of citizens in the U.S. do not have health insurance cover. Poverty in families causes poor educational quality. It is a fact that the highest number of cases of people dropping out of school are from the poor class in the society. The poor are not as educated as the rich are. The housing conditions of the poor are also unaffordable since of them live in inferior housings. Their property owners neglect them. Many of the poor people cannot afford to pay their rent. According to the Marxist, a culmination of socialist revolution is to be expected. Moshack, 2011, defines generalist practice as the application of diverse professional skills and roles in social work practice. The generalist practice is an ethical model based on a knowledge base, where social work is developed and based on values enhanced by social work (Ashman & Hull, 2007). Social workers utilize this practice to engage, advocate and educate clients. They work with both individuals and communities in various social work settings. General practitioners involved in mental health have the obligation to view clients from the perspective of strength.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Tata Indica Essay Example for Free

Tata Indica Essay Inception Tata Motors Limited is Indias largest automobile company, with revenues of Rs. 24,000 crores (USD 5. 5 billion) in 2005-06. By far it is the leader in commercial vehicles in each segment. It is also the second largest in the passenger vehicles market with winning products in the compact, midsize car and utility vehicle segments. The company is the worlds fifth largest medium and heavy commercial vehicle manufacturer. Established in 1945, Tata Motors presence indeed cuts across the length and breadth of India. . The companys manufacturing base is spread across Jamshedpur, Pune and Lucknow, supported by a nation-wide dealership, sales, services and spare parts network comprising over 2,000 touch points. Close to 4 million Tata vehicles ply on Indian roads, since the first rolled out in 1954. The foundation of the companys growth over the last 50 years has been a deep understanding of economic stimuli and customer needs, and the ability to translate them into customer-desired offerings through R;D. Established in 1966, the companys Engineering Research Centre, with 1,400 engineers and scientists, has developed pioneering technologies and products. Today the company has RD centers in Pune, Jamshedpur, Lucknow, in India. And not only this, it also has RD centers in South Korea, Spain, and the UK. The pace of new product development in Tata Motors has quickened. In 2005, the company created a new segment by launching the Tata Ace, Indias first indigenously developed mini-truck. The years to come will see the introduction of several other innovative vehicles, all rooted in emerging customer needs. Besides product development, the R;D centers of the company are also focusing on environment-friendly technologies in emissions and alternative fuels. GLOBAL PRESENCE Today, Tata branded vehicles can be seen in several countries like Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South East Asia and South Asia. So, Tata Motors is not only at the forefront of the Indian automobile industry, it is also one of Indias best known brands in international markets. Tata Motors is the first company from Indias engineering sector to be listed in the New York Stock Exchange (September 2004). It has also emerged as a global automotive company. In 2004, it acquired the Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company, Koreas second largest truck maker. The rechristened Tata Daewoo Commercial Vehicles Company has already begun to launch new products. In 2005, Tata Motors acquired a 21% stake in Hispano Carrocera, a reputed Spanish bus and coach manufacturer, with an option to acquire the remaining stake as well. Hispanos presence is being expanded in other markets. In 2006, the company formed a joint venture with the Brazil-based Marcopolo, a global leader in body-building for buses and coaches, to manufacture and assemble fully-built buses and coaches. Tata Motors already distributes and markets Fiat branded cars in India. To establish an industrial joint venture in India to manufacture passenger vehicles, engines and transmissions for the Indian and overseas markets; Tata Motors and the Fiat Group have recently signed a memorandum of understanding. The companys commercial and passenger vehicles are already being marketed in several countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South East Asia and South Asia. It has assembly operations in Malaysia, Kenya, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Russia and Senegal. These acquisitions will further extend Tata Motors global footprint, established through exports since 1961. Product: TATA INDICA V2 The Brand value Indica, the first truly Indian car heralds India’s arrival on the global automobile arena. The company strives to make the Indica accessible to the value-seeking Indian, without compromises. It is a trustworthy, reliable car that appeals to the head as well as the heart. The brand is recognized as one of the strongest and most enduring of the past decade and has consistently figured amongst the most trusted brands in industry surveys. The Tata Indica catapulted the Indian automobile industry into the big league of the global arena. It has been created in an industry rife with global competition, requiring huge financial investment and scale as well as high technological competence. Facts about Indica  · Tata Motors is the youngest passenger car company in the world.  · The car came into being – concept freeze to launch – in just 31 months.  · The name, Indica, was derived from two words – India’s Car.  · The Indica sold its second 100,000th car in a record period of less than 18 months. Indica’s investment of Rs. 19. 20 billion for a capacity of 150,000 cars achieved cash profits in its third year and net profits in its fourth.  · Indica catapulted Tata Motors as the second largest player in the Indian passenger vehicle market.  · In the Indian car industry, Indica Club is the largest brand loyalty program.  · Indica is instrumental in creating a Rs. 46 billion pas senger car business for Tata Motors within five years of its launch.  · Indica investment became EVA positive in its fifth year – a rare distinction in the automobile world. As compared to others who manufacture lower B segment cars; Tata Motors (Telco) has drawn up a clear cut strategy that highlights the fact that their only competitor is Palio in the B segment. This is their USP in a market dominated by luxury and super premium cars. They expect demand from Spain, Malta, Italy and Portugal and are striving for markets in UK, Iran and China. Their Goal is the international market in the long term. They aim for 20 per cent of business from the international market. Realizing the potential of Indica, Telco modified the model and launched Indiva – a MPV concept – at the Geneva Auto Fair in Switzerland. The Tata Indica v2 sedan is likely to be launched in the second half of the next fiscal year. The Sedan has been styled by IDEA – the Italian design house that penned Indica. The result is a well-proportioned but conservative-looking midsize car. The invitation to the motoring media to â€Å"Go on, try them yourself† at the WesBank raceway in December 2005 contributed to the high level of media attention. This open and honest approach to communicating the value of their products served well for the ongoing building of the Tata brand in South Africa. Given the progress the Tata Group has made in the past 10 years and the scope for involvement and growth in numerous sectors in South Africa and rest of Africa, Tata can be expected to shift gears upwards soon. Ratan Tata has emphasized his group’s commitment to the South African market, commenting that â€Å"the arrival of our cars in South Africa is the fulfillment of a desire I have held since I first came here†¦ our countries can do much together and we are focusing seriously on our presence here – we will not take away but will add to South Africa. † Product Though a late entrant, the Indica quickly established itself as the benchmark for the segment. By offering exciting features, the car changed the rules of the category in Space, Power, Style, Safety and Economy for international market. The Indica ensured a pleasant ride and handling experience as it had features like wide large tyres, generous leg room and independent front and rear suspension. It developed a new segment of diesel small cars along with its petrol offering. The luggage space was also the best in its class. The rigid 980 kgs steel body of the car was rigorously tested at Indias first and only crash test facility. A collapsible steering wheel, impact absorbing bumpers, anti-submarine seats, crumple zones and side impact beams are just a few of the features that make the Indica one of the safest cars on the roads today. Savings are ensured with the fuel-efficient 1. 4L diesel engine, while the 1. 4L petrol engine is optimized for performance. The foray into the export markets with the Indica would commence only after meeting the initial requirements of the domestic market. However, the company will commence development of the export model, work on homologation and ensure that the car meets all the norms of the markets abroad. Indica features for international market:  · Collapsible steering column  · Side-impact beam  · Energy-absorbing crumple zones in the front  · Anti-submarine seats  · Child-safety locks on rear doors  · Laminated front and rear windshield glass Promotion ‘More car per car’ is the famous tagline of this product. The Indica’s positioning has remained consistent with the brands offering in an increasingly competitive market. The Indica is now synonymous with the word ‘More, by encapsulating the inherent product strengths and marrying them with the customer trait of desiring ‘More’. A promotion strategy for Indica v2 in international market is more or less same as that of the Indian market. Media innovations have been a key to the success of the Indica. The positioning was strengthened with the successful launch of the Indica V2, which assumed the leadership position in the year of its launch. The Indica v2 was launched in the international market only through the press medium, with three diesel versions and a petrol version, and this campaign shattered many automobile advertising myths. The car was launched without any television advertising, but through high-impact newspaper ads, dominating the medium and delivering the desired impact. The campaign redefined the competition by keeping away from the ‘small car’ nomenclature. Headlines such as ‘You’ll never have to suffer a small car again’ assisted customers in distinguishing between their old choices and the Indica. This, in effect, placed the Indica on the pedestal of leadership, set to change the rules of the game. A recent campaign for the Indica V2 has helped in building the product on the rational platform and adds an emotional layer. Anchored on the insight ‘It’s only human to want more’, the campaign revolves around interesting candid moments in the daily lives of normal everyday people who desire more; be it a boy wanting the other boy’s bigger lollipop, or a baby crying when her parents stop driving her around in the Indica V2. The latest campaign moves to the ‘Even more car per car’ positioning. Place Tata automobile group have a very large distribution network all over the world. Tata Indica v2 is exported and assembled in many countries. South Africa has an assembling unit for consumer vehicles. Other places where the company’s products (Tata Indica) are exported and in some assembled also are mentioned below:  · Africa :- Algeria , Angola , Ethiopia , Ghana , Kenya , Mauritius , Sudan , Uganda , South Africa , Senegal etc.  · Europe: Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, UK and Ireland.  · CIS : Belarus, Russia, Ukraine.  · Asia: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Sri-Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan.  · Australia continent Price: Tata Motors adopted a competitive pricing strategy for Indica in the global market. Prices were fixed on the basis of the norms prevailing in the international market. Also the prices offered by their competitors like Toyota, Ford, Fiat, were kept in mind while deciding the prices. Brand Image Indica, the first truly Indian car heralds India’s arrival on the global automobile arena. It strives to make the Indica accessible to the value-seeking Indian, without compromises. A trustworthy, reliable car that appeals to the head as well as the heart. Truly ‘More car per car’ the brand has consistently figured amongst the most trusted brands in industry surveys and is recognized as one of the strongest and most enduring of the past decade. Created in an industry rife with global competition, requiring huge financial investment and scale as well as high technological competence, the Tata Indica catapulted the Indian as well as automobile industry into the big league of the global arena. For Indica V2 brand building, Tata Engineering roll out media blitz Tata Engineering is all set to launch an aggressive multi-media ad campaign, in a bid to boost sales and build the brand image of its new launch, Tata Indica V2. While launching the Indica V2 in international market, the company had released only announcement ads to create awareness for the new launch. And now to promote Indica V2, the company plans to roll out a media blitz. The main objective of the multi-media campaign is to further build perfect global brand image for Indica V2 in highly competitive international market or global automobile market. And the new media blitz will include a print campaign, comprising a series of press advertisements, outdoor-media campaign, television commercials and ground promotions.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Witness essay Essay Example for Free

Witness essay Essay HENRY LAWSON:- Many composers have been successful in using distinctly visual elements to create a particular image to reveal their own vision of the world. Henry Lawson is able to portray his image that life in the bush is not romantic. One can see this message portrayed through the short stories ‘the drovers wife’ and ‘in a dry season’. However Douglas Stewart portrays his perception of the destructive nature of mankind visually through his poems ‘wombat’ and ‘nesting time’ Firstly in Lawson’s â€Å"The drovers wife† we see how he personally views his perspective as being part of a group of people. He represents this through various language techniques and direct quotes to show the perception of belonging he has developed. Through the use of rhetorical questions â€Å"who are these shadows† through this quote he shows us that in the beginning he has no sense of belonging with that particular group of people. We see the use of peaceful imagery â€Å"moonlight plain† to show us that the shadows he may belong to are not necessarily dark and evil. In this poem we see how there’s a sense of mystery as to whether he belongs or not through the quote â€Å"The bearded faceless men† hence showing he does not belong. But later on in the poem he also quotes they â€Å"stood shoulder to shoulder† showing that he may belong and or be part of their circle. Hence, we can see his point of view. Furthermore we can see how a point of view is shown in Lawson’s story in a dry season. We see this through various language techniques and quotes. The quote â€Å"our lady watched† shows us that even though he never grew up in a certain group he still had something far stronger than a group of peers monitoring his every step and guarding him through he’s schooling days this shows the strong sense of belonging he developed with the school. The Quote â€Å"like a foreign tourist† shows us that peter never had a sense of belonging with that particular group even though he had been part of them for years but he still failed to integrate himself with them. The quote for â€Å"eight years† shows us that peter never felt as though he belonged to the school although he abided by the rules and dressed in the correct uniform, Hence, showing us both his point of view. Finally in the poem â€Å"Wombat† we can see how different people view belonging through many different emotive quotes. We see how the wombat goes down a long road from not belonging to belonging, we see this through the quote â€Å"from f lag burner to patriot† this shows us that he felt through he never belonged but  with time came his sense of identity which played a major role in helping him belong. We also see his journey from not belonging to belonging because he burnt the Australian flag but later on in his life had it put up as an ironic symbol in his room hence, we see how it views the word belonging. This is evident that a person can go from belonging to not belonging and that belonging is viewed differently by different people. This can be linked back to the poem ancestors as in the poem peter feels as though he does not belong at all just when he burn down the Australian flag but later on goes to discover his identity and realizes the flag is a part of him while Lawson knows that he does not belong to his ancestor at the moment but may belong to them in the final destination reached in the peaceful nature in comparison it can also be linked back to wombat as in the poem we can see how he has no sense of belonging just as first but later on found out and established his own notion of belonging. Hence, we can see both notions of belonging. In conclusion many composers have been successful in using distinctly visual elements to create a particular image to reveal their own vision of the world. Henry Lawson is able to portray his image that life in the bush is not romantic. One can see this message portrayed through the short stories â€Å"The drovers wife† and â€Å"In a dry season†. However Douglas Stewart portrays his perception of the destructive nature of mankind visually through his poems ‘wombat’ and ‘nesting time†.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Zombie Horror Genre Film Studies Essay

The Zombie Horror Genre Film Studies Essay -The zombie horror Genre is the theme and genre that will be analyzed to understand the detailed examination of a recurring pattern between these types of movies. There will be many examples of the films from this genre to support my arguments. The literary influences on the genre such as Richard Matheson helped to usher in a new type of monster that was caused by humans through contamination. George A. Romeo built upon this idea to give us more and different types of ideas. The variations and changes within the genre over the years has been one that consisted of far off set and poorly constructed monsters. The impact of particular individuals on the genre such as George A. Romeo has lead to a completely different kind of movie. The importance of social and economic forces on the genre has influenced a resurrection of the horror zombie genre. The world in horror films is inclined to end with alarm not quietly but the type of alarm depends on the film. The main prevailing manner of ma ss annihilation in horror movies is reason they are so interesting. Each film will divulge something fascinating about our society and the uncertainties and fears that we all share. An exceptional zombie movie will make you sympathize with the characters and build on the plot to allow for a real deep developed film. Zombie movies pick out are darkest fears and put them into film to scare us whether it may add political undertones. These movies depict the world being completely empty from the evil undead monsters because they have destroyed social order. Zombie movies need a strong lead character that is willing to fight for all the members of the team and for the less fortunate that are in need. These films tend to have dark scenes and lighting setting the mood for fear and adrenaline to scare the audience. They have poorly lit at night in a familiar location where help is not available or never seems to come. There are terrible hidden secret that tends to be overly shocking. They tend to have a tragic hero that never wanted to be that is searching for their own family members. The monsters or villains never truly die and can always be brought back or explained why they never truly died. Cliffhangers are a main theme of horror movies as it can always be left open to the idea of a sequel The older zombie movies depicted viral pathogens. An immense global epidemic state of affairs became progressively more popular in the 1970s. As greater than before sexual freedom, elevated the distress of infectious ailments such as sexually transmitted diseases. By the turn of the 21st century, the increases of notable illness like swine flu, AIDS, SARS and the Ebola virus. This allowed these sort of end of the world movies to be a popular subject of horror films. Zombie movies have changed from the early days of the original zombie films. These modern zombie flicks bring a completely new dimension. Back in the day, either a chemical spill or voodoo curse that could cause the dead to rise. The Night of the Living Dead zombie movie was a revolutionary interweave into this film. This may have been the start of a new type of zombie film. George Romeros Night of the Living Dead reinvented zombie tradition in 1968. The zombie apocalypse of the past the graphic violence was able to repro duce the amplified glumness of the Vietnam War period. In the modern times, the zombie apocalypse has had a resurrection, prompted by worries of terrorism, disease, and global flux, which is basically a division of the viral infection. The zombie contagion in which a pathogen triggers the dead to rise has undertaken an existence of its own regard since then. The Last Man on Earth (1964), The Plague of the Zombies (1966), Night of the Living Dead (1968), The Omega Man (1971), The Crazies (1973), Rabid (1977), Dawn of the Dead (1978), Burial Ground: Nights of Terror (1981), Day of the Dead (1985), Dead Alive (1992), 28 Days Later (2002), Shaun of the Dead (2004), Angry and Moist: An Undead Chronicle (2004), Dawn of the Dead (2004), Land of the Dead (2005), 28 Weeks Later (2007), Planet Terror (2007), I Am Legend (2007), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), Mulberry Street (2007), Day of the Dead (2008), Doomsday (2008), Diary of the Dead (2008), The Signal (2008), Zombieland (2009), Carr iers (2009), Pontypool (2009) and The Crazies (2010). The movie and all its successors initiate the zombie film to generate numerous copycats that used the fundamentals establishment by George A. Romero. Some of these such movies are: Tombs of the Blind Dead (1971), Zombie (1979), Hell of the Living Dead (1980), Night of the Comet (1984), Return of the Living Dead (1985), Night of the Creeps (1986), Children of the Living Dead (2001), House of the Dead (2003).. The video game series Resident Evil that was eventually made into films in 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2010 and the video games series Dead Rising (2006). Night of the Living Dead is spoofed in movies such as Night of the Living Bread (1990) or Shaun of the Dead (2004). Some of the television shows are that have used the idea are Buffy the Vampire Slayer, South Park, Pink Eye (1997), Halloween Spectacular of Spooky Doom (2001) and FBI Warning of Doom (2002). There are also others such as Night of the Living Homeless (2007), Medium; Bite Me (2009), The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror III (1 992), XIII (2004) and XX (2009). Operation Doom (2010) George A. Romeros movie Night of the Living Dead leads in the splatter film sub-genre. Prior to this film horror had frequently portrayed people in bad costumes, rubber masks, cardboard arrays or shadowy figures that creep around mysteriously. They were set in locations distant from suburban and rural America. Romero exposed the influence behind utilization and setting horror in common and normal locations. This offered a model for creating a successful and profitable film on a very small development budget. The slasher movies of the 1970s and 1980s to name a few notable ones such as John Carpenters Halloween (1978), Sean S. Cunninghams Friday the 13th (1980), and Wes Cravens A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). All of these movies are indebted to the original concepts Night of the Living Dead, which they later used to inspire them in their own films. Each of these films was successful in their own right and adds something new to the horror genre. This movie I Am Legend (2007) is not a zombie movie but it does fit into the idea that a plague has changed the human population and destroyed it. I Am Legend (2007) is a remake of the original The Omega Man. It is from the genre of the drama, horror, sci-fi and thriller. A year after an infection destroys nearly all of humanity and changes the rest into monsters. The sole survivor in New York City strives boldly to find a cure. Richard Mathesons literary novel did influence many movies such as The Last Man on Earth written in 1964, Night of the Living Dead (1967), The Omega Man in 1971 and I Am Omega (2007. The movie Night of the Living Dead (1967) spurred the genre in a new direction for many years to come. Robert Neville was an ordinary person who was caught up in extraordinary circumstances. Neville is a scientist who was powerless to prevent the spread of the horrifying virus that was untreatable and fabricated by man. Neville is resistant and now the final human being survivor in what remains of New York City and possibly the whole world. Neville has dependably transmitted daily radio messages for three years. He is burdened to locate any other survivors who may be out there. Nonetheless, he is never truly alone because altered victims of the infection the contaminated skulk in the darkness watching his every move. They are waiting for him to make a critical error in judgment. He has hope to able to save humankind but he knows that time is running out. Neville wants to discover a technique to undo the problems of the virus using his own blood, which is immune. This is his one mission that drives him to keep going each day. Dawn of the Dead (2004) is an action, drama, horror and is a remake of the original movie Dawn of the Dead (1978). It was George A. Romero who was able to transform and modernize the zombie horror film genre by means of producing Night of the Living Dead this movie represented a new dawn in horror filmmaking. The film has also successfully been able to distinguish the use of the expression zombie. This is one example of the serene beginning to a zombie horror film that extra long. The sky view is the picture of perfect serenity. It all creates a more tragic scene when quite surprisingly, morning comes all too excessively soon. With morning, all that is rational ceases to exist. The pure pandemonium of the circumstances of an epidemic of a deadly virus that turns those infected into the undead. It comes so abruptly that it clutches the viewer from beginning to end. A nurse, a police officer, a young married couple, a sales representative and many other survivors of a worldwide afflict ion band together to fight for their lives. The affliction is producing aggressive, flesh-eating zombies and the survivors procure shelter in a shopping mall. This is a nightmare of a horror movie, which contains real horror thrills. The survivors protected at the abandoned local mall. People not being content to fight just an outside force must also be fighting with each other. The infection begins slithering increasingly close to bring them all to the threshold of extermination. The zombies are extremely quick and a lone bite from them leads to bleak fate of mindlessness and but solitary gunshot to the head prevents them. 28 Days later (2002) is of the genre horror, sci-fi, and thriller. This movie is about a rage virus that forces the contaminated crazy person to be hungry for blood and filled with extreme rage. Within 28 days or four weeks after the mysterious outbreak, that takes place in London. A few remaining survivors attempt to locate a sanctuary, while the incurable virus spreads throughout the United Kingdom. The entire population is either dead or evacuated leaving behind bloodthirsty contaminated inhabitants and a few of the solitary unaffected individuals. Civilization has come to a standstill; the inhuman suffererà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s frequent attacks devastate the social order, while those limited survivorà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s battle for continued existence. Danny Boyleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s 28 Days Later is a classic among a multitude of zombie and biohazard movies. This movie contains within it that there is always a tinge of sadness, emptiness, helplessness. A prime example is the empty Lon don scene with that background music. This films utmost accomplishment is to allow the audience to remain unbiased all the way through the movie. This is exclusive of picking either side this is because the virus is simply used as a metaphor. Dead and undead both can be sympathized with since neither truly wants to be in either predicament. Rage is depicted as a serious social disease. That idea allows the film to a much more serious one and not just another zombie movie. It is a movie with a message to the audience to wake up and look around them at the social disorder that is already occurring every day. Resident Evil (2002) movie the film adaptation based on a video game. The genre is action adventure horror. It became a successful franchise video game series Resident Evil that was eventually made into films in 2002, 2004, 2007 and 2010. Paul W. S. Anderson was the director of this particular movie but with each movie, the director changed. This may have helped keep the movies fresh and inspired. A special military division battles an authoritative, unmanageable supercomputer that has engineered a virus. After a laboratory accident, many scientists have mutated into zombies. It has turned most of the scientists and employees of the facility into rampaging flesh eating zombies. Much gunfire, combating, explosions aid in developing the mysterious cliffhanger ending that leaves things extensive unwrapped for another sequel. Up until this point, the zombie movie theme seemed to be much outdated. They were still making them throughout the 1990s but we they were not as popular as films li ke that George A. Romero did. Nothing was particularly innovative or exhilarating was being made with the zombie concept. The one place where it was really doing well was in the world of gaming such as Resident Evil. Even when a film is in production, very few movies based on these games stick to the intended story line. Resident Evil brought resurgence to the zombie movie subgenera and was hot again. More and more zombie movies were being made and Most zombie films start with the picture of perfect serenity to allow the viewers to get comfortable before the mayhem begins. The viewers are allowed to learn a little bit about the character and get to like them. Once you begin to like the character then they are eradicating in a gruesome way and the viewer feels for them. They feel like they personally have gotten to know some of their journey and feels for them. Fans of zombie movies may be a smidgen dissatisfied when a movie takes a while for the zombies to show up and start their mayhem. These types of movies are trying to establish a plot and story line. Most films are by-product of other action, science fiction and zombie films. Another type of opening scene that is popular is the sudden and fearful jolt of a tense and terrifying opening sequence. A film that moves at a brisk pace that uses slow motion so the viewer can catch important scenes. Fan are much more interested in these types of scenarios but they do leave little t o the imagination of what the movie is really about. Most of these movies do have a satisfying conclusion are the only real problem areas in the horror movie genre. This is to be expected in the genre as not all the questions can ever be answered and some mystery must be left for sequels if they are to follow. Being that they are horror movies characters no matter how much you like them, they must die in order to continue with the story line. In zombie films the characters are picked off one by one People must work together to survive in a horror film and if they do not overcome their differences and band together they will survive until the end. The characters come from all occupations to learn to get along collectively. Almost immediately more survivors arrive and they discover that if they wish to remain alive, they should bond together as the army of undead overruns the world. The genre is every changing and having new life breathed into it as new film makers finish school and are inspired to change the old into something new and f resh.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Bipolar Disorder and the Essay example -- Biology Essays Research Pape

Bipolar Disorder and the "War on Drugs" Bipolar disorder, also known as, "manic-depressive illness," is a brain disorder that results in unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. More than two million American adults (or, about one per cent of the population aged eighteen and older in any given year) are afflicted by this affective disorder (1). Yet, because it cannot be revealed by a blood test or other physiological means, patients may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Fortunately, once one is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, the acute symptoms of the disease can be effectively mitigated by lithium and certain anticonvulsant drugs, the most popular being Depakote (also known as valproate). However, not all drugs are created equal. The New York Times recently featured an article elucidating that Lithium, the first drug utilized to treat bi-polar disorder, is more conducive to preventing suicide in people who have manic-depressive illness than Depakote, what has become the most commonly prescribed drug (2).. The new study, published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, found that patients taking Depakote were 2.7 times as likely to kill themselves as those taking lithium (2).. Although studies conducted prior to this have concluded that lithium could in fact prevent suicide, this report is the first to compare suicide and attempted suicide rates in lithium and Depakote users (2). Approximately fifty years ago, lithium "opened the modern era of psychopharmacology (3)." Its therapeutic effect is indeed very rapid. Administered in the form of lithium carbonate, it is most potent in treating the manic phase of a bipolar affective disorder; once the mania... ...ring of patients and critical treatment experimentation and evaluation may help physicians soon find peace. Sources Cited 1. National Institute of Mental Health: Bipolar Disorder http://%20www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm 2. New York Times, 9/17/03: An Older Bipolar Drug Is Linked to Fewer Suicides in a Study (Denise Grady) 3. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 2001. Long-term Clinical Effectiveness of Lithium Maintenance Treatment in Types I and II Bipolar Disorders (Leonardo Tondo, MD) http://bjp.rcpsych.org/cgi/content/full/178/41/s184%20 4. Physiology of Behavior (textbook, 7th edition, Neil R. Carlson) 5. American Psychiatric Association. Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients With Bipolar Disorder; Part B: Background Information and Review of Available Evidence http://www.psych.org/clin_res/bipolar_revisebook_5.cfm

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Bitterness, Weariness and Impotence in Hardys Tess of the dUbervilles

Bitterness, Weariness and Impotence in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Ubervilles In his novel Tess of the d'Ubervilles, as well as much of his poetry, Thomas Hardy expresses his dissatisfaction, weariness, and an overwhelming sense of injustice at the cruelty of our universal fate  - disappointment and disillusionment. Hardy argues that the hopes and desires of Men are cruelly thwarted by a potent combination of "all-powerful Nature, fate, unforeseen accidents and disasters, and tragic flaws" (Mickelson 32). Although Tess, the heroine of the novel, is fully realized with physical, emotional, and mental attributes, grasping desperately to be her own master, she is nevertheless overpowered, becoming a victim of circumstance, nature, and social hypocrisy. Likewise, Hardy's dark realities bleed into and saturate his poems. First, Hardy personifies Nature as a main character in the novel. Instead of allowing the influence of Nature to show only in weather and seasonal changes, allowing the reader to sense the plot, Hardy creates a Nature who is not the typical capricious but distant goddess. Instead, she is terrifyingly responsible for influencing and overpowering man. Hardy's Nature is not only essential for the subsistence of the entire farming countryside, but the waxing and waning cycles - in the weather, time of day, and season, - which seem to influence the actions of the characters. Every disastrous occurrence seems preordained by the mood of Nature. Before Prince, the Durbeyfield horse, is killed, Tess' brother wonders at "The strange shapes assumed by the various dark objects against the sky; of this tree that looked like a raging tiger springing from a lair; of that which resembled a giant's head" (p. 24... ...rocess and the Case of Tess and Jude." New Perspectives on Thomas Hardy. Ed. Charles P. C. Pettit New York: St. Martin's, 1994. 16-40. Chapman, Raymond. " 'Good Faith, You do Talk!': Some Features of Hardy's Dialogue." New Perspectives on Thomas Hardy. Ed. Charles P. C. Pettit. New York: St. Martin's, 1994. 117-36. Hall, Donald. Afterward. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. By Thomas Hardy. New York: Signet, 1980. 417-27. Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the d'Urbervilles. 1891. New York: Signet Classic, 1980.   Jacobus, Mary. "Tess: the Making of a Pure Woman." Thomas Hardy's   Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea   House Publications, 1987. 45-60. Mickelson, Anne Z. Thomas Hardy's Women and Men: The Defeat of Nature. Metuchen: Scarecrow, 1976. Weissman, Judith. Half Savage and Hardy and Free. Middletown: Wesleyan UP, 1987.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Conflict and Generosity Within the Grapes of Wrath Essay

When a family becomes a victim to severe debt, attitudes change, the family tends to grow apart, and the members must cope. This was common during the Great Depression in the 1930’s after the collapse of the stock market, and a plethora of families flooded to California in search of a promising future. Home to Tom Joad and his family, the deteriorating economy of the Great Depression depicts the changing attitudes of many families and how they adapted to this difficult time period. The work captures how many families like the Joads have to change to accommodate the financial shortage of the 1930s, and how they grow with this struggle. With that, John Steinbeck constructs The Grapes of Wrath to include a family that is still generous in the midst of many trials and tribulations. The Grapes of Wrath depicts how great struggle is juxtaposed with an immense appetite for wealth, and how this conflict elicits generosity. John Steinbeck grew up around Salinas, California. Even though he was not raised by parents who were poor, he witnessed discrimination upon the many dust bowl migrant workers who came from states that were â€Å"less fortunate† like Oklahoma and Texas. Steinbeck channeled his anger and frustration from observing the heartbreak and struggle during the Great Depression into crafting The Grapes of Wrath. According to Carroll Britch and Cliff Lewis in their article â€Å"Growth of the Family in The Grapes of Wrath,† â€Å"Although it addresses issues of great sociological change, The Grapes of Wrath is at its core about the family and struggle of its members to assert their separate identities without breaking up the family. 1)† He utilized his aggravation for the people to illustrate the drastic changes that occur in the characters over a period of time, such as the way in which the community is altered when financial hardship is imminent. But for Tom Joad and his family, staying together as a whole is one aspect that has not yet been lost in the troubling times. Though the Joad family has had a great deal of troubling experiences, in a way this brings them closer holistically. The way that Steinbeck crafts the family to adapt to the varying conditions like when someone dies, or loses work, llustrates how the family becomes more resilient to variety. The Joads and many families like them must leave behind their felt notions of idealism and work towards an â€Å"I to We† relationship with the others if they are going to survive during this great struggle, especially with the way that nothing financial wise is stable during the depression. For a large percent of the population, the scarcity of funds leads to chaos within families and friends across America. The hedonistic views of the public drive people virtually insane, with car salesmen selling run-down vehicles for outrageous prices, to corrupted citizens stealing from stores who are going out of business. With money no longer an abundant commodity, banks and businesses began to shut down and fail, forcing many hard-working Americans to begin a life on the streets, which is not a welcoming new habitat by any stretch. This relates to the novel in that the Joads were forced out of their farm and had no choice but to flee to California in search of work and a brighter future, which appears to be a promising alternative. Though the trend to fall a victim to the circumstances is growing, there are still some people like Tom Joad and his family who do not seem to fit this statistic yet. When the family reaches the government camp Weedpatch, they to some extent â€Å"forget† about the troubles of the economy. Warren French in his article Chapter 6: From Naturalism to the Drama of Consciousness—The Education of the Heart in the Grapes of Wrath, states that, â€Å"The self- governing arrangement of the camp also makes the Joads feel like decent people again (4). This shows how despite the troubling situation, the Joads can still find remote happiness among a time of desperation. There is an apparent change in attitude once the Joads reach the Weedpatch camp. Warren French writes; â€Å"The easy atmosphere of the government camp, where—as one man observes—â€Å"We’re all a- workin’ together† (448), is in striking contrast to the tense atmosphere at the Hooper Ranch. There the prevailing attitudes are epitomized by a checker’s remark that putting holes in the bottom of buckets â€Å"keeps people from stealing them (4). This suggests that having others to work alongside of eases the tension of being forced to work for almost nothing. The atmosphere seems lighter at the Weedpatch camp due to the migrant workers having others with similar circumstances amongst them. This makes the thought of poverty less menacing because for the migrant workers at the camp, they are beginning to collaborate and become a unit. Another aspect of â€Å"working together† is shown after the miscarriage of Rosasharn’s baby. If the baby was not kin to Pa Joad and the family, he may never have been motivated to build a dike so his family can stay dry. Britch and Lewis quote Steinbeck in their article, â€Å"Well, we ain’t doin nothin’†¦. We can do her if ever’body helps. † Building the dike with Wainwright and the others replenishes Pa Joad’s spirit, and teaches him that there is way more to be achieved with the â€Å"We† attitude. A major turning point in The Grapes of Wrath transpires when Tom murders the man that killed Casy. Though Tom committed a crime, Ma Joad and the family suggest that hiding him from the authorities would be a decent idea. The family pleads for him to stay but quickly realizes he must leave to avoid getting arrested. This occurrence represents the growth of the family unit, the way they care for one of their own even though he is now a criminal shows the drastic change that has developed over the course of the Great Depression. This also depicts how the situation elicits generosity within the family. It is imperative that Tom leaves the family but aside that, Ma Joad and the others beg for Tom to stay. The difficult situation made them realize how quickly they can lose Tom, and with that the desire to help Tom is now apparent. The Joads have gone through a metamorphosis with their attitudes and thoughts towards one another. Due to the series of events the Joads have encountered, they have faced many obstacles and this brings them closer over all. A significant incident like this causes the family unit to become more protective over the other members, even after losing Tom, Noah, and Connie. All of the events that transpired along the course of the novel have affected the overall dynamic of the Joad family either positively or negatively, more so positively. With that, if nothing else, the experience of having to survive amongst one another in a time of great sociological downfall mends the family closer than one would think. The family traveled together, they slept together, and they even worked together. The Joads spent gratuitous amounts time as one unit just in completing those tasks, so even when bonding was not necessarily a part of the agenda, the way in which they became used to each other blossomed rather quickly into a stronger relationship for the family. Generosity amongst the Joad family was more or less noticeable in the beginning of the novel, and became more of a characteristic of the family as the story progressed. The hardships they faced along the way with searching for work subconsciously drew the family closer. The longer the Joads were among one another, and the more trials and tribulations they faced, generosity among the group developed into the norm. This transformed the Joads from the persona of an average family, into an inseparable unit of people who fought for one another.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Wikileaks Case Study

Case Facts: †¢WikiLeaks is an international, online, self-proclaimed not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of undisclosed and secret information, news leaks, and highly classified media from anonymous sources and whistleblowers. †¢The head of the online organisation, which was founded in 2006, is Australian born, Julian Assange. †¢Its purpose is to provide whistleblowers with a domain to publish their case to the public and preserve their identity (Lennon 2010). †¢Exposes various government and privately owned organisations. First major act of exposure was the publication of Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's emails by WikiLeaks (DeFraia 2012). †¢Another act of exposure released on its website showed a US military helicopter firing at a group of enemy suspects, which were in fact Iraqi civilians including children (DeFraia 2012). †¢Since the release of this video, WikiLeaks has publicly aired millions of confidential pu blications (WikiLeaks 2012). †¢WikiLeaks publishes war logs from Iraq: 400,000 confidential US documents on the Iraq war from 2004 to 2009 (DeFraia 2012). Interpol put Julian Assange on most-wanted list. Suspected of rape. As a result, Paypal cuts off WikiLeaks from using its services, thus ceasing donations (DeFraia 2012). DECISION MAKER: A decision maker by definition is someone who administers a business (Farlex 2012). In the case of WikiLeaks, according to the definition, this would be Julian Assange as he is the head of the WikiLeaks organisation. Ultimately it is Assange’s decision to release classified information to the general public through his website. ETHICAL ISSUES AND ASSUMPTIONS:The assumption that can be made in this case is that Julian Assange was always aiming to smear the reputation of certain organisations and expose classified information. His WikiLeaks website provided him with the medium to do this as it allowed people wanting to expose classified information to do so as an anonymous source. The controversy surrounding the WikiLeaks case, and discussion by the general public, centres on whether it is ethical to release private and confidential information to society. This is the main issue that the organisations that are being exposed are arguing as it is damaging to their reputation.Another issue is that from the perspective of the organisations that are hiding this confidential information. Should they be ethically bound to release all information that may affect the general public to society? In reality, WikiLeaks is acting unethically by invading people’s privacy in order to expose them, and is it really to the benefit of society? However, they argue that what they do is public disclosure whistleblowing, and they argue that the public has a right to know what its government is doing (Cox 2010). ETHICAL DILEMMA: The ethical dilemma in this case is found to be: To release classified information to the general publicO R Not to release classified information to the general public These two dilemmas have undesirable outcomes for the decision maker and all parties concerned. Releasing the information to the general public will cause continued criticism of WikiLeaks plus create a backlash for the organisations involved. To not release classified information to the general public could see organisations continue to get away with unethical acts. UTILITARIANISM: There are numerous parties who are directly and indirectly affected by both considered actions. These groups are: †¢Julian Assange †¢General public Informants releasing information to WikiLeaks (Whistleblowers) †¢Targeted organisations †¢Employees of targeted companies/organisations †¢WikiLeaks employees From a utilitarian framework point of view all of the above mentioned stakeholders need to be analysed on how the ethical dilemma will affect each of them. There will be positive and negative consequences for each of the parties, be it in the long term or short term. To release classified information to the general public †¢Julian Assange oReceive ongoing criticism and scrutiny from affected parties – short/long term oContinued support from whistleblowers – long term General public oWill continue to be informed about unethical practices by certain companies and organisations – long term oIncreased scepticism of large organisations and governments – long term †¢Whistleblowers oContinued support of WikiLeaks as a medium for publication of classified information – long term oEasy and anonymous alternative to traditional whistleblowing – short term †¢Targeted organisations oLoss of reputation because of the revelation of unethical practices – short/long term oMistrust from the public in the organisation because of unethical practices – short/long term oLoss of productivity – short/long term Employees of targeted organisations oAffected through downturn of productivity, which may result in them being made redundant/sacked – short/long term †¢WikiLeaks employees oRetain employment – long term Not to release classified information to the general public †¢Julian Assange oNo information to release – long term oCease in funding – long term oTermination of WikiLeaks as an organisation †¢General public oWon’t be made aware of unethical practices – long term †¢Whistleblowers oLose the medium to anonymously expose organisations partaking in unethical acts – long term †¢Targeted organisations Confidential information remains classified – long term oMaintain positive productivity – long term oReputation remains intact – long term †¢Employees of targeted organisations oWill maintain employment – long term †¢WikiLeaks employees oWill lose their jobs – long term Recommendation: When applying the utili tarianism framework to the ethical dilemma, the greatest good for the greatest number applies. In this case, the greatest good for the greatest number would be for WikiLeaks to release the classified information to the general public as they are the greatest number.This decision would negatively affect the organisations that are being exposed as well as their employees. Even though employees at these firms may subsequently lose their jobs because of the exposure of confidential information, the general public will be the greater benefactor as they will be made aware of the immoral actions of these organisations and thus be more cautious when it comes to interacting with them. Therefore I recommend the release of information to the general public. KANTIANISM: From a Kantian view point, the decision maker is obligated to act in the best interests of the general public as they are the main stakeholders.From the ethical dilemma, which is either to release classified information to the g eneral public or not to release classified information to the general public, two maxims are developed. In this case they are: To always be honest with the general public Or To never be honest with the general public Applying the Categorical Imperative: To always be honest with the general public The above maxim passes the universalisable test, as every organisation must always be honest with the general public, as then organisations will always be trusted and maintain a high standard of integrity.The maxim, to always be honest with the general public, also passes the Respect for Persons test, as the decision maker is being honest to the public and fulfilling his duty by respecting them as people. This maxim also passes the autonomy of rational beings assessment as it is not restricting their right to freedom of information. This action passes all the Categorical Imperative criteria, thus the maxim is ethical. To never be honest with the general public Again, using the universalisab le test, the second maxim does not pass.If every organisation is dishonest then this will lead to distrust of organisations concerned by the general public. As for the respect for persons test, this maxim also fails. As honesty is a sign of respect, then being dishonest to the general public is not respecting them as human beings. The last Categorical Imperative, autonomy of rational beings, also fails because the intent of the decision maker is to supply honest information to the general public, which in this case he would not do. Overall, this maxim fails in all three Categorical Imperative criteria, thus the action in unethical. Recommendation:From a Kantianism point of view, a maxim must pass all three Categorical Imperative tests in order for it to be declared ethical. In this case, the second maxim failed to pass all three tests and therefore cannot be judged ethical. However, the first maxim, to be honest with the general public, passed all three criteria and therefore can be determined as an ethical course of action for the decision maker. With regard to the case, the recommendation would be for WikiLeaks and Julian Assange to release classified information to the general public. RIGHTS ANALYSIS: The below rights are concerned with this ethical dilemma:Julian Assange †¢The negative right to freedom of speech, which obligates others not to take this right away from him. †¢The negative right to autonomy, which obligates other people to abstain from taking this right away from him. Informants releasing information to WikiLeaks (Whistleblowers) †¢The negative right to freedom of speech, which obligates others not to take this right away. †¢The negative right to autonomy, which obligates other people to abstain from denying this right. Targeted organisations †¢The negative right to confidentiality, which obligates others to refrain from denying them this right. The negative right to make decisions from a business perspective, which obligates others to resist from taking this away from them. †¢The negative right to autonomy, which obligates other people to abstain from denying this right. General public †¢The positive right to freedom of information, which obligates others not to deny them of this right. Clash: Under the rights framework, there is a clash between Julian Assange’s right to freedom of speech and the targeted organisation’s right to confidentiality. Recommendation: Due to the clash, it must be determined which right overrides the other.The targeted organisation’s right to confidentiality is deemed to be more important in the scheme of the situation in relation to Assange’s right to freedom of speech by releasing the information. As the information that the organisations are keeping confidential is often very sensitive, Assange must respect this right of these organisations. Therefore, it is recommended that the decision maker (Assange) not release the informat ion under the rights framework. CONFUCIAN ETHICS: Using this ethical framework, the ethical dilemma must be analysed against the relevant Confucian virtues. Ren:This virtue relates to humaneness with the goal of benefiting a workplace, community, sub-group or any relevant stakeholders. In relation to the case, Julian Assange can be seen to be acting humanely by informing the community of the wrongdoings of the organisations concerned. Yi: This virtue relates to righteousness or justice and involves doing what is ethically just in a certain situation, particularly from a business sense. In relation to the case, Assange is acting as a moral character by considering what is best for the general public and in turn acting justly and rightly by releasing the classified information to the public.Xin: This virtue relates to integrity and faithfulness. In relation to the case, Assange is acting with integrity by exposing wrongdoings to the general public and thus acting in adherence to moral and ethical principles. He is also displaying faithfulness to WikiLeaks followers as he continues to release information even though he is under scrutiny from various areas of society. Recommendation: In examining the case study against the relevant Confucian virtues it can be recommended that it would be appropriate for Julian Assange to release the information to the general public.In following the golden rule, do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself, I would not like important information kept from me. Therefore Assange is acting in accordance with this framework by releasing the information. FINAL RECOMMENDATION: In summary, after analysing the ethical dilemma against the four ethical frameworks, it can be concluded that the morally just course of action for the decision maker, Julian Assange, would be to release classified information to the general public. All four frameworks produced the same outcome through their different processes.From the organisatio ns’ viewpoint, they would like to keep the publications as classified as possible, however it is impossible for them to prevent parties who are aware of the information informing WikiLeaks of the wrongdoings. The act of supplying information to WikiLeaks is becoming increasingly popular because of the anonymous factor and is becoming a more favoured way of whistleblowing as there are no repercussions. A mitigation strategy for this case is not exactly clear cut. It’s hard for WikiLeaks to find an effective strategy that is as impactful and informative to the public.The strategy I have decided on is that Assange can inform the relevant authorities in a private manner if any organisations have demonstrated illegal activities, and only report on specific activities that are illegal. This will mean that the organisations that do have confidential information to protect will remain confidential. This strategy will also mean that the whistleblower will remain anonymous. This is a strategy similar to WikiLeaks, however it will mean that only the illegal actions are exposed and reported to the necessary authorities for them to announce to the general public. REFERENCES:Cox, T 2010, ‘Is WikiLeaks brave or unethical? ’, National Public Radio, 10 November 2010, viewed 21 September 2012. ; http://www. npr. org/2010/11/30/131699467/is-wikileaks-release-brave-or-unethical; DeFraia, D 2012, ‘WikiLeaks Timeline: key moments’, Global Post, 16 August 2012, viewed 21 September 2012. Farlex Inc 2012, Princeton University USA, viewed 22 September 2012. Lennon, R 2010, ‘Case Study of the WikiLeaks Whistleblower’, Dublin City University, viewed 21 September 2012. ; http://www. ruairi. info/ethics. pdf; WikiLeaks 2012, no source recorded, viewed 21 September 2012. ; http://wikileaks. org/;

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Business Research Process Essay

Abstract The business research process is an important tool that can help the marketing in a business. By using the steps of this process managers are able to make decisions based on the study of the consumer and target audience. It is also important to identify the competitors in order to stay profitable and competitive. Business Research Process The business research method involves the studying of all parts of a company, the customers, and the market to make important decisions for the business. The strengths and weaknesses of a company are evaluated but especially how a customer views their goods and merchandise. Management studies the competition and the industry that which they are a part of. As part of the management at AZ Alarm Company, I make use of the business research process myself. The first step in this process is to identify the significant competitors in the industry. In the alarm industry it is important to know what other companies are offering so that we stay competitive and bring in new customers while still making a profit. Most of this information is readily available and easy to obtain. The second step in the process is to study the customer or consumer. Doing this enables management to find out what the needs and wants are in order to create new products. By analyzing this information it is also to be determined the amount of money someone is willing to spend on these services. After this information has been gathered it is ready to be analyzed. Companies sometimes use the SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. This method enables a business owner or management to enhance their strengths and to figure out what needs to do to change their weaknesses into strengths. Opportunities need to be taken advantage of and utilized because they will not always be available. The target audience also needs to be taken into consideration. If a business is marketing to people that will not use or benefit from their product or service they will not be able to meet their full potential. This can also affect their profit and gain immensely. All of the steps in the business research method are only effective if the information is used and applied to develop and better their marketing strategies. Collecting and analyzing data is something that is ongoing and should be done continuously. As times and technology change so does a consumers wants, needs, and preferences. At AZ Alarm we are always to striving to have the newest and latest technology but also at a competitive price so that we stay on top. References Cooper, D., & Schindler, P. (2011). Business research methods (11th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Suttle, R. (2013). The Steps in a Business Research Process. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/steps-business-research-process-3294.html Suttle, R. (2013). What Is a Business Research Process?. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-research-process-3279.html

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Meaning of Life and Success Essay

The United States has no more important foreign relation ship than that of which it enjoys with Mexico, and vice versa. These two countries share interwoven societies and economies. Although there have been disagreements and turbulence between the two countries, which partnership is without these? The Strength of each country’s democracy is fundamental to the other’s. This relationship that the two countries share directly affects that lives of millions of Mexican and United States citizens everyday. Recently these two countries have become even more unified than ever before. Tackling issues such as Border Control, Countering Narcotics, Dealing with multiple Law enforcement agencies, Human Rights laws, trade and development, etc. There are many issues that they are mutually interested in and must deal with. Yet, there are some vast differences in which these two countries are run. There are also many similarities, which we must take into account. Both Democratic Governments have similar structures, containing a legislative, judicial, and executive branch. Yet, these structures are very different internally, containing specific duties that the other country’s branch may not have. The Executive Branch refers to the Presidential seat in both governments. The Presidency is a paramount institution, not only of the Mexican Government but of the US Government as well. The Countries entire political system is positioned around the presidency. In the United States the President also serves as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. The President appoints the cabinet and oversees the various agencies and departments of the Federal Government. The Executive Branch is checked by Congress which would be the Legislative Branch. In order for someone to become President, he or she must be a natural -born citizen of the United States. He or she must be at least 35 years of age and must have resided in the US for at least fourteen years. Once elected, the President must serve a term of four years, and may be re-elected only once. Now, the Executive Branch of the Mexican government is very similar to that of its neighbors, but there are some pivotal differences in the institution. Presidents are elected by a majority of registered voters in the thirty-one states and the Federal District. The President holds the formal titles of chief of state, head of government, and commander in chief of armed forces. The candidates must also be at least thirty-five years of age by election day. And they must not only be Mexican citizens by birth but must also be the offspring of Mexican Citizens by birth. Unlike the US, the candidate cannot have held cabinet post or a governorship, nor have been on active military duty during the six months prior to the election. Critics have labeled the presidency the â€Å"six year monarchy† due to the length of the term being six years, and because of the seemingly unchecked power that has resided in the office. Much of the presidential power is derived from the presidents direct and unchallenged control over both the state and the ruling party, the PRI. One of the Unique features of the Mexican Presidency that has caused a great uproar since the 1930’s is the process of presidential succession. Mexicos PRI presidents have enjoyed the right to personally name their successor. This privilege is known as the dedazo, which means the Tap. Also, one huge difference in the executive branch between the two governments is the issue of Vice Presidency. Mexico simply has no Vice President. Further reinforcing the presidents unchallenged power. Meanwhile the United States does have a Vice Presidential position . A position that is voted on in the same campaign as the President. They are looked at as more of a team, a two for the price of one deal. Legislative powers consist of the congress, which is divided into two chambers, the senate and the House of Representatives. Each member of the congress is elected by the people of his or her state. The Senate holds 100 seats, two seats per state. The House of Representatives seats are based on the poplation of each state, holding about 435 seats. The difference between these two is that a representatives term is for two years, while senators are elected for six year terms. In Mexico the legislative branch of government consists of a bicameral congress, El Congreso de la Union. This congress, like the US’s, is divided into an upper chamber, the senate, and a lower chamber, chamber of deputies. Just like the US, both chambers are responsible for the discussion and approval of legislation and the ratification of high-level presidential appointments. The senate consisted of sixty-four members, two members for each state and two representing the Federal District elected by a direct vote from the population for a six year term. In later years, as part of electoral reforms the size of the senate doubled in size and now holds 128 members. Since 1986 the house of deputies consisted of 500 seats. 200 of these seats are elected by a proportional representation from among large districts. Members of the Chamber of Deputies serve three year terms, All members are not allowed to run for re-election, but they may serve non-consecutive terms.