Positive Impacts of London Olympics to UK Economy Essay

Positive Impacts of London Olympics to UK Economy - Essay Example The impact of the Olympic Games to the United Kingdom will ever be felt and seen even after the games ended in relation to economic advancements, developments, and features, which include unmatched infrastructure and other economic impacts. the Olympic Games have led to rapid modernization of transport services. This is in relation to infrastructure such as then underground and Docklands Light Rail in an attempt to cut back on the pollution related to high transport rates. The country has also ripped benefits from the Olympic Games following the reduced congestion that was experienced because of expanded transport systems. This means that the UK gained substantially since without the Olympics the remaining infrastructure can still handle the reduced population using the transport system. In addition, the UK has benefited concerning the environment due to reduced emissions of both sound and noise. On the other hand, airports have received a significant boost from increased traffic from international tourists looking to enjoy the English culture after the tourism marketing from the Olympic Games. The United Kingdom has reaped the benefits of the Olympic Games on a large scale in all sectors of its economy. Therefore, in relation to this, it is safe to say that the Olympics were a blessing for the nation in spite of the costs involved in organizing the games. This shows how much the UK gained from international tourism, which brought in significant amounts of foreign exchange and sold more of the English culture to the rest of the world. It also creates an opportunity for international marketing of the UK as a tourist’s destination after the Olympics.... It also creates an opportunity for international marketing of the UK as a tourist’s destination after the Olympics. In addition to the economy, the Olympics have set the UK as a destination for business tourism; this is following packages developed by different companies in an attempt to cash in on the Olympics held in London. Such companies include Excel and O2 with a significant case of event venues tailored to meet the needs of business tourists due to the lack of dedicated international conference centres in the UK (Communities and Local Government 2009, p.49). In addition, following the influx of tourists, other industries such as housing and rent have enjoyed the benefits of the Olympics. In housing and accommodation services, the Olympic Games created an opportunity for property owners to rent out their properties to interested parties. This happened for prices similar to those that were used in previous Olympics, where the rental price went up by over ten times the nor mal going rate. As a result, the economy has reaped significant economic benefits in form of finances from domestic and international tourists who were interested in living near the venue of the games. In relation to transport, the United Kingdom has achieved substantial progress all thanks to hosting the Olympic Games since before the games were held; the country had to make preparations in readiness for the games, which means that there must have been infrastructural developments to handle the large amounts of traffic. In this case, traffic refers to both human and vehicular systems that include motor vehicles and trains meant to assist in the

Instructional strategies & approaches Essay Example for Free

Instructional strategies approaches Essay The beginning of the 20th century marked the focus on problem-based learning. This is the strategy that I would like to implement in the classroom. As what most teachers generally agree, problem solving together with several other core competencies (i. e. comprehending and composing, critical and creative thinking, and metacognition) is among the most important dimensions of thinking and learning (Jonassen,1994). Moreover, the ability to engage in effective and purposeful problem solving is critical to the development of individuals and their communities. As what Nickerson (1994) argues, problem solving is (1) at the core of the survival of individuals and communities interacting with an increasingly complex external environment; (2) essential to developing and sustaining a democratic society, and; (3) an increasingly sought-after high level cognitive ability in the knowledge workplace of today. But despite the acknowledgement of the importance of developing problem solving skills, relatively little research has been conducted on this theme in the field of instructional design (Jonassen, 1994). Moreover, within the existing research base, even fewer contributions have been made to the development of instructional design approaches for ill-structured or complex problem solving instruction. The majority of the instructional design literature in the area of problem solving instruction points to the use of particular instructional strategies to support the acquisition of problem solving skills (e. g. cognitive apprenticeships and simulations). However, these strategies have rarely been researched with sufficient rigor to ascertain their effectiveness in achieving the desired outcomes (Nickerson, 1994). Recent literature has dedicated a fair amount of attention to considering the methods for applying problem-based learning as an instructional strategy in the context of primary and secondary school contexts (Ennis, 1987; Baron R. J. Sternberg, 1998). The majority of this work has approached the application of problem-based learning to formal instruction from a conceptual or theoretical standpoint, with little reporting on empirical research studying the effectiveness of this approach. Research findings on learner performance The existing research on learner performance in problem-based learning environments is characterized in a number of ways: (1) most of the research conducted to date compares the impact of problem-based learning on learner performance to the instructional strategies that characterize traditional, classroom-based teaching. (2) The research studies tend to focus primarily on learner performance on standardized tests, rather than performance in complex and authentic transfer contexts, and (3) the studies generally measure performance in terms of outcome measures rather than process-measures of performance. In this context, the research on the impact of problem-based learning on student performance has generally shown that there are no statistically significant differences in learner performance when compared to performance of learners receiving lecture-based instruction (Bransford, et al. 1990). Student perceptions of the effectiveness of problem-based learning on their performance appears to be consistent with the general research findings. Although only one research study was identified regarding student perceptions of the effectiveness of problem based learning, it is worthwhile noting that in this study, students pointed to problem-based learning as a more effective method of instruction than traditional, lecture-based methods, while qualifying their observations by noting that traditional teaching methods are more effective for knowledge acquisition (Biggs Moore, 1993). Research findings on student attitudes There are a number of other research studies, in which students in problem-based learning environments reported significantly higher levels of motivation and satisfaction and where it is reported that problem-based learning enhances intrinsic interest in the subject matter to a greater extent than traditional instructional methods (Savery, 1992). Given the general finding that learners in problem-based learning environments report more positive attitudes and higher levels of motivation, it is important to consider the factors learners attribute to their favorable disposition toward problem-based learning. Research conducted by Wilson (1995) provides some insight into this, reporting that students in problem-based learning curricula perceived their curriculum to be more stimulating and enjoyable than traditional instructional methods. In addition, research conducted by Bransford, et al.(1990) reports that students in problem-based learning environments rated their curriculum more favorably for democratic decision making, and for supporting effective interaction among peers. Another issue of relevance to effective design of problem-based learning environments is the extent to which various instructional support tools and mechanisms are provided to learners through this strategy. Research conducted by Biggs Moore (1993) found that students tend to rely on different instructional support tools at different stages in their learning process. In their study, Biggs Moore (1993) found that the four most meaningful elements impacting the students’ learning processes were (1) learning materials, (2) small-group process, (3) facilitator effectiveness, and (4) academic support. Furthermore, the study found that these four factors shifted in relative importance as the students progressed through the curriculum, with facilitator effectiveness being of greatest importance at the outset, while learning materials were the most important factor in determining learning success toward the end of the instruction. This finding appears to be generally consistent with the theory underscoring problem-based learning, which argues that, as students develop greater independent ability to engage in effective hypothetico-deductive reasoning, their reliance on the facilitator for this kind of support will be reduced. Problem-based learning is one constructivist instructional strategy that has shown much promise in its application to disciplines and domains where learners have to tackle complex problems in ambiguous situations. This approach to instruction â€Å"structures courses and entire curricula on problems rather than on subject content† (Ericsson Hastie, 1994)). Hence, problem – based learning strategy is appropriate in any circumstance of the teaching-learning process as life is always full of problems. There will always be problems. If a learner knows the technique of problem solving, he will be able to tackle whatever difficulties he meets. Further, this strategy gives direction to a discussion and prevents wandering off from the topic. It stimulates reflective thinking and furnishes a guide for organizing ideas. It directs attention to the task to be done and encourages concentration. The implementation issues surrounding the use of problem-based learning involves both the teacher, as he has to guide the pupil’s learning, and the learner’s, as they may not be able to recognize the problem without the teacher’s guidance. To raise the problem, the teacher must set the stage. The teacher should assist them by directing their observation to related data and recalling past experiences that have a bearing on the problem. The next issue is working on the problem. This involves organization of facts, principles, and ideas pertinent to the problem, selecting a hypothesis and trying it out, gathering data through reading, observing, etc. , evaluating the solution, and forming a conclusion. Hence, in implementing the problem- based learning strategy, the teacher directs the learning while the learners do the work. As a conclusion, problem-based learning strategies should be used as the need and situation arises. But a word of caution, however: Some teachers try to look for problems in every subject so that they can present the lesson in probable form. This will tend to make learning too stilted and formal. Besides, a problem will be considered as such by the pupils only if it is real and worthwhile. Further, what the teacher thinks of as a problem may not always be one to the class. To the pupils, it may just be a task or exercise assigned by the teacher. Hence, this strategy should be used only when: 1. A difficulty exists which demands solution and is thought provoking. 2. The problem is clear, definite, suitable to the level of the learner, and of practical value. 3. It is real, interesting, and worthwhile to the learner. In order to use the problem-based strategy, these are the essential steps to follow: (1) recognition and statement of the problem, originating in a difficulty or perplexing situation, (2) statement of hypothesis – inspection and proposal of solutions, (3) critical evaluation of suggested solution, and (4) verification of accepted solution. There may be several basic problem-solving approaches that have emerged and although teachers stress one specific approach to solve problems, students often use a variety of approaches, especially with more complex problems. In this regard, the teacher must be aware of how their students process information and what approaches they use to solve problems in order to teach according to the way the students think. The teacher who insists on one approach and penalizes students who uses other approaches is discouraging their problem-solving potential. Problem-solving must be part of the teachers` instructional strategies. They should consider it as a commitment and complementary to the teaching-learning process. References Biggs, J.B. Moore, P. J. (1993). The process of learning. New York: Prentice Hall Borich, G (2004). Effective teaching methods (5th ed. ). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. Bransford, J. D. ; Vye, N. ; Kinzer, C. ; Risko, V. (1990). Teaching thinking and content knowledge. In: B. F. Jones L. Idol (Eds), Dimensions of thinking and cognitive instruction. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers. Ennis, R. H. (1987). A taxonomy of critical thinking dispositions and abilities. In: J. B. Baron R. J.Sternberg (Eds), Teaching thinking skills: Theory and practice. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. Ericsson, K. A. Hastie, R. (1994). Contemporary approaches to the study of thinking and problem Academic Press. solving. In: R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Jonassen, D. (1994). Designing constructivist learning environments. In C. Reigeluth (Ed. ), Instructional design theories and models: A new paradigm of instructional theory (Vol. II,). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Nickerson, R.S. (1994). The teaching of thinking and problem solving. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Academic Press. Nickerson, R. S. (1994). The teaching of thinking and problem solving. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed), Thinking and problem solving. (2nd ed) San Diego: Academic Press. Savery, J. R. Duffy, T. M. (1992). Problem-based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Wilson, B. (1995). Constructivist Learning Environments. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Monetary/fiscal Policy :: essays research papers

Monetary/Fiscal Policy Government monetary and fiscal policies change all the time. These policies are installed or fixed for the betterment of trade, inflation, unemployment, the budget, or many other economic factors. In my opinion, it seems like two people have the majority of the control when it comes to forming these policies. The first person who influences these policies is President Bill Clinton who proposes tax cuts, to balance the budget (Clinton's budget proposal should be given to congress soon), minimum wage increases, or other legislation to improve the economy. The second person who influences policy is the Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan who can truly destroy our economy by a slight miscalculation. Greenspan is so influential that the mere speculation of his making a move can cause panic buying or selling in the open markets. Alan Greenspan has the power to increase or decrease the money supply by changing reserve requirements, by changing the discount rate, or by buying or selling U.S. Securities over the open market. The major governmental problem is trying to balance the budget. The United States government is currently in debt $5,262,697,717,000 as of February 7. This number grows about $10,000 per second(see charts 2,3,and 7). President Clinton, Chairman Greenspan, and Congress are all working towards a balanced budget by the year 2002. As many economists explain , the need is for legislation to keep the budget balanced for years to come and not look for a quick fix to balance the budget for only a few months to quiet critics. The government takes steps constantly to balance the budget; economists say that the chances of inking a deal this year are better than ever. President Clinton has currently proposed an offer of $100 billion in tax cuts through 2002. These cuts are aimed at giving relief to middle class citizens. A few of his other proposals include: $500.00 child tax credit, tax deduction for post high school education, increasing the limits of individual retirement accounts, and elimination of the capital gains tax. Despite these cuts, he still believes a balanced budget will be achieved by the year 2002. Greenspan, in an effort to shave billions of dollars off the deficit, explained to Congress that they are overpaying Social Security recipients. Greenspan's testimony sets the stage to successfully balance the budget. His reasoning behind these allegations is that the cost of living is overstated and he is urging Congress to correct the problem which would affect inflation, gross national product, and the budget. Inflation The fourth quarter results have been calculated and the economy is in great shape.

Conflict: Father

Parent child relationship has never been easy. We can easily realize it in the texts that we have been reading. I preferred â€Å"mother† by Grace Paley and â€Å"Father† by Yasushi Inouye. The conflict in the relationship between parent and children is not very clear in those texts, but it is present. What really captured my attention was how in both texts this conflict was resolved by the death of the parents. I also liked how both authors painted the caring of a parent for his child. I think that both texts have a valuable lesson: that we should not take thing for granted. The conflict in the relationship between parent and child in â€Å"mother† is the most common one we come upon in our world today. Kids often mistake their parent’s advice for annoying scolding that is not important. In â€Å"Mother† the story starts with a girl having a flashback about her mother; which is caused by a song that she heard in the radio. â€Å"Oh I long to see My Mother in the Doorway† says the song. She had many other memories with her mother of course but she particularly remembers her mom standing in the doorway, educating her. â€Å"If you come home at 4 A. M. when you’re seventeen, what time will you come home when you’re twenty? † Of course at that time she was still young and only taught about the present and the fun part of life, and felt like her mother was being annoying with all her scolding and complaints. She barely listened to what her mother had to say, still doing whatever she felt like doing. She didn’t value the lessons her mother was trying to teach her. I also feel that because her mother was always trying to educate her she attached herself to her dad who seemed more tolerant than her mother. It shows when she evokes her father in her memory of her mother urging her to go to sleep instead of staying in front of the TV. â€Å"Go to sleep for godsakes, you damn fool, you and your communist ideas. We saw them already, Papa and me, in 1905. † The conflict in â€Å"Father† on the other hand is different. Whereas I â€Å"Mother† you can deduct that the mother of the narrator is acting the way she is because she loves her child, you cannot say the same for the narrator’s father in â€Å"Father†. You can at first realize the lack of affection in the relationship between the father and his son when the father takes his son’s hands into his on his death bed. Since father had never done anything like that before, I could not understand what he wanted. † This just shows that there has never, not even once been a demonstration of affection between his father and him. The conflicts in both texts get resolved by death. In both text the nar rators realize how much their parent loved and cared about them. In â€Å"mother† the narrator wishes she could see her mother in every doorway, ready to scold her or teach her a new lesson. She now realizes that her mother her mother did everything she did because she loved her. It is only now that she understands the troubles, the worries, and sadness that she brought to her mother when she was younger. The fact that she remembers it and wishes to see her mother in the doorway â€Å"I wish I could see her in the doorway†, shows in my opinion how much she regrets acting the way she did, how much she wishes her mom could be there to see that now she is grown and is behaving well, that she heard her every time she tried to teach her a lesson. In â€Å"Father† death also resolves the conflict in the relationship between the father and the son. In the text when the author’s father took his hands into his, he never really understood what it meant. â€Å"For some time after Father’s death this incident stayed in my mind, and I speculated about it like one obsessed. † It did not occur automatically to him that his father took his hand into his because he wanted to show him that he loved him. It is only when he reached about the age his father retired that he understood fully that his father loved him and that he was acting the way he did because he loved him. As he is getting closer to death he realizes that his father was always so cynical because he knew he was dying from cancer, and wanted to protect them from death. â€Å"I also became aware that one of the roles father performed in his lifetime was to shield me from death. † I also think that just like in â€Å"mother† the narrator feels some sort of regret. He never understood his father and spent year trying to be his exact opposite: â€Å"From the time I was a student I consciously willed myself not to think like Father, not to behave like him†. Now that he understands why his father was acting the way he did he feels like he has been a little too harsh on him. One thing Liked about both texts was the love of both parents. They both died worrying about their children. The father taking his son’s hand in â€Å"Father† shows many worries: worry that he will die without his children knowing that he loves them, worry about how well they will do without him, worry about the image they will keep of him. In â€Å"Mother† the narrator’s mother shows her worry more clearly then the ather in â€Å"Father. † She keeps wondering about what her daughter will become when she is not there which makes us wonder if she has a fatal illness. â€Å"You never finish your lunch. You run around senselessly. What will become of you? Then she died† A lot of times we don’t realize the importance of what we have until we lose it. In this theory often applies to children and their parents. We teenagers o ften don’t value our parents, what we don’t realize is that we can’t live without them.

Analysis and Evaluation of the Relationship Between Nora

Analysis and Exploration of the relationship between Nora and Torvald as portrayed in A Doll’s House As a reader, the relationship between Torvald and Nora seemed really interesting to me. While it appears one way on the surface, it is very different essentially. I chose to study this because I think, there is a great deal to explore in order to try and understand the marital dynamic between Nora and Torvald.There are so many things that go into why a relationship is theone that it is but I will focus on three very influential aspects in the book– the Victorian gender roles, societal expectations and the idea of image, as well as the individual personalities and beliefs both the spouses held. In assessing the relationship which Torvald and Nora share, it is most significant that we consider the Victorian gender roles at the time. In a time such as that one, both Torvald and Nora would be pressured and bred to mold themselves according to these gender rules.When you†™re raised a certain way and it is ingrained in you that you are expected to be a certain way, you will. Additionally, they would also expect their spouse to do the same. In Victorian times, there were two clear roles that a man and woman were supposed to play in a marriage. Essentially, the man was responsible for protecting, guarding and most of all, ensuring financial security for his wife. This can be observed in A Dollshouse several times. A blatant example is how Nora receives all her spending money from Torvald.Like a child, she receives allowances and sums of money to take care of the household expenses as well as for herself. To exemplify, I extracted an interaction between the couple that takes place when Torvald presents Nora with a sum of money. â€Å" Nora: Torvald, Thank you! This’ll keep me going for a long time! Torvald: Well, you must see that it does. † As a husband, Torvald also restricts her from doing things which he thinks aren’t good for her but she likes to do and these can be as trivial as eating macaroons.To quote Torvald, when he’s questioning Nora about whether or not she’s eaten macaroons and she denies the accusation, Torvald says â€Å"No, I know you wouldn’t, besides you’ve given me your word†. This little instance goes a long way in portraying his role in the relationship as someone who controls her and who is supposed to determine her actions. Another instance when Torvald acts according to his gender role is when he feels he needs to guide Nora to teach her how to dance for the Tarantella.And not only does he do that, but he revels in this role. When Nora presents a facade of desperately needing Torvald’s help to dance the tarantella, he says â€Å"This evening, I’ll be wholly and entirely at your service- you poor, helpless creature†. This leads me to talk about a womans role in the Victorian society and how it influences Nora in her relationship with her husband. If a husband was expected to provide for his wife, similarly, a woman was supposed to live it in gratitude and forever indebted to him.She was to abide by his standards and keep the house comfortable for him and essentially, be in his service all the time. This can really be observed in A Dolls House where Nora is constantly trying to be the ideal wife to Torvald. In Act 2 of the play, we can quote Nora saying to Kristina- â€Å"Sh! Here’s Torvald coming back. Look, go in and sit with the children for a bit- Torvald cant bear to see dressmaking. † She’s perpetually trying to appear a certain way, but to her own husband in her own home.When she’s undergoing hardships like when she was working because when they were in debt or when she’s distraught, she never lets him realize it. As a reader, one can observe this when Nora is describing to Kristina how she could not tell Torvald of her loan and says â€Å" [Torvald] would be terrib ly hurt and humiliated if he thought he owed anything to me. It’d spoil everything between is, and our lovely happy home would never be the same again†. This was also something that was expected of women in the era in that their personal struggles weren’t ever really shared with their husbands.This may seem really odd to us but at the time it may be because marriages in itself seldom took place because two people were in love, but because it was more of an arrangement for both of them to adhere to standards put up by society. So while Nora and Torvald do appear to be in love in its true form, we have to remember as readers, that he does keep in mind her background, her father’s past and this is because these things really mattered when choosing a spouse. He would never let it go. Even when they are having a completely irrelevant and pleasant discussion, Torvald finds a way to incorporate the unpleasant past of her family. Just like your father- always on t he look out for all the money you can get, but the moment you have it, it seems to slip through your fingers and you never know what becomes of it. Well, I must take you as you are- it’s in your blood. † This brings me to the second aspect that I studied which was holding up an image to society and adhering to its standards. This played a huge role in their relationship many times during the play so we can begin to understand how much it affected their marriage. The concept of â€Å"what will people think† arises so many times.The most notable occurrence demonstrating this is towards the end of the play when Torvald finds out about Nora’s lie and rather than trying to keep their relationship together out of genuine affection for Nora and him truly not wanting her to leave because he loves her, he wants her to stay and put up a facade as a married couple just so they still appear that way to society. This is really when we can see what their marriage really means to him. More than anything , it was something to show to society and perhaps this is why they always felt the need to be the ideal couple.It demonstrated his willingness to brush their problems under the rug to maintain an image to society. And doing this isn’t the way any healthy relationship should be, so from this we can conclude that his motive was elsewhere. And he says this too. â€Å"From now on, forget happiness. Now its about saving the remains, the wreckage, the appearance. † The marriage in itself meant less to him than appearance which really drives a reader to consider again how he interacted with his wife and the genuineness of their marriage as a whole.The idea of loving a woman like Nora was more important to Torvald than actually giving her the love she deserved and this is indicated when Nora says â€Å"You’ve never loved me, you’ve only found it pleasant to be in love with me. † Also, the idea of maintaining an image for s ociety comes in when Nora wants to kill herself instead of telling the truth about her debt. She doesn’t want society to look down upon her and her family, she doesn’t want Torvald to be looked down upon so she feels that is the only way out.And this shows how strongly she feels about society as opposed to herself and her husband as individuals. But Torvald seems to have a really determined moral compass. He feels strongly about crimes, lying and debt . He expresses this in act 1 when he says â€Å"Nora, you know what I think about that sort of thing. No debts, no borrowing. There’s something constrained, something ugly even, about a home that’s founded on borrowing and debt. You and I have managed to keep clear up till now and we shall still do so for the little time that is left. † Torvald makes sure that his wn views are heard in his relationship, which in this case only acted as a catalyst to Nora’s breakdown because she was doing and li stening to two different things. Lastly, I wanted to study Torvald and Nora’s own individual personalities and beliefs which probably play the most important role in their marriage. What else can explain the need for Nora to tell little lies like eating macaroons behind Torvald’s back or her strong notion to kill herself when she’s in debt and does not want it to affect her current family. Torvald’s aversion to debt and views about Nora’s family also come out in the same way.In a way , maybe their respective upbringings played a role in how they acted in their marriage. Nora was brought up being repressed, her father wanted to her to act a certain way and always ensured that his opinions were her opinions. From there she was married and experienced almost the same thing. And this constant repression and control over her life, indicated when Nora says â€Å"I’ve been your doll wife here, just as at home I was papa’s doll child†, might be what subconsciously drives her to do things like eat macroons and feel the need to hide such a thing such as a debt from her husband.Even in her initial conversation with Mrs. Lindt, she almost describes the whole experience of the secret loan as something exciting because for her it is that different because of what her life has always been. When Kristina inquires whether Nora obtained her large sum of money through the lottery, Nora responds â€Å"A lottery! Pooh-where would be the glory in that ? † In the same way, Nora experiences how her father was a victim of society when he was dishonest and committed a crime.. Just remember the wicked things they put in the paper about Papa- how cruelly they slandered him. † She doesn’t want the same thing to happen to her own family and this drives her to react the way that she does- because like anyone else her childhood affects her even in her adulthood Incidentally, Torvald’s strong opinions also infl uence their relationship in that she feels the need to hide things because she knows how he feels about them and he doesn’t make it appear as though he’d understand.His opinions were supposed to be hers and his beliefs were supposed to be Nora’s. † You arranged everything to suit your own tastes† says Nora in the third act,† and so I came to have the same tastes as yours.. or I pretended to. I’m not quite sure which. † His strong hatred towards loans and bad deeds are two examples of the same. The most important idea of their individual views is Torvald’s physical attraction and lust for Nora in that it really limits the depth of their relationship.She loves him for all the right reasons and genuinely accepted him as a husband and would sacrifice anything for him, even her life. The way he interacts with her though, is always a more superficial manner pertaining to her beauty and physical appearance rather than as a person. In their most intense moments of interaction we experience before he finds the letter, he speaks to her through a veil of desire and lust â€Å"When I watched you swaying and becokoning in the tarantella, it set my blood on fire till I couldn’t bear it any longer That’s why I brought you home so early. Rather than treating her on a human level, he objectifies her and treats her as a possession or incidentally, a doll – not his partner or equal. â€Å"How fascinating you are, you lovely little thing†¦ Maynt I look at my dearest treasure? At all the beauty that belongs to no one but me- that’s all my very own† Nora is something Torvald feels like he’s proud to own, rather than as a person on her own. Which is really what she struggles with in the end, herself as a person.How he talked to her and how he belittled her , how she was treated that way almost her whole life influenced the outcome of the play in that she finally realizes that s he’s her own person, not a counterpart to any man. â€Å" You’ve committed a grievous sin against me; its your fault I’ve made nothing of my life. †. This demonstrates Nora’s final revelation in the climax of the play. To conclude, id like to mention that a great deal goes into their marriage and how it ended in the play. But by studying a few aspects it gave me a better understanding as to why they were a certain way.

Marketing Plan for IPT

Marketing Plan for IPT Mission StatementOur goal at It's Popcorn Time is to provide products that exceed customer's expectations and that are unique to our business. To establish a truly team-oriented environment of committed enthusiastic employees from management to the frontline employee all working toward the goal of growing our customer base. We should be a model provider of exceptional customer service to both our internal and external customers.IntroductionHere at It's Popcorn Time our goal is to provide customer satisfaction and specialty gourmet snacks and sweets that can't be found anywhere else! Our specialties are flavored popcorn, snack sized pretzels coated with sweet and savory flavors, and delectable cookies. Our products come in many flavors such as chocolate, butter, cheese, and caramel. We are currently adding new items to our menu that will be available in our many local stores. We want our customers to know that we will continue to provide customer service long after their purchase.HB-I PT A319 SwissWe are committed to obtaining their trust and loyalty.In our Marketing Plan we will discuss important tasks such as situation analysis, key marketing objectives, strategic initiatives, tactical plans, and a summary on obstacles we will face and how we will measure our results. We believe that following this plan will prove to be successful and profitable.Tactical PlansThere are several Promotional Tactics for IPT to consider. First and foremost will be utilize search engine registration by starting with the major search engines and then carefully selecting others targeted towards our products. We will also be involved in affiliate programs starting with the gift basket company and the catering companies we currently partner with. Apply for awards is a tactic that we have not discussed but it can be beneficial. This can be time consuming, but applying for quality awards can definitely...

Analytical Essay Sample on Peter the Great and His Effects on Russia

Analytical Essay Sample on Peter the Great and His Effects on Russia Czar Peter Romanov I also known as Peter The Great took many actions as being the absolute ruler of Russia, Peter impacted Russia positively and negatively through westernization and opening Russia to the west. Overall peter had a positive effect on Russia. Peter’s main goal as Czar of Russia was to westernize his country, He realized that Russia should be westernized to ensure its independence, which was a positive impact Peter had completed. Already fascinated by mechanical inventions, he studied government and ways of the West. He modernized the calendar, simplified numerals, and the Russian alphabet. To make sure Russia had contact with the West, Peter captured the east shores of the Baltic Sea from the Swedish and built a new capital named after himself named St. Petersburg. Peter managed to modernize Russia without borrowing money from the country, so Peter imposed heavy taxes on the citizens, because European men usually were clean shaven, he even taxed Russians wearing beards. All of the taxing that Peter imposed was a negative action he had taken. Peter’s positive actions towards the government were a good thing he did, he had three reforms of government. Local government, which towns were allowed to elect their own government officials. Provincial government, Russia was divided into 8 guberniia, each of the guberniias were lead by a Gubnator who had all of the power in his guberniia. Central government, the central government advised Peter, Peter thought that these reforms of government helped in the modernization of Russia. Another positive thing Peter did was build a church, the Peter and Paul Cathedral, not only was it a place for the people of St. Petersburg to pray, but it was also used as a fortress to protect the area from a possible attack from the Swedes. It was the first church in the city made out of stone, the church stood 404 ft. tall being the tallest building in St. Petersburg. All of the Russian emperors are buried in the church from Peter the great to Alexander III. In conclusion I think that Peter I had a positive effect on Russia, from westernization to his reforms of government, some of Peter’s ways are still used in modern Russia till this day.

Quantum Definition in Physics and Chemistry

Quantum Definition in Physics and Chemistry In physics and chemistry, a quantum is a discrete packet of energy or matter. The term quantum also means the minimum value of a physical property involved in an interaction. The plural of quantum is quanta. Key Takeaways: Quantum Definition In chemistry and physics, quantum refers to a single packet of matter or energy.In practical use, it refers to the minimum amount of energy required for a change or the minimum value of any physical property in an interaction.Quantum is the singular form of the word. Quanta is the plural form of the term. For example: the quantum of charge is the charge of an electron. Electric charge can only increase or decrease by discrete energy levels. So, there is no half-charge. A photon is a single quantum of light. Light and other electromagnetic energy is absorbed or emitted in quanta or packets. The word quantum comes from the Latin word quantus, which means how great. The word came into use before the year 1900, in reference to quantum satis in medicine, which means the amount which is sufficient. Misuse of Term The word quantum is often mis-used as an adjective to mean the opposite of its definition or in an inappropriate context. For example, the term quantum mysticism implies a correlation between quantum mechanics and parapsychology that has not been supported by empirical data. The phase quantum leap is used to suggest a large change, while the definition of quantum is that the change is the minimum amount possible.

Capital Punishment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Capital Punishment - Essay Example Despite increasing crimes, I am against capital punishment primarily because it would bring our action at par with that of criminal. Den Haag asserts that capital punishments are justified because criminals deserve ‘an eye for an eye’. He asserts that they serve as effective deterrent but unfortunately his assumptions have no concrete proof to support his hypothesis. The concept of punishment has evolved as a justified step making the criminal realize his act of omission and offense that is committed and also as an attempt to give justice to the person or people against whom it has been committed. The punishments which were supposed to serve as examples for others to refrain from crimes are increasingly becoming ineffectual. It is true that the punishment of the offender must serve as deterrent for others. At the same time, life imprisonment without parole would serve the same purpose but would be more humane and give the criminal an opportunity to reform. John Stuart Mill also argues that capital punishment is the most effective penalty for people who have no regard to other people’s lives. He says that ‘he who violates that right in another forfeits it for himself, and that while no other crime that he can commit deprives him of his right to live, this shall’. But he also agrees that ‘that if by an error of justice an innocent person is put to death, the mistake can never be corrected’. Crime has been committed and therefore the criminal must be paid back in the same manner or something which is as bad as his crime. In the modern times and in the civilized society, this act of vengeance is neither considered to be morally right or just. Our actions need to be more thoughtful and effective that conform to the wider perspectives of basic human values that sees punishment as deterrent act which also helps the criminal to reform. Hugo Adam Bedau asserts that ‘death penalty is uncivilized in theory and unfair

Questions and Answers Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Questions and Answers - Case Study Example The leaders were Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron President and CEO, Kenneth Lay, CEO and Andrew Fastow, Ex-Chief Financial Officer. 2. How did leadership influence the organizational culture at Enron? Jeffrey Skilling and Andrew Fastow were instrumental in changing the organizational culture of Enron. They gave the perception that Enron was very innovative and very profitable. Enron has a dysfunctional corporate culture which was obsessed with short-term earnings so that the bonuses will be maximized. The employees began looking at high volume deals even if it meant disregarding the quality of the cash flows and profits. The employees’ actions were reflective of their leaders’ values and beliefs. Extravagant spending was common among its executives. The excessive stock options and corporate compensation gave Enron’s executives too many incentives to manipulate the financial accounts and the stock price of the company. Corporate values and principles seemed to disa ppear at Enron at the time of their leadership. 3. Did the performance evaluation system at Enron support or undermine the company’s business goals and leadership beliefs? Yes, the performance evaluation system at the time of Skilling supported the company’s business goals and leadership beliefs.

F.B.I. Says Records Demands Are Curbed Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

F.B.I. Says Records Demands Are Curbed - Essay Example Among its many extraordinary provisions, the law canceled habeas corpus rights for non-citizens (which amounted to twenty million people in the United States). According to the New York Times article, "The Federal Bureau of Investigation improperly obtained personal information on Americans in numerous terrorism investigations in 2006, but internal practices put in place since then appear to have helped curtail the problems, Bush administration officials said Wednesday. The US government was unable to identify and to directly attack the enemies. Because of the strengthened paranoia of terrorist attacks, every person is considered a potential suspect. With the goal of ending international terrorism, civilians are also affected. The ethical issue that may be considered relevant to the topic is terrorism and double standards My concern is that if we don't have a good answer we may not have a justification to accept, or even promote, one country's "war on terrorism" while rejecting another's. And nobody likes double-standards when it comes to the justification of international policies.. There was no assurance that there should be no detention-without-trial, no suppression of free speech and there should be increased checks or evaluations on police power. There should be no double-standards and all countries will receive equal treatment. This means Pakistan and Ira... Military troops should be sent to both countries in search for these alleged terrorists. There should be no hesitation with investigating Pakistan regardless of Pakistan's exportation of nuclear technology in North Korea. There should also be no indecision with challenging the sovereignty of Pakistan as well as with Iraq. It isn't surprising, then, that one wonders whether "terrorism" names a definite and identifiable kind of act, or if it is a politically charged term used selectively to capture an arbitrary set of events. In the Fatosphere, Big Is In, or at Least Accepted By RONI CARYN RABIN Published: January 22, 2008 Recent studies show that the consumers have also considered skipping fast-food eating for this can be a reason for gaining more calories due to the fat content as well as less availability of healthier food options. Almost every magazine or book that talks about losing weight or maintaining healthy lifestyle advice readers to eat at home instead of eating at fast-food restaurants for this can give them the opportunity to prepare nutritious and healthy meals for the family as well as save money. There have been some notions that fast-food meal tends to have more fat than home-cooked meal and that you can gain more calories just by eating out. Dining at fast-foods can be healthy as long as we prepare ahead as to what food we want to order and consider its nutritional value as well. In the book entitled Competitive Advantage by Jaynie Smith, she stated that there is an increasing need for Americans to eat healthy food. Since fast-foods are their usual first option for getting access to ready food, the fast foods have to think of new ways and strategies to offer healthy

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Health Care Reform - Essay Example The most hotly contested issue in the debate is how best to gain universal coverage. While there is agreement that goal is for everyone to have health care coverage, there is much debate over the best mechanisms to achieve the goal. John Holahan, Director and Linda J. Blumberg, Senior Fellow of the Urban Institute Health Policy Center said â€Å"A public plan would not destroy the private insurance market but would make it more competitive and lead to the benefits associated with competition. Many private plans would remain attractive because of their ability to be responsive to consumer demands and to be innovative in care management. Public plans are attractive because they can offer better access to necessary care for diverse populations, have lower administrative costs, and have strong negotiating power with providers† (Karina, 2009). Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the public interest group Public Citizen disagreed, advocating for a single payer Health Care Reform stating â€Å"In s even states, ranging from Washington to Minnesota to Maine, they have tried what amounts to a mixture of a private and a public plan. And in none of the states has there been any sustained reduction in the number of uninsured. Its way too expensive† (Bill Moyers Journal, 2009). The Obama Plan: Stability & Security For All Americans contains a two part proposal with respect to universal coverage. Part 1 under President Obama’s Plan, is the creation of an insurance marketplace, â€Å"the Exchange† that would provide small businesses and individuals with access to a wider variety of choice. Part 2 under the President’s plan offers a more affordable option to those who can’t find affordable coverage in â€Å"the Exchange† or elsewhere (The White House, 2009). In essence, the Public Option would operate similarly to Medicare, except that anyone who cannot afford

Effective Ways on How We Can Alleviate Sexism in Our Society Research Paper

Effective Ways on How We Can Alleviate Sexism in Our Society - Research Paper Example In reality, sexism is not limited in stereotyping the expected roles of a male and female role in this society. Unfortunately, transsexuals are also equally affected by the negative impact of strong sex discrimination. Feminist groups have long time been trying to fight the occurrence of sexism; specifically with regards to the unequal opportunity that is present between men and women at work, within educational institutions, and their expected role in our society (DaCosta Alleyne, 2004). In relation to the importance of gender equality, feminist movement continuously campaigns for women’s rights and interests which includes: (1) right to work, equal pay, and maternity leave; (2) right to vote; and (3) right to be protected from domestic violence, sexual harassment, and rape (4) (Humm, 1990, p. 278; Echols, 1989, p. 416, Cott, 1987, pp. 4 – 5). It is through the strong influence of feminist groups in the way people think that gradually eliminates the traditional perspectives on how women should act in our society. Over the years, feminist groups had significantly changed the modern ways of living from culture to law. Despite the government and private institutions’ effort to alleviate sex discrimination by promoting the importance of workplace and educational diversity and improving the existing laws on sex discrimination and chauvinism, sexism remains a serious social problem in our country. In line with the social consequences of sexism, almost all sociologists are using the three primary theoretical perspectives known as the symbolic interactionist perspective1, functionalist perspective2, and conflict perspective3 when analyzing the social phenomena behind sexism (Cliff Notes, 2010).  

Health Care Reform Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Health Care Reform - Essay Example The most hotly contested issue in the debate is how best to gain universal coverage. While there is agreement that goal is for everyone to have health care coverage, there is much debate over the best mechanisms to achieve the goal. John Holahan, Director and Linda J. Blumberg, Senior Fellow of the Urban Institute Health Policy Center said â€Å"A public plan would not destroy the private insurance market but would make it more competitive and lead to the benefits associated with competition. Many private plans would remain attractive because of their ability to be responsive to consumer demands and to be innovative in care management. Public plans are attractive because they can offer better access to necessary care for diverse populations, have lower administrative costs, and have strong negotiating power with providers† (Karina, 2009). Dr. Sidney Wolfe of the public interest group Public Citizen disagreed, advocating for a single payer Health Care Reform stating â€Å"In s even states, ranging from Washington to Minnesota to Maine, they have tried what amounts to a mixture of a private and a public plan. And in none of the states has there been any sustained reduction in the number of uninsured. Its way too expensive† (Bill Moyers Journal, 2009). The Obama Plan: Stability & Security For All Americans contains a two part proposal with respect to universal coverage. Part 1 under President Obama’s Plan, is the creation of an insurance marketplace, â€Å"the Exchange† that would provide small businesses and individuals with access to a wider variety of choice. Part 2 under the President’s plan offers a more affordable option to those who can’t find affordable coverage in â€Å"the Exchange† or elsewhere (The White House, 2009). In essence, the Public Option would operate similarly to Medicare, except that anyone who cannot afford

Criminal minds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal minds - Essay Example In spite of the efforts in this direction crimes continue to exist and it can be concluded that the crimes will continue to exist and this problem can not be solved. In order to solve this problem it becomes necessary that the cause of the crimes or the reason why people commit crimes need to be analysed. Traditionally crime has been considered as associated with two domains by the specialists. The domains are the nature or the environment of the individuals including the family and the peers of the individuals. However it must be noted that these specialists belong to different fields of science as the complexity and dynamics of crime extends to different areas which are difficult to comprehend. When reference is made to the science of criminology automatically reference is made to different branches of science such as psychology, genetics, sociology etc. The main purpose of criminology is to deal with crimes and criminals and solve this social problem. As mentioned earlier the main approaches to deal with the problem of crimes and their resolution are the natural approach and the environmental approach. The environmental approach deals with the circumstances that made an individual to commit a crime and it does not consider the heredity or family background of the criminal. Whereas the natural approach is sure that the nature of the criminal, his or her genes, and heredity are the main reasons that make him/her to commit the crimes. The latest developments in genetics have been fairly successful in substantiating the environmental causes for people committing crimes and this has put away the theories about the heredity and genes being responsible for the crimes which need to be proved scientifically. The theories relating to the presupposition of the heredity and genes are ambiguous and are to be established with a scientific base before they can be taken into account. On the other hand the followers of the environmental approach also can not deny the fact that the heredity and genetic causes play an important role in shaping the character of a person. They also contribute to the committing of the crime by the individuals. It is important that environment in which a person is born and brought up is considered while studying the crimes, as such environmental factors do have a large influence on the formation of the personality of the individual and the shaping of his or her characters. Though this new approach is relatively young and new it is becoming more and more popular and deserves to be analysed thoroughly before any conclusion can be drawn from the approach. According to Wilson and Herrnstein (1985) "criminology is the study of delinquency and crime with the goal of developing a body of knowledge including all the dynamics that surround crime and criminals to assist in their understanding of the phenomenon". Thus the focus of the science of criminology is to evolve a deep understanding of crime, the reasons why people commit crimes and also the nature of the people who commit crimes namely the criminals. It is a fact that it would be difficult to understand the crimes as a social phenomenon in general and all the details of the crime in particular as it affects the society, unless the causes which make the people commit the crimes.

The Radical Alien And The Winnipeg General Strike Of 1919 Essay Example for Free

The Radical Alien And The Winnipeg General Strike Of 1919 Essay In the spring of 1919, the residents of Winnipeg witnessed the most traumatic and biggest general strike in the history of the Canadian labor force. It took almost six tense week of anxiety and fear for almost all business sector including banks, food delivery, telephones, power, water, fire services, and mail were either reduced or extremely cut off by the strike of non- union workers and local union members from the public and the private sector.   The strike was eventually sparked by an argument or dispute between the metal workers and their superiors;   and quickly assimilated throughout the city’s work force, and further aggravated by unemployment, ideological ferment, and discontents over inflation. In 1914, right after the World War I, Canada was snapped out of the pre war season by sending and shipping foodstuffs worth millions of dollar and almost half a million troops to the front not to mention ammunitions to Europe. These eventually eliminated unemployment that resulted in a tremendous boost on the Canada’s economy. But the prosperity Canada has gained were soon replaced by inflation due to high overhead costs in the economy, the result of regional imbalance was eminent since the heightened demands for goods and services dropped down since the demand also went down, the number of demobilized troops, and severe unemployment were all contributing factors. Those workers who retained their jobs were agitated for a considerable amount of wages to balance their standard of living with inflation. But those who were not given such grew restless across Canada and talks of forming a One Big Union to subsequently oppose capitalism were conceived. The concept of forming such was inspired by the 1917 Russian Revolution and the rise of the British Labour Party. Later in 1919, Winnipeg became the center of dispute and agitation when the workers in the metal trades and building found both their union’s standing and wage demand completely rejected by their employers. As a consequence, the metal workers moved for a strike by the beginning of May. The move quickly caught the attention and sympathy of the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council or WTLC, which was the umbrella organization of all local labor groups. The WTLC members unanimously endorsed the plight of the metal workers and eventually called for a nationwide strike on May 15. It brought Canada to witness the biggest strike over an industrial conflict with such magnitude compassing almost 30,000 workers- most of them were strategically and locally positioned at the center of the economy. The strike was opposed by politicians and the business class, and was considered by some as the product of the radical aliens who wanted to undermine and cause restlessness to political and social values. It was perceived as a conspiracy aimed to dismantle the foundation of the nation To counter act the strike, they created a committee of One Thousand to restore the order and challenge the strikers: such as dismissing the police force who joined the strike and recruiting a special 2,000- man force to eradicate the strike. The federal government also acted on deporting British –born strike leaders through the Immigration Act. It was a big event in such a way the activity went on national and international news. During the six-week strike, several leaders of the Central Strike Committee were apprehended and jailed outside the city. This made the WTLC furious and defied the ban on conducting parades. The members actually protested in front of the city hall wherein they were dispersed by the federal troops and the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. According to Radforth, â€Å"the result was catastrophic for hundreds of protesters were injured and one striker died. The event was termed Bloody Saturday.† 1 The strike was officially called to a halt on June 26. The metal workers returned to their respective works with no pay increase. Some, belonging to the other work- force, were rehired only after making a pledge that they will not participate to any forms of protest. The others were deported, imprisoned, and lost their jobs. Though the workers did not meet their demands, the strike proved to be invaluable to the Canadian work force. Legislation soon created an act that obliged employers to honor and recognized the right of the workers for collective bargaining through their union. Eventually in 1920, 11 labor candidates won a slate in the Manitoba legislature, 4 of them were strike leaders. At that year, a person named James Woodsworth, was the pioneer independent Labor MP elected at Ottawa and then later became the founding leader of the so- called Co- operative Commonwealth Federation, now known as the New Democratic Party today. The General Strike of 1919 proved to be the turning point in the Canadian labor force. The event made legislators to create an act for the plight of the workers in terms of collective bargaining through their union. The event resulted in formidable changes in the working conditions of the Canadian work force and left an influential legacy in the heart and mind of the workers. References Laurel S. Macdowell, and Ian Radforths, â€Å"Canadian Working Class History. The Radical Alien and the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919† .Canadian Scholar’s Press. 3rd edition. March 2006.

Westernization of Japanese Culture

Westernization of Japanese Culture Daniel Gonzalez Is Japan Losing its Heritage? The Japanese people, have always been recognized for their rich cultural history. With rising concerns regarding population problems and pollution that culture may not be around for much longer. It is no secret that Japan is considered the technological Mecca of the modern world. With the race toward artificial intelligence, can too much of a good thing be a bad thing? How does one thing relate to another? With all the technological breakthroughs seen from Japan in recent years, one can only imagine that these advancements would benefit a society as diverse as the Japanese. With incredible pioneering advancements in robotics and technology such as Honda’s ASIMO, and the Lexus LFA, research and scholars believe that it may be losing its rich cultural history. One can follow Japanese culture back centuries. Having been influenced by its natives as well as foreigners has developed into one of the most diverse cultures in the world. When one thinks of Japan and may think of high-speed magnetically levitated trains, fast cars and vending machines with Wi-Fi. However, much of Japan is still stuck using old technology such as fax machines and computers from the late 1990s. It is not uncommon to see people who traveled to Japan return claiming that most of the technological advancements made in Japan are often enjoyed in the Western world more than they are in Japan. Perhaps this is a s ign of a culture realizing that it is advancing and morphing far too quickly. When one hears the words â€Å"population problem† overpopulation immediately comes to mind. However, Japan has the opposite problem. In 2013, Japan had 238,632 more deaths than births. Japan’s population decreased by over 210,000 compared to the previous census. As it stands Japan has a population of 127.3 million people, but studies suggest that this population may shrink to as little as 86 million in the next 50 years. Court’s cause of death in Japan is cancer at nearly 30% followed by heart disease and 15% and pneumonia at 10%. Japan’s unwillingness to accept its own technology may be its downfall, as many of these diseases are considered preventable, and many times treatable by Western medicine, given that many of the advancements in Western medicine, are a direct result of the contributions Japan has made to medical imaging and diagnostic machines. Another predominant issue affecting the decline of Japanese population is suicide. In 2013, suicide was singled out as the leading cause of death for the age group 15 – 29. It was also determined that twice as many men as women died in that age group. With only 1,029,800 births in 2013, researchers determined that this has been the fewest amount of live births on record since World War II. There has yet to be an increase in births since 1973, called â€Å"the second baby boom of Japan.† The most obvious cause for this decline in population is the total fertility rate. In 1947, at the end of World War II, there were nearly 4.5 children for every woman in Japan. As of 2013, the last official statistic, there were only 1.5 live births per woman. In order to keep the population steady, there needs to be at least 2.0 live births per woman. The number must be higher, however Japan hopes to see an increase in the coming years, rather than a decrease. The marriage rate has also seen a decline. 661,000 marriages were recorded in 2013. Again, a record low since World War II. It is evident that women are hesitating time married at a younger age and are delaying the process. In 1993, the average marriage age was 26 years old. In 2013, the average was nearly 30. Women are delaying having their first child as well, as the average age for the first child is now close to 31, instead of the age of 27 it was approximately 2 decades ago. Ironically, it is young Westerners were more open and susceptible to accepting Japanese culture than the Japanese themselves. Many believe that this is actually because Japan is westernizing its own culture. In the 15th century, Japan passed a law forbidding the Japanese to leave the country and severely limiting the negotiations that it could have countries outside of Asia. This is largely been attributed to have been done out of fear of westernization. Western countries began having relations with Japan once more as a result of the invention of the steam engine and advances in transportation. Early attempts were made by King William the Second of Holland to establish negotiations by sending a letter to the show gun of Japan in 1844 advising him that keeping this ban in place would affect the economic and cultural advancement of the country due to the astounding increase in agricultural, technological, and industrial advancements. While the implications of this letter was deliberate d among Japan’s highest ranking officials they decided to take no action. And it was not until 1853, when President Millard Fillmore sent Commodore Matthew Perry as an arbitrator in an attempt to begin negotiations and commercial relations with Japan. This prompted Japan and the United States to sign the treaty titled the â€Å"Treaty of Friendship†. Nearly 2 decades after the treaty was signed Japan began implementing more westernized styles of education and was recognized by many as â€Å"the first and most striking example of westernization in the non-Western world.† It was not until 1872, however, that Japan passed a formal law titled the â€Å"Fundamental Law of Education† Which set forth the standards for the Japanese education system. During the interim twenty-year period, there was much trial and error regarding the types of educational systems and at times Japan seem motivated to revert to its original Eastern – based educational system. T his trial and error was exacerbated by attempting to mimic the educational systems of many different countries including Holland and Germany. The foundation of the educational system finally found a compromise with predominantly French influences. In 1890, the â€Å"Rescript on Education† politicized and organized the 1872, law by appointing teachers as servants of the state. A system titled the Mombusho, devised by Japanese Statesman Mori Arinori, widely considered to be the father of the modern Japanese educational system, was established to dictate which textbooks and standardized tests would be part of Japanese curriculum, very much like the French and American education system. The negotiations of Commodore Perry in 1853 sparked a change in Japan that paved the way for the changes it still sees today. In 1872, the same year the educational legislation was passed, a regulation ordered that the court nobles wear westernized clothing. Japanese commoners began to take after the rulers of the nation as they changed their hairstyles from the traditional topknot to shorter hairstyles. Dental hygiene in women increased as well. By the 1890’s, it was uncommon to see women with diseased teeth. The rich began wearing wool coats and accessorizing with umbrellas and pocket watches, a practice that was considered taboo before the arrival of Commodore Perry, as the educational system before then taught that Japanese men and women should not preoccupy themselves with matters is trite as the time. The transformation, however, was not yet complete. Japanese officials were said to wear their Western clothing to work and then change into their kimonos and traditional Ja panese clothing after they went home, again, showing that Japanese culture was still somewhat resilient and resistant to change and in the early years it may have been purely for a political purpose. Japanese construction is an area that saw major change in the late 19th and early 20th century. Tatami, a Japanese advancement replaced dirt and wood floors. Kerosene lighting replaced traditional rapeseed lighting with its promise of convenience and portability. Before then, most Japanese homes only knew the kitchen stove as the central source of lighting. Sanitation practices from the Western world were being implemented as well as a result of the new, portable lighting. Concrete buildings became increasingly common and architects from other countries were commissioned to design important buildings such as the Bank of Japan and the Tokyo central station. In contrast with the issue of modernity, the integration of Westernization and modernization has a long history in Japan. In the article WITHOUT MODERNITY: Japans Challenging Modernization, Dana Buntrock mentions that â€Å"leaders accepted that industrialization and Westernization were reciprocal and that both were necessary for development.In addition to actively promoting telegraph, lighthouse, and railroad construction, for example, the government also used Western buildings and institutions to advance its modernization program. Japan employed Western engineers to build the nations infrastructure and Western architects to design offices, banks, universities, and schools; these specialists were collectively referred to asoyatoi. In more isolated areas, where Western architects were not present, indigenous carpenters attempted to reproduce the finishes and spatial characteristics of Western architecture, particularly in the construction of government offices and primary schools† These advancements in construction technology began to make Tokyo look more like industrialized Western cities such as San Francisco. The prefabricated style of construction more recently implemented in the United States is also influenced modern Japanese construction. In industrial Japanese areas, it is not uncommon to see b uildings erected in less than a week. Buildings are constructed in a piecewise fashion at an off-site factory and then trucked in to the construction site and put together by construction workers. This alleviates the many problems that come along with construction sites such as traffic jams, lower speed limits, noise levels, and inconvenience to residents of the area, given that traditional building construction can take anywhere from two to ten years depending on the architectural complexity of the building. The largest and most long-lasting change that Western influences brought to Japan is a culture that strives to advance technologically. As Akira Goto says in his study, Technology and Industrial Development in Japan: Building Capabilities by Learning, Innovation and Public Policy, â€Å"Japan was the first major non-Western nation to take on board the Western technological and organizational advances of the century after the first industrial revolution. It subsequently proved fully able to exploit and contribute to the broad, sustained technological advances that began in the 20th century, as science became harnessed to technology.†

Gender Differences of Communication :: Communicating Talking Speaking Relationships

Gender Differences of Communication How do men and women communicate clearly when most of their ways of communicating are so different? In today's society language plays a key role in defining gender by phraseology, vocabulary, and also their nonverbal vocabulary. Each one of these different types of ways of communicating is prominently different between men and women.Webster's defines phraseology as "a choice and pattern of words." Many studies have been done on the differences between men and women's phraseology. It has been noted in many different studies that men tend to talk much more than women do. This was proven true in a study that Lynette Hirshman did in 1974 (Glass 33). It has also been proven that women tend to speak faster than men; this is due to the fact that women tend to be interrupted more often than men are, and also have the ability to speak more clearly, precisely, and more quickly than men can. In one study it was found that women spoke for an average of three minutes describing a painting, as opposed to the thirteen-minute average it took men to describe it. (Glass 33) Women tend to be more detailed when describing events, persons, places or things. Linguist Robin Lakoff states in her book, Language and Woman's Place, women use greater description when describing colors. (Glass 31) Women notice more detail than men causing women to be more perceptive; they notice things such as tone of voice, facial expression, and body language. Being able to pick up on those three types of communicating helps women better understand what is actually being said in a conversation. Men and women's styles of communicating are close to being directly opposites of one another. Men tend to be louder more aggressive speakers; they mumble many of their words and tend to be sloppy in their pronunciation of words. Men tend to use loudness when emphasizing words instead of inflection and pitch to emphasize points. According to Webster's, inflection is "a change in the tone of the voice," or "the change of form in a word to indicate number, case, tense, etc." (Glass 51) Women tend to use pitch and inflection more so than men do. Men have a tendency to speak in a lower tone and rarely change from that tone to any others. Women on the other hand speak in five different tones, which makes them sound more emotional.

Health Care Utilization Paper Essay

The health reform debate is in full swing. Millions more people will gain health insurance, coverage will be more affordable, and people will have access to the health services they need. Health Care Reform and Access The reason for Health Care reform is to make it easier on the citizens to be able to afford health insurance in the case they were to get sick or prevent them from getting sick. The law makes it more affordable instead of the rising cost, it is lowered so people can have insurance. The Health Care Reform act made it to be were the insurance companies will be held accountable on how much they raise their rates and how their money is spent. Plus, the new law will help lower costs through new tax credits and new marketplaces where insurers will have to compete for your business. At one time insurance companies were taking advantage of the people but now they have to make sure that everything is affordable. It was amazing how they could deny children that needed medical attention because they had prior health problems. Children that were born with asthma or born with other defects were being denied health coverage. Insurance companies were putting an amount on the coverage that would giv e the patient and if that failed they would find any little mistake in the paperwork to drop their health care coverage. The Affordable Care Act creates a new Patient’s Bill of Rights that protects you from these and other abusive practices. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act’s 80/20 rule, if insurance companies don’t spend at least 80 percent of your premium dollar on medical care and quality improvements rather than advertising, overhead and bonuses for executives, they will have to provide you a rebate. Things are much better now that the insurance companies have to cover many preventive services without it being any deductibles or copays required unlike before when you had to have certain screenings and were charged deductibles and co pays. Before many Americans with pre-existing conditions were locked or priced out of the  health insurance market due to their pre-existing conditions which is not fair because many people have pre-existing conditions. Alread y, 54 million Americans with private health coverage have gotten better preventive services coverage as a result. It is good that they have made insurance companies accountable against discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. In 2014, insurance discriminating against anyone with a pre-existing condition will be illegal. Access and Utilization Several factors such as proximity to health care providers, perceived quality of care, fees charged and perceived severity of illness have been shown to affect access and utilization of health services. The wellness models is focusing on the health of a person’s mind, body and spirit. If more people took time to prevent themselves from diseases this would slow the growth of health care expenditures. What people who fell to realize is that it is cheaper to go to a class and or treatment group, instead of having to use insurance to provide medications, procedures and treatments. Getting involve with a wellness consultant can also help with obesity. According to The U.S. Health System,† The increase in obesity in adults as well as children also increases the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart failure† (Barsukiewicz,Raffel &Raffel, 2010, p.12). If people start now with their children by teaching them healthy ways of eating there will be a decrease in t he risk of chronic disease. The choice is in the parents hands because a child eats what a parent gives. Also as a person 65 and older gets up there in age there are more chronic diseases that they are at risk of getting and more prone to get them again or worse, which than leads to more health resources such as hospitalizations or put into a nursing facility. No, we cannot from aging but we can take care of ourselves now to avoid the risk of chronic diseases. Focusing on a wellness model can reduce healthcare costs because if a patient is given the proper information needed to recognize the signs of certain diseases and the proper information to prevent certain diseases, the patient will not always have to go to their doctor every time they sense something is wrong. Another way to reduce healthcare costs would be to educate people on how to live a healthier lifestyle. Adapting a healthier lifestyle reduces healthcare costs because if an individual is eating right and exercising dai ly; they can ultimately reduce their chances  of become obese. Living a healthier lifestyle also reduces the cost of treatments and medications of some of the diseases that are associated with obesity, such as heart disease or diabetes. Universal Care: Compare and Contrast Universal health care is the belief that all citizens should have access to affordable, high-quality medical care. Universal health care is a broad concept that can be structured and funded in various ways. The common factor for all universal health care programs is that they require some form of government involvement, whether it is through legislation, mandates, or regulation. One of the key functions in a managed care is gate keeping (The Payment Process, Insurance and Third-Party Payers: A Austin PhD. Welte R.N. 20-12) which basically is a way of controlling how much health care a person can receive over a period of time. Unfortunately this means that some patients who require intense treatments mat have to get authorization prior to getting the treatment which may cause a delay in treatment that can lead to more issues for the patient. The advantages of managed cares are only for the company. Managed care plans allow doctors to be paid for each member enrolled each month which m eans that regardless of how many patients he treats he will only receive a certain amount of money this limits the access a patient to specialist or rehabilitation services. Since the doctor is only getting paid a certain amount he must see a certain amount of patients which cuts down the amount of time spent with each patient. This is the where disadvantage of Managed care comes in. The patient cannot receive the proper care because his/her HMO only pays a set amount. References Comparisons. (2013). Universal Health Care. Retrieved from http://www.stanford.edu Healthcare.gov. (2013). Affordable Care Act. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare.gov The White House. (2013). Get the Facts Straight on Health Reform. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov

Albert Einstein: One Genius Mind

Finding a way to describe one of the most celebrated scientists ever born by means of stating facts about his life and achievements which most people hardly ever know at this point in time is utterly hard.   Albert Einstein’s father, an engineer by profession was for the most part of his career hugely unsuccessful.The older Einstein spent most of his time shifting jobs (Pellegrini 1).   Albert never enjoyed his education in Germany.He was seriously depressed when he had to leave for Italy.   He left school on the excuse of a nervous breakdown.   For a year, he had been paying visits to different art centers in Italy until such time when although reluctant, he finally resumed his studies.   It was in Zurich’s Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule (ETH) technical university where Einstein earned his degree (Pellegrini 1).He received poor grades since he hardly attended class lectures.   His poor credentials made it hard for him to secure a job.   Finally, a f riend helped him secure a patent office job in Berne (Pellegrini 1; AllAboutScience.org).It seemed that the patent job suits him perfectly.   It allowed him to work during the day and devote the rest of his time exploring higher learning in physics (White 96).   Also, he was able to utilize the library to do his research work.   He even earned for himself a doctorate degree in the processEven though it was not entirely all plain sailing from then on, several years later, he assumed a role in the academic system, and worked in Berlin to complete his General Theory of Relativity in the face of the severe destruction in society brought about by the First World War (Pellegrini 1).A serious breakdown left the man with distinct strands of white hair which ultimately served as his trademark.   It was around that time when his married life took a turn for the worst.   Nonetheless, he was still able to make significant contributions to scientific advancement.He was primarily, the e ngineer of breakthrough concepts about the physical universe.   Beyond doubt, he has made significant contributions to humanity’s intellectual advancement during his time.   Einstein challenged the then existing beliefs about the state as well as that of science.   He engaged in a constant battle for individual freedom and dignity.   He also opposed hostilities and persecution.His theories about the state and science, or at least the ones credited to him, echoes up to this point in time in realms stretching as far as his own direct scientific contributions in examining the influences that science and technology has on ethics, the study of modern art, linguistics, and psychology (Trefil and Hazen; White 96-105).It is paradoxical that several years following his death, several branches of physical science have already acknowledged his generative impact as otherwise would gave been done in the last years of his life.   Einstein’s contributions proved to be cruci al for drafting conceptual routes for current studies in the fields of cosmology or astronomy, for connecting gravitation with the quantum field theory of gauge fields, and also in explaining new findings which were not possible during his time, but were nonetheless already forecasted by him.Albert Einstein has the mind of a genius.   The way he changed the way man perceived the universe into which he or she was born was beyond comparison.   He was able to look past nature’s drape than anyone else since Newton, and from that point onwards, he lived the rest of his life pulling the drape down for his humility (Pellegrini 1).   To this day, when the word genius is being uttered, no one else’s face come to mind than his.

Producer Protection, Prior Market Structure and the Effects of Government Regulation

Producer Protection, Prior Market Structure and the Effects of Government Regulation Assignment on Regulatory Economics 1/5/2012 ? INTRODUCTION The direct economic regulation of business by independent government commissions has a one-hundred year history on the North American continent. It is generally asserted that the purpose of such commissions is to protect consumers from exploitation by limiting the economic powers of certain firms having pervasive effects on the public interest (for example, transportation companies and public utilities). However, the findings of the relatively few em-pirical studies of the economic effects of regulation indicate that important differences actually do exist in these effects. The disparities in these findings raise the question of why the actual economic effects of regulation differ among industries despite the supposedly common, avowed purpose of regulation. They also question whether a single hypothesis is adequate to explain the diverse effe cts of regulation. THREE HYPOTHESES REGARDING REGULATION 1. Consumer-Protection Hypothesis: This is the most popular of existing hypotheses. It implies that regulation will protect consumer interests by reducing prices until they equal marginal costs, by preventing discriminatory pricing, by improving service quality (at existing prices), by encouraging the entry of firms that are more efficient or that offer more preferred price/product combinations, and by reducing industry profits to the market rate of return. they often appear to promote the interests of regulated firms to the disadvantage of consumers. Despite the real purpose of regulation, the regulated industries have managed to pervert their regulators until the commissions become the protectors of the â€Å"regulated† rather than of consumers. 2. No-effect Hypothesis: This hypothesis implies that regulation has no effect on regulated industries (other than to impose certain costs in the performance of regulatory procedures). This situation could result if †¢an already powerful industry is able to control its regulators (the supplementary perversion hypothesis). †¢if the market structure prior to regulation were competitive and the actual effect of regulation is to obtain competitive performance †¢the prior market structure were monopolistic and the actual effect of regulation is to yield monopoly performance 3. Producer-Protection Hypothesis: It says that the actual effect of regulation is to increase or sustain the economic power of an industry. Such a situation could result if regulation converted a formerly competitive or oligopolistic industry into a cartel (that is, if regulation helped previously independent producers form an agreement to act together9), if it increased the effectiveness of an existing cartel, or if it maintained an existing monopoly (or cartel) where rival firms would otherwise enter to provide competition in response to the growth of markets or the development of new technology. Under this situation, one would expect to find regulation doing such things as increasing prices, promoting price discrimination, reducing or preventing the entry of rival firms, and increasing industry profits. The no-effect hypothesis does not appear to be generally descriptive of the effects of government regulation. The implications of the consumer-protection hypothesis also have a problem of reconciliation with available evidence and are quite inconsistent. The implications of the producer-protection hypothesis do turn out to be consistent with much of the available evidence regarding the effects of government regulation, once recognition is given to the effects of the prior (non-regulated) market structures of various industries. The obvious way to test the ability of the producer-protection hypothesis to explain the apparently diverse effects of regulation within the context of prior market structure is to classify regulated industries into two groups on the basis of their non-regulated market structures, and then investigate the impact of regulation on industries within each group. One group should include those industries whose prior market structure was a natural monopoly. This group would include electric utilities, natural gas pipelines, local gas distribution companies, telephone companies, etc. The second group should consist of industries having oligopolistic or competitive market structures prior to the implementation of regulation, for example, airlines, motor carriers, railroads, and water carriers. If the producer-protection hypothesis is descriptive of the fundamental effects of regulation, one would expect to find regulation having little or no effect on the first group, whereas the second group would experience substantial changes following the effective implementation of regulation. ? NATURAL MONOPOLY INDUSTRIES Among other things, effective monopolies are characterized by relatively high price levels, by extensive price discrimination, and by rates of return on investment exceeding those attainable if the firm operated in a competitive market structure. Thus, the producer-protection hypothesis implies that following the implementation of regulation over natural monopolies, the price level will be essentially unchanged and will be above marginal costs, price discrimination will continue to be widely practiced, and rates of return will remain above those which would exist under competition. Price level At least three studies have been made regarding the effects of regulation on electric utility price levels. Taken together, these three studies indicate that regulation has had a limited effect on lowering electric utility rates and that most of its benefits have been enjoyed by commercial and industrial consumers rather than the more numerous residential consumers. Also, it seems relevant that it took about 25 years for state regulation to be associated with any reduction in commercial and industrial rates, and around 45 years for it to be reflected in lower prices for residential consumers. Davidson presented the price relatives of average gas rates charged by the Consolidated Gas Electric Light and Power Company of Baltimore from 1910. During the 43 years covered by these data, rates decreased from 1910 to 1918, then increased until mid-1923, decreased and then generally remained constant to 1947, increased sharply in two steps in 1947 and 1949, and then fell again in 1950. The Company was more active than the Commission in granting rate decreases, while the two instituted the same number of increases. Furthermore, it can be seen that the industrial users enjoyed proportionally more rate decreases than their proportional share of rate increases. Evidence shows that Company originated changes resulted in net rate decreases for all nine user categories with the major beneficiaries being the medium and large domestic users, and the large industrial users. In comparison, the Commission ordered or negotiated rate changes resulted in net rate increases for small and medium domestic users, and small commercial users, while the major beneficiaries of Commission actions were the large commercial and the small and medium industrial users. Overall, the largest users enjoyed the greatest rate reductions during the 43-year period, while the smallest users either had small increases or decreases. This leads to the conclusion that factors other than regulation were important in these rate reductions. And the above evidence shows that the Commission's regulation did not always result in lower rates, and that the Company was more active than the Commission in instigating rate decreases. Price Discrimination The literature regarding public utility pricing is unanimous in agreeing that discrimination is widely practiced by electric utilities, natural gas pipe-lines, local gas distribution companies, and telephone companies. Stigler and Friedland found that in 1917 and 1937 both the regulated and the nonregulated electric utilities discriminated against domestic (residential) consumers in favor of industrial consumers, with no difference existing in the degree of price discrimination after allowance was made for the relative consumption of electricity by the two classes of consumers in the various states. Thus, they concluded that regulation had no detectable effect on price discrimination. Some studies indicate that in those years price discrimination might have been even greater under regulation. Since price discrimination is a matter of price structure, it is clear that, regulation has had little or no effect on any price discrimination. . The existing studies all indicate that regulation has not significantly decreased the power of natural monopolies to practice extensive price discrimination. Thus, the producer-protection hypothesis seems to be more applicable in describing this situation than the consumer-protection hypothesis with its implication of a reduction in or absence of price discrimination. It is not surprising to find discriminatory pricing consistently practiced by natural monopolies, be they regulated or non-regulated. So long as economies of scale result in decreasing long-run average costs, marginal costs will lie below average costs, and equating a single price for all customers to marginal cost will result in the eventual bankruptcy of the firm and the termination of service. Even given the usefulness of discriminatory, multi-part pricing in sustaining a natural monopoly without subsidy, it should still be possible for regulatory commissions to reduce the price discrimination practiced by regulated natural monopolies relative to that practiced by those that are not regulated. The available evidence indicates that this has not been achieved. Rates of Return There is some evidence that regulation has not significantly altered the rates of return of privately-owned electric utilities. Specifically, Stigler and Friedland found no effect of regulation on stock prices of electric utilities from 1907 to 1920. Continuing plant growth and continuing flows of investment funds should be proof-of-pudding tests that the Commission restrictions have not yet become excessive constraints. The success of utilities in general in selling bond and common stock issues, and the lack of bankruptcies in â€Å"recent years† are evidence that the rates of return of regulated utilities have been at least equal to the market rates of return. The regulated rates of return have been high enough to attract the capital necessary for rapid expansion by the electric, gas pipeline, and telephone utilities, but there is no indication of how much different the rates of return or the growth rates of these utilities would have been without regulation. OLIGOPOLISTIC INDUSTRIES The producer-protection hypothesis implies that regulated industries whose natural market structures were oligopolistic or competitive prior to regulation will experience substantial changes following the implementation of regulation. There should be significant increases in price levels, price discrimination should be greater, and rates of return improved. Perhaps crucially important, the producer-protection hypothesis implies that effective regulation will also restrict or delay entry into the industry in order to prevent new suppliers from capturing some of the regulatory benefits gained by existing producers. Price levels Airline passenger fares within California have been subject to regulation by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC), but, in contrast to the complete regulation of both fare decreases and increases, through 1965 the regulation was limited to automatically approving all proposed fare decreases while imposing brief delays on the implementation of requested fare increases. The result of these differences in regulation was that coach fares within California were consistently lower than such fares in similar regulated markets. The available evidence regarding the effects of regulation on price level for formerly oligopolistic industries is consistent and unambiguous. Regulatory actions and procedures have allowed the carriers in each industry to reach agreements regarding prices and to enforce adherence to these agreements. The result has been substantial increases in price levels for the interstate airlines, the freight motor carriers, and the railroads. Without regulation prices would be from 9 to 50 per cent lower than they are with regulation, with many reductions in the long-run exceeding 30 per cent. Price Discrimination A consistent pattern also emerges regarding price discrimination by these three transport modes. Large differences have been found in the extent to which price discrimination has been practiced by the CAB-regulated interstate airlines (with their much higher price levels) compared with the relatively non-regulated California intrastate carriers. The time honored use of the value-of-service method of pricing in establishing rates, the adjustment of the resulting rates in response to intermodal competition, the relatively low marginal costs of movements combined with large fixed costs, the extensive joint production and common costs, and the application of commodity rates to 85 per cent of all rail freight traffic, have combined to make the use of discriminatory pricing the norm among the railroads. Over 100 years of development have resulted in a marvel of complicated discriminatory pricing. Given the pervasiveness of price discrimination in rail and motor transportation, the question arises whether regulation has significantly changed the degree and amount of discrimination. it does appear that personal discrimination has been reduced. Due to the usefulness of the regulation in sustaining rail-road rates, the need for personal discrimination was largely eliminated. Its demise is not therefore surprising. Since regulation provides such rate control, it appears to have made possible the pervasive and long-lived commodity price discrimination practiced by the railroads and to have supported their extensive use of locational discrimination. An even greater effect on price discrimination has resulted from the application of regulation to the motor carrier industry. Since monopoly power is a necessary condition for price discrimination, and since regulation appears to be necessary for monopoly to exist in the motor carrier industry, it follows that regulation has been the primary cause of price discrimination in this industry, and that much less discrimination would exist without regulation. In total, the above analysis shows that regulation has been the essential ingredient for long-term price discrimination in those transportation industries whose nonregulated market structures would be oligopolistic or competitive. Rate of Return It proved difficult to estimate whether public utilities have been able to obtain higher than market rates of return under regulation. This is also the case for the transportation industries. Since regulation has clearly resulted in increased price levels and greater price discrimination among the airlines, motor carriers, and railroads, one would expect increased rates of return to be a result. Data indicate that railroad profits did increase during the period that effective regulation was being developed, and prior to the beginning of the railroad's decline. This conclusion is supported by the history of the railroad's rates of return on book investment from 1890 to 1968. Just as monopoly power is no guarantor of excess profits, it can be seen that regulation does not guarantee the achievement of greater than market rates of return by an industry, especially one that is in secular decline. from 1956 to 1965, the most successful of the California intrastate carriers (Pacific Southwest Airlines) had returns on stockholder equity of from 0. 0 to 227. 2 per cent, with most returns being between 30 and 45 per cent. 4 On the face of it, this indicates that while the CAB has approved liberal rates of return and that such returns have been achieved in some years by the regulated airlines, the most successful non-regulated airline has enjoyed generally higher returns. Overall, the above evidence is quite inconclusive regarding whether regu-lation has raised the rates of return for these regulated industries. Entry Control There was no need to con sider entry control in the case of the public utilities since, as natural monopolies, only one firm can operate efficiently in any market. Therefore, the most regulation can do is to decide which one of several alternative firms should be allowed to provide the desired service in various markets. Assuming comparable operating efficiency, this is a matter of a wealth transfer between individual firms with little effect on fundamental economic results. Wherever two or more firms can survive in a market, how-ever, entry control is vitally important for the maintenance of a monopoly or cartel. Without such control, any larger than normal profits will attract new suppliers to the industry, thereby reducing the benefits available to the exist-ing producers. Thus, an indication of producer protection by regulatory com-missions is their effectiveness in limiting entry into an industry. It is important to note, however, that while regulation has served to re-strict entry and hold down the number of regulated airlines and motor carriers, it has failed to limit the inflow of resources into these industries because of two fundamental imperfections in the regulatory framework. The first imper-fection results from there being little or no control over the amounts of re-sources each existing carrier can bring into the industry. The second stems from the fact that the CAB and the ICC have no power to assign specific market shares to individual carriers where two or more carriers are authorized to provide comparable service. Since regulation prevents the carriers from utilizing price rivalry to obtain larger market shares, they turn to service-quality rivalry in their endeavors to obtain increased shares of the cartel benefits available in each market. The result is chronic over capacity despite (or because of) regulation. CONCLUSION The evidence presented above has not always been clear and unambiguous, but the essential thrust has been consistent with implications derived from the producer-protection hypothesis, once the effects of prior market structure were taken into consideration. In important respects, regulation has not had significant impact on public utilities (whose non-regulated market structures are natural monopolies), whereas it has substantially influenced the transportation industries (having oligopolistic or competitive non-regulated market structures). With regard to price level, regulation has clearly increased the prices charged by airlines, railroads, and freight motor carriers. In contrast, it ap-pears to have had only limited and long-delayed effects in lowering electric utility rates, with most of the few regulatory benefits going to industrial and commercial consumers, that is, to the consumers who already possess consider-able market power and whose large use of electricity makes it worthwhile to seek to influence regulatory decisions. In addition, the evidence from one local utility shows that gas rates were increased and decreased by both regulatory and company actions, with no clear pattern of regulatory effects. There was a similar pattern of effects regarding price discrimination. Little change in this practice resulted from regulating the natural monopolies, except for those cases where discriminatory prices appeared. On the other hand, industries whose prior market structures were oligopolistic or competitive were able to practice extensive price dis-crimination with regulation, while they had difficulty doing so without it. The evidence regarding rates of return is quite inconclusive. Overall, remarkably little of the available evidence suggests that consumers are protected by regulation. The producer-protection hypothesis yields implications that, by and large, are consistent with what is found to have occurred as a result of regulation. It follows that wherever substantial monopoly power exists in a non-regulated market structure, regulation should have relatively little impact; and, where there is little or no monopoly power in the prior market structure, regulation should have an important impact by help-ing formerly independent producers form a cartel for their benefit and protection. It is probably incorrect to conclude that the producer-protection hypothesis is the most predictive of all possible hypotheses regarding the effects of government regulation.