Money Saving Tips for College Students Essay

As for any college student the usual expenses of; school, personal life, food, entertainment, and leisure activities is enough to make you broke or for most of us, in debt. It is Thursday night and the weekend is here but your wallet is full of bank receipts and there is not any cash to been found. Your friend just told you the agenda for the night which involves; dinner, pre-game, party, and then night club. Chances are your staying in for the night unless you have a hidden supply of cash under your bed. This type of scenario is all too common for most college students, which is why I am going to explain in detail how to save and manage your money more effectively. With becoming better educated on how to manage your money properly you will be shocked at the amount of cash you can save. The following tips will help you to save money in the following areas of your college expenses; money management, organization of money, personal life, decision making, jobs, entertainment, leisure activities, food, dating, tuition, and books. Learning how to manage your money and having the proper knowledge on which banks to use with your money is an important part on saving your money. The following bullets will explain in detail on how to effectively manage your money: 1) Track your expenses – By tracking your expenses for 2 weeks to a month will allow you to have a better understanding where your money is going. Are red bulls at the 7-11 and a cappuccino at Starbucks 4 times a week actually needed? You will tend to realize the amount of money wasted on small items that are not necessary. Just by tracking your expenses you will begin to manage your money more effectively. To keep better and more organized track of your money, using a notebook or quicken are great tools to being better organized. Having good records prevents you from spending what you do not have and from over drafting your account. 2) Budget your money – The best way to manage your money over a period of time is to create a budget. Take the time to sit down and look at your incomes and expenses. Examples of income are scholarships, paycheck if working, loans, money saved throughout summer and money from your family. Examples of expenses are books, food, rent, bills, tuition, and entertainment. Create a list of your incomes and expenses, and then decide a way to budget your money from either week to week or month to month. It is important to pace yourself when putting yourself on a budget. If you spend all of your money in the beginning of the month, you will be stuck eating leftovers from the cafeteria for the last week. In addition, it is important to provide yourself with money for leisure and entertainment. You are a college student, it is refreshing to buy yourself something new or have a good time every once and a while. Putting your money on a budget will help you to manage your money very effectively. Remember, you don’t always have to spend the amount you budget yourself. Also, planning ahead is essential when you are properly managing your money. If you know that soon you will be going on a vacation, paying your car insurance, or just an expensive weekend; placing aside $50 a week is more reasonable than coming up with $400 at once. 3) Choosing a bank – Join a credit union. Credit unions are set up as non-profit so they do not charge those high interest rates and hidden fees as, for example, a Bank of America would. Also, look into online banking, this makes for a fast easy to use way of banking. ) Credit Cards – The most helpful tip that I can give to a college student would be to stay away from credit cards. Do not fall into the traps of free giveaway sign up booths, those guys trying to sign you up are only trying to take your money. The reality is that credit card companies see college students as suckers. That is why credit companies swarm campuses and make getting a credit card so easy. These credit companies also charge a high interest rate on these cards. The average interest rate is 18%; this means you will have to pay back an additional 18% on whatever you may purchase. The higher the interest rate, the harder it will be to pay off your bill. It is like a chain reaction that will just continue to bury you in debt. As you can only afford to pay off the minimum, the interest continues to gain as the bill continues to rise. To avoid this, it is important to avoid the temptations that come with having a credit card and to also try to make more than the minimum monthly payments. Although, having a credit card for emergency situations and to build up your credit for the future can be very beneficial. However, for college students reaching for that Visa can be a very hard habit to break. In addition, credit companies will give you a credit line well higher than what you may need. They may set you at a $5,000 credit limit, when you may only be able to afford $1,000. Just call the credit company and tell them the price you would like your credit line set to. With having a credit card it does not mean you can buy whatever you want. It is important to be realistic and to understand what you can and cannot afford. Most expenses tend to occur in the beginning of the school year. To plan accordingly for this, saving money while working your summer job would help to cut the cost of initial expenses. When coming back to school, books and various items for your apartment/dorm are going to be quite costly. To cut cost on buying books, it is often cheaper to buy books offline or off a friend. Buying books online can be easy and up to half the price that it would be in the bookstore. One downside to buying books online is the amount of time it can take for shipping, so be sure to place your order as early as possible. You may also have some friends who have had the same classes before you, buying a book off a friend who is not going to use it anymore can save you a good amount of money. With having the power of the credit card, it is important to keep a focus on what is important. You want to keep your expenses to either academic or personal essentials. It might seem as if the new PS3 is just the item to place on your credit card, but I can assure you it is not. If this may seem as an essential to you then place aside money each week to save and buy that PS3 with cash. When purchasing anything remember cash is king. For most college students; the pressures of going out on the weekend, taking a girl out to dinner, having the latest technology, and still trying to save money can be quite the challenge. Now remember, you’re in college and on your own now, you don’t have your mother yelling at you to brush your teeth before bed or to clean your room. This is an opportunity for you to begin working on your self-discipline. Having your life in order and maintaining a clear head are two things that college students tend to lose sight of. Making the right decisions when it comes to your personal health and responsibilities is an important part of self-discipline. Within this section of personal life I will relate how staying active, eating healthy, nd enjoying your social life can help you to better manage your money. Everyone is in college to better their future and to get prepared for the real-world, but just as any college student, you want to make the best out of your time here. 1)Staying focused and active – Living in dormitory or even in a house with eight roommates, you become very susceptible to catching different illnesses. By staying active and working out or excising several times throughout the week, your immune system will become stronger and fight off most illnesses. Staying in good shape also helps with increasing self-confidence, energy throughout the day, and keeping your mind active and positively focused. In college it is easier to gain the weight than it is to lose if you fall into the outside pressures of drinking, eating fast food, and sleeping all day. With keeping the self-discipline of staying focused and active it helps to keep a clear head which in return will help you to decide what expenses are important and what is a waste of your money. 2)Healthy diet – To stay fit and keep your body in good shape, your diet is just as important as your workout. By going to the grocery store once a week and purchasing vegetables, fruits, meats, beverages, and carbohydrates can help you to save close to an additional $50-$100 a week. Not only is cheaper to purchase food at the grocery store but it is much healthier than ordering out or eating fast food. To cut the cost on buying groceries, divide the cost by you and your roommates, buy and share the food. In addition, you will receive more for your money when you purchase weekly groceries. To get the best prices for quality products, look through the newspaper ads for each supermarket and plan out where you can save the most money. Cut back on buying junk food, it is often expensive and is not healthy. If you do decide to eat out, college towns often have restaurants where you order and serve yourself, this cuts on the cost of leaving a tip. The only problem that some college students might have is that they do not know how to shop at the grocery store or how to cook the food. This is where it might be helpful to make a phone call home and get some instructions from your mother. For those that can cook and shop at the grocery store, this is a great way to get more for your money as well as maintain a healthy diet. )Social life – This is often times confused for the reason as to why you are in college. While it may be easy to fall into the trap of going out every weekend and living the party life it is essential to keep focus as to why you are in college. You are here to get an education and better yourself, not to blow all your money on partying and fail out. This is where the significance of self-discip line and managing your money properly should take first priority. Everyone likes to have a good time and enjoy themselves, it is important to keep things in moderation. Learn to limit your vices or â€Å"stress-relievers† (as some college students say) such as, beer, cigarettes, and etc†¦ These vices can be expensive and costly to your health as well. By keeping to your budget and using the allotted amount you give yourself a weekend you can enjoy yourself and still save money. Here are a couple tips on how to keep the expenses of your weekend nights to a minimum; †¢Have a meal before you leave to go out. Leaving the house/dorm hungry can cost you a lot of money that you may not have. †¢Leave your debit card and wallet home. Only bring the money you can afford for the night and your id. This will help to fight the temptations of buying unnecessary items, especially if you are under the influence. †¢If you have friends that have an unlimited bank account and spend lots of cash, try to avoid them and hang with friends that relate to your financial status. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to enjoy yourself in college. The following is a list of inexpensive activities and entertainment for any guy or girl student who is looking to save money and enjoy their social life as well; †¢Newspapers offer listings of inexpensive or free events that are going to take place in your city/town †¢ Going to matinee movies School events, such as sporting events or clubs †¢Spend a day at the local park, go for a walk or fly a kite †¢Bicycle rides with a friend †¢Spending the afternoon baking and relaxing †¢Grab a couple friends and play sports at the school gym †¢Coffee shops often have free local bands play at night †¢Afternoon flea market †¢Depending on the season, apple or pumpkin picking for Halloween, Christmas shopping, Easter decorating or designing eggs, etc†¦ †¢Art gallery Student newspapers often give listings of free events or activities that are taking place around campus †¢Play video games with friends, create tournaments and play for bragging rights †¢Get involved in intramural sports †¢Ladies usually get into clubs for free and get drink specials †¢Go to bars with no cover charge and that have drink specials Throughout college you are going to meet a number of different people, some you will like more than others, and for those you do, you may find yourself taking him or her out on a date. Now for most people, saving money and dating are two notions that don’t connect. For most, on a first date you try to impress and give off the perception that you are not broke or even worse, cheap. To the disbelief of many, dating does not have to be expensive to be impressive, entertaining and unforgettable. Remember, you are trying to stick to a budget and with all other expenses it is challenging enough. The following bullets will explain how to have fun on a date without spending all your cash. †¢Mother Nature – It is all around us everywhere we go, natural scenery is different at every campus and usually the beauty goes unnoticed. A great idea for when the weather is nice is to take him or her down to Narrangansset or Newport and go for a walk on the beach. Take a walk around city blocks and stop somewhere there is nice view overlooking the city. Take time to find these spots at which ever campus you are, this can be extremely cheap and give quality time to build a better relationship. †¢Picnic – A picnic in the local park is always a great idea. Bring sandwiches and beverages, it shows that you took the time to actually prepare something. This costs minimal as to what you spend at a restaurant and can be taken almost anywhere. Depending on the mood you are trying to create, you can make a picnic either casual or romantic by adding a few extra accessories. †¢Sporting events – If you get so lucky to find a woman who is interested in sports, this is a great opportunity to either play a sport together or to watch a sporting event at your school. This also allows you to spend quality time with one another as well as have a good time while saving your money. †¢Experience culture and history – In this city there a number of historical buildings, museums, art galleries, cultural centers and landmarks that are either very cheap or free. Often times, there are exhibits that are off campus that have reduced or free admission for college students. This is good for a date on a more intellectual level and gives time to get to know each other as well as the area you are in. †¢Dinner at home – For those of you who are culinary skilled, this is a great opportunity to impress your date and to save the cost of going out to eat. To make the date more interesting, cook the meal together and combine ideas. After the meal, this is a chance to hang out and watch a movie or play a game. This is a great date idea to impress and really have a good time. Miniature golf/go karts – This makes for a great afternoon date and adds a little excitement. Racing each other and fooling around on the race track provides a fun time for one another. In miniature golf, a friendly competition allows to make things more exciting and to fool around. †¢University events – In the school paper, there are listings of events that are taking place for the following week. Usually events are free or reduced admission, which includes concerts, art exhibits, guest speakers, and plays. This can make for a quality date as well as save you money. †¢Coffee houses – Stop at a local coffee shop to relax and have conversation. Coffee is much cheaper than a meal at a restaurant and provides the relaxed atmosphere to get to know each other better. Also, order a dessert and splitting it provides for a romantic experience. Making Money I’ve saved the best for last. If you can master even one of these, you’ll have a head-start on your friends. Master all four, and you’ll be on the road to wealth. No kidding. †¢Spend less than you earn. Don’t earn much? Then don’t spend much. If your spending and income are roughly even, you have two choices: earn more or spend less. When I was in college, I worked as many as four jobs at once. This gave me a lot of spending cash. (Unfortunately, I didn’t do a good job with the spend less part of the equation. ) †¢Be an outstanding employee. Good work habits can pay enormous dividends, leading to recommendations and contacts that you can use after you’re out of school. Several of my classmates turned work-study jobs into launching pads for future careers. †¢Start your own business. Can you install a hard drive? Can you strip a computer of spyware? Can you perform minor car repairs? Do you have a pickup truck you could use to haul furniture? Are you a passable guitar player? Charge cheap rates and exceed expectations. Word will spread. When you’ve built up a customer base, you can raise your rates a little. This is an awesome way to make money. Learn to invest. Find a discount broker and begin making regular investments. Sharebuilder is a great choice for college students. It costs only $4 to make a scheduled stock purchase, and you can invest any amount of money, even $20. Don’t obsess over the details yet. You can worry about high returns and low fees later. Right now the most important thing is to develop the investment habit. (Ad: Buy Stocks for $4 at ShareBuilder. Ten years from now, you’ll thank yourself. If you can find a way to invest $1000 a year for the next ten years, you can set yourself up for life. Organization and Planning Save your receipts. Put them in a shoebox under your bed if you must, but hold onto them. You’ll need to be able to compare them with statements at the end of the month. And some you’ll need to keep for several years. Guard your vital stats. Don’t give out your social security number or your credit card info except to known and trusted sources. Pay your bills on time. Basic advice, but it’s surprising how many people lose track of things. If you pay your bills as they arrive, you won’t have to worry about forgetting them. Tuition Expenses †¢Try looking for scholarships. You may think that you’re no longer eligible for scholarships since you’re a college student, but this isn’t true. Your school or other foundations may offer scholarship programs that can save you loads of money on college tuition. For further information you may want to try www. findaid. org or www. college-scholarships. com. †¢Shop around for student loans. Just like choosing a credit card company, you should try going to different banks to see what types of interest rates are available. You may want to choose the type of loan that begins charging you interest after you’re finished with college–not the type of loan that charges you interest while you’re in school. Other Expenses †¢Shop around for a reasonable cell phone plan. Try to find a plan that works best for the type of calls you make the most. Do you call your family or friends most often? Do you need a long distance plan? Do you text message often? †¢Try filling your prescriptions at your school’s health center. Sometimes campus health centers will fill your prescriptions for a fraction of the cost of a regular pharmacy. See a doctor on campus. If you feel sick, you may want to consider seeing a doctor or a nurse practitioner on campus. These services are often free. †¢Bike, walk or take the bus to school. These alternatives may help you save money on gas and alleviate some of the stress you may experience trying to park on campus. †¢Go to the on-campus gym. Acc ess to this gym equipment is usually free. If you want to take group classes, however, be prepared to pay a fee. http://www. getrichslowly. org/blog/2006/08/30/27-money-tips-for-college-students/

A Uniformed Education Essay

Even though it is believed that students need to make life decisions based on their own standards, instead of the procedures and guidelines set for them, and that this is vitally critical for them as they grow into adults. Uniforms are a good idea as it causes students to focus on their academics and learning rather than on latest fashions or what the next student is wearing, also to respect themselves, their instructors and each other. Students are more likely to feel safe in schools with uniforms and they are also more inclined to attend classes and perform better academically. Faculty members in an inquiry believed that uniforms increased the learning climate by reassuring morality amongst students, augmenting the communication between teachers and students and bettering the administration of discipline. Many school officials agree that wearing uniforms helps decrease bullying and student detachment, and many educators are convinced that school uniforms increase students’ a bility to thrive in the classroom. As Huss (2007) states, â€Å"School uniforms are tangible; they are seen as a concrete and visible means of restoring order to the classrooms.† Uniforms cause change in appearance and performance while in class. First, students are more likely to feel safe in schools with uniforms and they are also more inclined to attend classes and perform better academically. Students perform better academically when they feel safe and are not threatened in school. There has been a lot of scrutiny concerning school safety, due to the increased activity and violence of gangs in schools. After taking note of these actions (increased violence and gang presence) officials are always considering ways to establish the security of the students and the faculty. King (1998) states, â€Å"Those who fear for their safety in school or on the way to school may not learn effectively, and they may turn to truancy as a viable alternative to facing daily threats of violence.† School safety, a  more disciplined student and student learning is believed to be the outcome if school uniforms would be enforced. Wearing school uniforms helps a school limit the wearing of gang colors, theft and school violence. Enforcing school uniforms should be taken seriously considering the ability of them making a student feel secure and safe to learn. When uniforms are required and worn it makes it easy to identify those that are not from the school or that are actually out of uniform by wearing regular street clothes. Students from schools where uniforms were required reported they did feel more safe and compelled to be concerned more about their education and succeeding in the classroom than to have to identify who was a member or which gang from day to day. King (1998) states, â€Å"Approximately one in four students reports worrying about becoming a victim of crimes or threats at school, and one in eight reports having been victimized at school.† The wearing of school uniforms should be expected in all schools and not just targeted areas; this would increase the true benefit of wearing unifor ms in our education system. Creating a system where uniforms are worn in all schools would limit the thought of a school that actually has a uniform policy in place as being considered a bad school or unsafe to send a child. Uniforms should not be associated with a schools safety and or truancy problems. The safety of our children should be a priority every day. Additionally, teachers in a study believed uniforms enriched the schooling climate by stimulating morality amidst students, augmenting the interactions between the teachers and students and bettering control. Similarly, of the 5,500 principals surveyed as attendees of the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ annual conference in February 1996, more than 7-% believed that requiring students to wear uniforms to school would reduce violent incidents and discipline problems. Moreover, greater than 80% of Long Beach Telegram readers supported uniforms. (King 1998) â€Å"A school reported the effects of wearing uniforms and in the first year alone crime decreased by 36%, sex offenses by74% and physical fights among students by 51%.† (King 1998) Students have shown to behave at a higher standard when in uniform and it also has been reported to have an effect on the interaction between a teacher and student. When in uniform students mannerisms are different and they carry themselves in a higher regard. It is believed that both the students and teachers operate based on the way they are dressed. A school  official has been quoted as saying â€Å"Students here understand why they are in school†; â€Å"Students work hard to complete their assignments†; and â€Å"Students in this school have fun but also work hard on their studies.† (Murray, R. K. 1997) This in no way means that all students will act accordingly and excel academically, but it would assist in creating an environment where both students and teachers were a ppreciative of their school and more considerate to each other. It is believed that teachers interact differently with students when they are clothed in a more uniformed manner. Students have also been noted as having better mannerism and more care in how they handle each other as well as the faculty. Finally, the most important reason uniforms are a good idea as it causes students to focus on their academics rather than on the latest fashions because â€Å"wearing uniforms helps students to get into â€Å"learning mode† and reminds them to respect themselves, their instructors and each other.† (Wade, K. & Stafford, M. 2003) The administrators instantly point out that normally; purchasing school uniforms for a school year can cost between $80 and $90 per child, this cost is lower than what parents would spend when having to buy the designer clothing that a student desires. So, a student and parent would be better off purchasing uniforms financially which is looked at as a bonus in these economic times. Students in a school that requires uniforms are less likely to feel or receive peer pressure because of their lack of the designer clothing that other families may be able to afford. In a climate where uniforms are mandatory your family’s financial situation is not noticeable thus making it a more comfortable learning environment. A parent was quoted saying, â€Å"I know I spent less money and needed far fewer items of clothing for my children when they wore school uniforms.† (Walmsley, A. 2011) This also lessen the occurrence of the morning fights between parents and students as to what to wear for the day the selection is simple and minimal at the same time. At this age youths are at the point of attempt to find their own individuality and ideas of what suits them clothes wise be it baggy or tight jeans, cartooned t-shirts, and political clothing. Getting away from wearing those types of clothing and requiring a uniform causes the student to not focus on what someone is wearing but instead their schooling and academics which is way more important. Fashion should take a backseat when it comes to your education. A youth’s individuality can be expressed in other ways if shown  and at the same time there should be limits set on the possibilities of accessories worn with the uniforms. Students have been intensely wounded and or killed for their designer shoes, clothing and accessories. School uniforms are believed to cut down on these occurrences. Being dressed in a different manner has been shown to cause a different reaction in class and in a student’s day to day life. School climate has been shown to be related to student achievement as well as how students behave and feel about themselves, their school, and other individuals. Furthermore, positive school climate has been identified as a characteristic of an effective school. Given the significant impact of school climate on student achievement, practitioners should consider these new findings when considering implementing a school uniform policy as a means of improving school climate and student behavior. (Murray, R. K. 1997) Requiring uniforms in schools changes the climate and the reaction to learning significantly. Walmsley (2011) states, â€Å"Because students dress in uniforms, they’re reminded that their â€Å"job† is to be a student.† A uniform causes a different behavior and creates such a reaction in the students that their attitudes ch ange automatically. On some occasions students have even decided to opt out of the days allowed for â€Å"street clothes† after they have experienced a school uniform environment. When dressed in street clothes students tend to behave in a manner of â€Å"play† and not take their education as serious. Just as stated before when in uniform â€Å"they’re reminded that their job is to be a student,† it’s presenting them with the idea that during these hours you are expected to give your all and not limit yourself in anyway and behave in a more professional or sophisticated manner much like if they were going to an actual 9 – 5 job this behavior is expected from them. Indeed, while wearing a school uniform does not allow for self-expression some think that students should make choices in regards to life based on their own personal values instead of the precedent and governance chosen for them and this is important for their own well-being and development as they con tinue to grow up. Anderson (2002) states, â€Å"four basic reasons for promoting school uniforms: 1) enhanced school safety, 2) improved learning climate, 3) higher self-esteem for students, and 4) less stress on the family.† Uniforms are a good idea as it causes students to focus on their academics and learning rather than on latest fashions or what the next student is wearing because  wearing uniforms helps students get prepared and ready to learn and it reminds them that certain level of respect is required of them towards their instructors, themselves and the other students. The use and purchase of uniforms can also improve Schools should provide a safe environment for learning. Wearing uniforms could be considered a form of good discipline and causing students to learn and adhere to rules. Calling for uniforms in schools can reduce violence and propel our students into a better category academically in the world as a whole. The wearing of a school uniform may not resolve all or any of the problems that occur day to day in our schools now but there are some other benefits to wearing them and those benefits should be taken into account. (Lester 106-12) With classrooms today needing a more respect for teachers and each other wearing school uniforms can help with that. Conformity should be painless with uniforms being incorporated in our education system, as the guidelines are definite and straightforward. References Anderson, W. (2002). School Dress Codes and Uniform Policies. Policy Report. Washington, D.C.: Office of Educational Research and Improvement. ERIC document ED 471 528. Huss, J. A. (2007). The Role of School Uniforms in Creating an Academically Motivating Climate: Do Uniforms Influence Teacher Expectations? Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, 131-39. King, K.A. (1998, January). Should school uniforms be mandated in elementary school? Journal of School Health. p. 32. Murray, R. K. (1997). The Impact of School Uniforms on School Climate. NASSP Bulletin, 81(593), 106-12. Wade, K., & Stafford, M. E. (2003). Public School Uniforms: Effect on Perceptions of Gangs Presence, School Climate, and Student Self-Perceptions. Education and Urban Society, 35 (4), 399-420. Walmsley, A. (2011). What the United Kingdom Can Teach the United States About School Uniforms. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(6), 63-66.

SME Challenges to Access to Finance

1. SMEs usually have limited financial resources compared to a large company. Often it is hard to finance the standard model for software process improvement (SPI) activities. They try to avoid excessive overhead for the full custom standard process implementation. 2. The proven best practices for the large companies might be too expensive or time consuming to perform in SMEs because of their limited resources and business model. 3. The majority of small companies are independently financed. That causes a tight financial situation for many small businesses. So they can’t always afford to buy required expertise that possesses the skills required in a particular position. 4. A first step toward process improvement is identifying the strengths and weaknesses of organization software processes. For this, an assessment to examine the processes against a reference model which helps to determine the processes capability to meet the required quality, cost, and schedule goals is required, but small companies have difficulty running those. 5. The small size of a company not only causes for the challenges of networking, marketing and business issues for small software companies. It also creates problems for gaining and leveraging technological know-how. 6. Large companies can improve the work efficiency using all needed toolkits. Small company also need these tools in every step of software process but high licensing costs often put their project cost over expectable levels. 7. SMEs suffer from the lack of literature and publications describing efforts on an improvement initiative. But adoption of internationally accepted software process practices is essential for the success of all software companies to compete in the global software development market. 8. Many SMEs have multiple business operations like service, product, and consultancy. A given employee may have to change the projects more frequently. This leads to additional challenges to improve the required level of competence for different projects with different technologies. 9. A given employee of SMEs may simultaneously play multiple roles. For that, he may ignore tasks or consider many tasks as low priority. Thus many important tasks may be left undone. In some cases, these tasks may be contradictory or mutually exclusive (e. g. A person is responsible for product cost reduction and improvement of customer service simultaneously). 10. In SMEs the average project duration is shorter than in large companies. Manager faces challenges to reallocate employees more frequently to different projects.

Should individuals be allowed to sell their organs on the open market Research Paper

Should individuals be allowed to sell their organs on the open market in the U.S - Research Paper Example Those improvements would increase the number of lives saved. Putting a social priority in place and imposing regulations that require donation when possible will help to increase the number of patients saved by organ donation. In addition, opening the avenue of commerce for body part sales from live donors will allow for more lives to be saved when the social concept that it is unethical is removed. The integrity of the medical community is one of the primary concerns in the idea of making medical care subject to commerce. However, the United States already limits health care to those who can afford it. Therefore, selling organs in an open, but controlled market is not against the ethics of the medical community and will allow for more patients to receive the treatment that they need in order to promote longer, healthier lives. Organ transplants: Selling body parts for profit Organ transplants depend upon donations from the loved ones of people who have died or the loved ones of thos e who need an organ that can be taken from a live donor with still preserving that life. Blood can be donated in bulk along with plasma. Sometimes blood banks pay for donations of blood. However, selling organs is strictly forbidden, thus contributing to a burdened system that has long lists of people in need of transplants. When discussing the sale of organs, the issues that prevent this from occurring are based upon ethical standards of practice. These ethics are put into place for a reason; however, framing the issue differently might provide an ethical way in which to encourage more available organs while still preserving the integrity of the medical industry. Examining the topic of organ donation requires studying health behaviors. Health is a social issue, the ways in which health issues managed part of a social construction of behaviors in which medical personnel and patients interact towards defining the experience of illness and disease (Siegel and Alvaro 4). While the medi cal science provides treatments for health issues, society creates structures for administering those treatments. The frustration that many patients have is that there is treatment available, but the necessary components needed, whether that be federal laws, money, or medical materials, are not available. At this point, the social system reveals one of its flaws. In the case of organ donation, the lists are much longer than the availability of the required organs. Thus, the drive for organ donation becomes vital in providing the quantity of organs needed to save those that are suffering from various diseases. When considering all types of transplants, including tissue transplants, the chances of a person needing some form is one in two people (Institute of Medicine Committee on Rates of Organ Donation, 2006, p. 293). According to UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) (2011), the total number of people who are active on the organ transplant list is 72,260 with 110,624 total on the list as of 2:07pm on April 1, 2011. The difference is caused by those who are on the list, but who are inactive because they have become medically ineligible, either temporarily or permanently. From January to December of 2010, there were 28,664 transplants from 14,506 donors (UNOS). This difference reveals a disparity between the number of available organs to the actual need. In Africa, Asia, Europe and South America, the commercialization of organ transplants occurs, with renal transplants being one of the more commonly sold form of

Making Management Decsions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Making Management Decsions - Essay Example The company performance is similar to that of the other companies, but also affected by the environmental influences (Eberhard,  Reiner &  Herbert, 2005). The company has managed to acquire products that are marketable but needs financial assistance to foster a successful launching of the products. The efforts have been made in order to facilitate the acquisition of the required funds through the approach of the venture capital company. The company has been incurring the cost of construction that amounts to  £2 million in order to finance the construction of a pilot plant. If scrap value of the company is  £200,000, this is the amount that would be valued if the company were to decide the discontinuing of the pursuit of production of the products. This is a plan of investing an additional  £8 million in order to facilitate the continuation of the operation of the company. The factory is anticipated to be in function for a period of ten years with a production capacity of 150,000 liters of products every month. The company has decided to sell the product produce at a price of  £2 per liter for the detergent. This price of the product is based on the market research that is conducted in the industry (Olson, 2009). (b) A brief discussion of factors likely to influence the demand for an ‘environmentally-friendly’ product of this kind. Gather evidence from the experience of other similar companies (eg Ecocover etc). This should be no longer than 300 words. The rise in demand of the environmentally friendly products is attributed to the increase in the increased focus on the environmental issues. Various efforts that are focused on sustaining the environment have been implemented. The strategies have created the incentive of terms like offsetting and others like the carbon footprint. Numerous organizations are focusing on the efforts aimed at focusing on the adaption of the marketing strategies for the

Sand and gravel operators in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Essay

Sand and gravel operators in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario - Essay Example The availability of sand and gravel facilitated trade for the operators since this era. In this case, the operators’ trade took a unique course within the locality. There was a vivid observation that the operators would sell most of the products within Sault Ste. Marie vicinity. This trend has prevailed for a long duration since the onset of the sand and gravel trade within the locality. Definitely it was attributable to specific facts that involved city policies and regulations. Ontario had been subject to a rugged terrain since history. The city authorities had the zeal to reform the land and propagate agriculture (Mackintosh, 16). In this case, agriculture required a fine terrain with ideal edaphic factors. Agriculture was to become a complement of the pit business and mining in this region. The interests of the authorities were to enhance both sectors in Ontario. In this plan, southern Ontario was engaged in agricultural activities as the northern part was to retain aggreg ate resources (Mackintosh, 16). This led to the production of a policy that credited Sault Ste. Marie to retain the aggregate resources. This was an ideal decision from the authorities. However, it surfaced intricate issues and hardships amongst inhabitants who practiced the different economic initiatives. Conflict arose in places where the agrarian and aggregate land would coincide. After the implementation of the dual economy, agriculture took a rampant growth. This is evident in the production of fruits like cherries, grapes as well as peaches (Mackintosh, 16). As denoted previously, Sault Ste. Marie was dominant in aggregate resources. During its aggregate activities, Sault Ste. Marie was responsible of the blockage and deposits in Root River. It was also responsible for depositing materials in Cannon Creek. These were paramount resources towards the enhancement of agriculture. Therefore, the aggregate deposits were significantly detrimental to the thriving of agriculture. Conse quently, the authorities charged Sault Ste. Marie due to the blockages it had brought. According to the policy, any individual that would make deposits in rivers or at the banks would be charged. A five or ten thousand dollars fine would be imposed to the offender (Laskin, 10). The crime could also lead to both a fine and one year imprisonment. This policy has been existent from the 1970s to date. This is a key reason towards the dismal trade to Ontario for the aggregate resources. Any form of deposit that would deprive the quality of water in this municipality would attribute to legal charges. Evidently, this policy was a key factor towards the decreased trade of aggregate materials to Ontario. The traders of aggregate materials would prefer not to incur a risk in the transportation process. In this case, they preferred to trade with the local buyers of aggregate materials. Their preference of trade remained intact inspire of the low profit margins in Sault Ste. Marie. Therefore, t he Ontario policy was a key factor towards the local preference by aggregate traders in Sault Ste. Marie. Southern Ontario is entirely vulnerable to aggregate pollution (Laskin, 9). Poverty has been a sensitive issue in the confines of Sault Ste. Marie. There has been a major concern to eradicate poverty in this locality (Coulter, 9). Poverty eradication would bring a new phase in diverse sectors of this vicinity. For example, it would enhance education attainment, healthcare amongst others. The eradication would also bring a positive economic impact on the vicinity. In this locality, poverty is in a rampant state to a large populace. Due to this fact, majority of the individuals do not hold professional qualifications for ideal careers. This is a trend in the sand

Professional Integration Within Health Care Pharmacies Essay

Professional Integration Within Health Care Pharmacies - Essay Example The aim of this paper is to do this, in regards to one health care organization in particular - The HMO Research Network. This is what will be dissertated in the following. Integrated care systems have unique advantages for conducting research, this system in particular is a perfect example of this representation. The HMO Research Network (HMORN) includes research centers associated with 13 large integrated care systems whose research focuses primarily on improving health and health care delivery using the extraordinary platform which is provided by these health systems. "HMORN research centers have access to large, defined populations, comprehensive medical information, extensive computerized data systems and to medical care delivery systems that offer extraordinary research opportunities." (Vogt, Lafata, Tolsma, & Greene, 2004). Integrated care health maintenance organizations (HMOs) provide the absolute optimal mix of population base, electronic medical and financial databases, and longitudinal observation for much heath research.

British industrial relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

British industrial relations - Essay Example lective bargaining can force employers to deal with labour as a collective identity, rather than isolated individuals and so, secure better the terms and condition of employment. Nevertheless, in 1979when the conservative party won the election, everything changed. The new government used a lot measures to restrict the role of trade unions. In addition, it introduced an enterprise culture in which individuals and organisations, rather than government, were to be held responsible for economic performance. Thus, as well as rejecting the maintenance of full employment as a major policy objective, they in effect abandoned the commitment of their predecessors to voluntary collective bargaining as the most effective method of determining pay and conditions. Then, there was a total break with the old work patterns but an explanation of this will be the economical context. In fact, after the war, there was a period of reconstruction that engendered a lot of work; manufacturing was the backbone of the economy, it was a period of full employment. After that, there was a wave of privatisation, many companies became multinationals, and there was an internationalisation o f business. Because Britain is the candle of industrialisation, the British employment relations system has a long history. It is extremely important as it's the FIRST system in the modern sense and thus other ER systems such as Australia's, has been 'modelled' on it (Marchington et al. 2004 p36). For example, many percent trade unions can trace their roots back to this mid-19th century or earlier in Britain. The legislations and rules of employment relations in many countries are also modelled on the Britain's. As a result, studying the British employment relation system can help to know the history of the ER... The aim of this essay will be to access and explain the management of British employment relationship and then derive lessons concerning the management of the employment relationship from the study of the operation, structure and effectiveness of systems of the employment relations in Britain. This essay will then give a description of the recent management of the British Industrial Relations system in Britain and discuss the future of British Industrial Relations System. The British industrial relations system has a long history and has gone through much change in recent years. Industrial relations are also known as employee relations. There are three phases in the evolution of employee relations since the end of the World War II, the third one being the partnership approach. Until 1979 (date of the election of the Conservative Party), work relations were based on collective bargaining and collective agreement aiming to determine and regulate, in varying degrees, the terms on which individuals will be employed (Flanders 1968 p35), with a strong voluntarism encouraged massively and informally.Since the early days of the Industrial Revolution, from 1760-1830 progress, innovation and growth in every field of human endeavour have served to transform industry, economics and society. The British system of industrial relations has often been considered as being as voluntarist, by which is generally meant the abstaining of the state from direct interference in the managing industrial relations

Mangement on personal planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mangement on personal planning - Essay Example (Caldwell) The first key step in scheduling your finances is to have a prearranged budget that consist of savings, expenses, and investments. Needing a static budget will help you stick to your strategy to make certain future achievement. After a twosome of months it would be very relaxed to tell if your financial plan needs to be reformed to fit with your individual circumstances. A periodic budget not only assistances to set up lasting financial objectives, it also can make your immediate budget subjects disappear. Knowing precisely where your money is going every month can retain you out of dues, and can help you figure out where you might have future budgetary concerns. Your financial plan can also assist you to come up with an instantaneous reserves plan if you have a hefty pending expenditure, such as college for your kids or a new home. Exploration is imperative when it comes to conception your financial plan, particularly when it comes to financing money for your upcoming and your fami ly. The best part of individual financial arrangement is that your future will be more protected. You will no longer have to concern about needing money for out of the blue expenses such as emergency hospital visits or a car accidents. Setting a little extra money away in your budget can deal you harmony of mind that you under no circumstances had when living wages to wages. Personal economic planning pointers to the eventual goal: a comfy retirement. At long last, this is the most significant motive to blueprint for your future. With an unbalanced economy, and social sanctuary reimbursements in the balance, having sufficient money to contentedly continue after retirement is indispensable. No one recognizes what the years to derive will take along, so make sure your own life in control can be a huge progressive. Having a well alleged financial plan can countenance to be safe and sound now and confident for the

Week 4-Applied business research Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Week 4-Applied business research - Assignment Example (2) The graph includes only two data points yet wants to argue that this is a trend caused by stricter enforcement.  Chance or random  fluctuation is inherent in nearly every human phenomena.  Two successive observations of anything are likely to vary.  Two observations do not make a trend. (3) The graph lacks context both in terms of a longer series of observations for Connecticut traffic fatalities and in comparisons with other states that, during this period, did not crack down on speeding. (4) The graph doesn’t take population  size into account.  The more people, the more drivers, the more likely you’ll have traffic fatalities.  Increases in fatalities may be an artifact of increases in the number of drivers.  Decreases may be an artifact of population decline. Based on the output table below, what percentage of districts with the fewest experienced teachers can be found among school districts that score among the highest third of all districts on a measure of the percentage of their students who pass standardized tests? What two additional percentages in the table above would you report in an edited table to support an argument that districts with more experienced teachers tend to be the highest scoring districts on standardized

International Financial System Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

International Financial System - Assignment Example The international gold standard was declared dead in 1933 at the London Conference although all major nations including the UK, the US, Italy, and France wanted a return to the international gold standard. The proposal of drawing rights with the aim of stabilizing exchange rates also could not be initiated. The reason for the collapsing gold standard was attributed to the US and the UK forcing low peg to gold, as a result no consensus could e reached among major countries on returning back to gold standard. Increased tariff barriers were also one of the reasons hindering other nations to support a return to the gold standard; also other nations doubted Britain’s intentions of getting the benefit in the Commonwealth by not effectively forcing fiscal measures (Action Forex 2010). Some of the rescue options included reining in of foreign capital flow to safeguard emerging economies, strengthening the monetary power of the IMF and codification of debt rescheduling by permitting co untries to request IMF to file for a debt hold agreement (Mandel & Foust 1998). From 1939 to 1942 Britain exhausted all its stock of gold in purchasing ammunition, which made it clear that return to the gold standard was not possible. The predictions of John Maynard Keynes got proved to become a part of the â€Å"stability pact† finding Keynes voice heard in the Bretton Woods Agreement, signed on 1944 (Action Forex 2010). Bretton Woods Agreement was signed for the establishment of International Bank for Reconstruction (IBRD, the World Bank), etc.

Concert Review Essay Example for Free

Concert Review Essay The rhythm, which was continuously steady seemed to get faster like a heart beat by the climax of the song. It was also at this point that the dynamics of the song were increasingly getting louder until all instruments met at the top with a bang and then changed the dynamics again to a moderate level until the song concluded. â€Å"Waltz for Debby†, written by Bill Evans and arranged by Don Sebesky, was a consonant, slow-beat waltz. The texture of this piece remained the same through its entirety and the 1,2,3 pattern was also very noticeably throughout the piece as well. The saxophone, trumpet and electric guitar took turns at the melody and did so through this performance in the form of solos. The dynamics throughout this song were soft and then increased to a moderate level before a decrescendo to a softer level once again. The ensemble did a fabulous job of keeping with the beat. â€Å"Ancient Memories†, by Fred Hamilton and arranged by Paul Ferguson, was played the night of the concert by guest trumpeter, Darryl White. Mr. White played this song because it is the title track on his 1999 album, also called â€Å"Ancient Memories†. Mr. White is a professor of trumpet at the University of Nebraska. This piece began by having very dissonant tones within the harmony with the introduction of a piano and drums. The song then changed into a more consonant harmony, which remained throughout the rest of the song. The texture of this song was polyphonic between the trumpet and the piano. The melody of this song was bright and happy in some places within the song and more cool and relaxing in other parts as the tempo changed and the notes of the trumpet were held for emphasis. There were many dynamics used within this song. The song began with a crescendo from very soft to very loud and then remained in this pattern until the end when the pattern was reversed. â€Å"Fly Me to the Moon† was for me a song of romance from the time the first note began. The song was passionate and sexy and displayed dialogue without using any words. The ensemble played this piece with steadiness and the solo by Cassi Lee provided the extended dialogue that sounded like dancing and twirling in the moonlight. This song reminded me of â€Å"My Heart Will Go On† in that the instrumental nature of it tells a story, just as much as when Celine Dion is singing the lyrics. I found listening to this song a worthwhile experience and it was a fantastic beginning to the jazz concert in that it was familiar to the audience. â€Å"Waltz for Debby’ made me wonder who Debby was and why someone would write such an old-sounding song for someone they loved. The song was very pretty, but it was of a different genre than that of the other pieces within the concert. It is honestly hard for me to recommend this song to anyone, for I thought it was dull and lacked the depth of the other songs throughout the evening. â€Å"Ancient Memories† was a beautiful piece. I am not sure what I enjoyed more, the fact that Mr. White played with such passion and made the song his own life force or that this piece reminded me of my childhood. This piece reminded me of something Bill Cosby would have on the Cosby Show in one of the jazz clubs. The song was fun and although the song had a lot of repetition, I loved listening to the changes over and over again. The Jazz Ensemble concert at Tarleton was an enjoyable evening full of great music and intellectually stimulating experiences of music that I would not have listened to if not for this assignment. Diversification is an important lesson to learn when viewing music because all music has roots from another genre and recognizing this makes you more diversified as an individual.

Analysing The Political System In Ukraine Politics Essay

Analysing The Political System In Ukraine Politics Essay Before mentioning about the presidents and presidential elections, the political system of the Ukraine is important to analyze its political transition. With its independence, Ukraine had some difficult task which would be solved in short time. A new political system had to be built. New system of national security and defense had to be created. With its Constitution, the general foundations of the political system are defined. Ukraine is an independent, sovereign, democratic and social and jural state in accordance with its organic law. The state power is divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches. According to Constitution, the main responsibility of the state is to establish and promote human rights and freedoms. Ukraine is a unitary state, in which its territory is integral and inviolable. The state has a single citizenship. (http://www.ukraine-arabia.ae/ukraine/politics/president/) As we look into the President of the Ukraine, this post is designated to be Head of State and a guarantor of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and adherence to the Constitution. President is elected by the citizens of the state on the basis of direct universal suffrage. The term of presidential office is five years. In order to be elected as President there are obligations. One of them is living in Ukraine for ten years before the elections, the other is being citizens.(http://www.ukraine-arabia.ae/ukraine/politics/president/) The only legislative body of Ukraine is the Parliament which is called the Verkhovna Rada. Citizens elect the deputies of Ukraine via direct universal suffrage through secret vote. The parliamentary election system is mixed with majority and proportional. 450 deputies are elected 225 of them are elected at single-mandate constituencies in terms of relative majority, and another 225 are elected proportionally at multi-mandate national constituency from the list of candidates who comes from the political parties. Constitution and laws of Ukraine establish the powers of the peoples deputies. They can unite themselves into factions with more than 25 members. These deputy groups are formed on a party and non-party basis. Then, the Cabinet of Ministers which is the supreme executive authority of Ukraine comes. Presidential orders, laws of Ukraine and the Constitution are the legal basis for its actions. The Government is responsible to the President and it is controlled by the Verkhovna Rada. This dependency leads to presidential appointment of a Prime minister with parliamentary consent. Prime Ministers authorities may be suspended and discharged by the President. Furthermore, Members of Cabinet of Ministers are discharged and appointed by President. When we look at the judicial authority system, there are Constitutional Court and Courts of General Jurisdiction. Furthermore, the supreme authority in judiciary is Supreme Court of Ukraine. The system of courts of general jurisdiction is based on the principles of territorial and special jurisdiction. The Constitutional Court of Ukraine is a separate entity and is independent from the Courts of General Jurisdiction. The activities of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine promote constitutional control in all spheres, stabilization and strengthening of constitutional order, the establishment of principle of primacy of law and the supreme legal force of the Constitution, and the promotion of constitutional rights and freedoms of citizens. Ukrainians had to take a program of state and nation building simultaneously. In the process of state building, Ukrainian policy was shaped with the  desire  to  guarantee its  independence. It can be said that Ukrainian independence was accompanied with the qualifications of quasi-state and quasi-nation as a part of the Soviet heritage. Policy of Ukraine since 1991- 1992 until the 2004- 2005 was based on the process of state and nation building. Because of locked within the Soviet borders, Ukraine has isolated from the other world. All the interactions with the entire world were conducted by Moscow, that is the reason why Ukrainian authorities had no experience in cooperation with other states and independent administration of the state. (http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/3/6/1/1/8/pages361183/p361183-20.php) E.2.Presidents of Ukraine While examining the political transition of the Ukraine, it is also necessary to deal with the presidents and elections. After the independence from Soviet in 1991, in Ukraine there held 5 presidential elections in 1991, 1994, 1999 and 2004 and 2010, five parliamentary elections in 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2007. The Ukrainian Constitution which was adopted in 1996 and was amended in 2004, stipulates a de-facto dual executive that is dependent on both the president and the parliamentary majority. (Oleksandr Sushko and Olena Prystayko) There held the first presidential election on 1st December 1991. Leonid Kravchuk won the elections with the 61,59 percent of the votes in the first round and became the state President. He showed a degree of political continuity from the Soviet period. He failed in understanding the need for economic reform. Consequently, because of not implementing the reforms in which power was divided between the communists and the opposition, the result became a hybrid regime. (Karpyk, Tamila,8) As it was stated before, the first years of independence was dealing with nation  building  and  political  survival.  The appearance and activities of Rukh (the Peoples Movement of Ukraine) which is a new Democratic Party was important for preservation of national identity among the masses. Vyacheslav  Chornovil  was the leader of the Democratic Party and he had significant characteristics on the spirit of nationalism in Ukraine. In these circumstances, changing into a nation-builder and being a mediator between the nationalist West and the Russified Eastern part of the country was not difficult for the first President Leonid Kravchuk who was former Second Secretary of the Communist Party of Ukraine. However, it was not an easy task. Before his office term ended, he had to call an early election because of the strike of the coal miners on 7th July 1993. (http://www.kmu.gov.ua/control/en/publish/article?art_id=72956cat_id=32588) With the decision of referendum, the early election was held on 26th June1994. Leonid Kravchuk and Leonid Kuchma were among the candidates of this election. In the first round, none of the candidates gained over 50 percent. Leonid Kravchuk got 38,36 percent and Leonid Kuchma got 31,17 percent of the votes. In the second round which was held on 10th July 1994, while the current head of the state received the 45,06, Leonid Kuchma was elected as Ukranian second Head of State with the 52,15 percent. (http://www.turksam.org/tr/a1898.html) It was surprise for Leonid Kravchuk to lose to Leonid Kuchma in the early elections. Leonid Kuchma was the former manager of Ukraines biggest armaments factory. On coming to power, Kuchma devolved greater power to the regions to decide linguistic and national questions. In his election campaign, anti-nationalist sentiment was aired by the Kuchma. (Kuzio, 214) However, this more liberal policy has squarely contradicted his desire for national consolidation and thwarted attempts to make policy implementation by the center in the periphery more efficient and effective. His first year in power led to financial stabilization. However, he could not continue the reform process and that led to small group in power becoming richer and the majority of the people had to find another means for survival. In 1999, during the Office term of Kuchma, The Committee to Protect Journalists stated Ukraine for its restrictions over independent media. The image of Ukraine was influenced in negative way bec ause of disappearance of opposition journalist. (Karpyk, Tamila,20) Kuchma has intimate relations with Putin. His administration can be seen as soft authoritarianism. Corruption, suppression of the media and weakening of the civil society were activities during the period of Leonid Kuchma. He aspired to construct a system of managed democracy which is formal democratic practices but informal control of all political institutions similar to Putins model of government in Russia but he never had such kind of success. Ukraines three largest oligarchic group did back Kuchma and wielded their media and financial resources. (McFaul,50-51) However, Kuchma did not control the rents generated from oil and gas sales that could have been used to purchase the loyalty of societal challengers. Kuchmas regime did not control or own major segments of the Ukrainian economy. The third election was held on 31st October 1999, Leonid Kuchma also took part in this election. There were 13 candidates but none of them got the majority of the votes. Ukrainian Communist Party leader Petro Simonenko and Leonid Kuchma competed in the second round. The former President was re-elected for a second term by taking 56,25 percent of the votes. In 2000, Viktor Yuschenko became Prime Minister of Kuchma. In economic domain, the citizens became hopeful with this change. Especially encouraging privatization, comprehensive reform programs and attempts for prevention of corruption enabled Yuschenko to have support from Ukrainians. As a consequence, he automatically became opponent to Kuchma and he was dismissed from his post. In 2000, a former socialist and oligarch leader released a video record which contains Leonid Kuchmas illegal orders. With this event, a scandal broke out and it brought a different approach to Ukrainian politics. In the parliamentary elections, Yuschenkos bloc got 112 chairs. However Kuchmas party got 104 chairs and it became sign for the upcoming elections for President. (SarÄ ±kaya, p.3) Kuchma has tried to squelch opposition voices. However, his jailing of former Energy Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko, his dismissal of Prime Minister Yuschenko and his apparent collusion in the murder of journalist Georgy Gongadze further weakened the state and created more opposition. (McFaul, p.54) As a final impression on Kuchmas term, he did not aspire to construct full blown autocracy. He was prepared to transgress democratic rules to prevent the opposition from coming to power and he also wanted to maintain the appearance of democracy. The fourth Presidential elections were really struggling and it led to the Orange Revolution which will be explained in the following section. The election held on 31st October 2004 had 26 candidates. Two of the candidates were Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych backed by Russia and former Prime Minister and opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko supported by the West. The first round was really competitive and in the second round the percentage of the votes of Yanukovych and Yushchenko were close to each other. With the announcement of the international electoral watchdogs about defraud on the elections resulted in the mass demonstrations of the population. Ukrainian High Court explained that the results were not valid. As the new election was held, Yushchenko instead of Yanukovych got the Presidency with the help of the Orange Revolution. Although Yanukovych did not win the election, it was seen that his and Russias political influence power in Ukraine was very strong. (http://www.turks am.org/tr/a1898.html) When Yushchenko first came to power, Ukraines Orange government seemed like it could meet the popular demands for radical political reform and immediate integration into Europe. Yushchenko and his Prime Minister Tymoshenko showed their incompatibility while working. They criticized each other openly. The Ukrainian political system became more dysfunctional. (Motyl, Alexander, 4) There is also an important and positive improvement. During Yuschchenkos term Ukraine was upgraded to FREE from Partly Free by Freedom House. He failed to understand the need to deal with Ukraines past or how to integrate Ukraine and follow through on pursuing criminal charges against the elites who had murdered journalists, abused their positions of power through massive corruption and theft of state property, and organized mass election fraud. (Kuzio, 217) On the other hand, he actively favored his ethnic Ukrainian base by promoting the Ukrainian language, culture, and identity in schools, government, and the media. With these actions, he alienated many of the ethnic Russians and Russian speaking Ukrainians in the countrys east and south. (Motyl, Alexander, 3) On 17 January 2010, 18 candidates competed in the elections. Current President Yushchenko was also one of the participants. (http://www.turksam.org/tr/a1898.html) In February 2010, Viktor Yanukovych made a remarkable political comeback. It was surprising that Orange Revolution was conducted against Yanukovychs Presidency and now the Ukrainians elected him voluntarily. The economic conditions of Ukraine could be explanation for this situation. In 2009, the countrys GDP fell by 15 percent. People were frustrated and they were willing to support anyone who could fix the economic conditions. And Tymoshenko was seen as guilty and Yanukovych became the winner.At the start of his presidency, Yanukovych laid out his foreign policy priorities: restoring Ukraines close ties with Russia, European integration and building relationships with strategic partners such as the United States. By playing to these priorities and, at the same time, pursuing their own interests in the region, Russia, the European Union, and the United States can help stabilize the Yanukovych presidency and Ukraine.(Motyl,Alexander, 2) Yanukovych claimed that he learned from his mist akes in the past. However, he had already done some mistakes. He redefined democracy as political order. He does not advocate Ukrainian heritage contrary to his opponent Yushchenko. He appointed Dmytro Tabachnyk for Ministery of Education and Science. He was not a good choice because he openly declares his anti-Ukrainian views. He also claims that ethnic Ukrainians in the west of Ukraine are too Westernized to be genuine Ukrainians. His assault on the Ukrainian identity resulted in demonstrations and protests which were directed at Yanukovych and his minister. (Motyl,Alexander, 4) As a result of Yanukovychs centralized and anti-Ukrainian regime, Ukraine does not reach national consensus on the political and economic direction of country. He is not expected to be authoritarian because of not having strong coercive apparatus as Putin but his regime is seen as return to Kuchmism. There created strong opposition to him and Ukraines first President Kravchuk is among them. He criticized lawlessness, permissiveness, use of force and corruption which are done by the team of Yanukovych. It is believed that if he continues to act like this, he can provoke a second Orange Revolution. Lacking the ability, capacity, and will to change the system, Yanukovych will probably try to enhance his regimes legitimacy. However, its Party of Region is not supported by population in Kiev and no reform is expected during his term because of gathering Kuchmas incompetent ministers in his team. Furthermore, the lower natural gas price that Yanukovych negotiated with Russia will bring imm ediate benefits to the oligarchs. Lower gas prices will allow them to keep the costs of their products low and globally competitive without forcing them to modernize or become more efficient. Even if the people welcomes lower gas prices at first Yanukovychs regime is expected to be more corrupt. (Kuzio, 214) After evaluating Presidents of Ukraine, the citizens ideas on democracy are worthy to examine. According to survey which is conducted in 2010, the preference for democracy is highest in Western Ukraine, while apathy toward the type of governing system is highest in Eastern and Southern Ukraine. More Ukrainians do not view Ukraine as a democracy than those who do. Only 25 percent of Ukrainians believe that Ukraine is a democracy compared to 41 percent who do not believe it is a democracy . E.3. The Orange Revolution From over two decades, Ukraine has been facing with a most difficult transition from its authoritarian past. On the way to democratization, it has experienced economic collapse, over lasting constitution making period, border disputes with its neighbors, severe discontinuities and a revolution.(Bohdan Harasymiw, 2002) The fall 2004 presidential election was one of the pivotal movements in the history of Ukraine. The current president Leonid Kuchma and Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych who was chosen successor of Kuchma deployed state resources, national media, and private funding from both Ukrainians and Russians to win against Viktor Yushchenko. When this effort was not enough, the government of Kuchma added votes in the second round for Yanukovych. As a response, Yushchenko called his supporters to come to Independence Square. The reason for this call is to protest this fraud in the election. Thousands of people came together in Kiev and stayed there until Supreme Court decided to cancel the second round results. (McFaul, 49) As we evaluate the Orange Revolution, it is understood that domestic factors accounted for most of the drama of this event.but external factors played direct role in constraining some dimensions of autocratic power. It also enhanced some dimensions of the oppositions power. However, Ukrainian democracy did not consolidate after the Revolution. Even if the Ukrainian democracy go back towards autocracy over the long run, this dramatic event is still seen as a democratic breakthrough in this decade.(McFaul, 48) With the Orange Revolution, it was seen that in Ukraine there is a struggle for between a semi-autocratic regime and a democratic opposition. Although there were improvements towards liberal democracy but not guaranteed. Institutional changes remain modest. 5 years after this movement, election of Yanukovych can be surprising and made the Orange Revolution waste of time. It has just postponed his Presidency. F.3.Ukraine-Turkey Relations: Turkey and Ukraine are neighbors on the Black Sea. When we look at the general situation between these two countries it can be said that it is good but not sufficient compared to their current potential. Especially in the issue of security in Black Sea, Ukraine has great importance for Turkey. Furthermore, its location on the energy lines, being one of the significant Black Sea countries, the historical ties with Crimea region and nearly 265000 Crimean Turks living in Crimea makes their relations substantial and sensitive. (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-ukrayna-ekonomik-iliskileri.tr.mfa) As it is all known Ukraine has importance on the international relations with its strategic position. Ukraine sees Turkey as a key country for exit for Middle East and Mediterranean Sea. Ukraines foreign policy in its South axis aims to improve relations with Turkey. For Turkey, Ukraine is a buffer zone in order to prevent Russians to reach Black Sea. Turkey also attaches importance to Ukraine in terms of the stability of the region and strives to further develop its bilateral relations with Ukraine in every field especially economic and trade. (http://www.turksam.org/tr/a1512.html) Turkey is one of the first countries which recognized the Ukrainian Independence. Because of the discontinuity of the political relations, economic and the trade relations moved ahead of them. The Protocol on the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Turkey and Ukraine was signed on February 3, 1992. The legal framework which regulates the relations and cooperation between these two countries is almost complete after the signing of several agreements and protocols in political, military, economic, cultural, educational and intelligence related fields. (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-ukrayna-ekonomik-iliskileri.tr.mfa) In 1994, Trade Economic Cooperation Agreement entered into force. There has been no serious political problem and there is an increase on the economic dynamic. There is an unbalanced situation of trade. Although Turkey imports more, its exports to Ukraine remains very low. 70 percent of Ukraines exports to Turkey is composed of iron, steel and the other mine products. There has been an increase of the Turkeys exportations on coal, organic and inorganic chemical substances, wood, aluminum, paper, plaster, stone and cement from 2007.  Turkeys investment in Ukraine is towards 135 million US dollars. There are over 500 enterprises. Another part of the relationship between these two countries is composed of Black Sea Economic Cooperation which both are the members. (http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkiye-ukrayna-ekonomik-iliskileri.tr.mfa)    Moreover, Turkey and Ukraine support each other in international organizations such as UN, CoE, and OSCE. Military relations are conducted both on bilate ral basis and within the framework of NATO-Ukraine Commission, BLACKSEAFOR and Operation Black Sea Harmony.(http://www.mfa.gov.tr/turkey_s-political-relations-with-ukraine.en.mfa) In 2003, Turkey declared Ukraine as privileged State status so Ukraine became privileged in Turkeys foreign policy. There have been several negotiations of the Foreign and Prime Ministers of both countries. In January 2007, Prime Minister Yanukovich visited Turkey and Operation Black Sea Harmony was signed. G.Conclusion In conclusion, after evaluating the Ukraines triple transition period, we have reached some important points. Although there have been some attempts to fully implement democracy, there are some obstacles. At first glance, the problems seem to be resulted from its communist past and Russian influence. Ukraine does not fully integrate as Ukrainian society. The problematic national transition of Ukraine can be traced back to this period. Seperatist minority groups, ethnic Russians and Crimean Tatars, keep Ukraine deal with its internal problems rather than economic ones. Economic crises which resulted from the price of gas fluctuations led to frustration within the country. Another obstacle that Ukraine faces with is its dependency on Russia in terms of energy. If it does not overcome this struggle, it seems to restrict Ukraines regional power. However, explaining Ukrainian internal conflicts only with the Russia based reasons would be wrong. Russia is extremely influential factor but we should not underestimate the other factors. In Ukraine, there are not only two cleavages that split the country. Ukrainians are divided also among themselves. It is clear that Ukrainian part and Russified part in Ukraine exist and surprisingly there was no civil war because there is no clear distinction between these counterparts. One of the most important sign for democracy is civil society and in Ukraine it can be seen as the strongest among the other Post-Communist states though it is not in Western standards. This led to the Orange Revolution that increased the political competition however; it could not succeed in long term reforms. Political instabilities and crisis environment became continuous in which Yanukovychs pro-Russian attitudes and Yushchenkos Ukrainian nationalism competed. Besides Ukrainian society chose best of the worst option because of the high level of corruption. As a matter of fact that in the first place Ukraine should focus on the problem of high level of corruption as the society expected to do so. The reason hidden behind societys choice for Yanukovych is his claims on economic solutions rather than his political views. After all, the analytical outcomes show that Ukraine does not fully achieve a consolidated democracy. Although civil society and independent media paint a promising Picture, it has more things to do in order to reach the standards of Western democracies. Especially, the deficiency in the reforms on the political institutions should be reconsidered. Nevertheless, Ukraine succeeded sufficient triple transition, coming after the Baltic States, when we compared it to the remaining post-Soviet countries like the Caucasus and the Central Asia.

Schizophrenia Symptoms Are Classified Into Three Categories

Schizophrenia Symptoms Are Classified Into Three Categories Schizophrenia has been defined as split mind. It refers not to a multiple personality split but rather to a split from reality that shows itself in disorganized thinking, disturbed perceptions, and inappropriate emotions and actions (Myers, 2007, p678). Schizophrenia is a disorder of the normal balance of emotion and thinking; is being defined as a collection of severe brain disorders in which the patient sees reality abnormally. In Schizophrenia one or more of the following symptoms are present: hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking and behavior. Schizophrenia is a chronic illness that requires treatment for life. The twist of the movie, Beautiful mind, which occurs about middle through the movie, is that Nash is suffering from a severe form of Schizophrenia, and many the situations and places that he think exist in his life, are only part of his mind. Schizophrenia Symptoms: no one single symptom can determine the diagnosis; most of its symptoms can be applied to other mental illnesses. In men, Schizophrenia symptoms typically begin in the teens or 20s. In women, typically is the 20s or early 30s. Its unusual for children to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia symptoms are classified into three categories positive, negative and cognitive. The positive symptoms are hallucinations, speech disorganized, delusions, inappropriate laughter, and tears. Patients with negative symptoms are usually quite, toneless voices, expressionless faces, and rigid bodies. Most inappropriate behaviors are usually presented by the positive symptoms, and the absences of proper behaviors are the negative symptoms, last cognitive symptoms are slight and are often discover with a when neuropsychological tests are administer. Cognitive impairments frequently impede the patients ability to lead a normal life and earn a living. They cause great emotional distress Positive symptoms: reveal an excess or distortion of normal functions. These lively, abnormal symptoms may include: Delusions. Is the most frequent, these are beliefs that are not based in reality and usually entail misunderstanding of perception or incidents. Hallucinations. These typically involve seeing or hearing people or other things are not real, while hearing voices is the most common in patients with Schizophrenia, they can be in any of the senses. Thought disorder. Trouble speaking and organizing thoughts may result in stopping speech midsentence or putting together meaningless words, sometimes known as word salad. Disorganized behavior. This can be in many different forms, ranging from childlike silliness to random disturbance. Negative symptoms: is the lack, diminishment or nonexistence of characteristics of normal function. They may appear with or without positive symptoms. They include: Lack of interest in daily activities Display of lack emotions Reduced capability to make arrangement or carry out actions Neglect of personal hygiene Social withdrawal Loss of motivation Cognitive symptoms: involve troubles with thought processes. These symptoms may be the most disabling in Schizophrenia because they interfere with the ability to perform routine daily tasks. They include: Problems with making sense of information Difficulty paying attention Memory problems The Schizophrenia symptoms the viewer of the film A Beautiful Mind takes account of are hallucinations, both auditory and visual, paranoid ideations, delusional thinking, and a distorted perception of reality, all of which are symptoms that psychologists needs to determine and diagnose Schizophrenia. The movie convincingly uses the visual medium to expose stress and mental illness within one persons mind. The plot substitute auditory hallucinations with visual delusions to describe the story of the paranoid Schizophrenia. In the film A Beautiful Mind Nash experiences some of the positive symptoms. The first scene that showed the positive symptoms of Schizophrenia is also Nashs first hallucination in his college dorm room at Princeton University, when his drunken roommate Charles appears. Charles acts as a mentor to Nash by making him realize there is more in life than just study and work, that he must live life in a different way. Throughout his life, Nash has been a lone wolf, and Charles pushes Nash to go out, meets new people, makes some friends, and must learn to have respect for beer. It is then, when his mind relaxes, that he is capable to come up with his ultimate goal, create an original idea, and set himself apart from the rest of the students. Charles, the roommate stay in contact with John throughout his adult life and years later Charless niece, a little girl name Marcee, enters Johns mind as another coinciding hallucination. Nashs second hallucination is a estrange man who he refers to as Big Brother, a.k.a. William Parcher, Nash enters a world of secrecy and imagination when he meets him. While in a visit to the Pentagon, Nash first sees Parcher out of the corner of his eye. Later Parcher approaches Nash about a top secret job in which his lack of personal relationship would be a benefit. Parcher interprets a government secret agent that seeks out Nashs intelligence in the code- breaking area, something that he supposedly is the best because of a special capability he has when he looks in news papers, magazines or any other written document that he comes in contact with. In addition, this job that he has been given arouses his significance because he becomes part of the government where hes relied on. At one point in t he movie, Nash needs to locate and prevent the explosion of a Russian nuclear bomb. This delusional situation created within his mind, where he is completely unaware of its nonexistence is the best portrayal of this symptom in the movie, so real that is not easy for the viewer to identify it until later. The hallucination of Parcher is the key factor in Nashs delusional thinking. Nash delusions takes over his life, his hallucinations are all around the job Parcher assigned him regarding the nuclear bomb, supposedly Parcher places a device inside his arm that allows him to see a code under an ultra-violet light. Also with this implant under his skin Nash gain entrance to a secret location where he is to leave the cracked codes. In reality this top secret place is a vacant, falling down mansion, and the door key- pad that Nash types his entry secret code into doesnt work anymore. Nashs code breaking abilities are partly made possible by his hallucinations. The codes pop out of the pap er to him and everything makes sense. Even though the codes are imaginary since there was no secret- code- breaking- project underway, Nash deciphers complex mathematical formulas and in fact modifies a theory that had been accepted in its field. Around the same time he finds the love of his life in the class he teaches, Alicia one of his most brilliant students that he comes to met in a personal level and they fall in love to each other. Even though Nash is living torment with this delusions and hallucinations, hes able to still be a teacher, but he develops a new symptom wile in class Nash becomes paranoid, he start seeing a man that is staking him outside of the classroom. At this moment the film projects the full illness Nash is suffering, paranoid Schizophrenia, and until now he is unaware of his illness. But Alicia is already noticing signs and she showed him the documents, closed envelops, that she picked up from the dilapidated mansion mail box, and for the first time he is confront with his delusions. The evidence made Nash realize that he was hallucinating. When the conspiracy situation goes wrong in Nashs head he realizes he really needs mental help. He is taken, voluntarily to a psychiatric hospital, and is submitted to a very intense treatment. The scene on this movie that best explain the negative symptoms of Schizophrenia is the one showing Nash holding his baby son while the he is crying and Nash shows totally no sign of having emotions towards the baby or the situation at all. This is just one example, although a loss of feeling is one of the most preponderate negative symptoms. Nash is discharge from the hospital but he is prescribed with a high dose of medication, and while taking this medication to hold back the symptoms, Nash is shown returning to a normal life by becoming self aware. But the medication impedes completely his mathematical thinking as well as the way he feels and works. Although his illness interferes with his relationship, Nash and Alicia decide to stay together. As the relationship progresses, so does Nashs disease and his delusions. It is important to mention how the viewer is capable to observe the impact on Nashs activities of daily living the Schizophrenia has. His relationships with family, friends, and colleagues are disrupted by the intrusiveness of the symptoms of his mental illness, mainly because he is perceived as being so smart and the strange behaviors he exhibits are so contrasting with the perceptions that others had of him. His strange behavior seems even more difficult to understand because the onset of his mental illness occurs at a later age than is typical, in Nashs case, the onset occurs in his thirties. For a time, his family, friends, and colleagues attempt to ignore the symptoms and insist upon Nashs normalcy, but it becomes increasingly clear that Nash has a mental illness and needs to be evaluated for Schizophrenia. Once he has begun his descent into the world of Schizophrenia and goes deeper into it, Nash has increasing difficulty relating to the people around him. Even before the onset of his mental illness, he admits that he is not a particularly personable individual, and he has always been more comfortable and satisfied with numbers and his work than with people. Nonetheless, he is able, before his illness, to forge several significant relationships, including a romantic relationship that leads to his marriage to Alicia. Over time, however, the increased frequency, intensity, and persistence of his symptoms prove to be incredibly distracting, and even dangerous, putting the people that he loves in unsafe situations. However, characteristic of Schizophrenia, when he is in the pick of a hallucination or other symptom, he finds it impossible to distinguish between real and unreal. This state proves difficult for people, even those who love him deeply, to understand. When he is symptomatic, the powers of the hallucinatory figures that haunt him, especially Parcher, encourage him to harm his loved ones, and it is as if he never knew or cared about them. This condition is especially difficult for his wife, Alicia, who is affected most by Nashs illness and who is in the difficult position of making painful decisions about his treatment for Schizophrenia. Causes: Its not known, but researchers believe that a combination of genetics and environment factors contributes to development of the disease. Problems with certain naturally occurring brain chemicals, including the neurotransmitters dopamine and glutamate, also may contribute. Neuroimaging studies show differences in the brain structure and central nervous system of people with Schizophrenia. While researchers arent certain about the significance of these changes, they support evidence that Schizophrenia is a brain disease. Risk factors: Having a family history of Schizophrenia Exposure to viruses, toxins or malnutrition while in the womb, particularly in the first and second trimesters Stressful life circumstances Older paternal age Taking psychoactive drugs during adolescence and young adulthood. Standardized criteria According to the revised fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), to be diagnosed with Schizophrenia, three diagnostic criteria must be met: Characteristic symptoms: Two or more of the following, each present for much of the time during a one-month period (or less, if symptoms remitted with treatment). Delusions Hallucinations Disorganized speech, which is a manifestation of formal thought disorder Grossly disorganized behavior (e.g. dressing inappropriately, crying frequently) or catatonic behavior Negative symptoms affective flattening (lack or decline in emotional response), alogia (lack or decline in speech), or avolition (lack or decline in motivation) Social/occupational dysfunction: For a significant portion of the time since the onset of the disturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self-care, are markedly below the level achieved prior to the onset. Duration: Continuous signs of the disturbance persist for at least six months. This six-month period must include at least one month of symptoms (or less, if symptoms remitted with treatment). Schizophrenia cannot be diagnosed if symptoms of mood disorder or pervasive developmental disorder are present, or the symptoms are the direct result of a general medical condition or a substance, such as abuse of a drug or medication. Subtypes The DSM-IV-TR contains five sub-classifications of Schizophrenia. Paranoid type: Where delusions and hallucinations are present but thought disorder, disorganized behavior, and affective flattening are absent. Disorganized type: Named hebephrenic Schizophrenia in the ICD. Where thought disorder and flat affect are present together. Catatonic type: The subject may be almost immobile or exhibit agitated purposeless movement. Symptoms can include catatonic stupor and waxy flexibility. Undifferentiated type: Psychotic symptoms are present but the criteria for paranoid, disorganized, or catatonic types have not been met. Residual type: Where positive symptoms are present at a low intensity only. The ICD-10 defines two additional subtypes. Post-schizophrenic depression: A depressive episode arising in the aftermath of a schizophrenic illness where some low-level schizophrenic symptoms may still be present. Simple Schizophrenia: Insidious and progressive development of prominent negative symptoms with no history of psychotic episodes. Nash is taken to the psychiatric hospital to help him out with his illness. Nash was admitted to the hospital to see a psychiatrist where he was asked to talk about who he sees and what are his complications. During this interview Nash cuts his wrist to look for the implant that Parcher implanted and he discovers that its gone. The psychiatrist Dr. Rosen diagnoses Nash with Schizophrenia, and he receives 10 weeks of Insulin shock therapy, and is prescribes with anti psychotic medications. Upon returning home, the visions are suppressed, but so is every aspect of Nashs beautiful mind. He no longer can think right, feel right, or act right. He stops taking the medication, and loses another battle with his schizophrenia. Instead of going back to the hospital, he tries to battle the hallucinations on his own. He stops taking the medication, this is the turning point of the movie, where Nash learns how to really live his life, and therefore, his hallucinations come back again. As a result of not taking the medication has put Nashs family in danger. Alicia asks him to watch their baby at one point and he goes on with his hallucinations saying that Charles was watching the baby. Alicia becomes very frustrated and asks him to get back to the hospital, she calls Dr. Rosen but Nash runs after her and hurts her. As she was running away from the house Parcher asks Nash to finish her meaning kill her. The near accident with his wife and child changed the balance of power in his mind. Nash was suddenly faced with the prospect of being permanently committed to an institution. As Alicia tried to flee and report his behavior, Nash stepped in front of her car to prevent her from leaving. At that critical moment, a sudden insight appeared to heal him permanently. He said She never gets old. Nash had realized that during his hallucinations over the years, Marcee, Charles niece, had continued to be a little girl. It was a single lightning flash, which illuminated his entire mental landscape. The discovery was partly accidental and partly forced on him by his anxiety to avoid being committed to a hospital. Nash learns that life is more than making a discovery, or solving an equation. There is love and emotion involved; a wife, taking care of your baby, and the everyday joys of life. Instead of focusing on himself, John decides to go back to teaching classes, and shares his amazing knowledge with his students. All this, while ignoring the hallucinations that took over his mind. This is where an amazing inspirational quote is mentioned by Nash: Are the hallucinationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦gone? No, but Ive gotten used to ignoring them, and as a result, theyve kind of given up on me. I think thats sorta what its like with dreams and nightmares. Weve gotta keep feeding them for them to stay alive His solution was to treat his demons as though they were real. He thanked Charles for being his best friend over the years, and said a tearful goodbye to Marcee. He told Parcher that he would not speak to him anymore. Gradually they troubled him less. Nash had to prevent new delusions from entering his mind. He used to humorously check with his students and colleagues whether they too could see his new visitors. He was checking for reality. Negative emotions always distort viewpoints and are accompanied by subtle feelings of discomfort. Despite the serious illness he had he worked hard and came up with the game theory and received a Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences

Mystery in Charlotte Brontes Napoleon and the Spectre and Charles Dick

Mystery in Charlotte Bronte's "Napoleon and the Spectre" and Charles Dickens' "Signalman" The two stories that I have been studying are 'Napoleon and the Spectre' and the 'Signalman' written by Charlotte Bronte and Charles Dickens respectively. Both the stories are set in the nineteenth century, a period of time when the country was experiencing rapid change. Bronte's story 'Napoleon and the Spectre' is a story about the Emperor of France who at that time was a leading figure in society, a symbol and trademark of France's important position in the world. Napoleon was a gallant and valiant soldier and he supposedly murdered General Pichegru. In the story Napoleon comes in to contact with a strange supernatural creature who entices him and takes him on a deeply strange tour of the streets of Paris. Napoleon allows himself to be taken on this tour partly due to his courageousness and the fact that the ghost exerts a power over him, encouraging him on with enticing remarks such as, 'Follow me Napoleon and though shall seek more.' With Bronte's story being on one side of the spectrum Dickens is on the other as it tells a completely different type of story. It is once again set in roughly the same period of time when the civilized world was in the middle of a period of great change as the country was gripped in the Industrial Revolution. The Revolution saw the beginning of the steam railway, the introduction of telegraphs and the availability of electricity, all this was the catalyst for the class divide to become more exaggerated, with the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer. It was also the period in which people were still generally strict Christians and Catholics, sceptical to anything n... ...r particularly interested in what the eventual outcome of the story will be. I feel it doesn't meet the necessary criteria to be a good short story, it is not entertaining nor exciting, but more a social/historical commentary of that time. Dickens saw it as his role to write about the plight of the poor and under privileged and wanted to encourage people to think about social inequalities. Where 'Signalman' has its short comings, Bronte's 'Napoleon and the Spectre' meets the criteria perfectly, it is short, has the necessary excitement and action to have an impact on the reader, which is what the aim of a short story should be. Bronte sensationalises a public figure and portrays him as a 'bad' man, consequently it could be said that this story also carries a moral in that we should be accountable for our actions no matter what our position in life may be.