Comparison therapy of Tocilizumab+ MTX vs Riruximab+MTX in treatment Essay

Comparison therapy of Tocilizumab+ MTX vs Riruximab+MTX in treatment of active rhuematoid arthritis - Essay Example rature on two new agents, tocilizumab and rituximab was collected, and the reports examining the safety and efficacy of these two novel agents alone or in combination with methotrexate in the treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis were reviewed through a qualitative methodology. Some trials have indicated positive effects of combination of tocilizumab and rituximab with methotrexate. Rituximab successfully causes depletion of B lymphocytes in refractory cases of RA and may be a key component in the interruption of the disease pathogenesis. It is expected that once data from clinical trials are available, tocilizumab will be used with the same goal of increasing symptom-free period and preventing joint destruction. However, based on the results of the literature review, it can be stated that for a long-term therapy of active rheumatoid arthritis, rituximab and methotrexate combination is safer and more efficacious than tocilizumab and methotrexate combination, although more long-term trials are necessary for the later combination. As far as the facts from literature review are concerned, although the efficacy of both these regimens have been established based on standard criteria, and given this scenario, although rough comparison in different parameters of efficacy and safety can be made, a decisive conclusion is not possible without further trial or research. Since there are different parameters of a clinically effective treatment, an identical comparison of both the regimens are needed, with the problem being selection of patients with identical baseline. A comparison is also necessary based on patient’s perception on the symptoms. A future trial involving these criteria may be needed to arrive at a guideline based on these regimens. Figure 6: Percentage of responders according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) improvement criteria and the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) as well as mean change in Modified Health Assessment

Declining Economic and Military Power Essay Example for Free

Declining Economic and Military Power Essay As the United States prepared to enter the twenty-first century, it could reflect upon the fact that the twentieth century was truly the American century, even with its declining economic hegemony and resulting lose of military hegemony. The U. S. entry into World War I tilted the balance against the triple alliance. It was the U. S. forces that played the major part in the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II . It was the U. S.men and material that contained Soviet Communist expansion until it self-destructed. Even though its military power was unrivaled, the United States had to confront the re-emergence of traditional isolationism at home, the creation of shifting coalitions around the world, and most importantly, its declining economic power in the world. In the 1940s and the 1950s, the United States was extraordinarily competitive in the world market . Virtually anything it produced, it could sell. Although partly the aftermath of World War II, which had destroyed most of America’s industrial competitors, this situation also reflected an American monopoly in high-technology industries and American productivity in lower-technology ones. The United States had a handsome surplus in its international balance of trade, and this surplus could in turn finance large-scale expenditures on U. S. military forces to be deployed overseas in the territories of America’s allies, including West Germany, Britain, Italy and Japan. A productive and competitive economy with high employment also provided a healthy base for federal taxation and spending. In such a happy condition, the United States could maintain a vast system of military alliances and spend 10 percent of its GNP on defense. In the slogan of the Eisenhower administration , the former was underwritten by the latter. Then all this started to change with seeming suddenness. Japan appeared to surge forward at incredible speed. Through the 1970s it’s rising indices of industrial production seemed to propel it above the industrial levels of the United Kingdom, the European Community, the Untied States. As the Soviet Union faltered and then collapsed, Japan and subsequently also West Germany increasingly became the symbols of so-called young economies, in which â€Å"organized capitalism† could achieve miracles which old capitalism could no longer deliver. The inventory of China and Japan’s successes was stressed frequently . Its rapid pace of economic growth, its systematic allocation of vast resources to gross fixed capital formation, its obvious progress in high-tech consumer-oriented production, and its impressive penetration of the global markets all received their due. In contrast, the United States was increasingly depicted as an aging, stumbling giant, losing its preeminence and its leading abilities. From the mid 1970s on, a vast literature asserted with much conviction that the United States was â€Å"deindustrializing,† losing the battle of high tech and unduly shifting its labor force toward services while complacently accommodating itself to falling productivity, low rates of saving, low rates of capital formation, failure in export markets, incessant trade deficits, and growing international indebtedness . If we simply add together economic and military power there is little doubt that the United States remains the hegemon. But it is important to recognize that military hegemon is dependent on economic hegemony, because the military is wildly expensive. Declining economic hegemony creates pressure to cut back on military expenditures. This pressure has been temporarily relieved because of the recent economic growth and the new revenues available to the U. S. federal state. However, it is doubtful that this trend of relatively greater economic growth will continue. Indeed, a collapse of the stock bubble could lead to a U. S. economic crisis that would force a major restructuring of its military capabilities and increase the pressure for other core states to take up the slack. Whether this happens quickly or slowly, predictions show that U. S. economic hegemony will continue to decline, and its military hegemony will follow. This will lead to a new period in which economic power and military power come once again to be recalibrated in a system of more equally powerful and competing core states. This current situation is almost similar in most structural respects to that at the end of the nineteenth century. Declining Britain was still advocating free trade, while the other core states and upwardly mobile semi-peripheries were shifting back to economic nationalism and protectionism. By arguing whether or not this happens in the next few years and to what could prevent another cycle of war over world leadership in the last chapter, a new window of vulnerability to warfare among core states will arrive. The institutional structures of global collective security will again be tested. It is in all humanity’s interest that these institutions be strong enough to prevent another war among core states. With the termination of the Soviet Union and the Soviet Empire in the early 1990s, it became clear that there were no large specific military threats facing the United States . As General Colin Powell, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) from 1898 to 1993, noted in early 1992, the real threat we (the United States) now face is the threat of the unknown, the uncertain. Moreover, despite reductions in its defense capabilities from their Cold War levels, the United States was still far superior militarily to any nation or likely combination of nations in the world. The challenge for the United States was to maintain the sufficient order in the international system so that it could pursue its economic interests. At the end of the Cold War, the United States became one of the largest importer and exporter . Its economic well-being was consequently almost totally dependent upon the absence of chaos in the international arena. Since no one nation posed a specific military threat to the United States like the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the Pentagon was compelled to develop illustrative situations or scenarios in which American interests could be sufficiently jeopardized so that military force would have to be used. Before, there were also seven scenarios created in order to illustrate possibilities of a withdrawal of an attack on Iraqi or a battle plan on Baghdad . In early 1992, the Pentagon developed seven more scenarios with regards to the countries that could launch an attack against them. The first scenario is a repeat of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. This scenario assumes that sometime in the mid 1990s, the world’s support for the embargo against Iraq slackens, the regime in Iraq rebuilds its military to 1990 levels, and launches a blitzkrieg attack southward. Unlike August 1990, the Iraqis do not stop at the Saudi border, but move into northeastern Saudi Arabia and take control of its oil fields and major export terminals before the United States and its coalition forces can respond. The second illustrative scenario involves an all-out attack on South Korea by some 300,000 North Koreans. To help the South Korean forces counter this invasion, the United States would deploy five combat divisions to augment South Korea’s 800,000-man army. In addition, this nation would send five aircraft carrier battle groups, two Marine expeditionary forces and 20 land-based air squadrons. This force of about 250,000 Americans and 1 million South Koreans would take about three months to prevail against the forces of Kim II Sung. The third scenario is a combination of the first two. It assumes that the Iraqi and North Korean invasions occur simultaneously and that the United States has to fight a two-front war with over 500,000 people, some 5,000 miles apart. The fourth scenario involves an invasion of the Baltics by an expansionist, authoritarian government in Russia . The Pentagon postulates that 18 Russian and six Belarusian divisions would attack along the Lithuanian-Polish border to â€Å"protect Russian minorities† living in the Baltics. To respond to this situation, the U. S. would deploy seven combat divisions, 49 land-based air squadrons, six aircraft battle groups, and a Marine expeditionary force. Augmented by an additional 11 ground-divisions and 17 tactical fighter squadrons from NATO, Western forces would prevail in three months. The fifth and sixth scenarios involve one-wee invasions of the Philippines and Panama. The invasion of the Philippines by Marine amphibious forces and army paratroopers is made necessary by the chaos that results from a failed coup and endangers some 5,000 Americans in Manila. The Panamanian invasion of airborne and amphibious troops follows from an attempt by rightwing elements close the Panama Canal. The final scenario is based on the possibility that in the next century a resurgent Russia or an emerging superpower adapts an adversarial military strategy and capability to threaten U. S. interests around the world. The U. S. response would be to reconstitute its Cold War military force and its alliance strategy. The first and second scenarios were also the focus of the Clinton Administration’s Bottom-Up Review, published in September 1993. Despite all these scenarios and the decline in both economic and military hegemony, the United States can still be considered to be on top of its league. In addition to this, the end of the Cold War resulted to the shifting of budget due to the cutting or decrease of military budget . Despite the decrease in the economy of the United States and the rapid growth of its competitors such as China, still, the GDP of United States is greater . As such, just like a spring, it can be said that United States is merely pulling itself back in order to spring further beyond the others. References Switzerland (10/07). (October 2007). Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. state. gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3431. htm Bay, A.(July 18, 2007). Iraqi Withdrawal: Seven Scenarios [Electronic Version]. Strategy Page. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. strategypage. com/on_point/200771813240. aspx Binnendijk, H. , Simon, J. (December 1995). Baltic Security and NATO Enlargment. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. ndu. edu/inss/Strforum/SF_57/forum57. html Calleo, D. (2005). Hegemony and Decline: Reflections on Recent American Experience. March 9, 2008, from http://www. sens-public. org/spip. php? page=imprimersansid_article=138 Ching, P. -y. (December 9, 2006). American Imperialism and its Domination Over Asia. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. aprnet. org/ Corn, D. , Perry, M. (April 3, 2003). The Battle Plan for Baghdad? Washington Post. Huntington, S. P. (Winter 1988/89). The U. S. Decline or Renewal? Foreign Affairs. Pianta, M. (1988). New Technologies Across the Atlantic. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. unu. edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu38ne/uu38ne00. htm#Contents Shaplen, J. T. , Laney, J. (December 2007). The Decline of U. S. Power in Northeast Asia [Electronic Version]. Washingtons Eastern Sunset. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. foreignaffairs. org/20071101faessay86606/jason-t-shaplen-james-laney/washington-s-eastern-sunset. html Spring, B. (June 2, 1998). House Resolution Tells President: Defend All Americans from Missile Attack. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. heritage. org/Research/MissileDefense/EM530. cfm Taylor, C. W. (1993). Alternative World Scenarios for a New Order of Nations: DIANE Publishing. Woolley, J. T. , Peters, G. The American Presidency Project. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www. presidency. ucsb. edu/ws/index. php? pid=10120.

Analysis Of An American Social Welfare Policy Social Work Essay

Analysis Of An American Social Welfare Policy Social Work Essay Social welfare policies are an integral part of any political system. Many countries across the world have formulated social welfare policies to cope with the numerous social issues affecting society. There are many underprivileged people in society who include the unemployed, poor and disabled, and these require assistance from the state in order to achieve their potential. Social welfare in the US includes healthcare, empowerment, housing and other programs geared towards assisting the poor, unemployed and marginalized in society. Such programs include Medicaid, AFDC (Aid for families with dependent children), WIC (women, infants and children) programs, veteran programs and others. The US social welfare policy has been in existence for over two centuries and it traces its roots to British Poor Laws which were used by British colonies (Brown et. al. 12-17). These laws differentiated between people who were unable to work due to unemployment and those unable to do so due to physical health or age. The previous group was assisted with employment in workhouses while the latter was granted cash or other forms of assistance by the government. It is important to understand the US social welfare system in order to assess whether the objectives it was formed to attain are in fact being accomplished. This will enable us to make recommendations on whether the policy should be improved, remain the same or scrapped altogether. This paper will evaluate the US welfare policy in detail. It will assess its history and reasons why it was developed. The policy description and analysis will assist in evaluating the welfare policy. Afterwards an assessment will be made on whether the policy is effective in meeting the needs of the American society. The discussed issues will be summarized at the end of the paper. Historical background It has been stated that the US social welfare policy has been in existence for over two centuries and it traces its roots to British Poor Laws which were used by British colonies. The government realized that there were the poor and marginalized in society and that some of them were unable to meet their basic needs due to lack of employment. The huge number of unemployed people was a burden to society and contributed highly to acts of deviance which were experienced then. There was also the need to take care of war veterans who had contributed to the stability of the US through sacrificing themselves to defend their country. Congress approved programs aimed at supporting war veterans as early as 1862. Before government intervention, there was also some form of welfare which was practiced by villages. For instance, when families required assistance and friends and neighbors were unable to provide sufficient help, villages provided such help through workhouses or almshouses and poor re lief systems. There was also Mothersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ pension law which helped single mothers bring up children comfortably as well as cash allowance for the poor. In some states, aid for the blind was provided as early as the 1920s. However, these were mainly laws formulated to cater for specific objectives and were not necessarily a government policy as is in the modern world. The welfare policy was developed to cater for needs of families which suffered the Great Depression. The Great depression which occurred in 1929 and lasted for almost two decades before global economies recovered. It caused collapse of many economies and stock markets, massive unemployment, deflation of products and a general decrease in disposable incomes of most households. After the Great Depression, the government decided to develop a welfare policy which targeted families and households among other deserving groups. In 1935 the Social Security Act which defined policy programs was passed under President Roosevelt. Various social welfare policy programs including Aid to Dependent Children and unemployment compensation were developed as a result. In addition, government agencies such as Department of Labor, Department of Housing, Depar tment of Education and department of Agriculture were also formed to oversee the implementation of the welfare policy (Taylor 68-73). In subsequent years, various other policy programs were developed to meet modern needs. For instance, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act passed in 1996 under President Clinton aimed at assisting the poor and empowering them to obtain employment as opposed to dependence on aid. The problems which necessitated development of the welfare policy will be discussed in the following section of the paper. Problem description necessitating policy There were several problems which necessitated the development of the social welfare policy. It is important to understand that different generations faced various problems throughout history although most were similar. This section of the paper will analyze the reasons necessitating development of the social welfare policy at different points in time depending on problems prevailing at the time. Initially, it has been discussed that social welfare was developed due to four major reasons. The first was to address the problem of poverty and unemployment. It was realized that friends and neighbors were sometimes unable to assist the poor in society who were beginning to be a burden to society. Many unemployed people were poor and had begun participating in social vices since they were unable to afford money for basic needs. There were no clear statistics on poverty levels but it was believed that over 10% of the total population lived in poverty. The second reason which necessitated de velopment of the welfare policy was the old and especially the war veterans who had sacrificed themselves for the country. Such categories of people were unable to work effectively due to age or injury and they began receiving support from the state. However, the modern welfare policy system began due to the effects of the Great Depression. It has been discussed that the Great depression which occurred in 1929 and lasted for almost two decades caused collapse of many economies and stock markets, massive unemployment, deflation of products and a general decrease in disposable incomes of most households. The Great depression was a massive problem which caused a fall of crop prices by over 50%, collapse in construction industry, over 50% decline in tax revenues and personal incomes, collapse in logging and mining industries and an over 25% increase in overall US unemployment rate amongst other problems (Modigliani 41-43). These were huge financial problems which threatened the survival of many families and businesses and the government developed the welfare policy aimed at supporting the affected families and households among other deserving groups. This facilitated the 1935 passage of the Social Security Act which defined policy pr ograms under President Roosevelt. Other welfare policies have been passed under President Clinton and these aimed at assisting the poor meet modern challenges and empowering them to obtain employment as opposed to dependence on aid. Policy Description There are two major policies which will be discussed as far as policy description of the US social welfare system is involved. The first is the 1935 the Social Security Act passed to mitigate the effects of the Great Depression and the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act passed to cater for the poor and marginalized in society. The 1935 the Social Security Act This Act was passed under President Roosevelt and it formed the basis of developing the welfare system as is used today. The Act advocated for development of programs which limited the threats to American society including poverty, old age, burdens of widows and orphans as well as unemployment. These problems were made worse by the Great Depression which occurred during this period in history. The Act provided various benefits to unemployed people and retirees, with lump-sum payments being made after their death. The payments which were made to retirees were funded by taxes on the payrolls of current workers, with half the payments being funded by employers. The old, families with depended children and unemployed were financed by funds in various states which were advanced by the central government. Many minorities and women were locked out from these programs. This was due to the fact that the Act did not cover employees in domestic service, agricultural labor, government employees, nurses, teachers and social workers. This locked out minorities and women who dominated these sectors. The Act also discriminated against women who received insurance programs based on children or husbands. Minorities such as blacks received lower funds for assistance in some states due to the perception that blacks needed less money for maintenance. During this period, approximately $35 million was paid out in welfare programs by the central government. It is important to note that these welfare programs were long term in nature and did not have strict time limits where people could rely on welfare. 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act It has been discussed that this Act was passed under President Clinton. It had a significant impact on the goals and methods of assistance on the poor in society. The bill was passed with the belief that welfare programs were encouraging immigrants to relocate to the US where they became social burdens to society (Frum 325-327). It aimed at providing short term assistance to families as opposed to long term assistance as was being previously practiced. It also led to the change of long term welfare programs to short term ones. For instance, the 1935 Aid to Families and Dependent Children program was replaced by Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. In addition to shortening the length of welfare programs, this Act also increased eligibility standards required by those claiming benefits. These included reduction in immigrant welfare assistance, stricter conditions for eligibility for food stamps and recipient work requirements (David 33-37). The objectives of the program were requi ring welfare recipients to obtain employment after 2 years, ending welfare as an entitlement form, encouraging two parent families, limiting welfare support from federal funds to 5 years and enhancing child support enforcement. Welfare support came from both the federal and state government, with $650 billion being payable in welfare programs in 2009. Policy Analysis It is important to analyze the welfare policy which has been discussed in the paper in order to evaluate its legal and ethical implications. The major goals of the modern welfare system are to prevent dependence on welfare while at the same time assisting the old, unemployed, poor and single families amongst other target groups. The aim of the previous welfare system was to assist families, the old and unemployed mitigate the effects of the Great Depression. The intention of the 1935 the Social Security Act was to provide assistance to these marginalized groups. This was a noble intention since the great depression threatened the survival of many families and businesses. However, there were defects in the programs since they discriminated against minority groups and women. They were also long term support programs which indirectly encouraged reliance on aid by the needy. Since the needy were assured of financial support, some became comfortable and did not see the need to look for em ployment since the government was supporting them. However, these weaknesses were later discovered and the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act was passed. This Act corrected the weaknesses in the earlier legislation since it supported the previously discriminated groups including women and minorities. It also limited the timeline for welfare support and made welfare eligibility more difficult to discourage reliance on welfare both immigrants and native US citizens. This is an important step since it encourages people to empower themselves as opposed to relying on government support. The welfare policy enables the unemployed and poor to seek employment. This improves their relations with the rest of society since they are not seen as burdens that rely on support from public taxes as was previously the case. It also enables the recipients to improve the quality of life since it empowers them to seek financial stability and empowerment. Governments across the world should embrace welfare policies which help the needy b ut at the same time discourage them from relying on aid in the long run. Summary and conclusion The US welfare system has been discussed in detail. The system traces its roots to the 18th Century when villages assisted the needy and old in society. However, the modern form of welfare which is practiced today was developed from the 1935 the Social Security Act which was passed to mitigate the effects of the Great Depression. The Great depression caused the collapse of many businesses and loss of jobs by households due to massive unemployment. The Act aimed at providing long term support for the poor, needy, unemployed and the old in society. However, it faced two main weaknesses which were discrimination against minority groups and women, and encouraging reliance eon aid by beneficiaries. In order to solve these weaknesses, the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act was passed. The Act supported the previously discriminated groups including women and minorities and limited the timeline for welfare support and made welfare eligibility more difficult to discourage r eliance on welfare both immigrants and native US citizens. This encouraged recipients of welfare to look for employment opportunities and empowered them in the long run. It also improved their relations with the rest of society since they are not seen as burdens that rely on support from public taxes as was previously the case. It is important for governments to develop social welfare policies which are similar to those applied in the US. These will assist the marginalized and empower them to seek financial empowerment through obtaining meaningful employment. Such programs should not encourage recipients of welfare to depend on it in the long run. They should have feasible timelines when recipients of welfare should cease dependence on such programs. Only recipients who are unable to gain employment due to unique circumstances such as age or disability should receive long term welfare assistance. The programs should also have strict eligibility requirements to prevent abuse by able-bodied people capable of gaining employment. This will improve the social welfare of society in general.

Norma Rae and A Respectable Trade :: Films Movies

Norma Rae and A Respectable Trade In this essay I shall compare the two economic systems of capitalism and slavery within the context of films, Norma Rae and A Respectable Trade. In the film Norma Rae, workers in a textile mill attempt to form a union with the leadership of a disgruntled employee named Norma Rae. In a Respectable Trade, a woman of the aristocracy marries a slave trader named Josiah when she comes to realize that her time spent in her uncle's estate must come to an end due to the social aspirations of her aunt and that because she has no talent as a governess she has very few options left. This series, from the book of the same name, is about the relationship between her (Frances) and her slave, Mehuru from Oyo in addition to being about the several other interpersonal and economic relationships occurring within the system of slavery in 18th century Bristol. In Norma Rae, the equipment and other resources necessary for textile production in the town were owned by the textile company. The majority of the population did not have any control over the productive resources necessary for the development of enterprises. This is consistent with capitalism where there is a concentration of control over productive resources by a small subset of society, in this case the textile mill. In a Respectable Trade, the aristocracy had majority control over the means for production. It was only through them that the merchants could for example get the monetary means to expand business or start out if they were not fortunate enough to have inherited some means of trade as Josiah and Sara did. The common folk of Bristol, England did not control the means by which they could have started their own businesses. Here too, the control over productive resources is concentrated in the hands of the few. So we see that slavery shares this quality with capitali sm and as yet I have not cited any unique properties of these two class processes. One important and defining difference between the two though is that in slavery, human beings also constitute a productive resource that can be bought and sold and done with as one would a piece of furniture. Capitalist and Slave Economic Systems have singular ways of resolving the question of how to get workers to labor.

Marvin

Use Case Narratives (UCN) I. Identification Summary Title: Automated Teller Machine (ATM) Account in Metro Bank Summary: This use case narrates the steps to acquire a new ATM account in service of Metro Bank. Actors: 1. Customer – Person to acquire an ATM account. 2. Teller – Verify and approve the requirements of the Customer 3. Metro Bank Banking System – register Customers Information to the data base Creation Date: March 14 2013Date of Update: Version: v1. 0Person in Charge: Elias Maglalang & Marvin Luzon II. Flow of Events Preconditions: 1.The Teller is Identified by the Metro Bank Banking System and gaining authorization to register a new Customer Data into the data base 2. The Customer must have the required documents (2 government issued IDs, Proof of Billing and Depository Money) to apply for a new ATM account. PostConditions: 1. Customer Information recorded in the Metro Bank Banking System’s Data Base. 2. Monetary Assets acquired by the teller. 3. Customer Receives the ATM card including a piece of paper containing instruction regarding changing of pin number. 4. Customer signs the logbook for proof of receiving the ATM. Main Success Scenario: 1.Customer arrives at the bank and approaches the new account section. 2. Teller provides customer with documents to be filled up. 3. Customer submits filled up documents along with requirements. 4. Teller accesses the Metro Bank banking system. 5. Teller records documents and piles up all the requirements. 6. Teller processes the filing of the documents. 7. Teller receives the Monetary Assets of the customer. 8. Customer receives ATM including the instruction regarding changing of pin number. 9. Customer signs the logbook for proof of receiving the ATM. 10. Use case successfully ends III. Alternative Sequences IV. Error Sequences

Italian Neorealism and National Cinema

The question whether to consider a particular film part of national cinema is still unanswered. What is national cinema? What separates it from other forms of film genres? What makes it part of ones culture and how does it illuminate identity and patriotism? Films are often described as society’s reflections or representations. Because of films’ utilization and articulation of visual imageries, storytelling becomes more vivid and concretely presented. In addition to that, the presence of alive actors and actresses makes film more in touch with reality. This is one advantage that films possess over other national art and treasures such as literature and music. The truth of the matter is, it is a combination of both literature, music, visual and performing arts. If the community renders such notions about national cinema, then the dictates of logic and reason readily show that each and every featured film shown in big screens are parts of a bigger picture known as national cinema. However, the problem is that members of the academe and scholars alike seem to be uncomfortable in settling to such an idea. National Cinema Keith Cameron noted that in discussing national cinema, there are â€Å"axis of reflections† that should be considered [1]. These are the manner in which films are â€Å"enunciated.† [2] The second one pertains to different texts and images that these films want to promote or imply.[3] The last but definitely not the least, is how to locate these films within the national context.[4] These three aspects are of great importance to this particular discussion. This would bring a better contextualization of De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves and how it fits in into the national cinema category. According to Cameron, there are three ways to enunciate films and that is based on the actual structure and content of the film involved, the analyses and discussions that are given to it and the institutions in which these films are shown and made available to the public. [5] With this regard, Cameron questions the differentiation of popular cinema from national cinema. First of all, Cameron seem to imply that although some films or productions are supported by the government or even if the country involve, such as France for example releases large numbers of film, these alone cannot really define national cinema’s true meaning. If such is the case, it seems that the term national cinema is too encompassing yet too specific. It is encompassing since, it basically involves films within the region and specific, since each of these cinematic productions goes through the scrutinizing eyes of various critics and members of the academic intelligentsia. This brings us to the second mode of enunciation which has something to do with the discourses that are attributed to a particular film. More often than not, to determine whether a film would best fit under the national context is based on the studies that deconstruct every ingredient that embodies a locally produced film. On the other hand, Cameron seem to imply that certain organizations which are actively involved in preserving these films play an important role in film classification—so much so, that a local film cannot be considered as part of national cinema unless these institutions tells so. Turning to the second axis, it is important to look at different symbols and imageries that are embedded in the film. National cinema tends to depict societal and systemic issues. Such readily promotes nationalism, identity, culture and history. But there are also occasions wherein the political structure of a country or state, that are often evident in censorship rules also affect the whole story. Political turmoil can either reinforce the inclusion of nationalistic advocacies and movements in film elements or it can silence these works of art and transform it into mere commodities. As for the case of the third axis, Cameron noted that locating cinemas within the national context should be examined as a mixture of different film genres that are present within the country. Plurality seem to be an important factor in defining films as part of national cinema that are differentiated by six typologies such as the following: â€Å"narratives, genres, codes and conventions, gesturality and morphology, the star as the sign and the cinema of the centre and of the periphery.† [6] Italian Neorealism and National Cinema Given this situation at hand, there is no doubt that national cinema, most especially in Italy has taken the attention of many. Angelo Restivo explained that a comparison cinemas that are not produced in Hollywood readily shows that extensive studies and researches has been conducted towards Italian cinema.[7] Based from this argument, clearly, Italian films exemplify the second mode of enunciation wherein it concerns the discourses that revolve around the film per se. One of the biggest contributions of Italy in the cinematic world is the rise of a genre more popularly known as Neorealism. [8] The defining characteristics of Neorealism are its strong emphasis on social and economic as well as political depiction of society. [9] Maria Prammaggiore and Tom Wallis elucidated that the rise of this film genre occurred during World War II’s aftermath. Roberto Rossellino, Vittorio De Sica and Luchnio Visconti are considered as the main proponents of the said film movement. [10] This has readily contributed into the growth and development of art films that are being offered in the public. With this regard, there is a need to understand national cinema and its seemingly inevitable fusion with Neorealism. If Neorealism began during the time wherein   communities are torn with war and poverty, then the film genre is expected to be part of a much diverse category, which is of course national cinema. An examination of De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves seems to reflect the social dilemmas that are present in Italy. The Bicycle Thieves is a story of a struggling man who is desperate to land a good job in the city. He has a family to raise and everyday expenses are synonymous to everyday curses. Ricci, who is the main protagonist of the story, is in dire need of a bicycle since it is one of the job’s primary requirements. Job opportunities are scarce and there are also other applicants who are readily qualified for the position. In order to get the job, he and his wife pawned some of their precious possessions to get a bike. The world literally crumbled during the war. Economies dropped down and more individuals were denied to have a decent means of living. This is well articulated in the film. Ricci’s undertakings represent the experiences of an individual that is in extreme poverty and desperation. Therefore, it has the tendency to reflect the sentiments of persons who are also engulfed in such situation. Italy is not spared from the war’s impact and De Sica showed that even a great city encounter severe problems. Thus, the social and economic aspect of national cinema in this case is already manifested. Furthermore, since Neorealism, as the term realism depicts, emphasizes capturing reality on screen or at least being closed to reality in that manner. In order to accomplish this, conversational language and natural settings are readily utilized to imbue the â€Å"real† effect. [11] In the first scene alone, Ricci’s environment already manifests extreme poverty. Natural sounds are basically not edited or polished in order to present the realities of the movie’s setting and thus its artificiality is readily reduced. The striking techniques of realism and at the same time, the claims of national cinema make a perfect combination. Perhaps it can be best explained that Neorealism falls under the category of national cinema. Out of the need to live and survive, Ricci became a bicycle thief too. Apparently, this situation demonstrates war’s remnants. There is the struggle to live throughout the whole war per se. But the battle is even harder when on how to continue life after the incident. The use of close-up shots in the film further heightens the drama that is presented in the film. However, De Sica does not seem to place much importance on dramas that are filled romantic notions—but rather on what is evident in the world. Linda Badley, Barton Palmer and Steven Schneider [12] explained that questions about Neorealism have something to do with insufficient funding. The raw and organic styles that it features are out of necessity rather than pure stylistic and aesthetically-related techniques, according to its critics. But then again, Badly, Palmet and Schneider discussed that â€Å"on-location† shoots are even more expensive since some factors such as the weather and lighting cannot be controlled and that it should go through a series of finishing touches for it to capture the desired effect. [13] National cinema as previously discussed is a celebration of society’s everyday affairs. De Sica and his great interest and fervor desire in promoting Neorealism is a concrete example of a classic national cinema. Once and for all, the mere fact that Neorealism deals with reality simply purports that national values and experiences are highlighted. The visual imageries that are used in Bicycle Thieves connote a strong presentation of Italy’s previous political and social upheavals that has to be confronted. The aim to depict this reality goes hand in hand with the objective to readily champion a vital change that is essential in Italy’s community. Due to this, national cinema transforms into an art form worthy of praise and recognition. Bibliography Badley, L, R Palmer& S Schneider. Traditions in World Cinema. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2006 Cameron, C,   National Identity. Intellect Books, Great Britain, 1991 Prammagiore, M   & and T Wallis, Film: A Critical Introduction. Laurence King Publishing,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   London, 2005 Restivo, A,   The Cinema of Economic Miracles: Visuality and Modernization in the Italian   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Art Film, Duke University Press, USA, 2002 [1] K Cameron, National Identity. Intellect Books, Great Britain, 1991, p. 96 [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid. [4] [5] Ibid. [6] Ibid. [7] A Restivo, The Cinema of Economic Miracles: Visuality and Modernization in the Italian Art Film, Duke University Press, USA, 2002, p.3 [8] M Prammagiore   & and T Wallis, Film: A Critical Introduction. Laurence King Publishing, London, 2005, p.310 [9] Ibid. [10] Ibid. [11] Ibid. [12] L Badley, R Palmer, S Schneider, Traditions in World Cinema. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2006, p. 32 [13] Ibid

The Love Song

The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock contains T.S. Eliots perception on modern man. The narrator of the poem, J. Alfred Prufrock, represents Eliots depiction of modern man. Eliot explains his reasons for writing about this topic by saying, "Poetry may help to break up the conventional modes of perception and valuation which are perpetually forming, and make people see the world afresh, or some new part of it. It may make us from time to time a little more aware of the deeper, unnamed feelings which form the substratum of our being, to which we rarely penetrate; for our lives are mostly a constant evasion of ourselves, and an evasion of the visible and sensible world. But to say all this is only to say what you know already, if you have felt poetry and thought about your feelings." Eliot personally feels that modern man has an exiguous view on the quality of life and the truly important entities. His character, J. Alfred Prufrock, represents all aspects of modern man that ! Eliot despises. For example, Prufrock is obsessed with appearance and age and he exhibits deficient communication skills. All three of these fixations lead Prufrock to individual isolation, perpetual loathing of mankind, and they negatively affect his love life. Alfred J. Prufrock lacks confidence in himself mentally and physically because he allows the terror of what others think greatly effect his life. When people see his balding head or his slim and aging body, Prufrock can not even image the consequences. The fact that the younger generation is constantly examining him, bothers Prufrock a great deal. Farther into the poem, he continues to ramble about how people will talk about him behind his back. They will say "How is hair is growing thin..."But how his arms and legs are thin!" Prufrocks insecurity indisputably hinders him. It holds him back from doing the things he wishes to do. This sort of char...

Visit The Cosmic Pillars of Creation, Again

Visit The Cosmic Pillars of Creation, Again Do you remember the first time you saw the Pillars of Creation? This cosmic object and the ghostly images of it that showed up in January 1995, made by astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope, captured peoples imaginations with their beauty. The PIllars are part of a a starbirth region similar to the Orion Nebula and others in our own galaxy where hot young stars are heating up clouds of gas and dust and where stellar EGGs (short for evaporating gaseous globules) are still forming stars that may someday light up that part of the galaxy.  Ã‚   The clouds that make up the Pillars are seeded with young protostellar objects- essentially starbabies- hidden away from our view. Or, at least they were until astronomers developed a way to use infrared-sensitive instruments to look through those clouds to get at the babies within. The image here is the result of Hubbles ability to peer past the veil that hides starbirth from our prying eyes. The view is amazing.   Now Hubble has been pointed again toward the the famous pillars. Its Wide-Field 3 camera captured the multi-colored glow of the nebulas gas clouds, revealed wispy tendrils of dark cosmic dust, and looks at the rust-coloured elephants’ trunk-shaped pillars. The telescopes   visible-light image it took provided an updated, sharper view of the scene that so caught everyones attention in 1995.   In addition to this new visible-light image, Hubble has provided a detailed view that youd get if you could strip away the clouds of gas and dust hiding the stellar newborns in the pillars, which is what an infrared light view gives you the ability to do.    Infrared penetrates much of the obscuring dust and gas and unveils a more unfamiliar view of the pillars, transforming them into wispy silhouettes set against a background peppered with stars. Those newborn stars, hidden in the visible-light view, show up clearly as they form within the pillars themselves. Although the original image was dubbed the Pillars of Creation, this new image shows that they are also pillars of destruction.    How does that work?   There are hot, young stars out of the field of view in these images, and they emit strong radiation which destroys the dust and gas in these pillars. Essentially, the pillars are being eroded by strong winds from those massive young stars. The ghostly bluish haze around the dense edges of the pillars in the visible-light view is material that is being heated by bright young stars and evaporating away. So, its entirely possible that the young stars that havent cleared their pillars could be choked off from forming further as their older siblings cannibalize the gas and dust they need to form.   Ironically, the same radiation that tears apart the pillars is also responsible for lighting them up and causing the gas and dust to glow so that Hubble can see them.   These arent the only clouds of gas and dust that are being sculpted by the action of hot, young stars. Astronomers find such intricate clouds around the Milky Way Galaxy- and in nearby galaxies as well. We know they exist in such places as the Carina nebula(in the southern hemisphere sky) which also contains a spectacular supermassive star about to blow up called Eta Carinae.   And, as astronomers use Hubble and other telescopes to study these places over long periods of time, they can trace motions in the clouds (presumably by jets of material flowing away from the hidden hot young stars, for example), and watch as the forces of star creation do their thing.   The Pillars of Creation lie about 6,500 light-years away from us and is part of a larger cloud of gas and dust called the Eagle Nebula, in the constellation Serpens.

To what extent was the March 1968 reevaluation of the Vietnam War, as Coursework

To what extent was the March 1968 reevaluation of the Vietnam War, as a function of Cold War ideology, accomplished to satisfy domestic concerns rather than international concerns - Coursework Example The fight angered the people back in the states as the promise of the war ending had been breached and the confidence of the administration had dwindled completely. The people wanted more than ever for the war to end and not to continue with retaliation which would mean addition of more troops. The President’s declaration of the war ending in March of 1968 was therefore made to calm the people down and fulfill their wishes even though the international concern would loom over the decision. The best international course of action and which was being recommended by the general was addition of more soldiers but this would divide the nation even further than it already was and hence the president ended the war. The end of the war satisfied the people but they still lacked trust in their president and he decided not to seek re-election having let down the

Lack of adequate clinical data on non-pharmacological aspects relevant Literature review

Lack of adequate clinical data on non-pharmacological aspects relevant to intervention - Literature review Example Type 2 diabetes is one of the types of diabetes that are responsible for the deaths. This type of diabetes creates an extra expense on public health. Ali (2010, p. 21) mentions that the health department does not have a clinical audit data therefore it is not possible to get information on whether the patients receive the appropriate diabetes care. According to his survey conducted prospectively, it emerged that there are particular moral and ethical issues of concern relating to the end of life care of diabetes. His study covering non-pharmalogical interventions in Type 2 diabetes was carried out over a period of three weeks. Ali issued out questionnaire to fifteen patients that included three teenagers and six male patients and same number of female patients. Ali (2010, p. 34) identified primary prevention measures appear to be the best options for the first time patients. This includes among others, specific assistance to patients to reduce weight, reduction of calories, pharmacot herapy, and increased physical activity. All these options fall under structured lifestyle programs. Whitaker (1987, p. 59) explains in his research that the health department needs to carry out an all-inclusive approach to managing Type 2 diabetes condition. In this method, new mechanisms will involve integration of the community, health policies, and practices when implementing primary prevention strategies. Bernstein (2005, p. 23) mentions the importance of structuring the lifestyle of people in his research and says that it reduces morbidity and premature deaths brought by Type 2 diabetes. Having applied non-probability sampling criteria, his study avers that effective management entails giving the community a chance to participate in public health care, which is an integrative primary prevention methodology.... This approach puts the strength of countering the Type 2 diabetes at the community level where the health department empowers people to take care of their health conditions. Primary health care prevention measures reduce the extra expense that diabetes puts on the public. The burden incurred by the public justifies their involvement in prevention measures. Bernstein (2005, p. 51) explains that it is essential to note at this level that the cost of treating Type 2 diabetes and maintaining the condition is excessively high and many people may not afford. In this case, conducted the study several times adds to its authenticity. Furthermore, the cost of treating Type 2 diabetes may redirect a large portion of income from other core functions. Conversely, (Weaknesses) The treatment has harmful side effects including causing hypoglycaemia. These issues pose a challenge to people who cannot easily access medical care. Ezrin (1999, p. 41) disagrees with other scholars in his studies that the health department needs to consider these facts and involve the community in preventing the occurrence of Type 2 diabetes. He posits that since most of the schlars applied the non-probility sampling technique, they denied others people an opportunity to participate in the research which may have changed the flow and conclusion of the studies. According to him, other benefits of preventing Type 2 diabetes by modification of lifestyles comes with secondary benefits to the community. Most researchers did not capture this due to the sampling module used. Following the approach Ezrin (1999, p. 49) says reduces chances of getting certain cancer and heart diseases, low risks of hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Storrie (1998, p. 31) supports Ezrin in the sense that

Enron Corporation Position Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Enron Corporation Position - Essay Example The paper starts by giving a brief synapse of what Enron was and what the Enron Scandal was and why it caused the downfall of Enron. The paper will also discuss the ethical considerations of what Enron did to its investors and take a position on whether it was okay to sell stocks on what you believe will be the expected dividends. Enron was a company based in Houston and it specialised in commodities, energy and service corporation. The company was rocked by a scandal in 2001 and this was recorded as one of the biggest scandals of the century as a result of the fact that shareholders lost $74 billion and thousands of employees and investors lost their retirement accounts, and many employees lost their jobs (The ten worst corporate financial scandals of all time, nd). The main players in this particular scandal included the CEO Jeff Skilling and former CEO Ken Lay who kept huge debts off the balance sheet. In other words, the figure presented on the balance sheet revealed normal operations of the company which did not raise any suspicion among the investors. They also hoodwinked the investors by overstating their profits so as to attract many investors to pour in money into the company. However, things turned nasty when Sherron Watkins the internal whistle blower exposed them after witnessing high stock prices that fuelled external suspicions. Upon full investigation of the case, the main culprits were convicted of a criminal offence and the CEO was sentenced for 24 years and his partner in crime Lay died before his serving time. Andersen was also found guilty of fudging the company’s accounts. After the company was rocked by this scandal, it filed for bankruptcy. From an ethical perspective, it can be noted that what Enron did to its investors was not good especially to sell stocks on what you believe will be the expected dividends. The investors were not fully aware of the underhand dealings taking place behind

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

International Business - Essay Example The three major economies of the world have enjoyed massive benefits just for the basic fact of their great economic prosperity. However, it has not gone unnoticed that there are other economies of the world which are rapidly positioning themselves as new economic superpowers. These countries are posing as a serious threat to the dominance of the three major economies known as the TRIAD. This paper will discuss how the TRIAD economies have evolved and dominated patterns of international business. It will also illuminate on the evolution of these TRIAD economies as well as how TRIAD economies have sustained their dominance in increasingly global markets. On the other hand, the paper will also look upon how emerging economies have evolved and are now challenging TRIAD dominance. The concentration will also be on the characterization of the current international business dynamics resulting from the rapid growth of global supply chains as well as looking into the factors which could impa ct future patterns of international business. The TRIAD economies The economies which compose of the TRIAD are the economies of USA, Japan and Germany (Srivastava et al 2012, p.321). These economies have been placed in this bracket for being the best performing economies in the world for a substantial period of time. The measurement of the performance of the world economies led to the isolation of these world economies into clusters of super powers and super performers such as the three countries in the TRIAD and others in the categories of average performers and low performing economies. The evolution of the TRIAD economies It would be imperative to note here that the three economies of the world, famously referred to as the TRIAD in the economic circles have evolved independently and in different phases. This is more so because of the adversity and diversity of the setup of the countries economical as well as political systems. USA was the first country to become a super power aft er the country displayed a massive economic growth and development. The USA started attaining economic dominance soon after the world war one after it decided not to take sides in the war and concentrate on building itself up as a nation. When other powers such as Germany were busy in war, USA was busy remodeling itself as a world superpower. By the time the country decided to get into the world war after world war two and take side on the allies, the nation boasted of a strong economic base backed by a strong growth domestic product (GDP) of the nation. Japan could have easily topped over the USA as a super power but its involvement in the war which prompted a counter attack by the USA curtailed this development (Waheeduzzaman 2011, p. 111). Germany underwent a massive economic recession in the year 1939 during the great depression forcing it to devalue its currency. This somehow retarded its economy. Later on however, with the assistance of the USA and other nations, Germany regai ned its economic strength and even went further to overtake most nations so that it could claim its place among the three greatest economies of the world (Akroush, 2012, p. 345). The same case goes for Japan. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the economy of Japan was disoriented (Sardy et al 2010, p. 12). The USA assisted the nation in the process of rebuilding itself. With a robust, huge and hardworking population of this nation, the economy of the

Qualitative Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Qualitative Research - Essay Example In most cases, qualitative research depends on small samples or focus groups. One of the most important elements of a growing and sustainable economy is by far the definition of its healthcare system among other important aspects. The purpose of this study is to reveal the missing link in the US healthcare system, which makes the status of the country to paradoxically perform poorly despite massive economic muscle. Among the best run healthcare systems in the world today, it has been demonstrated that the financial element of the industry implicates the type of service provided. It therefore implies that the financial and economic decisions made by the government and policy makers determine the level of quality in the service provision. In this study, the American healthcare system is considered in determining why it is among the most expensive in the world yet the quality of delivery is negatively related to this financial fact (Chantrill, 2011). The significance of this study is to demonstrate that the quality of healthcare provision is determined by a combination of healthcare decision making stakeholders in a balanced input. Without inclusion of the right contributors in the decision making, huge industries as the US healthcare system are deemed faulty and ironically incompetently run. The reason for using qualitative approach in definition of the research problem is in the need to give an answer to the question; why the American healthcare case can be likened to deficiency amidst plenty. The qualitative resolution to this case rolls back on the quality of comprehensive decision and policy making (Johnson, 2010). Qualitative methodology of choice in the study was case study comparisons for simple indicators of performance and the state of healthcare in the UK and in the US. The choice of these two countries was perhaps arrived at due to the many aspects of excellent standards in

Family Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Values - Essay Example And when the mother is not there and the child gets hurt (in an accident at the playing field) it is the brothers and sisters who take care of their sibling. Home and family atmosphere is enriched and strengthens by a belief in helping out each other, confessing and positively reacting to human needs for comfort and a lifelong support. This also involves viewing other’s mistakes as humans and not robots because computers and robots are not programmed to forgive or forget (Petersons, 2003). The members of the family know that human needs are satiated through effective and productive relationships. That is why even when there is a fight, it eventually ends as family members succumb to their dependence on other family members and this serves to strengthen the family bonds. Only the physical wellbeing is not necessary. Healthy mental and cognitive development is also the need for healthy life. That is why two most crucial aspects in the development of healthy and productive (to the society and to the family) behavior nurture at home, not the GPs clinic. These aspects are; Families that are live like a closely knitted unit and take care of each other form a real impetus of a healthy lifestyle. This concept is deeply rooted in nursing theories. Following are the fundamental concepts that are tied with family care in my area of practice. (a) Commitment: committing to anything, person, notion, philosophy or object bears the fruit. Same principle applies in nursing practice and the model of family care. This concept of family care applies not only in my area of practice but on all forefronts. Commitment is just another name for will power. And it is this will power that makes the family stay united and look out for each other. (b) Appreciation and affection: It is only natural for parents to encourage their young ones when they achieve even

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

International Business - Essay Example The three major economies of the world have enjoyed massive benefits just for the basic fact of their great economic prosperity. However, it has not gone unnoticed that there are other economies of the world which are rapidly positioning themselves as new economic superpowers. These countries are posing as a serious threat to the dominance of the three major economies known as the TRIAD. This paper will discuss how the TRIAD economies have evolved and dominated patterns of international business. It will also illuminate on the evolution of these TRIAD economies as well as how TRIAD economies have sustained their dominance in increasingly global markets. On the other hand, the paper will also look upon how emerging economies have evolved and are now challenging TRIAD dominance. The concentration will also be on the characterization of the current international business dynamics resulting from the rapid growth of global supply chains as well as looking into the factors which could impa ct future patterns of international business. The TRIAD economies The economies which compose of the TRIAD are the economies of USA, Japan and Germany (Srivastava et al 2012, p.321). These economies have been placed in this bracket for being the best performing economies in the world for a substantial period of time. The measurement of the performance of the world economies led to the isolation of these world economies into clusters of super powers and super performers such as the three countries in the TRIAD and others in the categories of average performers and low performing economies. The evolution of the TRIAD economies It would be imperative to note here that the three economies of the world, famously referred to as the TRIAD in the economic circles have evolved independently and in different phases. This is more so because of the adversity and diversity of the setup of the countries economical as well as political systems. USA was the first country to become a super power aft er the country displayed a massive economic growth and development. The USA started attaining economic dominance soon after the world war one after it decided not to take sides in the war and concentrate on building itself up as a nation. When other powers such as Germany were busy in war, USA was busy remodeling itself as a world superpower. By the time the country decided to get into the world war after world war two and take side on the allies, the nation boasted of a strong economic base backed by a strong growth domestic product (GDP) of the nation. Japan could have easily topped over the USA as a super power but its involvement in the war which prompted a counter attack by the USA curtailed this development (Waheeduzzaman 2011, p. 111). Germany underwent a massive economic recession in the year 1939 during the great depression forcing it to devalue its currency. This somehow retarded its economy. Later on however, with the assistance of the USA and other nations, Germany regai ned its economic strength and even went further to overtake most nations so that it could claim its place among the three greatest economies of the world (Akroush, 2012, p. 345). The same case goes for Japan. After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the economy of Japan was disoriented (Sardy et al 2010, p. 12). The USA assisted the nation in the process of rebuilding itself. With a robust, huge and hardworking population of this nation, the economy of the

Family Values Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Values - Essay Example And when the mother is not there and the child gets hurt (in an accident at the playing field) it is the brothers and sisters who take care of their sibling. Home and family atmosphere is enriched and strengthens by a belief in helping out each other, confessing and positively reacting to human needs for comfort and a lifelong support. This also involves viewing other’s mistakes as humans and not robots because computers and robots are not programmed to forgive or forget (Petersons, 2003). The members of the family know that human needs are satiated through effective and productive relationships. That is why even when there is a fight, it eventually ends as family members succumb to their dependence on other family members and this serves to strengthen the family bonds. Only the physical wellbeing is not necessary. Healthy mental and cognitive development is also the need for healthy life. That is why two most crucial aspects in the development of healthy and productive (to the society and to the family) behavior nurture at home, not the GPs clinic. These aspects are; Families that are live like a closely knitted unit and take care of each other form a real impetus of a healthy lifestyle. This concept is deeply rooted in nursing theories. Following are the fundamental concepts that are tied with family care in my area of practice. (a) Commitment: committing to anything, person, notion, philosophy or object bears the fruit. Same principle applies in nursing practice and the model of family care. This concept of family care applies not only in my area of practice but on all forefronts. Commitment is just another name for will power. And it is this will power that makes the family stay united and look out for each other. (b) Appreciation and affection: It is only natural for parents to encourage their young ones when they achieve even

Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Example for Free

Gucci, Louis Vuitton And Vertu Essay Creating luxury brands is a difficult marketing exercise. It requires heavy investment in marketing communications, excellent product/service quality, but above all these brands have to try to remain fashionable, which is notoriously difficult. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu are three successful so-called luxury brands, that retail to the high-end market. Both Gucci and Louis Vuitton are well-established brands that have been around for decades, even centuries. However Vertu, is a relatively new kid on the block, having only entered the luxury communications marketplace in 2000. Vertu sells expensive mobile phones that retail for thousands of pounds. Only a handful of brands can create a high status appeal among the world’s super rich (e.g. Ferrari, Rolex, etc.). These brands have to adopt innovative marketing strategies in order to succeed in this dynamic environment. What do they do differently to create this luxury appeal? Marketers are moving from the traditional marketing mix approach towards greater use of experiential marketing. This is where customers are treated as both rational and emotional individuals that seek ‘experiences’ from products. The key is to engage customers in a memorable experience around the product/service, developing a relationship with customers and creating an affinity with them. The central aim of experiential marketing is to create an emotional attachment between the brand and the customer. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu provide this experience through their unique product image and features, their outstanding service, their exclusive retail environment, their pricing, their selective channels of distribution, their distincive packaging and the overall benefits associated with their unique brand images. To promote a product to the high-market it is important that the customers have the right experience so that the desired feelings, images and perspectives beco me linked with the product/service and their marketing programme. It is necessary for the brand to convey a personality that the customer can relate to, or wish to aspire to and then communicate this to others.  Consumers of these brands feel that they too are fashion and design conscious, that they too are wealthy, and that they are part of the â€Å"in-crowd†. In many cases, luxury brands are tapping into the â€Å"aspirational† buyer market; luxury brands are offering products at different price points in the hope that sometime during the customers’ lifetime they will trade up to their more exclusive ranges. However, the risk of ‘democratising’ the brand is that they may lose their aura of exclusivity – as it can be obtained by anyone. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu rely on the imagery of their products to appeal to the high-end market. The prestigious pricing of their products creates a high quality image and positions the goods in the mind of the consumer as a status symbol. The success of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu can be attributed to quality of service, brand image, retail environment, management structure and above all their ability to combine these factors to create an exclusive experience. We will now take a closer look at how these companies became what they are today, while focusing on unique product features and image, their brand imagery, retail environments and channels of distribution. Gucci Gucci has experienced many changes since it opened its first luggage company in Florence in 1921. At first, it mainly sold only luxury leather goods. Within a few years the store became popular among international and affluent clientele. By the 1950’s Gucci’s global presence was established with its first store in the US in New York. By the 1970’s stores were opened in London, Paris, Palm Beach, Hong Kong and Tokyo. It has become a truly global luxury brand. Today, Gucci has over 415 stores worldwide and in 2008 alone, reported sales of  £3.4 billion (an increase of 5.5% on the previous year). Gucci was also ranked number 41 in the Interbrand ‘Best Global Brand’Survey 2009. The high fashion industry is notoriously competitive with rivals such as Hermes, Dior, Chanel, and Prada, all vying for a slice of the action. This increased competition has resulted in the Gucci group becoming a multi-brand company, which consists of several well known brands, such as Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Yves Saint Laurent. While the Gucci brand represents the core business of the Gucci Group (accounting for 65% of total revenue), the Gucci Empire now consists of eleven leading brands and the channel of distribution differs for each. For example, Yves Saint Laurent uses not only directly operated stores but also points of sale in leading  department stores mainly based in Europe to reach a wider range of customers. A major influence on the success of Gucci in the 90’s can be attributed to the appointment of leading designer Tom Ford. He joined Gucci in 1990 as the company’s Womenswear Designer and became Creative Director of Gucci. With Tom Ford’s vision, Gucci’s image was reinvented. He was responsible for product lines, store image and store design. In March 1995, Tom Ford’s first collection caught the attention of the press by utilising sex and glamour. Within a year of Tom Ford’s launch of his new collection, Gucci’s profits rose by 90% and the company is now worth nearly $500 million. However, Ford vacated his position in the Gucci Group in 2004 due to issues of control in the renewal of contracts, issues which could not be resolved between the two parties. 32-year-old Frida Giannini, who originally joined Gucci in 2002 as Handbag Design Director now serves as Creative Director for the entire Gucci brand and to date she served the company well, transforming Gucci classics into modern, successful designs. In addition to the role she plays in the creation of new Gucci products, Giannini immerses herself in other aspects of the business; she has taken an active role in developing new design concepts for Gucci stores, as well as taking responsibility for the creative direction of all advertising campaigns. She has also been responsible for the brand’s increased use of celebrities to promote the brand, including Drew Barrymore and Clare Danes for their jewellery campaigns and singers Rihanna and Madonna for their Unicef initiatives. So what is the key to Gucci’s success? The essence of Gucci is its exclusivity. The brand portrays a sexy and vibrant image, which is communicated through their designs, fashion shows and advertising. The importance of the Gucci brand’s positioning is that it is distinctive and has an aura of exclusivity amongst its target audience. The image and aura of prestige surrounding Gucci gives added value to their products. This is created through advertising, innovative designers and the whole experience of buying Gucci. Gucci uses controversial advertising such  as the promotion of their perfume ‘Opium’ with a naked image of Sophie Dahl. This caused uproar in Britain and was banned by the advertising standards, as it accounted for a third of all complaints about poster adverts. However this campaign managed to win advertising awards throughout Europe. Gucci’s advertisement in Vogue also created controversy with an image of a woman with the letter ‘G’ imprinted in her pubic hair. These illustrations helped gain media coverage for the campaigns and boosted brand awareness. Typically, the Gucci brand tries to appeal to women in their 20’s or 30’s with high quality, fashionable products, and those who aspire to be part of the jet set lifestyle. This image attracts people who feel they can relate to this profile or who wish to aspire to this image. Gucci achieves this in many ways; stores are located on expensive high street locations, thus attracting affluent consumers. The window displays are provocative and the interior has a free flow layout as its visually appealing and allows consumers to browse comfortably. The dà ©cor is rich and classic to add to the atmosphere of the store. The salespeople are model-like, smartly dressed all in black and ready to assist consumers in any way. Even the security guard is suitably dressed to add to the image. The distinctive Gucci packaging concludes the experience. Gucci has directly operated stores to ensure that they retain control over their products and can build their image around these stores. About 70% of sales are done in Gucci stores alone. It is also possible to view and purchase Gucci products online, thus reaching a far greater target audience. Louis Vuitton The famous brand started out back in the 1850’s. The founder was made famous for crafting luggage for Napoleon. From theses roots the brand has become synonymous with luggage and in particular handbags. Louis Vuitton is very much the envy of the industry, recording an operating margin of 45%, whilst the industry average is only 25% for luxury accessories. The company is famous for its handbags, but also sells a range of wallets, briefcases, eyeglass cases etc. The brand is estimate to be worth approximately $19 billion. Louis Vuitton stand out from their peers through their relentless focus on product quality. All products are extensively tested to make sure that they can withstand wear and tear, and that there are no imperfections. The company has blended mechanisation and handmade craftsmanship into their products, boosting their productivity, maintaining that high level of product quality, whilst still holding onto the allure of handmade quality. All Louis Vuitton products contain the eponymous LV initials and many of the products use the brown Damier and Monogram Canvas materials, which were first used by the company in the 80’s. The company markets its products through its own stores, which allows it to control quality and pricing. In maintaining the prestige image of the Louis Vuitton brand, the company operates a pricing integrity strategy amongst its entire distribution network; a Louis Vuitton bag is never reduced in price and there are no sale periods. The company offers customised products such as personal engraving on hand luggage pieces, boosting its appeal further. Furthermore, the company sponsors elite sporting events such as yachting and motorsport events. This is in effort to match the audience of sponsorship property with the target audience of the brand itself. Like other premium brands, such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton has also turned to the use of celebrity’s to market the brand, with the likes of Madonna, Jennifer Lopez and Gisele Bundchen featuring in advertising campaigns. Over recent years, the brand has tried to modernise its image by utilising the talents of young designers and artists to rejuvenate the image of some of their products, whilst maintaining the classic designs. An example of this was the use of designer Marc Jacobs who created a limited edition handbag range with featured graffiti over the monogram pattern in 2001. Other limited editions patterns created by designers for the brand include the Monogram Multicolore range and the Cherry Blossom Range, which were only made available to VIP customers, further enhancing the exclusivity of the brand. Hermes, a key rival of Louis Vuitton, create even greater exclusivity by having a three-year waiting list before one of their bags can be obtained. These bags are handcrafted, adding to their appeal even further. The reinvention and rejuvenation of Louis Vuitton in more recent years has assisted the brand in attracting a younger target audience, thereby increasing customer base. However no one designer has eclipsed the powerful brand image of Louis Vuitton itself, unlike other design brands. Vertu Vertu is a unique luxury brand specialising in top of the range, deluxe mobile phones. Established in 2000, the Vertu brand was a big gamble for Nokia, its parent company, to take. Nokia, previously the world’s most successful mobile phone manufacturer, developed this new brand as a way of creating an exclusive luxury brand in mobile telephony. However, Nokia does not publicise the linkage between Nokia and Vertu and therefore does not gain from any brand linkages or associations. In essence, their products are jewellery-like mobile telephones. Vertu headquarters are located in the United Kingdom with several offices situated worldwide including: Paris, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore. As a new entrant to  the market, Vertu’s main focus was on creating product awareness among the elite and to create a brand that is exclusive and luxurious. Vertu utilises craftsmanship, precision engineering, high-end technology and a unique personal service dimension to create a dis tinctive luxury brand. Vertu’s concept is to make mobile phones in the same vein as prestigious watch brands such as Rolex and Patek Philippe. Mobile phones typically retail for around  £100  £400 pounds, however Vertu is aimed at the top end of the market, those who can afford to spend thousands on a mobile phone. For example, the most expensive model ever made by the brand is the Signature Cobra, which retailed at a massive â‚ ¬217,000! The most expensive ‘regular’ model made by Vertu is the Signature Diamond, at a more affordable â‚ ¬62,000. These phones are typically made using precious metals like gold, silver or platinum along with fine Italian leather for better grip and have jewelled bearings. When people buy a Vertu they are buying a badge of exclusivity, luxury and uniqueness. It was believed that if watches, pens or even wallets can be transformed into luxury brands, then why not a mobile phone. With mobile phone penetration constantly on the increase and having surpassed 100% in Europe alone, phone manufacturers need new strategies to get people to buy newer phones. Newer technology was a prime motivator in consumers buying a new phone. Vertu have taken a different approach; they want their phones to be status symbols. For a technology product, this is a first, as products lose their value very quickly, with constant technological advances offering new and improved product features. Rather than launch their new product range at technology shows, which is the industry norm, Vertu instead prefers to become associated with fashion shows, launching for example their new range during Paris fashion week. Thus this brand is aiming to create a fashion brand rather than a technology brand, in an attempt to woo people through its fashion status. A big selling point associated with these phones is the Vertu Concierge Service. Vertu Concierge provides specialised travel assistance, allowing users to access and reserve restaurants, hotels, concert tickets and much  more. Having a Vertu mobile phone allows users to access this exclusive concierge service, 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world, where they will try to assist the every whim of the user. This service is free for the first year, but you have to pay a subsequent subscription of  £500 per annum to use the service. Vertu also offers a customisation service thus truly differentiating itself and allowing the firm to earn even higher margins. Also the company offers free upgradability when new technology emerges. The company has established flagship stores in exclusive shopping districts, so that it was close to other exclusive brands, thus benefiting from a halo effect. Vertu has developed a unique buying experience by creating a â€Å"gallery-like† feel to its retail environments. In order to create this new level of luxury to mobile communication retailing, Vertu focused an enormous amount of attention onto store layout. Each display case is made from architectural glass, limestone textures and floors combined with warm lighting, ultimately enhancing the ambience of the store. Minimalist design was used in order to create the illusion of space. In keeping with the element of exclusivity, original artworks were commissioned and exhibited throughout the stores. Selections of short films are also projected in-store. By offering a first class personal service combined with extensive product knowledge, Vertu has enhanced their image of reliability and expertise. Vertu announced the opening of its flagship stores in Paris and Singapore in October 2002. It has since opened new channels of distribution, with over 600 retail outlets worldwide and 400 employees and it intends to continue to build on this. Along with their stores in Paris and Singapore, Vertu has Client Suites in London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore and also has points of sale located in some of the world’s leading department stores and fine jewellers. The company were extremely selective when choosing suitable retail channels. They sought department stores that catered for an international client base, and who target very affluent shoppers. Stores must have a global reputation of offering quality and luxury across all product ranges and whose philosophy of high product knowledge and excellent personal service are consistent with that of Vertu’s. For example, Vertu entered into a partnership with a renowned Hong Kong jeweller, King Fook  Jewellery. The introduction of these new speciality stores has made the Vertu range of phones more accessible to its exclusive client base in Hong Kong. As a direct result of this new partnership, Vertu’s Signature Collection is now available in a range of precious metals, such as gold and platinum. To date the company has entered into a number of joint ventures such as Vertu and Goldsmiths located at Harrods in London, Trafford Centre in Manchester, and Bluewater, Kent. This partnership was established to gain greater market share in the UK marketplace. Vertu phones are also available to purchase through their website. With the aid of this distribution channel, customers can now personalise their mobile phone to their own individual tastes Conclusion In order to retain product exclusivity it is clear that you need to provide an excellent product and exceptional service experience, as this creates an emotional attachment between the customer and the brand. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu have made this experience possible through their distinct products and services, their prestigious pricing (thus indicating their superb quality), their exclusive retail environment and their selective channels of distribution. Maintaining that fashion status and aura of exclusivity is of primary concern to these exclusive luxury brands. For example, the fashion brand Burberry has now become synonymous with the infamous â€Å"chav† subculture in Britain. This once fashion icon brand of the country elite has now be adopted as the brand of choice for thousands of working class Britons, devaluing the brand amongst the fashion elite. The emergence of the so-called â€Å"chav† subculture has garnered the Burberry brand unwanted press coverage. The Ben Sherman brand also fought hard to overcome its association with ‘yob’ culture; similarly Doc Martins were associated with skinheads. By extending their brands to items such as baseball caps, perfumes etc. it can diminish the exclusiveness of a label, sacrificing the brand equity for increased revenue. It is evident that Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use different promotional  strategies. For instance, Gucci incorporates controversial issues into their marketing strategy to promote brand imagery, Louis Vuitton utilises celebrity endorsements, whereas Vertu concentrates on the benefits and quality of product features. However, all brands are consistent when it comes to retail environment and channels of distribution. The store design and layout plays a crucial role in creating an image of exclusivity to appeal to the high-end market. It is essential to have alignment of the prospective target market expectations of a store offering and the identity that the brand wants to communicate. Companies targeting the high-end market must create the illusion of exclusivity, while generating a seductive atmosphere, appealing to the senses. Once blended together, these elements will help form a pleasurable and distinctive experience that will differentiate your product line from that of your competitors. Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Vertu use exclusive channels of distribution to ensure greater control. This control enables them to exercise greater flexibility on their product ranges and the ability to adjust to the changing market efficiently. This adds to the image of exclusivity and quality of the products. Therefore it can be concluded that in order for a product to develop and retain its exclusivity, marketers must create an overall experience that appeals to and attracts the high-end market.

Determinants That Cause The Demand Curve To Shift Economics Essay

Determinants That Cause The Demand Curve To Shift Economics Essay Demand means that the willingness of a buyers to buy a goods and able to buy a goods at a different price levels. The law states that the demand curve is a downward sloping graph which shows that there is a negative relationship between the price of a product and the quantity of a product. When a price of a product rises, the quantity demanded will decrease. On the other hand, when the price of a product falls, the quantity demanded will increase. Demand is a shift either rightward or leftward in the demand curve. Demand curve will shift leftward if the consumers decide to buy less, and the demand curve will shift rightward if the consumers decide to buy more. Decrease in demand will cause the demand curve to shift leftward. There are many determinants that cause the demand curve to shift. Price of coke $ Figure 5.1 D0 D1 Quantity of coke One of the determinants that cause the demand curve to shift is expectation. For example, if the price of a coke expected will fall next month, the quantity demand will also decrease. So, this is as shown in figure 5.1. As the demand decrease, the demand curve will definitely shift leftward from D0 to D1.Besides, the price of substitutes and complements good will cause the demand curve to shift. Complementary goods are good that are used together. For example, petrol and car. If the price of petrol rise, this will cause the quantity demand for car decrease. Substitute good are good that can be replaced with another good. For example, butter and margarine. If the price of butter fall, the quantity of margarine will definitely shift leftward. Besides, the taste and income will also cause the demand curve to shift. Quantity demand is a movement upward or downward in the demand curve. The only factor that will cause the movement is the price of the goods itself. For example, the price of an apples decrease from $2.50 to $1.90. This will cause the demand curve to move downward (from point A to B). Besides, the quantity demand definitely will increase from 4 to 7 as it applied the law of demand. As the price of an apple decrease, the quantity demanded will increase. This is shown in Figure 5.2. Price of an apple $ 2.50 A 1.90 B Figure 5.2 0 Quantity for apples 4 7 Part B Income elasticity of demand means that the percentage change in quantity demanded dividing the percentage change in households income. There are 3 types of degrees of income elasticity of demand (YED). If the income elasticity of demand is greater than 0, then this elasticity is a positive YED. But this positive YED is categorized into two types. First, if the quantity demanded of a good rise a smaller amount of percentage compare to the income of the households, this is known as a normal good. A normal good normally does not responsive to the changes in the quantity demanded of the good. This is also known as income elastic since (0

Compare and contrast the views of Autumn in Ted Hughes’s There Came A E

Compare and contrast the views of Autumn in Ted Hughes’s There Came A Day and John Keats’s Ode To Autumn. How do the poets use language to convey these views? There are many similarities and differences between the two autumn poems ‘There came a day’ by Ted Hughes and ‘Ode to autumn’ by John Keats. Both poems are based on autumn but they portray it in different ways. ‘There came a day’ presents autumn in a negative way where as ‘ode to autumn’ presents it in a positive way. The reason that John Keats may have written in a in a positive way about autumn is because he was a pre-twentieth century poet and had a love for nature and respect for the countryside. The style in which he writes is known as ‘romanticism’, which is when the poet writes from a personal view, rather than based on facts. Ted Hughes was a twentieth century poet and wrote in a slightly different way to John Keats. He knew a lot about nature and was fond of animals and plants. This could explain why he felt autumn is a harsh and ruthless season, because it symbolises decay and the end of most plant life until spring. We can tell from the title of John Keats’s poem ‘Ode To Autumn’ that it is a positive poem, and obviously about autumn. The title means ‘to praise autumn’ which implies that it is going to be about the good aspects of the season. However, in Ted Hughes’s ‘There Came a Day’ there is a sense of anticipation and fear about the day. From the title we cannot tell that the poem is about autumn but it is more negative. In the opening stanza of ‘Ode to Autumn’ the first few lines set a bright and colourful introduction to the poem. It talks about autumn as a season of mist and mellow fruitfulness. From this we know that it is a... ...rsonal tastes and styles. John Keats was a pre-twentieth century poet, so the vocabulary used in his poem was very old fashioned and traditional. We can tell this from the following words and phrases â€Å"thou hast’’ and â€Å"thou dost†. Ted Hughes was a twentieth century poet, so his writing and use of language is more modern, phrases such as â€Å"stuff them† and â€Å"plucked it† imply that it is a more recent poem. The two poems have many differences and only a few similarities. I believe there to be so many differences to be because of the different time period that the two poets lived in because John Keats’s poem is more traditional and Ted Hughes’s is modern. It is also because of the different style they write in and their own personal points view about autumn. Although I feel the similarity between the two poems is that both poets show their individual feelings.

Nike strategy :: essays research papers

After Nike’s success in the US is inarguable, its intent to focus on the international markets. The company wants to generate more than half of its revenue from overseas. In my opinion, Nike’s strategies and tactics are to seek on the opportunity to do the marketing on its radical, rebellious and anti-establishment images to the international markets and to benefit from its use of overseas factories to outsource manufacturing processes. For example, †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike ad in Soccer America magazine that delivered the massage to Europe, Asia and Latin America. Part of its message mentioned to their local investors to better invest in some deodorant. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A TV commercial featured a Manchester United player explaining how spitting at a fan and insulting a coach won him a Nike contract. †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike advertising campaign at the Atlanta Olympic Games with the slogan â€Å"You don’t win silver, you lose gold.† †¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A Nike’s factories in Vietnam, China and Indonesian. For those marketing efforts, Nike does successful to promote itself with its not-quite-nice images and also generate some criticism that I think they are irresponsible as we can see from their ad that they does not create any positive effects to the society. For its use of overseas factories, it is great opportunity to expand the production base to the lower cost of labor, but it is totally irresponsible and unethical when labor practice does not meet the standard. In my point of view, the most unethical Nike’s decision is not to take the responsibility to ensure at least minimum and humane standards that it should offer to its work force. For example, in Vietnam, Nike paid its workers less than the cost of three meals of rice and vegetables and tofu. It treated workers no better than in sweatshops with only two drinks of water and one bathroom break in an eight hour shift. Also Nike let its contractors in developing countries to use child labor under sub-standard conditions. On the other hand, the least unethical Nike’s decision is to have a TV commercial featured a Manchester United player explaining how spitting at a fan and insulting a coach won him a Nike contract.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason that I reach these judgments, for the most unethical decision, Nike lacks of social responsibilities in term of both legal and ethical responsibilities. Although, there were some people agree with sweatshops because it was better than the firm leaves the workers, it was the best of the workers’ only bad options or it was a path from poverty to greater wealth, but if at least Nike improved their workers working standards, it would help to better increase their quality of lives.

Forensic Anthropology Essay

Review Questions 1. What are epiphyseal fusions? What can they tell a forensic anthropologist? – Epiphyseal fusion is the fusion, and/or the closing of the ends of â€Å"growth plates†, or at places like the clavicle, iliac crest, and the long bones in our arms and legs. 2. What is ethnobotany? Why is this area helpful for forensic anthropologists? – Ethnobotany is the study of plant remains and pollens. I’d imagine that this would help determine time, and/or cause of death. 3. What is facial reconstruction? Why is it used? – Facial reconstruction involves using the cranium or skull, as well as any other aspects of the person that may be known, to create a representation of what the person may have looked like to help determine who the person was, and in some cases help determine the cause of death. 4. How do male and female bones tend to differ? – Male and female bones tend to differ mainly in size and shape, some of the more outstanding differences are the different shapes of parts of the skull, pelvis, and jaw. 5. How does a forensic scientist estimate the height of a victim? – A victim’s height is generally estimated using an equation designed to predict height. Once they have all of the long bones in the arms and legs, they are often able to create a more accurate estimation of the victim’s height. Critical Thinking Questions 1. Why is forensic anthropology an important part of forensic science? What does this area add to the investigation of crime? – Forensic anthropology is an important part of forensic science because without any knowledge of bones in forensic science, you wouldn’t really be able to learn very much information about any victims that had decomposed down to bone, or lost their flesh in any sort of way. 2. Imagine that you have been called to an area where bones have been found. What would you do at this spot to help you better understand what happened? – I would first make sure to check the entire area above, and below the surface of the ground. Make sure every last piece and fragment of bone or evidence was accounted for, had sketches and/or pictures of where they were before they had been disturbed, and then noted. Then I would examine the evidence along with the bones to see if I could possibly tell if the victim had any type of disease or sickness, or any other cause of death. Maybe even determine who the person was. 3. What are some of the differences between traditional facial reconstruction and computer facial reconstruction? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? – Some of the differences between digital, and non-digital facial reconstruction are well, you’ll need a forensic anthropologist for both, an artist for one, and a computer with the correct programs installed, and the correct machines and comparison data for the other. 4. What is a scatter pattern? What can it tell a forensic anthropologist? – A scatter pattern in forensics refers to the way bones have been scattered from their original set place where they were when they were still attached to the victim’s skeleton. 5. How can the age of a body be estimated using bones? What are some of the different areas of the body that may give an indication of age? – A forensic anthropologist can get an estimate of a victim’s age by examining placement of teeth, Epiphyseal fusions, length of the longer bones in the legs and arms, and the degree of closure of sutures.