Liberal Art Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Liberal Art Studies - Essay Example In a professional setting, resisting the majority does not have the dramatic consequences that resisting the State does because the State is capable of punishing a person more severely. However, there can be unwanted consequences, such as being fired, for going against the majority rule of a corporation. Many positive results have come from resisting the majority and this has been proven in the professional realm as well. This is especially true when the truth and other creative pursuits are repressed and discouraged by the majority. It would definitely seem that Thoreau’s ideas would be easier to implement in a professional setting. However, resisting in both situations can bring about punishment. A corporation does indeed have a conscious as long as conscientious people are running the particular corporation. It is important that those running a corporation do not suppress ideas and opinions or mistreat employees, although this does happen frequently in the business world. C orporations should, as Thoreau believes, employ â€Å"conscientious men† that act accordingly to make sure that corporation acts in an ethical manner. Also, as Thoreau states, corporations (as well as the government) should â€Å"encourage its citizens (workers) to be on alert to point out its faults† (1849).

The Way of the Shepard Essay Example for Free

The Way of the Shepard Essay The Way of the Shepherd, written by Dr. Kevin Leman and William Pentak, presents the reader with seven basic and ancient foundations to successful leadership. Throughout the story these essential management principles are imparted upon a young novice reporter through an interview of one of the most successful CEOs in the United States. During this interview the CEO communicates these seven ancient leadership elements that can be applied in today’s hectic business environments. The first principle, Know the Condition of Your Flock, stresses the importance of people to the successful manager. The CEO points out it is important to understand the condition of your people in addition to the status of their work. The people can become a manager’s greatest competitive advantage if they are understood and treated properly. If a manger takes a personal interest in each of the employees and treats them as individuals, then management becomes more effective. Discover the Shape of Your Sheep is all about identifying strengths and weaknesses of these individuals to ensure they are in the correct position. A person’s skill set should apply to the task they are assigned and they should be motivated to apply these skill sets. It is also important to have people with positive attitudes and have personalities that complement their assignments. These along with people’s experience can determine how effective they will be in certain positions. Discovering and understanding all this information makes the task of lesson three that much easier; Help Your Sheep Identify With You. Build trust with your followers through genuineness, integrity and compassion. Getting people to want to follow you by giving them a sense of meaning and belonging is a true sign of leadership. Clear communication of values and mission, defined roles and high standards of performance are instrumental in getting people to follow your lead. Make Your Pasture a Safe Place, is all about protecting what you have established in the previous lessons. Identifying and addressing problems in the organization quickly is essential. Keeping your people well informed of these problems and subsequent actions help quell anxiety and the spread of rumors. It is also important to make every person feel essential in the organization to avoid internal rivalries and provide job security. Possibly the most important is to rid your organization of detractors. If they refuse to be a positive influence in the group and hurt the organization then cut them loose. The Staff of Direction, is all about guiding your people along the right path without coercion. Know where you want your organization to go, plan the path and keep you people moving towards those goals. Avoid dictating and demanding and try suggestions. Set an example for them to follow, not just making pronouncements. It is important to allow your people freedom to find their way, but also to set firm boundaries for them to avoid. Most importantly help your people when they get in trouble and use these mistakes as learning opportunities. Discipline in the workplace an always be a tricky task for any manager. The Rod of Correction, sets out to establish a foundation to approach this aspect of management. First of all it is important for you to protect your people from external threats and let them know you will protect them when needed. This can go a long way to help avoid some conflicts in the workplace. Also, monitoring your people’s progress along with the work’s progress can help you identify potential problems before they grow. The final aspect of discipline in the workplace is correcting these problems arise. Remember it is better to approach these situations as learning opportunities instead strictly punishment. Hopefully the first two steps mitigate most of the issue before they require any severe corrections. The last secret, The Heart of the Shepherd, ties everything together and reveals the most essential part of management. This is the most demanding aspect for the manager and often one that is neglected. The leader has to truly care for his people and be willing to make the commitment to them. Making the necessary sacrifices and showing your people that you have a heart for your people is the mark of a great leader. Never ask more of them then you are willing to give. Don’t just be a hireling, give yourself to your people and they will reward you in return. The Way of the Shepherd is a simple no nonsense book on the basics of being an effective manager. I doubt many readers will find a grand revelations in the concisely written book. The authors help put these basic and timeless lessons into perspective for any level manager. Likely many have never seen the information presented in this manner and this is where I think the book really shines. I can easily see myself going back to this book regularly in the future. This book helps remind the reader that the basics matter and can make or break a leader. Periodic self-evaluation by a manager with the help of this book could help some mediocre managers make the transition to greatness.

Love and Neurobiology: Not So Strange Bedfellows :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Love and Neurobiology: Not So Strange Bedfellows "The moment you have in your heart this extraordinary thing called love and feel the depth, the delight, the ecstasy of it, you will discover that for you the world is transformed." -J. Krishnamurti Love is one of life's great mysteries. People live and build their lives around love. For many people, love, or the quest to find love, is a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Love is arguably the most overwhelming of all emotions. Many ideals and religions consider the bond of love sacred. But, why do people fall in love? Is romantic love an enigma, or can it be reduced to the presence of certain chemicals and neurotransmitters within the brain at a given time? In the hit movie Roxanne, Steve Martin plays an articulate, put-together fire chief. However, when he falls in love with Roxanne, he acts crazy and performs dangerous acrobatics on her balcony in an attempt to earn her love. In Titanic, the two lovebirds risk it all in a vein attempt to pursue their love. And, in Shakespeare's classic, Romeo and Juliet, the love struck Venetians deny their families and take their own lives in the name of love. What causes this temporary insanity that most everyone encounters at some point in his or her life? Many believe that love is spontaneous and inexplicable, however many neurobiologists disagree. They stand by the idea that the brain causes all behavior, even love. The scientific definition of love is "having stimulation that one desires" (5). Recent research by two British neurologists concludes that love is linked to certain brain activities. By conducting tests using a magnetic resonance imager, the scientists measured brain activity in 17 people while they were viewing a picture of their loved one, and while they were viewing a photo of a friend of the same sex as their lover. When the individuals see the picture of the person they love, clear activity occurs in four regions of the brain that were not active when the image of the friend was present. The media insula, which is responsible for instinctual feelings, and the anterior cingulate, which acts in response to euphoria-inducing drugs, such as cocaine, are the two areas of the cortex stimulated by pictures of a lover. The striatum, that is activated when we are rewarded and the prefrontal cortex also increase their activity when shown the same picture.

Graduation Speech: We are Blessed to Live in the USA :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Dear fellow students, faculty, friends, and family, My name is Sam Myers and I'm from Albania. Coming here was a great experience for me. I grew up in a poor country where the chances to get a good education were extremely limited. I went to schools with broken windows, and did homework by candlelight because we had no power. I was raised in a simple family by parents who loved me dearly, cared for me, and taught me life values that I carry with me. I wish they were here today. My parents had no educational background and could barely read or write. I had nothing compared to what young people in America have. But my parents communicated to me the importance of a good education, and today I am graduating from Marefat Community College in the United States of America. What a huge difference! The fall of communism in Albania in 1990 brought Albanians hope for the future. As every young man, I had dreams and one of them was studying abroad. God brought me here in a miraculous way. While providing medical care for the Kosovo refugees during the war of 1999, I met the people who provided the financial support I needed to come to America. It was exciting and scary at the same time. I had lived all my life with my family in the same country, but it was time for big changes and new adventures. I cherish the wonderful feelings of my first days on the Marefat campus. The easy access of many resources on campus including the library, computer labs, and many others made my learning process easy. I have learned that the key to success is working hard and focusing on your goal. Despite the many distractions this country offered me, I reminded myself that I had a goal to reach and I was here for a specific purpose. Marefat Community College opened many new doors for my future. One of my greatest experiences was working at the Office of Student Life as a student programmer. I learned to work in a business environment, coordinating events and communicating with students and staff. Working as a team with students from different cultures and backgrounds opened my eyes to get a better picture of the world. For the first time in my life, I met people who did not look like me. As I got to know them, I was able to break the stereotypes I had built growing up in a country that was closed to the rest of the world for 50 years.

The Woman’s Renaissance

Did Women Participate In The Renaissance? Thesis: Women off higher social and economic status had a broader range of opportunities such as reading, writing, and art, but were still expected to do household chores, while women of a lower class were bound even more strictly to their domestic responsibilities. General Info Household chores came first (Cooking, cleaning, sewing, etc. If a woman did not array, she would enter a convent or live with relatives Women would never live alone or be economically self sufficient Applied to all social classes Upper Class More opportunities were available, but women were still very suppressed Mastered multiple languages, wrote, painted etc. Were still expected to do chores despite having servants Education was available but limited Patronized the arts when possible Middle/ Lower Class Chores/children came firstHad to work alongside their husbands at their Jobs Women were not allowed to be outspoken or express themselves in any way The only educatio n they received was on how to be a good wife and mother Examples Isabella detest (1474-1539) Italian renaissance woman Marguerite De Invader (1492-1549) wrote poetry and ruled Spain with her brother Francis I Catherine De Medici (1519-1589) Major political force, patron of the arts, well educated from a young age Topic Sentences 1.While upper class women had domestic duties, they were able to enjoy in a few limited opportunities like education and the arts. 2. The expectations for women of lower classes were primarily to serve traditional household roles, such as chores, rearing children, and often working with their husbands. 3. While upper class women had special opportunities, and lower class women had certain obligations, they both put household chores before any other luxuries or responsibilities. The Woman's Renaissance By gallop

Impact of Opec Essays

Impact of Opec Essays Impact of Opec Essay Impact of Opec Essay The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), inter-governmental organization, was established at the Baghdad Conference in Iraq in September 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela. These five countries were later joined by eight other countries; Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), and Gabon (1975). Ecuador and Gabon withdrew from OPEC in 1992 and 1994. The current eleven OPEC members account for about 40 per cent of world oil production, and two-thirds of the world’s proven oil reserves. Note: Iraq remains a member of OPEC, but Iraq’s production has not been a part of OPEC quota since 1998). The purpose of OPEC is to co-ordinate and unifies petroleum policies among the member in order to limit supplies in the hope of keeping prices high. From 1920s to 1960s, the major oil companies colluded to prevent prices from falling. In th e 1960s, OPEC had started as a group of five oil producing, developing countries, seeking out the member countries’ legitimate rights in the international oil market. So the rise of OPEC was tied to a shifting balance of power from the multi-national oil companies to the oil producing countries. The creation of OPEC intensified the need among the Third World countries for closer cooperation in order to achieve their political and economic objectives. Membership grew to ten within the decade. In 1970’s, member countries took control of their domestic petroleum industries and acquired the right to influence the pricing of crude oil on the world market. There were two oil pricing crises, triggered by the Arab oil embargo in 1973 and the Iranian Revolution in 1979. During the 1973 War between Egypt and Israel, Saudi Arabia refused to increase production in order to halt rising prices unless the United States backed the Arab position. When the U. S. government proposed a military aid package for Israel, Arab States began an oil embargo against the United States and later expanded to the Portugal, South Africa, and Netherlands. The first Summit of OPEC sovereigns and Heads of State was held in Algiers in 1975. OPEC acquired its 11th and final current member, Nigeria, in 1971. In 1980s, oil prices peaked at the early period in the decade. Iranian Revolution and ensuing stop of Iranian petroleum exports had caused panic and speculation in the world oil market. This is called Second Oil Shock. Moreover, the outbreak of the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980 affected the oil market. The Iran-Iraq war removed almost 4 million barrels of oil a day from the world market. Since early 1980s, the world petroleum market confronted OPEC with an unfavorable choice such as cutting price to regain market or cutting production to maintain price. But OPEC did not want to reduce oil prices; for fear that they would loose economic and political gains, and their political influence. Environmental issues began to be discussed as an international agenda In the early 1990s, OPEC experienced a third price crisis when Iraq invaded OPEC member Kuwait. Iraq had long claimed the territory of Kuwait. In 1991 the territorial conflict was worsen by the oil issues. One of them was the continued pumping of oil by Kuwait from a field located under both countries and another issue was low oil revenues for Iraq which made playing off its war debts difficult. Iraqi invasion would expand revenues. Iraqi power in OPEC raised oil price and increases war debts to Kuwait. Iraq thought that the United State response would be political and economic sanction. But the Iraqi invasion causes a military response which was supported by a coalition of western and Arab states. The absence of the two major oil producers (Iraq and Kuwait), could have raised the oil price to ceiling. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and other oil producers expanded production to keep prices from raising a great deal. Since the Persian Gulf War, Iraq has refused to compliant with the United Nations resolutions; in other words, Iraq invasion has resulted in a long term oil embargo. During the 1990s, OPEC continued to emphasize oil production quotas. Oil prices collapsed at the end of the period, but began to increase in the beginning of 21st century, owing to the greater unification of OPEC members and increasing the well-governed oil company in Non-OPEC countries such as (Mexico, Oman, Russia, and Norway), and also increased tensions in the Middle East, and political crises in Venezuela affected oil prices in the world. OPEC has attempted to develop a coherent environmental policy because the international efforts to reduce the oil consumption have been more significant in this century. Economic Impact of OPEC: Our economy depends on its cost, of which a large part is represented by the cost of energy. The cost of the oil products is affected by the price of crude oil, taxation and other causes. The price of crude oil is influenced by the decisions taken by oil producers, especially the price for which they are willing to sell. Oil prices obviously matter to the world economy and OPEC still has influence on oil price decision. Higher oil prices since 1999 was partly caused by OPEC mal-management of oil supply. We can see that OPEC has influence on global economy, because oil prices remain an important determinant of economic performance of each county. If there is a shortage of oil supplies, oil price will rise. This would have all sorts of implications for industry, such as higher transportation costs. Higher costs can lead to lower economic growth. U. S. oil prices began to increase in the early 1970s when OPEC began to assume a major influence on oil prices. In 1970, OPEC members agreed to set an oil export tax rate of 55 percent, and OPEC members started to nationalize the oil industry. In 1973, Arab’s embargo resulted in that crude oil prices increased from average of $4. 15 per barrel in 1973 to $9. 07 in 1974, which led to the United States recession in 1974. In the late 1970’s, during the Iranian Revolution, declination of oil production led huge price increases. U. S. crude oil prices increased from $12. 46 per barrel in 1978 to $35. 24 in 1981. OPEC had huge impact on the economic industries. In term of oil price development, the cost of crude oil for U. S. refiners was $20 in 1996. Oil prices dropped a little in 1997; the cost fell to $12. 04 per barrel. Countries benefited from the lower cost of virtually oil products. Concerning this issue, OPEC member countries agreed to cut production, and OPEC tried to maintain the crude oil price above U. S. refiner cost in 1999. The production cuts pushed crude oil price up, hitting $30 per barrel in 2000. The production, however, started to increase, because OPEC tried to maintain market stability. Economic impact of OPEC has declined in the decades. The United States and other economies are less dependent on oil than they were 20 years ago. Because U. S. and other nation’s economies produces much more national output for each barrel of oil consumed compare to when they produced before. In 1970s, the U. S. economy generated about $250,000 of national output based on per barrel of oil consumed, but in 1999, economy produced about $450. 000 per barrel. This date shows the improved performance of the U. S. economy based on per barrel of oil consumed. Efficiency improvements, seeking out other energy sources have lessened the dependence of the U. S. economy on oil. Another data shows the declination of economic impact of OPEC, the U. S. economy spent more than 6 percent of GDP in crude oil in 1980 and 1981, when average price of crude oil was $28 a barrel. In 1996 to 1997, the price was $20 per barrel. But the percent of GDP spent on crude oil is less than 2 percent and 1 percent in 1998. These data indicates that oil price increases has less influenced the economy than they had in 1980s. Power of Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia’s economy heavily dependent on oil with export oil revenues accounting around 90 percent of total Saudi export earning, 70 percent of state revenues and 40 percent of the its GDP. Saudi Arabia holds the world’s largest petroleum reserves and accounts over one-third and one-half of total OPEC oil production. Saudi Arabia’s oil policy has huge influence world oil pricing. Three basics of its policy are; maintaining stability in oil markets; opposing high oil prices that might discourage demand growth or lead to a rapid rise in Non-OPEC production; maintaining its own dominant market share in the United States. Saudi Arabia has dominated the world oil market by emphasizing the market control and avoiding the new competition and maintaining the higher prices. It is true that the policy has worked well. Saudi Arabia is considered as a dominant firm while many other OPEC countries are price-takers. One thing with the problem that Saudi Arabia is a dominant firm is that its share of OPEC production rose from 24 percent in 1973 to 37 percent in 1980. So Saudi Arabia is in a better situation than other exporters. Within a considerable range of market conditions, Saudi Arabia could stabilize prices by restricting its own production and exports. Saudi Arabia also has a great ability to expand its production, and has wide political influence that reinforces the power that it derives from being the largest exporters of oil. In 1999, Saudi Arabia took a key role in coordinating campaign of OPEC and other oil-producing countries to raise the oil price to its highest level since the Gulf War by managing production and oil supply. Moreover, Saudi Arabia established the Supreme Economic Council to formulate and coordinate economic development policies for institutional reforms. Relationship to Non-OPEC Countries and Prospects: OPEC and Non OPEC countries often agree to reduce oil and gas supply to check prices. This cooperation is rather strange but since both organizations often benefit from high oil price, then each organization may be obliged to cut or increase oil production at the request of the other countries. So oil price is decided based on demand and supply to maximize the profit of producing of OPEC and Non-OPEC. OPEC supplies 40 percent to 45 percent of world’s oil supply and holds 75 percent of proven revenues and Non-OPEC countries produce 60 percent of the world oil (est. 2004). Most Non-OPEC countries have private sectors; there is little government intervention over production level. Non-OPEC productions were more vulnerable to price collapse because Non-OPEC countries’ production costs tend to be higher than OPEC costs. The production of Non-OPEC countries has declined in decades, and OPEC may be more important role to decide oil prices. However, OPEC has actual influence on price, but does not control or set the oil price directly. The world oil market itself appears to be in change of pricing and in a long term the main deciding factor will be substantially of OPEC revenues. The problem of capacity and depletion will be more significant. When oil price increases, countries start to produce more and undersell each other. The question arises as to how efficiently OPEC can implement the long –term strategy? Needless to say, we are faced with the problem â€Å"increasing demand and decreasing supply† in the world oil market. Reduction of oil production in Non-OPEC is also a burden to OPEC. OPEC member countries are aware of growing international need of renewable energy and environmental problems due to use of fossil fuels. But there is no specific alternative energy supply in the near future and there is no significant regulation to control energy consumption in the market based economy. How many people feel it an emergency? How many people know that the United State has refused to sign the Kyoto Protocol? It will not take long before our demand completely exceeds the production capability of the oil countries.

How to End Racial Segregation in the American Church

How to End Racial Segregation in the American Church One of Martin Luther Kings most famous quotes concerns racial segregation and the American church. It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 oclock on Sunday morning†¦, King remarked in 1963. Sadly, more than 50 years later, the church remains overwhelmingly racially divided. Only between 5% to 7.5% of churches in the U.S. are considered to be racially diverse, a designation meaning that at least 20% of a churchs members dont belong to the predominant racial group there: Ninety percent of African-American Christians worship in all-black churches. Ninety percent of white American Christians worship in all-white churches, noted Chris Rice, coauthor of More Than Equals: Racial Healing for the Sake of the Gospel. †¦Years since the incredible victories of the civil rights movement, we continue to live in the trajectory of racial fragmentation. The biggest problem is that we dont see that as a problem. The racial reconciliation movement of the 1990s, which sought to heal racial divides in the church, inspired religious institutions in America to make diversity a priority. The popularity of so-called megachurches, houses of worship with membership in the thousands, have also contributed to diversifying U.S. churches. According to Michael Emerson, a specialist on race and faith at Rice University, the proportion of American churches with 20% or more minority participation has languished at about 7.5% for nearly a decade, Time magazine reports. Megachurches, on the other hand, have quadrupled its minority membershipfrom 6% in 1998 to 25% in 2007. So, how were these churches able to become more diverse, in spite of the churchs long history of racial divides? Church leaders and members, alike, can help to ensure that members of all backgrounds attend their house of worship. Everything from where a church serves to what kind of music it features during worship can influence its racial makeup. Music Can Draw in a Diverse Group of Followers What kind of worship music is featured regularly at your church? Traditional hymns? Gospel? Christian rock? If diversity is your goal, consider talking to your church leaders about mixing up the type of music played during worship. People of different racial groups will likely feel more comfortable attending an interracial church if the worship music theyre accustomed to is featured on occasion. To sate the needs of his culturally diverse membership of blacks, whites, and Latinos, the Rev. Rodney Woo of Wilcrest Baptist Church in Houston offers both gospel and traditional music during worship, he explained to CNN. Serving in Diverse Locations Can Attract Diverse Worshippers All churches engage in service activities of some sort. Where does your church volunteer and which groups does it serve? Often, the people served by a church share different ethnic or socioeconomic backgrounds from the church members themselves. Consider diversifying your church by inviting the recipients of church outreach to a worship service. Try to launch service projects in a variety of communities, including those where different languages are spoken. Some churches have launched worship services in the neighborhoods where they do outreach, making it easier for those they serve to participate in church. Moreover, staffers at some churches have even chosen to live in disadvantaged communities, so they can reach out to the needy and include them in church activities consistently. Launch a Foreign Language Ministry One way to combat racial segregation in church is to launch foreign language ministries. If church staffers or active members speak one or more foreign languages fluently, consider using their skills to launch a foreign language or bilingual worship service. A major reason Christians from immigrant backgrounds attend racially homogenous churches is that they arent fluent enough in English to understand the sermons delivered at a church not specifically designed for people from their ethnic group. Accordingly, many churches seeking to become interracial are launching ministries in different languages to reach out to immigrants. Diversify Your Staff If someone whod never visited your church were to check out its Web site or read a church brochure, who would they see? Are the senior pastor and associate pastors all from the same racial background? What about the Sunday school teacher or the head of the womens ministry? If the church leadership isnt diverse, why would you expect worshippers from diverse backgrounds to attend services there? No one wants to feel like an outsider, least of all in a place as intimate as church can be. Moreover, when racial minorities attend church and see a fellow minority among its leaders, it suggests that the church has made a serious investment in cultural diversity. Understand the History of Segregation in the Church Churches today arent segregated simply because racial groups prefer to worship with their own kind, but because of  Jim Crows  legacy. When racial segregation was government sanctioned in the early 20th century, white Christians and Christians of color followed suit by worshipping separately as well. In fact, the reason the African Methodist Episcopal denomination came about was that black Christians were excluded from worshipping in white religious institutions. When the U.S. Supreme Court decided in  Brown v. Board of Education  that schools must desegregate, however, churches began to reevaluate segregated worship. According to a June 20, 1955, article in  Time, the Presbyterian Church was divided over the segregation issue, while Methodists and Catholics sometimes or frequently welcomed integration in church. Southern Baptists, on the other hand, assumed a pro-segregation stance. As for Episcopalians,  Time  reported in 1955, The Protestant Episcopal Church has a relatively liberal attitude toward integration. The North Georgia Convention recently declared that segregation on the basis of race alone is inconsistent with the principles of the Christian religion. In Atlanta, while services are segregated, white and Negro children are confirmed together, and whites and Negroes are granted equal votes in diocesan conferences. When trying to create a multiracial church, its important to acknowledge the past, as some Christians of color may not be enthusiastic about joining churches that once excluded them from membership. Wrapping Up Diversifying a church isnt easy. As religious institutions engage in racial reconciliation, racial tensions inevitably surface. Some racial groups may feel that theyre not being represented enough by a church, while other racial groups may feel that they are being attacked for having too much power. Chris Rice and Spencer Perkins address these issues in  More Than Equals, as does Christian film  The Second Chance. Take advantage of literature, film and other available media as you set out to tackle the challenges of the interracial church.

The History of the Human Management of Honey Bees

The History of the Human Management of Honey Bees The history of honey bees (or honeybees) and humans is a very old one. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are an insect that has not exactly been domesticated: but humans have learned how to manage them, by providing them with hives so we can more easily steal the honey and wax from them. That, according to research published in 2015, happened in Anatolia at least as long ago as 8,500 years. But physical changes to bees that are kept are negligible from those that are not kept, and there are no specific breeds of bees that you could reliably identify as domesticated versus wild. Three distinct genetic subspecies of honey bees have been identified, however, in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Western Europe. Harpur and colleagues identified evidence that Apis mellifera originated in Africa and colonized Europe at least twice, producing the genetically distinct Eastern and Western species. Surprisingly, unlike most domesticated species, managed bees have a higher genetic diversity than their progenitors. (See Harpur et al. 2012) Honey Bee Benefits We are fond of the stinging Apis mellifera, of course, for its liquid honey. Honey is one of the most energy-dense foods in nature, consisting of a concentrated source of fructose and glucose containing approximately 80-95% sugar. Honey contains trace amounts of several essential vitamins and minerals and also can be used as a preservative. Wild honey, that is to say, collected from wild bees, contains relatively higher levels of protein, because the honey contains more bee larva and larva parts than kept bees. Honey and bee larva together are excellent sources of energy fat and protein. Beeswax, the substance created by bees to encase their larvae in combs, was and is used for binding, sealing and waterproofing, and fuel in lamps or as candles. The 6th millennium BC Greek Neolithic site of Dikili Tash contained evidence for the use of beeswax as a binding agent. New Kingdom Egyptians used beeswax for medicinal purposes as well as embalming and mummy wrapping. Chinese Bronze Age cultures used it in the lost-wax technique as early as 500 BC, and as candles by the Warring States Period (375-221 BC). Early Use of Honey The earliest documented use of honey dates to at least the Upper Paleolithic, some 25,000 years ago. The dangerous business of collecting honey from wild bees was accomplished then as today, by using a variety of methods, including smoking the hives to reduce the response of the guard bees. Upper Paleolithic rock art from Spain, India, Australia, and southern Africa all illustrate collecting honey. Altamira cave, in Cantabria, Spain, includes depictions of honeycombs, dated approximately 25,000 years ago. The Mesolithic Cueva de la Araà ±a rock shelter, in Valencia Spain, contains depictions of honey collection, bee swarms, and men climbing ladders to get to the bees, at ~10,000 years ago. Some scholars believe that collecting honey is much earlier than that  since our immediate cousins the primates regularly collect honey on their own. Crittendon has suggested that Lower Paleolithic Oldowan stone tools (2.5 mya) could have been used to split open beehives, and theres no reason that a self-respecting Australopithecine or early Homo could not have done that. Neolithic Bee Exploitation in Turkey A recent study (Roffet-Salque et al. 2015) reported discovering beeswax lipid residues within cooking vessels throughout the prehistoric world from Denmark to North Africa. The earliest examples, say researchers, come from Catalhoyuk and Cayonu Tepesi in Turkey, both dated to the 7th millennium BC. Those come from bowls which also contained mammalian animal fat. Further evidence at Catalhoyuk is the discovery of a honeycomb-like pattern painted on the wall. Roffet-Salque and colleagues report that according to their evidence, the practice became widespread in Eurasia by 5,000 cal BC; and that the most abundant evidence for honeybee exploitation by early farmers comes from the Balkan peninsula. Beekeeping Evidence Until the discovery of Tel Rehov, evidence for ancient beekeeping, however, was restricted to texts and wall paintings (and of course ethnohistoric and oral history records, see Si 2013). Pinning down when beekeeping began is thus somewhat difficult. The earliest evidence of that is documents dated to the Bronze Age Mediterranean. Minoan documents written in  Linear B  describe major honey stores, and based on documentary evidence, most other Bronze Age states, including Egypt, Sumer, Assyria, Babylonia, and the  Hittite kingdom  all had beekeeping operations. Talmudic laws from 6th century BC describe the rules of harvesting honey on the Sabbath and where the proper place was to put your hives relative to human houses. Tel Rehov The oldest large production facility for producing honey identified to date is from Iron Age Tel Rehov, in the Jordan Valley of northern Israel. At this site, a large facility of unfired clay cylinders contained the remains of honey bee drones, workers, pupae, and larvae. This apiary included an estimated 100-200 hives. Each hive had a small hole on one side for the bees to enter and exit, and a lid on the opposite side for the beekeepers to access the honeycomb. The hives were located on a small courtyard that was part of a larger architectural complex, destroyed between ~826-970 BC (calibrated). About 30 hives have been excavated to date. Scholars believe the bees are the Anatolian honey bee (Apis mellifera  anatoliaca), based on morphometric analyses. Currently, this bee is not local to the region. Sources Bloch G,  Francoy  TM, Wachtel I, Panitz-Cohen N, Fuchs S, and Mazar A. 2010.  Industrial apiculture in the Jordan valley during Biblical times with Anatolian honey bees.  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences  107(25):11240-11244. Crittenden AN. 2011.  The Importance of Honey Consumption in Human Evolution.  Food and Foodways  19(4):257-273. Engel MS, Hinojosa-Dà ­az IA, and Rasnitsyn AP. 2009. A honey bee from the Miocene of Nevada and the biogeography of Apis (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apini).  Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences  60(1):23. Garibaldi LA, Steffan-Dewenter I, Winfree R, Aizen MA, Bommarco R, Cunningham SA, Kremen C, Carvalheiro LG, Harder LD, Afik O et al. 2013.  Wild Pollinators Enhance Fruit Set of Crops Regardless of Honey Bee Abundance.  Science  339(6127):1608-1611. doi: 10.1126/science.1230200 Harpur BA,  Minaei  S, Kent CF, and Zayed A. 2012.  Management increases genetic diversity of honey bees via admixture.  Molecular Ecology  21(18):4414-4421. Luo W, Li T, Wang C, and Huang F. 2012.  Discovery of Beeswax as​   Journal of Archaeological Science  39(5):1227-1237.binding agent on a 6th-century BC Chinese Turquoise-inlaid Bronze sword. Mazar A, Namdar D, Panitz-Cohen N, Neumann R, and Weiner S. 2008.  Iron Age beehives at Tel Rehov in the Jordan valley.  Antiquity  81(629–639). Oldroyd BP. 2012.  Domestication of honey bees was associated with   Molecular Ecology  21(18):4409-4411.expansion of genetic diversity. Rader R, Reilly J, Bartomeus I, and Winfree R. 2013.  Native bees buffer the negative impact of climate warming on honey bee pollination of watermelon crops.  Global Change Biology  19(10):3103-3110. doi: 10.1111/gcb.12264 Roffet-Salque, Mà ©lanie. Widespread exploitation of the honeybee by early Neolithic farmers. Nature volume 527, Martine Regert, Jamel Zoughlami, Nature, November 11, 2015. Si A. 2013.  Aspects of Honeybee Natural History According to the  Solega.  Ethnobiology Letters  4:78-86. doi: 10.14237/ebl.4.2013.78-86 Sowunmi MA. 1976.  The potential value of honey in  Ã‚  Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology  21(2):171-185.palaeopalynology  and archaeology.

Animal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Animal - Assignment Example The Cycopus Bear is a hairy mammal, in the family of Ursidae. Its body is not large as the common bear. The male bear has brown grey hairy skin with a white strip on the rib sides along the stomach, the tip of the tail, ears and two ticks like white marks on the cheeks below the nose. The female Cycopus bear is dark grey and is more hairy compared to the male (( Hill & Gordon, Pg. 67). The Cycopus bear does not have horns. They have slightly a stocky leg that enables them to sometimes stand on the back two legs. Their paws have claw like nails. A mature Cycopus bear can weight to about 50 - 55 Kg. The lifespan of theses bear extends to even 45 years in a favorable habitant. Just like most mammals, the Cycopus bear gives birth to young ones, within a gestation period of 3 months, and feed their young ones by mammary glands (Kingsolver, 45). This mammal creature is a vertebra. Its body is proportional, with two fore limbs and two back limbs. Standing at a fairly flat ground, this animal will appear to be slightly slanting from the head backwards. This body formationtentatively assists the animal to stand and even walk at its back limps especially when tracing an enemy from a distance ( Hill & Gordon, Pg. 43). This kind of bear has a closed circulatory system, where blood flows in veins and arteries. It has four chambered heart, with all parts of the body connected to the circulatory system by veins, arteries and capillaries which assist in the transportation of blood and oxygen fort respiration. The Cycopus bear also undergo hibernation, where their pulse rate drops below the normal rate. This is done especially in dry season, with diverse conditions enabling the animal to survive comfortably for about 15 days without feeding. This kind of animal, being a mammal has a digestive system closely similar to that of a human being. Cycopus bear is an omnivore which can both feed of soft leaves or grass, and even hunt small animals like insects, worms and flies. It

E-Logistics and International Supply Chain Management Research Paper - 1

E-Logistics and International Supply Chain Management - Research Paper Example   According to the present day context, the aerospace industry of Singapore incorporates a major set of factors that are subjected to attain the interest and attention of the global marketers to expand their manufacturing plants (Low, 2001). In relation to an in-depth understanding of the case, it has been critically recognized that the external environmental factors along with adequate resources and capabilities associated with the Seletar Aerospace Park in Singapore are highly effective for the international manufacturers to produce a wide range of quality based aerospace parts with a feasible or lower amount of cost. With regard to the major motivational reasons for Rolls-Royce’s decision, a few major factors can be widely accepted behind the selection of Singapore as the production plant location for the company (Singapore Economic Development Board, 2014; Grant, 2014). The major motivational factors of the company have been briefly described in the following section.Acc ording to the observation of the article, it has been identified that the political factor is one of the key driving factors for Rolls-Royce to select Singapore as its plant location for manufacturing titanium fan blades (Grant, 2014). The adequate stability along with transparent political system and practices of Singapore is more sophisticated as compared to the other developing nations that can enable the organization to independently perform its manufacturing operations with a minimum or less numb of constraints.   

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Essay Example d be we should be prudent in how and what form they can provide financial or political support for Israel, without exempting them from the same accountability demanded of all nations and churches regarding human rights and international law. Lee von Bockmann, James. â€Å"Review: Philosophical Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, edited by Tomis Kapitan.† Arab Studies Quarterly 21.4 (1999): 105-109. ProQuest. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Lee von Bockmann reviews the book that Kapitan edited, Philosophical Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, has the strengths of revealing the dark side of Israel as a terrorist state and a secondary genocide maker because of its violent tactics and consequences. He discusses diverse philosophical perspectives that offers different philosophical lenses for the understanding and resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. Mollov, Ben, and Chaim Lavie. â€Å"Culture, Dialogue and Perception Change in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.† International Journal of Conflict Management 12.1 (2001): 69-87. ProQuest. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Mollov and Lavie conducted a survey on Palestinian and Israeli students to understand how intercultural dialogue on people-to-people levels can result to more positive perceptions of one another. These perceptions can lead to common interests that can support long-term peace aspirations in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict and other similar conflict settings. Naqib studies the economic effects of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict on the collapse of the Oslo Accord. He asserts that the Israeli policies and actions have destabilized the Palestinian economy by limiting trade, taxation, labor market flows, and access to land, which resulted to income decline, poverty, and unemployment in Palestinian territories. He argues that two important issues are the Palestinian right of sovereignty and the right to liberate their economy from colonial reliance on Israel. Roy examines the paradigm shifts that

Transportation Cost Fluctuation Due to Changing Crude Oil Prices Essay

Transportation Cost Fluctuation Due to Changing Crude Oil Prices - Essay Example Consequently, for an individual to move from the U.S. to the UK, he or she must use either air or ship as a means of transport to reach the destination. Most of the modern modes of transport used usually depend on oil as a source of energy. Oil used in the transport industry comes in the form of petrol, diesel and other forms of petroleum products. Apart from the transport sector, other sectors of the economy such as industries also depend a lot on oil as a source of energy. In fact, over the past decades, there has been a steady increase in global demand for oil due to globalization and industrialization taking place all over the world. Worldwatch Institute (8) notes that a substantial growth in energy demand in the world has began especially with China and India, which has the largest human population. He notes that from 2002 to 2004, world global demand increased by 5.3 percent with that of China alone increasing by 5.8 percent. Oil demand in other Asian countries increased by 5.8 percent combined. The increased demand is mainly attributed to the ever-increasing industrialization. Worldwatch Institute also reports that from 2002 to 2004, the US demand for oil increased by 4.9 percent, 10.2 percent with UK realizing a 6.8 percent increase. Other developed countries like Germany and Japan realized a drop in oil demand by 1 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. This prices are however not stable as they keep fluctuating depending on global demand. For instance, an increase in the oil demand usually leads to an increase in petroleum prices. Worldwatch reports that the increase in global demand for oil between 2004 and 2005 saw an increase in petroleum price from about $30 per barrel to $60 per barrel. Such a price fluctuation in oil price in turn affects the transport fares. The level to which fuel price fluctuations as affected by global demand for oil, which in turn affects transport costs can only be explained using supply and demand theories. This paper will discuss how fuel price fluctuation is affected by global demand for oil, which in turn affects the transportation cost. Surface Transportation Policy Project (1) argues that apart from the latest increase in gasoline prices, transportation cost mostly go unnoticed by an average America. This is despite the fact that an average American household spent close to 19.3 per cent per dollar in transportation in 2001. The report found out that it is the second largest expense category, which is three times more than heath care adding close to $7,633 per household every year just to get around. The survey found out that it is only housing that e xceeds transportation in terms of expenditure. He notes that in recent years, transportation consume a larger share of family budget. As such, the proportion of household expense grew from below 10 percent in 1935 to close to 14 percent by 1960 and a further 20 percent since 1972 to date. It was also observed that the growth of expenditures on transport closely followed the decline in transit use leading to an emergence of sprawl development (Surface Transportation Policy Project 1). This explains the principle of demand, which states that the higher the price of a product, the lower the quantity demanded, and the lower the price, the higher will be the demand for a product or service. In this case, the law of demand plays out in that the increase in household expenditure lead to a decrease in transit use which in turn lead to emergence of sprawl. This shift was due to the fact that it the only next cheapest alternative to the transit as a means of transport. Surface Transpo

Tourism and France Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Tourism and France - Research Paper Example The international tourists provide importance to rich natural vegetation, cultural and historical heritage of a tourist destination. Within this context, France is one of the best examples for the rapid growth and development of tourism as a profitable business. Thesis statement: The economic, cultural and social impacts of tourism in the French society prove that tourism is a business, which is interconnected with the process of development. The glory of France as an international tourist destination is interconnected with Charles VIII, because he conquered Mont Aiguille in France (say, in the year 1492). This incident is important in the history of tourism in France because the same deeply influenced the development of mountaineering as an adventure sport. Hudman and Jackson stated that, â€Å"France has a long history of tourism and well-established reputation of being the playground of Europe† (p.200). In the field of beach tourism in France, the inauguration of seaside resort in Dieppe in the year 1822 is another development. Within the context of infrastructure development, especially the development of railroad network in 1850-1850 is another initiative, which accelerated tourism. One can see that resorts and casinos play an important role in the development of tourism. For instance, the launching of Monte-Carlo Resort and the casino attached to the same is another development in the field of tourism in Fra nce. Most of the international tourists are interested in music and entertainment. In the year 1867, the French authorities in Orange, which deeply influenced the tourism sector, organized a music festival. The opening of the first tourist office in the year 1889 and the opening of the National Tourist Office in the year 1910 are other historical developments. Besides, the establishment of the Vanoise National Park (say, in 1963) in France initiated the development of sustainable tourism. The creation of French Conservatory for Coastal

Transportation Cost Fluctuation Due to Changing Crude Oil Prices Essay

Transportation Cost Fluctuation Due to Changing Crude Oil Prices - Essay Example Consequently, for an individual to move from the U.S. to the UK, he or she must use either air or ship as a means of transport to reach the destination. Most of the modern modes of transport used usually depend on oil as a source of energy. Oil used in the transport industry comes in the form of petrol, diesel and other forms of petroleum products. Apart from the transport sector, other sectors of the economy such as industries also depend a lot on oil as a source of energy. In fact, over the past decades, there has been a steady increase in global demand for oil due to globalization and industrialization taking place all over the world. Worldwatch Institute (8) notes that a substantial growth in energy demand in the world has began especially with China and India, which has the largest human population. He notes that from 2002 to 2004, world global demand increased by 5.3 percent with that of China alone increasing by 5.8 percent. Oil demand in other Asian countries increased by 5.8 percent combined. The increased demand is mainly attributed to the ever-increasing industrialization. Worldwatch Institute also reports that from 2002 to 2004, the US demand for oil increased by 4.9 percent, 10.2 percent with UK realizing a 6.8 percent increase. Other developed countries like Germany and Japan realized a drop in oil demand by 1 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. This prices are however not stable as they keep fluctuating depending on global demand. For instance, an increase in the oil demand usually leads to an increase in petroleum prices. Worldwatch reports that the increase in global demand for oil between 2004 and 2005 saw an increase in petroleum price from about $30 per barrel to $60 per barrel. Such a price fluctuation in oil price in turn affects the transport fares. The level to which fuel price fluctuations as affected by global demand for oil, which in turn affects transport costs can only be explained using supply and demand theories. This paper will discuss how fuel price fluctuation is affected by global demand for oil, which in turn affects the transportation cost. Surface Transportation Policy Project (1) argues that apart from the latest increase in gasoline prices, transportation cost mostly go unnoticed by an average America. This is despite the fact that an average American household spent close to 19.3 per cent per dollar in transportation in 2001. The report found out that it is the second largest expense category, which is three times more than heath care adding close to $7,633 per household every year just to get around. The survey found out that it is only housing that e xceeds transportation in terms of expenditure. He notes that in recent years, transportation consume a larger share of family budget. As such, the proportion of household expense grew from below 10 percent in 1935 to close to 14 percent by 1960 and a further 20 percent since 1972 to date. It was also observed that the growth of expenditures on transport closely followed the decline in transit use leading to an emergence of sprawl development (Surface Transportation Policy Project 1). This explains the principle of demand, which states that the higher the price of a product, the lower the quantity demanded, and the lower the price, the higher will be the demand for a product or service. In this case, the law of demand plays out in that the increase in household expenditure lead to a decrease in transit use which in turn lead to emergence of sprawl. This shift was due to the fact that it the only next cheapest alternative to the transit as a means of transport. Surface Transpo

Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art - Essay Example The essay "Barbara Kruger Contemporary Art" talks about the Contemporary Art of Barbara Kruger. For instance, in Your Body is a Battleground, Kruger chooses a common font style, which is strongly emphasized against a somewhat monochromatic photo of an attractive woman. However, in this particular work, the woman depicted in the photo is split down the middle, with the left side of her face exhibiting a rosy-colored, somewhat positive expression. The right side of the subject's face is shaded, in a somewhat obscured light, with the artist using a variety of antiquing processes to add further emphasis to the message Kruger is attempting to relay. Further, it is important to identify what specific message is attempting to be sent in this poster image titled Your Body is a Battleground. It is vital to realize that during the latter portion of the 1980's, civil unrest and global demands for independence were being heard around the world. From the fall of the Berlin Wall to radical changes in feminism and women's rights, it is no wonder why Kruger chose to blend contemporary imagery and the written word (usually using red as the font color of choice) to exhibit the pain, suffering, joy, and outright complexity of being a woman in modern times. Having offered this, some individuals viewing Kruger's artwork may consider her attempts at expressing feminism as being somewhat outlandish due to its simplicity. However, using simple materials, such as photography, words, and collage-inspired designs.

Shakespeares Purpose in Subverting the Moral Universe in Hamlet Essay Example for Free

Shakespeares Purpose in Subverting the Moral Universe in Hamlet Essay he inverted moral universei in Shakespearean drama was a demonstration of the increased reality that ancestral and collective foundations were losing their sanctified nature. Key upheavals were taking place and the world of Shakespeare was evolving from a time where the earth was still the center of the universe,ii towards a life of societal instability. Like all playwrights, Shakespeares ideas for plot were partly a reflection of the world in which he lived. The enlightenment was a time where religion was giving way to science and economic gain. It would be unreasonable for such a reflective dramatist to omit the implications and limitations of the times in his work. The regulations and boundaries for human conduct are not always clear, especially in times of fluctuation. While I would not maintain moral universe is a dominant theme in Shakespeares work, I do argue that it is a somewhat significant current running through many of his plays. To define any one moral universe in the work is folly, each play deserves many separate definitions. Collective morality goes through an alteration according to the circumstances of each group of characters. Situational ethics play a role in determining the behavior of Shakespeares characters, especially in the history plays. To ascribe one particular moral universe to any work does not take into account the perspectives of all the major characters. While we are not privy to the thoughts of all characters, some plays reveal them more clearly. The Moral Universe In Hamlet Hamlet shows Shakespeares belief in the potential of human beings to achieve spiritual and moral transcendence and social harmony through reasoned thought and proper action. The play presents the individual as trying to make choices in shaping his or her own fate.iii This quote, taken from a lecture by Maria Simms, identifies Shakespeares intentions in the character of Hamlet. The play presents a parallel of the playwrights objective. Mad or no, Hamlet knows the difference between ethical and unethical and is committed to shaping his moral universe to that end. Shakespeare, torn between the dark ages of Elizabethan traditions and the glow of enlightenment, uses this indecision in the makeup of the character of Hamlet. The inversion of the moral universe takes place in the murders within the family, the unnaturalness of the mother remarrying the uncle, and old friends turning traitor. The quote, My two schoolfellows. Whom I shall trust as I will adders fangs, is a clear example of Hamlets world. His father is dead, his mother is lost to him, he is seeing ghosts, and he cannot trust those around him. Shakespeares purpose in subverting the moral universe was to accentuate the unnaturalness of the acts and the appearance of the ghost. In the first act of Hamlet, the appearance of the ghost character is problematic. When Shakespeare wrote it; English religious theology was not recognizing the state of purgatoryiv. Granted, the locale of the play is in Denmark, however, it is a sensitive point and conceivably that is why after Hamlet sees the ghost, Shakespeare permits his character go wholly round the bend. The spirit becomes the influence that upsets the balance of the moral universe. It is the most unnatural character in the play. The accusation of murder is the real moral question, from the ghosts viewpoint. If it were that Gertrude had remarried too soon, the ghost would have been seeking revenge for that transgression as well. The purgatory in Shakespeares play is a blatant upset in the conventional universe of that era. Hamlet furthermore has a dilemma, he has to believe the manifestation and the charge made by the spirit, and he cannot have absolute belief without sufficient evidence. One can assume that the audience was also questioning the likelihood of a ghost. Only when Hamlet establishes confirmation can the play advance; otherwise, we are trapped in purgatory along with the ghost. Other instances of inverted moral universe are: the mother marrying the uncle in haste, friends betraying each other, the wrongful murder of Polonius, and the King sentencing Prince Hamlet to death. These situations proceeded from the act of murder of Hamlet Senior. The inversion happens as the result of an unacceptable or un-natural act. What often happens in Shakespearian plays (and tragedies in particular) is the disordered universe exists because of injustice, wrong choices by the protagonist, and un-natural acts of murder. When the inversions transform back to natural order, resolution can take place. The transformations emphasize the redemption of the hero and the moral universe. The advancement of Hamlet marches through a troubled equilibrium of the natural world to a resolution where Fortinbras restores the element of order. An inversion of the moral universe back to order is a manifestation of the same journey that the protagonist had to go through. For example: Henry IV dies and order is restored through his son, Hamlet is killed and Fortinbras restores order, Romeo and Juliet both die and order is restored through the prince. Each of their fatalities see all of them ascend beyond themselves: that is, to become righteous. Simply put, the inversion serves for the dramatic representation of the salvation of the central character and the moral universe. The Moral Universe in the Henriad In Richard II, the moral universe still based its identity upon kingship predicated by God. Richard II is considered a moral character because of his divine rights. It would not necessarily matter if he were a proficient ruler, because his appointment as king is firmly grounded in absolutism. According to Wayne Jackson of The Christian Courier, This concept affirms that there is an absolute, objective standard of right and wrong. v When Richard II usurps the line of succession as set forth in Biblical tones, the moral universe starts to wobble. The Duke of York cautioned Richard II that there were, in fact, limits to what he could justify to his people, You lose a thousand well-disposed hearts, he warned. After Richard II disregards this good council and proceeds on his course of action, he begins to doubt himself. This hesitation is the opening Shakespeare provided for Bullingbrook and his character had limitations as well. In this moral universe, Bullingbrook cannot cleanly seize the throne. When Richard came down to the base court, he essentially abdicates the supremacy of the throne and provided Shakespeare with a moral universe that spins out of control. Nihilism became the new order and rules for behavior were vague from that point on. The Henriad is the clearest illustration of situational ethics in the works of Shakespeare. In his plays, the act of killing a king or subverting a kings power (A Midsummer Nights Dream) destabilizes the universe. In addition, each character feels justified in his or hers own actions. There is a lack of a conventional biblical moral universe in Henry IV, I and II; the persistent motif in these plays is that most of the characters are bent on servicing their own ends. The reality that an archbishop would consent to a revolt against the ruler is an obvious indication that the state of the moral universe is on its head. This might not have happened had Henry IV been a ruler by divine right. As the head of state, he set the tone of the universe. Since he interrupted the lines of succession; he left himself open to more of the same when his own past came back to haunt his rule. The constant uprisings are also taking place in Shakespeares sector. During the performance of the plays, Elizabeth was fending off rebellions of her own. The characters in the Henriad also are deficient in morality. As in Measure for Measure, most of the characters are flawed, not just the hero. Both Hotspur and Henry fail to see their moral shortcomings. Integrity crumbles because the idea on which it is based is shallow. In Henry IV, part II, the moral universe is political in nature. The moral criterion of the crown is not only the progress back to proper succession, but political effectiveness as well. The individual weakness of a figure vital in the public sphere has great repercussions in society. Hal cared about his image and coldly calculated when he would show his true nature. He was trickster, deceiver, and deliverer based upon the situational moral principles. It is ironic that he was revered as The Ideal Christian King, clearly he broke the law during his illegal activities with Falstaff. Like his father before him, he was artful in the use of his friends and then shed them when they no longer served a valuable purpose. In the Henriad, Shakespeare allows the audience to decide upon each characters moral behavior and whether or not it was justified. There are many facets and differing moral universes in this group of histories. Hals youthfulness is the agent of change Shakespeare uses in the Henriad. It is only when he sheds his youthful friends, immoral activities, and shallow ideals that he can move forward and re-unite his country in battle against the French. This is the true restoration of the moral universe. If he had simply assumed the crown when his father died, without the journey of shedding his past, the moral universe could not have reverted to its natural state. Shakespeare also used the device of character conflict when depicting the many conflicting moral universes. Characters feel the pull in different ways. It is easy to imagine Hal as that gentleman with the angel Henry IV, on one shoulder (tarnished though is fathers image is) and the devil Falstaff on the other. Indeed, it is only through Henry IVs realization that he has taken the crown illegally that resolution is possible. Shakespeare used this kind of introspective journey as a theme in many plays. Without his fathers epiphany, Hal would undoubtedly been easily swayed to the dark side. Henry IV achieves redemption through his understanding and remorse and that sets the moral universe in enough order that Hal is in a position to make his choice. Hal serves as the equilibrium between the two contradictory characters of Henry IV and Falstaff. Comparison of the Moral Universe in the Henriad, Hamlet, and Measure for Measure In both Measure for Measure and Henry V, the rulers are not about to let social immorality be part of their rule. Shakespeare deals with Angelo and Falstaff in a like manner. It is clear that these men, who once enjoyed the ear of royalty, are going to be Shakepeares scapegoats for people who have strayed morally in life and in rule. The character of Falstaff is a thorny one, He is a disgrace to knighthood, and one might say that his code of honor is simply, CHEERS! He receives the penalty by Henry V for his transgressions with Hal during his youth. His sideways attempt to grasp power by ingratiating himself with Hal does not serve him well. His character is a discordant note in the rule of Henry IV, and moral harmony is restored when this note is silenced in Henry V. Again, in Henry V we see a lack of moral consciousness, or at the very least a bid for moral right. Henry V will not invade without the archbishops proof with right and conscience, that his claim to France is valid. Nevertheless, this supposedly moral outlookvi is tainted by the truth that lies beneath, in order to keep order in his country (forestall uprisings); he needs to get his subjects to focus on issues abroad.vii Shakespeares characters deviate from their expected social roles. In Measure for Measure the characters are trying to either save their own skins or their virtue. Similar to the Henriad, it is all blurred confusion over what actually constitutes a collective moral universe. There is further complexity of characters in Measure for Measure, we observe how they each wrestle for justice in their individual ways. Measure for Measure and Hamlet differs from the Henriad because there is more at stake ethically. The war in Measure for Measure is the fight to restore the values of the citizens, the justice they feel they deserve, and proper rule to the society. Each character is concerned with justice in his or her own moral universe. Aleksander Bobko, at a conference on Unjust Structures at the Von Hugel Institute in Cambridge noted, Justice, then, is a kind of the objective measure of things, its ultimate basis being Logos which, contrary to Chaos, sets the world in order. In Measure for Measure, when each character receives justice, the moral universe is set to rights. Shakespeare neatly ties up at the end of the play, with no problematic threads left out. Hamlet also seeks justice for the death of his father and receives it when he kills his uncle. CONCLUSION The overturned moral universe in Shakespearean performances of Measure for Measure, Hamlet ,and the Henriad was a display of evolution from an established religiously sanctioned rule to an enlightened time. Shifting expectations created moral ambiguity and a shared moral universe was hard to ascertain. Shakespeare used his plays as a mirror of the change his society was going through in the choice of his plots, character conflict, and moral inconsistencies. Humanity was moving away from absolutism to relativism and nihilism. Situational ethics played a strong role in his work in the lives and choices of his characters. Instead of using magic as the weight to unbalance the universe, he used morality and ethics as literary devices to throw his created worlds into chaos. When the moral universe was out of order, the rules of society became indistinct. Shakespeare forced certain characters to undertake journeys for enlightenment to restore the moral universe. His function in destabilizing the moral universe was to emphasize the unnaturalness of the actions of his characters. i Term moral universe introduced by Professor Tomkins, Fall 2003 ii Donahue conversation iii Simms lecture Effect of the Reformation on the Renaissance in England iv Tom Bishop http://www.shaksper.net/archives/1998/1276.html SHAKSPER, the international electronic conference. v A Critical Look at Situation Ethics by WayneJackson. vi How moral is war, consider who gains, a few titled men are the only people who will actually benefit along with a host of knights, who fight for glory and pay in their protected Armour. But the reality is that the serfs will be the one to pay- their lands taxed, their farms and villages burnt and the men killed. All because they live in the region of certain lords, they will fight, no matter what the cost. Their situation remains static no matter who wears the crown, until they get a king who knows how to avoid war, restore a collective moral universe, and rule as a political leader instead of a barbarian. (Wendt) vii Tomkins lecture, November 2003. Works Cited Oxford English Dictionary. Second Edition. 1989 (ed. J. A. Simpson and E. S. C. Weiner), Additions 1993-7 (ed. John Simpson and Edmund Weiner; Michael Proffitt), and 3rd ed. (in progress) Mar. 2000- (ed. John Simpson). OED Online. Oxford University Press. http://dictionary.oed.com Hacker, Diane A Writers Reference. 5th ed. Boston New York: Bedford/ST. Martins 2003 Murfin, Ross and Ray, Supryia The Bedford Glossary Of Critical and Literary Terms: Second Edition. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martins. 2003 The Riverside Shakespeare: Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston New York, 1997. Jackson, Wayne. A Critical Look at Situation Ethics 1999. 1 Mar. www.christiancourier.com/feature/March99.htm Simms,Maria. Introduction to Shakespeare lecture. http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/hmcs/human/writing/introwrittext/lectureNotes/Topic2Hamlet.html Christian Courier A Critical Look at Situation Ethics: Second Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston New York, 1997. Donahue, William. Personal interview. 15 November. 2003 Tomkins, Ken. Shakespeare Lectures. Sept. Nov. 2003 Bobko, Aleksander. Evolution of the concept of justice-from objective measure to aesthetic evaluation. June 2003 Conference. Transforming Unjust Structures: Capabilities and Justice. Von Hugel Institute St Edmunds College, Cambridge.

Indirect Realism: A Plausible Theory Of Perception?

Indirect Realism: A Plausible Theory Of Perception? In this essay I am going to be examining some of the main claims made by indirect realism as well as looking at some of the fundamental problems these claims cause for the theory, such as the epistemological problem, the ontological problem, and the fact that the theory inevitably leads to solipsism. Indirect realism first arose in an attempt to resolve some of the problems faced by common sense realism, where it became apparent that the assumption that our senses almost always give us true information about the nature of the external world is implausible. Indirect realism therefore modifies the ideas presented by common sense realism, by suggesting that what we perceive directly and are immediately aware of is not the world or the objects within it, but sense data. Indirect realists are far from denying the existence of the physical world, but simply claim that the physical objects in the world cause our sense data, and that the sense data we experience represents the external world, to an extent. For example, when I see a horse, I do not perceive it directly, as common sense realism would suggest. I have no sensory contact with the horse, and what I am aware of is only a mental representation, sort of like an inner picture, of the horse. My visual experience is not directly of the horse; however indirect realism claims that it is caused by the horse. What I am aware of is the representation of the horse, which my senses produce. As Dancy explains, Indirect Realism argues that in perception people are indirectly aware of the physical worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in virtue of a direct awareness of internal, non physical objects.  [1]  This means that although someones idea of an object may resemble the object itself, a person can only ever be aware of their idea and never the object itself. Indirect realism also seems to provide a response to the objections to common sense realism, raised but the Illusion Argument. In the instance of colour, for example, one jacket can look completely different colours when viewed in different lights. If we were to then examine the fibres of the jacket material in more detail, we would probably find them to be a variety of different colours. The way it is perceived also depends on the viewer, for example, someone who is colour-blind may see the jacket differently to someone with full colour vision. In view of this, it doesnt seem to make sense to say that the jacket is really yellow, or that its yellowness is independent of the perceiver. In an attempt to explain this kind of phenomenon, indirect realism introduces the notion of primary and secondary qualities. Primary properties resemble the real properties of the object. John Locke, describes them as being utterly inseparable from the body  [2]  and necessary for conception of it. Primary qualities exist both in the world and in sense experiences, and can be experienced by more than one sense. They are measured by physics and are qualities which the object actually has, regardless of the conditions in which it is being perceived or whether it is being perceived at all. Primary qualities include shape, size, position solidity, extension, motion and rest, and number. Locke argues that secondary qualities are nothing in the objects themselves but powers to produce various sensations in us,  [3]  and conceptually inessential. These qualities exist only in sense experiences and can only be experienced by one sense, but objects in the physical world have the power to produce these experiences in us. It may seem as though these properties are really in the objects we perceive, for example, that the yellowness is somehow part of the yellow jacket, however the yellowness that we experience is simply the objects power to produce yellow images in a normal viewer, under normal conditions. The ideas we have of secondary qualities dont resemble the actual objects but are simply a product of the kind of sensory system that we have. Secondary properties include colour, temperature, smell, taste and sound. One major objection to indirect realism is that it seems to make the real world unknowable. It only makes sense for us to say that A resembles B, if it is possible for us to be directly aware of both A and B, in order for us to compare the two. This creates a rather fundamental epistemological problem for indirect realism because the theory states that our sense experiences of the primary qualities of objects resemble the actual qualities of objects in the external world, however, it also states that we can never be directly aware of the external world, so we therefore have no way of checking whether our sense experiences do in fact resemble the external world at all. For example, if my sense experience of a ball is round, I have no way to check that this corresponds with the actual shape of the ball in the external world. We are entirely limited to the evidence of our senses, and since these work by means of mental representations, it seems as though we can never gain any direct inf ormation about the actual properties of the ball, or any other object in the external world. Indirect realism has also led to a problem related to what is known as the veil of perception, which refers to things that are seen indirectly, and not as they are in themselves. This is because there is a veil that we cannot penetrate, because the things that are being perceived (in this case, objects in the external world) exist independent of sensation. This creates a rather fundamental ontological problem for indirect realism, because it only seems to make sense to say that A is caused by B if it is possible for us to know what B is, however the veil of perception seems to prevent us from doing this. Since we are unable to directly access any physical objects in the external world, it is possible that our sense experience could be caused by something entirely different, for example, Descartes evil demon, God, a mad scientist, the matrix, or ourselves. We have no way of getting outside of our own perception to find out what is causing our sense experiences, if there is in fact anything causing them at all. This is another serious problem for indirect realism; it can lead to solipsism, which is the belief that nothing exists beyond oneself and ones immediate experiences. It suggests that since we cannot know the external world and other minds directly, they may well not exist at all. Solipsism is argued to be philosophically absurd for two reasons; the first being the phenomenological reason, which claims that if we were the only beings that existed, we would not feel emotions such as shame, embarrassment and guilt, which require the existence of another person or being in order to have any effect. The second reason is that logically, solipsism just doesnt seem to make sense, and therefore any theory that leads to or allows for this view point, the way indirect realism does, is also argued to be absurd. In conclusion, it seems that although indirect realism does manage to overcome many of the problems faced by common sense realism, it also seems to create many more serious problems of its own. Although the theory at first seems quite plausible, the fact that it allows for solipsism makes it pretty much irredeemable. Indirect realism also fails to account for the causal relation between the external world and our sense experiences, and as we have seen through the veil of perception objection, we have no real reason to believe that our sense experience bare any resemblance to the external world at all. I think indirect realism would be much more plausible if it could offer some form of explanation of the interaction between our sense experiences and the external world. Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 Nano-material: Hydrothermal Synthesis Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 Nano-material: Hydrothermal Synthesis Title: Hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic application of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano-material for degradation of Reactive Blue H5R dye In the proposed research work Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be synthesized using hydrothermal technique for the degradation of reactive blue H5R dye. The chlorides of manganese, iron and zinc will be used for the synthesis of the Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material. Then synthesized material will be used in water treatment for the degradation of reactive blue H5R dye through photocatalysis using visible light. The examination of the size of the particles and structural properties of the synthesized material will be carried out by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and the morphology of material will be evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Particle or grain size of prepared samples of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be computed using the Scherer’s formula. The photo-catalytic behavior of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano material will be investigated by measuring the photo degradation rate of the dye. The stability of the nano-photo catalytic material will also be investi gated by the repeated use of Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4. INTRODUCTION Synthetic dyes and different chemicals used in textile industries play significant role in environmental pollution. Some of these industrial chemicals and synthetic dyes decompose aerobically and anaerobically resulting in the formation of carcinogenic compounds (Neill et al., 1999). In the past few decades, there has been huge attention between scientists in increasing semiconductor photo-catalysts with great prospective for environmental protection applications like water disinfection (Ullah et al., 2012; Shahid et al., 2013). Most of the ferrite materials are known to show exciting photocatalytic capabilities for hydrogen or oxygen generation from water upon irradiation with visible light. Such visible light absorption properties, and their proper band edge positions with respect to redox levels essential for water splitting, are desirable for a water splitting photocatalyst to work under sunlight (Dom et al., 2014). Ferrite materials technology has now extended to a very progressive stage, in which the properties to a large extent are designed and controlled by engineers, to garb the particular function of the device. Because of their outstanding magneto-transport properties the mixed valence ferrites have involved huge scientific attention in the recent years (Ahmed and Bishay 2005). In the beginning works the ferrites were attained by soft chemistry and mechano-synthesis (Millotet al., 2007). Hydrothermal strategy is a promising synthetic method because of the low process temperature and very easy to manage the particle size. The hydrothermal procedure has several benefits over other growth methods such as the use of simple devices, catalyst-free growth, low cost, large area uniform production, environmental friendliness and less harmful (Aneesh et al., 2007). Moreover, no post-heat behavior is needed for the created nanoparticles, which makes this method extremely suitable as heat treatment might result in particle collection. (Haw et al., 2002) OBJECTIVE The objective of present research work is to produce Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nano-sized particles by hydrothermal technique specifically for catalysis of reactive blue H5R dye. The structural properties of synthesized nano-photocatalyst will be studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Photo-catalytic behavior of the Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles will be investigated by determining the photo degradation rate of the reactive blue H5R dye under visible light irradiation. Review of Literature Rath et al. (1999) synthesized Mn0.65Zn0.35Fe2O4 particles in nanosize (9–12nm) using metal chlorides via hydrothermal precipitation. The characterization was done with TEM, XRD, and VSM. The concentration of chloride ion and pH of precipitate played a vital role in retaining the preliminary stoichiometry of the solution of the nano-material. Whereas at low pH, incomplete precipitation of Mn was observed. Zn loss in the nano-particles at higher pH of precipitation was noted. Bujoreanu et al. (2000) investigated the structure of manganese ferrite in powder form which was prepared by co-precipitation method using MnO2 and FeSO4.7H2O. The powder material then was co-precipitated and aged at temperatures ranging from 55 to 59 oC, then washed and dried in the air at room temperature. By the addition 15% sodium hydroxide solution in the 2N cation solution the stoichiometric amounts of MnO2, FeSO4.7H2O and H2SO4 were precipitated Kosak et al. (2004) prepared nanocrystalline MnZn-ferrite with different morphology through single water-in-oil micro-emulsion comprising of n-hexanol, surfactant CTAB and an mixed metal sulfates solution. The mixture was precipitate with sodium hydroxide solution and oxidized with hydrogen peroxide. The prepared nano materials were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET surface analyzer, magnetometry and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Abdollahi et al. (2004) synthesized various compositions of manganese Mn doped ZnO. using precipitation method. XRD, TEM, SEM, EDX, BET techniques were used for characterization. The band gap measurement was done with UV-visible reflectance. XRD pattern showed no impurity peaks, indicating Mn-related secondary phases. The EDX showed the slightly lower amount of Mn doped on ZnO than the theoretical value and SEM showed that 1% Mn-doped ZnO well ordered morphology, homogeneous distribution of slightly lower particle size and low aggregation. Vaidyanathan et al. (2004) compared Mn0.9Zn0.1Fe2O4 synhesized through double sintering method and chemical co precipitation method in order to find the magnetic properties. The precipitated ferrites showed altered magnetic properties like magnetization (Ms), coercive field (Hc) and Curie temperature (Tc). The particles were reduced in size as compared to co-precipitated nano-sized particles. Arulmurugan et al. (2006) prepared by Mn1−xZnxFe2O4 used for ferro-fluid preparation.TG-DTA, XRD, TEM, VSM and Mossbauer spectroscopy was used for description. The ultimate approximated cation contents decided with the initial degree of substitution. The particle size and curie temperature (Tc) reduced with the rise in zinc substitution. The particles with greater zinc concentration, showed ferrimagnetic and super paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. Yimin et al. (2007) synthesized Mn1-xZnxFe2O4 using metal sulfate in aqueous ammonia. The TEM, XRPD, VSM and TGA were appled to demonstrate the material properties. The classification of the nanoparticles was evaluated and discussed. The effects of the reacting components and preparation methods on the Curie temperature, the magnetization and the size distribution of Mn Zn ferrite nanoparticles. Hejase et al. (2012) produced hyperthermia inducing agents manganese zinc iron magnetic nanoparticles. The structure was recongnized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and a superconducting quantum interference device. The curie temperature, saturation magnetization, remnant magnetization, coercive field, and hysteresis were analyzed which showed that adapting the Mn contributed to the modification of properties of the magnetic complex. Shahid et al. (2013) synthesized high effective ZrFe2O5 nanoparticles using co-precipitation method. By (EDX) the chemical composition of nano-materials were analyzed. (FE-SEM) was used to study the morphology. The structural properties of the produced material were appraised by XRD technique. By evaluating the degradation rate of TBO dye in aqueous solution the photo-catalytic action of ZrFe2O5nano-particles was examined under visible light irradiation in the presence of ZrFe2O5nano-particles. By increasing time of exposure under visible light irradiation a steady decrease in absorption peak was noticed. As after 140 min of contact to visible light the 92% degradation effectiveness was detected. Besides, ZrFe2O5nano-photocatalyst could be recaptured and reprocessed purely. The rate of TOC elimination and TBO was decreased by only 10% and 5% respectively, afterward seven cycles of use, representing the more photo-stability of the synthesized nano-photo-catalyst material.

The Taming Of The Shrew - Humor :: essays research papers

In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare creates humour through his characters by creating false realities (as demonstrated by Petruchio’s behaviour and attire in the scene of his wedding) and by the use of subterfuge and mistaken identity (shown in the final scenes with the transformation of Kate and Bianca’s respective personas). He also uses irony quite extensively, especially towards the end of the play (as can be seen in the final ‘wager’ scene). The concept that ‘things are not always as they seem’ is quite evident in the events surrounding, and including, Petruchio’s wedding ceremony. This particular scene in the play demonstrates how the use of false realities (a real situation falsely presented in order to deliberately deceive) can be used to create humour. Biondello describes Petruchio’s appearance to Baptista, and by doing so sets up the expectations of the audience. He says that Petruchio comes wearing: New hat and old jerkin; a pair of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one buckled another laced; an old rusty sworde†¦with a broken hilt and chapeless; his horse hipped†¦with an old mothy saddle (Act III Scene II) This depiction of Petruchio conforms to Shakespeare’s technique of using false realities, in order to create humour. This can also be seen in the false identity that Petruchio puts forth in his quest for dominion over Kate (that of the eccentric egomaniac). However, these false realities are not enough by themselves, as the audience has nothing to go by but what they see before them, and so they are not to know that this is not Petruchio’s true personality, and so Shakespeare employs another essential element of humour: he lets the audience know what is truly transpiring, while the characters themselves remain oblivious to the truth. He does this using a soliloquy, in which Petruchio states the strategies he shall use in order to tame Kate: She ate no meat today nor none shall she eat†¦and as with the meat some undeserved fault I’ll find about the making of the bed†¦ This is the way to kill a wife with kindness†¦he that knows better how to tame a shrew, not let him speak (Act IV Scene I) This soliloquy serves to reinforce the fact that ‘things are not always as they seem’. So the knowledge gleaned from this soliloquy means that we find the other events involving Kate and Petruchio even more amusing, as we can see that it is nothing more than an elaborate game of chess, instigated by Petruchio.

Our Grandmothers By Maya Angel Essay -- essays research papers

Imagery In The Poem “Our Grandmothers'; by Maya Angelou Image (Imagery) – Descriptive poetry flourished. One basic meaning for ‘image’ is provided by that context, but other, looser and more treacherous, meanings have accreted: any sensuous effect provoked by literary language; any striking language; metaphor; symbol; any figure. Maya Angelou’s poem, “Our Grandmother’s,'; vividly exemplifies a sense of imagery that is brought to life. The most effective way that, Maya Angelou presents imagery to the readers is through the setting. Firstly, at the beginning of the poem the narrator describes the current state of the main character and gives a brief description of the setting through imagery. “She lay, skin down on the moist dirt, / … the whispers of leaves…/ the longing of hounds…'; (“Our Grandmothers';, 1-4). These lines are very effective to the readers because the imagery behind these lines allows the readers to feel the cool breeze blowing, hear the leaves rustling and even sense the smell of fear; everything that one could think of to enhance the setting of a plantation. Reading this poem is an escape from modern day life. As readers, we observe everything that the narrator and the main character experience. To fulfill the imagination of the readers, Maya An gelou concentrates primarily as to how the readers are going to interpret certain events. S...

Have the UK banking law regulation reforms introduced after the 1st of April 2013 led to increased and sufficient protection to promote financial stability?

Abstract Banking law regulation has advanced significantly since the global financial crisis was first instigated in 2008. Most notably, on the 1st April 2013 the Financial Services Authority (FSA) was abolished and its functions transferred to two new regulators: the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). The Bank of England (BoE) also took over the FSA’s responsibilities for financial market infrastructures and the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) was established. Despite these reforms, it is questionable the financial industry is being better regulated and it seems as though further changes may still be needed.[1] Introduction The Financial Services Act (FSA) 2012 came into force on the 1st of April 2013 in order to establish a new regulatory framework for the financial system. Under the new Act, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) was replaced by two new regulators; the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). A Financial Policy Committee of the Bank of England was also created and the Bank of England was provided with the power to regulate and provide stability to the financial system.[1] This new regulatory structure became known as the ‘twin-peaks’ model and was considered to be a â€Å"major milestone for the Regulatory Reform Programme.†[2] The Act made significant amendments to The Financial Services and Markets Act (FMSA) 2000 and restructured and broadened the law relating to market manipulation and misleading statements and impressions. The scope of the special resolution regime under the Banking Act (BA) 2009 was also extended and a new category of regulated activity in relation to benchmarks (e.g. LIBOR) and credit ratings was created. The approval, supervision and discipline of sponsors regime under the FSMA was also changed and the regulation of consumer credit was transferred to the FSA. This study will discuss these new regulatory regimes in greater detail in order to consider their effectiveness. Research Aims and Objectives The aim of this research is to find out the extent to which the 2013 reforms have proven effective in providing increased and sufficient protection to promote financial stability. Research Question Is the banking industry being regulated effectively? Have the 2013 reforms improved the regulation of the banking industry? Are further changes needed to the banking system to ensure that financial stability is being promoted? Key Words Financial Industry Banking System Financial Stability Banking Law Twin Peaks and Banking Banking Regulation Methodology A secondary research approach will be undertaken for this study by accessing relevant text books, journal articles, governmental reports and online legal databases. This will enable me to acquire the appropriate information that is needed and will allow me to analyse existing literature in this area. This will be a more cost effective and time saving way to undertake the research. This is appropriate for this particular assignment as it would be extremely difficult to obtain primary research from large organisations such as the FSA. A Qualitative research method will be used as this study requires a descriptive outcome as opposed to a predictive one. Literature Review The aim of a bank is to provide financial services to individuals and organisations by enabling them to either borrow or deposit money, whilst also creating credit. However, because of the complex nature of the modern banking business, a lack of regulation appears to exist in this area. This is evident by the recent financial crisis which seemed to demonstrate that banks are capable of taking extortionate risks without any intervention. This is damaging to the economy as well as consumers. However, because of how difficult it is to determine what a bankers business should consist of, problems arise when trying to establish how the banking industry should be regulated. This literature review will provide an overview as to how effective the current regulatory system is by reviewing banking law as it currently stands. This will be compared to the approach that was undertaken prior to the financial crisis and an assessment as to whether more effective regulation now exists as a result of the 2013 reforms will be provided. The Financial Services and Markets Act (FMSA) 2000 regulated the banking and insurance sector and provided the FSA with the power to regulate the financial system. The objectives under the Act were to provide; â€Å"(a) market confidence; (b) public awareness; (c) the protection of consumers; and (d) the reduction of financial crime.† However, since the global financial crisis (GFC) was instigated, it became apparent that a new regulatory structure was needed. Many argued that the system failed to adequately account for the complexity of modern financial markets and the nature and pace of financial innovation.†[3] A more interventionist approach was said to be needed to that those providing financial services could be regulated better.[4] This would help to combat financial crime, which was considered one of the main reasons for the GFC.[5] The FSA was largely criticised for failing to keep abreast with the advances in society and that as a result they were no longer required. Hence, it was suggested that it was only a matter of time before the FSA was abolished completely: â€Å"the diminished role for the FSA is simply a reflection of this new reality.†[6] Whilst there does appear to be true to a certain extent, it appears that the role of the FSA did help to regulate the financial sector more adequately over the years and that many banking failures are likely to have been avoided since the FMSA was first implemented. This was stressed by Southern when he considered the importance of regulation in the financial sector[7] and by Sergeant who pointed out that; â€Å"the whole basis of financial regulatory law was recast on a completely updated and integrated basis.†[8] Again, this highlights the importance of the FSA’s powers that were conferred upon it by the FMSA. The Banking Act 2009 was, nonetheless, introduced as an emergency response to the GFC and was intended to provide greater powers to bankers to enable them to regulate the financial sector more effectively. Hence, it was felt that there existed inherent failures within the UK banking system and that vital changes were thereby needed.[9] The Act was considered a welcoming development in preventing future financial panics from taking place.[10] Conversely, it was said that the Bank’s powers were too limited and that as a result the banking system could not be effectively regulated. It was therefore suggested that the Bank should be privatised so that more sufficient banking regulation can be effectuated.[11] Since the 2012 banking law reforms began, a number of further changes have been made to the financial system. As well as creating the FSA, the PRA and the FPC, the Bank of England’s role as the supervisor for financial market infrastructure (FMI) was also expanded by the 2012 Act by â€Å"adding securities settlement systems and central counterparty regulation to its existing responsibility for recognised inter-bank payment systems.†[12] Furthermore, the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 was implemented which was intended to provide the HM Treasury and the PRA with the power to implement the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) on ring-fencing requirements for the banking sector.[13] The FCO has been subjected to great deal of criticism since it was established with many arguing that little benefit has been made to the financial system under the new regulatory structure.[14] Accordingly, significant changes were made to the financial system as a result of the GFC, yet it seems as though further changes are expected to take place since there are increasing concerns about the ways in which financial services organisations (FSO’s) are conducting business.[15] It cannot be said that FSO’s are adequately preserving the interests of its consumers and unless FSO’s have effective risk management strategies in place, a lack of consumer protection will ensue. The FSA 2012 has made great attempts to rectify the difficulties caused by the previous law, yet it remains to be seen whether the new regulatory regime goes far enough. Nevertheless, the existing offence for misleading statements and practices that is contained under s. 397 of FSMA is being repealed and replaced by three separate offence; misleading statements (s. 89); misleading impressions (s. 90) and misleading statements in relation to benchmarks (s. 91).[16] This offence is broader than s. 397 and includes those statements that were made recklessly as well as those made intentionally. This makes it a lot harder for FSO’s to mislead consumers and ensures that more effective regulation is in place. The changes that have been made to the BA 2009 include the extended special resolution regime to certain UK investment firms, group companies of UK banks and UK clearing houses. Under the new regime, the PRA will be responsible for promoting the stability of the financial system by regulating all deposit taking institutions.[17] The FCA will be responsible for regulating retail, wholesale and financial markets, which increases protection and seeks to achieve financial stability overall. Conclusion It is questionable whether the current regulatory regime is sufficient in regulating the banking industry,[18] although significant improvements have in fact been made.[19] Nevertheless, given the complexity of modern banking, it will remain difficult to regulate this area effectively for the foreseeable future. Given that the changes are fairly recent, it remains to be seen just how effective the FCA is in regulating this industry. Given the importance of having appropriate mechanisms in place to deal with any disruptions to the financial system, the changes that have been made so far are likely to be welcomed.[20] This is because, the new twin peaks model is intended to strengthen the current approach to financial regulation, whilst also establishing a more resilient and stable financial system.[21] It is likely that FSO’s will be put under greater pressure to ensure that they are conducting their business in an appropriate manner as tighter controls will be in place. Theref ore, whilst it is likely that future changes are still needed, the reforms that were implemented in 2013 have led to increased and sufficient protection to promote financial stability. Data Analysis In analysing the data, a process will be undertaken which allows each component of the data to be inspected using logical and analytical reasoning. This will allow an assessment to be made as to whether all of the data is effective and reliable. In doing so, the data will be gathered from a variety of sources and then reviewed and analysed so that an appropriate conclusion can be drawn. The quality of the research will therefore be judged in â€Å"relation to the resources available and the effectiveness with which those resources have been used to investigate the particular topic in question.†[22] Ethics When undertaking any type of research, there are certain ethical rules of conduct which need to be followed. For example, any data that is collected must be used in a way that is â€Å"honest, unbiased, sincere, free from errors or negligence, open to critique and it must protect confidential communications.†[23] A risk-analysis approach can be adopted in order to achieve this as well as adhering to the BPS guidelines.[24] Bibliography A Hudson., The Law of Finance, (Sweet & Maxwell, 2009). C Bates., ‘A Brief Overview of the Financial Services Act 2012 and the New UK Financial Regulation Framework’ (2013) Clifford Chance, [12 June, 2014]. C Dawson., Introduction to Research Methods: A Practical Guide for Anyone Undertaking a Research Project, (How to Books Ltd, 4th Edition, 2009). C Sergeant., ‘Risk-Based Approach Central to FSA’s Regulation’ (2001) 151 New Law Journal 1409, Issue 7001. D Awrey., ‘Complexity, Innovation and the Regulation of Modern Financial Markets’ (2011) Harvard Business Law, Oxford Legal Studies Research Paper No 49/2011, [08 May, 2014]. D B Resnik., ‘What is Ethics in Research and Why is it Important?’ (2011) [11 May, 2014]. FSA., ‘Delivering a Reduction of Financial Crime’ (2011) FSA Annual Report 2011/12, fsa.gov.uk/pubs/annual/ar11-12/section5.pdf> [12 May, 2014]. G Nicholson and M Salib., ‘The Regulatory Powers and Purview of the Bank of England: Pre and Post Crisis’ (2012) Journal of International Banking and Financial Law, Volume 28, Issue 10. HM Treasury., ‘A New Approach to Financial Regulation: Judgement, Focus and Stability’ (2010), CM 7874, [12 May, 2014]. HM Treasury., ‘Creating Stronger and Safer Banks’ (2014) [12 June, 2014]. J Smethurst., ‘Forward the Resolution’ (2014) Corporate Rescue and Insolvency, Volume 7, Issue 1, 18. J Smethurst., ‘Twin Peaks: Bridging the Gap. Co-Ordination Under the new Regulatory Framework’ (2012) 1 Journal of International Banking and Financial Law 33, Issue 1. KMPG., ‘Evolving Banking Regulation 2014’ (2014) [12 May, 2014]. KPMG., ‘Twin-Peaks Regulation: Key Changes and Challenges’ (2012) Financial Services, [11 May, 2014]. L Taker., ‘Who Regulates the FSA?’ (2010), [12 May, 2014]. M Denscombe., Ground Rules for Social Research: Guidelines for Good Practice. (2nd edn. McGraw-Hill International, 2009). M Littlewood and S Frith., ‘The Bank of England should be privatised’ (2010) Institute of Economic Affairs, [11 May, 2014]. N Clark., ‘King calls for ‘radical’ banking reform in UK’ (2010) The Independent, [12 May, 2014]. R Tomasic., ‘Financial System Reform or Business as Usual?’ International Banking and Financial Law, Volume 29, Issue 5, 321. S Schich., ‘A Framework for Discussing Bank Regulatory Reform’ (2013) Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, Volume 21, Issue 4, 308-318.