Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 106

Summary - Essay Example This development saw music change into an interesting artistic industry, which changed the Africans lives through the information carried in these songs. Garvey and entertainment columnists used music concerts to urge the blacks to develop the black music to another level characterised by slow and low sound beats (Titon, 199). The purpose of advertisements included informing the public of new releases and improvement of the existing ones. This resulted to increased sales. For instance, a national dance made immense contribution to the sharp increase in record sales between 1913 -1915. (Titon, 196). The primary purpose of these records included entertainment and identifying with the music. During the World War, more black people moved to the urban ghettos. It became evident that, the immigration did not hasten the black integration into the white civilised society, however, it emerged that two types of separatism came into existence. The black’s perspective on the establishment of the ghettos formed the belief that the ghettos should grow and become self-sustaining economic and political components. This belief developed to become the black metropolis. The Africans wanted to participate in politics and develop a society where they are recognised (Titon, 98). The advertisement and press coverage in conjunction with capitalist forces from the recording companies defined the down-home blues in such a manner that they have accompaniment voices from the men in the studio and with the aspect of advertisement and live performances, increased the sales. However, the capitalist forces took a lion’s share leaving the artists or owners of the records poor (Titon, 211). For instance, the artist had to incur an expense for recording, copyrights and production. The recording and production companies would only give the artist travelling allowances in return. This made the capitalist rich and the artists poor.

Glass Ceiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Glass Ceiling - Essay Example ual binary is a persistent feature of the workplace today and the glass ceiling is an implicit manifestation of the impediments that women face in the labor force. According to Paige Churchman, renowned feminist theorist Gay Bryan coined the term glass ceiling many decades ago to describe the invisible barriers to professional advancement that women face in the labor force. Although women have entered the paid labor force in record numbers, attainting leadership roles in a corporate environment remains a challenge and invisible barriers impeded their development. While women hope to lead by example and advance professionally, the challenges that they face today are less overt than they once were but remain important impediments to their full professional advancement (Churchman, 2009). According to Women at Work, Leadership for the Next Century, the glass ceiling is a phenomenon which invisible, artificial barriers to the professional advancement of women remain the greatest impediments to their growth within an organization (Smith, 1999). The glass ceiling is arguably the most important impediment to the professional development of women in the 21st century and it is predicated upon the sexual binary. The glass ceiling is an important challenge for women in the paid labor force because it is implicit and limits their opportunities for professional advancement. While discrimination and sexual harassment are often explicit barriers to the full inclusion of women within the paid labor force, the entry of women into paid labor in record numbers has not resulted in complete equality. According to Nora Frenkel more than 25 years ago, â€Å"women have reached a certain point. I call it the glass ceiling. There isnt enough room for all those women at the top,† (Me yerson & Fletcher, 2000, 127). The glass ceiling, in addition to â€Å"pink collar ghettos†, are important yet often ignored aspects of the challenges women face in the labor force today. These metaphors

Whistleblowers: Ethical Dilemmas and Government Role

Whistleblowers: Ethical Dilemmas and Government Role Introduction Generally, all professional jobs in the civilized societies are carried out within the framework of a given Code of Conduct that is well known and understood by all employees as well as the employer(s). In simple terms, a Code of Conduct refers to a set of ethics which regulates the behavior of each an every employee with a view to safeguarding the good reputation of the profession in question. Policing is a highly respected profession worldwide which mainly involves enforcing and maintaining Law and Order in the society; after all it is common sense that any society that does not abide by the principle of the Rule of Law is regarded as barbaric and anarchical. Whistle blowing in the uniformed organizations like police forces has tended to attract more attention from scholars of varied academic background such as political science, history, law, sociology and psychology. This paper seeks to find out who are whistleblowers, what they do, and the ethical dilemmas that face them while executing their duties particularly in the profession of cops (Police Officers).In doing so, the paper shall find out how various scholars and thinkers defines the term whistleblower(s), what are their main duties as professionals, the kind(s) of environments in which they operate and finally look at the ethical issues that face them while conducting their duties. Who Exactly Are whistleblowers? Even though the etymological origins of the term whistleblower we get clear picture from the words themselves. According to Trauman, N (2009), the term whistleblower is not an old word. To him the term is a direct professional abuse to those who do whistle blowing because they are determined persons with courage to bring corruption to an end. The term he argues refers to a person(s) who exposes secrets in the workplace in order to bring out professional malpractices such as; assaults, corruption and negligence among others. Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006) On the other hand define whistle blowing as the work of calling attention to the wrongdoing occurring in the organization. Even though the culture of people coming to the fore to expose bad and unlawful actions traces its roots to the earlier decades, it was in the sixties that practice became widespread as professionals braved destruction of careers and even losing their lives (Truatman, 2009). Other scholars defines Whistle blowing as an attempt by an employee or a former employee to disclose what he or she believes is wrong doing in or by the his or her organization. What must therefore be emphasized is that whistleblowers especially in the police forces do their work at thee cost of great danger. In short, whistleblowers are individual professions who refuse to turn a blind eye to corruption despite the eminent danger of endangering their jobs lives and careers. Cops whistleblower Job Yang, S.K (2009) points out that many people are usually reluctant to become whistleblowers in most organizations. Yang argues that his argument is anchored on the premise that whistleblowers tends to be regarded by their workmates and their bosses as traitors and snitchers to other coworkers in the organization,especiaaly in the uniformed careers such as policing. On the other hand, Trautman (2009) argues that whistleblowers are viewed as who has betrayed the loyalty of their fellow cops. In his article titled â€Å"Cop whistleblowers: Despicable Traitors? â€Å" Trautman (2009) argues that whistleblowers job involves forcing corruption into the eye of the public. It is however important to note that their claims are not usually made in broad and general terms obviously because it involves parties with conflicting interests some of them driven by greed and the deadly get-rich-quick desires. It is therefore legitimate to argue that it is a job that requires someone with the cunning it usually requires. Yang, S.K (2009) adds that whistle blowing is a job that requires great courage and personal integrity. It is a job that involves going against the pressure of their colleagues and supervisors to expose dishonesty. In summary, Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006) argues that whistle blowing entails reporting wrong doing to superior authorities, refusing to participate in work place wrong doing, testifying in legal proceeding and leaking evidence of wrong doing to the media. It is however important to note that whistle blowing goes in to the private sector but in the government by its very nature of being expected to be open and transparent revealing unethical and illegal actions is particularly important Examples of whistleblowers in the American History In the developed world Trautman points the New York City Frank Serpico as the first person in the American History to gain widespread fame as a police whistleblower. This was because of his courage and absolute refusal for instance to go with a system of payoffs lying, bribery and theft marked him for alienation and danger. Yang (2009) on the other hand regards Jeffrey Wigan who blew the whistle a former employers lies about the danger and addiction of smoking as yet another example of a person synonymous with whistle blowing in the recent times. Just like it was mentioned earlier, whistleblowers do their jobs at the cost of great peril. For example in the above case, Jeffrey Wigan suffered greatly for his courageous act. He was divorced by his wife and he needed the protection of the armed guards around the clock. To add salt to the injury, he lost his job ending up as a high school teacher. While responding to the press later Jeffrey expressed this dislike of the term whistleblowers arguing that it suggests you are tattle-tale or disloyal. However according to him he was not disloyal to the bit since people were dying and therefore he was responding to a high order of ethical responsibility. Jeffrey shares his idea of the term with Trautman who argues hat the term does not give enough respect to a person who truly deserves it. He therefore suggests that the best terms moral hero for that is exactly what they are. In short, civilized societies in the west and America where ethical issues and moral values are highly respected, whistleblowers both in the corporate world and the uniformed organizations like cops may gain great fame at least in the short-term despite the obvious dangers involved like in the case of Jeffrey Wigan. Jeffrey Wigan and Frank Serpico therefore can be regarded as few individuals who rose above all others in the name of integrity in the American. In the next section of the paper we shall look at the major ethical dilemmas that face whistleblowers in their work. Ethical Dilemmas That Face whistleblowers. Considering that whistle blowing is torn between competing loyalties it involves an ethical dilemma .According to Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006) whistle blowing has to do with ethics because it involves a persons understanding, at a deep level, that an action his organization or workmate is undertaking is harmful. Whistle blowing also call upon virtues such as courage since standing for principles can at times be punishing. Although in the developed world laws are there to protect the whistleblowers, people who feel threatened by the revelations can mistreat the whistleblower to the extent of marginalizing or forcing him out of the public office. In some occasion however the role of whistleblowers has catapulted people in to higher offices thereby earning respect of the constituents. What must be emphasized is that whistleblowers undergo retaliation to the extent of being fired or vilified. And since societies recognize the need to report wrongdoing and corruption legal structures especially in the developed world has been developed to, protect the whistleblower. Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006) further argues that when a person encounters wrongdoing in the public sphere, his first step should be to use the organizations internal whistle blowing mechanisms.Proffessor William Black , who was himself a whistleblower when he worked as a Savings and Loans regulator in the 1980s argues that in the public sector whistleblowers face the unique problem in that their disclosure may constitute a crime. In such a case, a dilemma can occur if the ongoing misconduct is dangerous and there is no hope the abuse can end without whistle blowing Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006). Since governments have straight forward line of authorities, people who see wrong doing in their places of work should start with mechanisms that the organization has set since they provide the best chance for a good solution Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006). That is, one should start with the immediate boss and move up the chain of command. For example, if a councilperson has a problem with the city staff she or he should go to the city manager. Meaning that before an employee whistle blows on wrong doing in his or her organization in the public he or she should try using the organizations internal mechanisms. Thereby protecting the reputation of the organization first and foremost, those of the employees and also denying competitors a chance to soil the organization for their own advantages. What Can Governments Do To Encourage Whistle blowing? According to Nadler, J and Schumann Merriam (2006), government bodies should encourage internal whistle blowing so that actions are taken before the illegal contracts are authorized, unethical behavior becomes the front page news ,publics money is squandered or aquifers has been polluted. An internal mechanism should be laid down to ensure that problems are sensed miles away. This, we should note applies not only to the public sector but also to the private sector which should establish internal mechanism so that problems are solved within the organization before employees feel that it is time for seeking action from outside Ravishankar, L in an article titled â€Å"Whistle Blowing in a Business Context† has provided some suggestions on how to encourage internal whistle blowing which also applies to the government bodies. Some of them include creating a policy to guide whistle blowing on illegal and unethical deeds that has formal ways of reporting violations such as hotlines, get embracement of the policy from the top officials and that all reports on illegal actions should be immediately investigated and followed without failure. In addition, laws for protecting whistleblowers should be instituted and developed so that morally upright employees may not be afraid of reporting wrong doing and corruption. Such a legal frame work should provide an enabling environment in which employees who strongly believe in ethical order in all civilized societies can be able to protect their professions and thereby safeguard the welfare of others without fear or favor. What whistleblowers should however remember is that they should always determine whether the conduct they are exposing they involves real wrong doing or mere case policy disagreements. So that in as much as a given council or board members views and opinion differs on a given issue they should remain secret as long as the problem involved does not rise to the level of misconduct. In short, leakers or whistleblowers should always be persons of great courage and personal integrity. They should not at all be witch hunters or gossipmongers out to look for personal gains and fame. Conclusion It can not be disputed that whistle blowing is a widespread practice both in the private sector and the public sector the police force as well as the private sector. It is job that involves employees within the given in the act of exposing wrong doing such as corruption, negligence, abuse and assaults. Some scholars look at the profession as an example of ethical dilemma seen whistleblowers are viewed by their colleagues as traitors.Consequently,whistleblowers are frequently retaliated to the extent of being sacked or vilified. References Yang, S .K (2009) Whistle-blowers puts MACC on trial Retrieved on September 3rd from http://www.sapp.org.my/mkini/0990822.html Chasin, B.H (1997). Inequality and violence in the United States: casualties of capitalism .Michigan: Humanities Press Trautman, N (2009). Cop Whistleblowers: Despicable Traitors? Retrieved on September 3rd from http://www.commuterssourc.jiglu.com/discussions/messages Bouza, A.V (1990). The police mystique: an insiders look at cops, crime, and the criminal justice system. Michigan: Plenum press Globalization: Threat Or Opportunity To The Developing Countries? Globalization: Threat Or Opportunity To The Developing Countries? Globalisation is most important factor that affects world economy. According to Brittan (1998) globalisation is defined as a whirlwind of relentless and disruptive change which leaves governments helpless and leaves a trail of economic, social cultural and environmental problems in its wake. Some of the issues will be dealt in this paper are the impact of globalisation on unemployment, the impact of globalisation on the international distribution of income, the impact of globalisation on world trade. Besides that, there are two models in this paper, which is Feenstra and Hansons model and Zhu and Treflers model. The process of globalisation is a reality. Globalisation has created many opportunities for growth and increase the level of standard livings. It is depends on the countries who can follow the trend and take the opportunity in order to improve themselves. 2.0 The impact of globalisation on labour 2.1 The impact of globalisation on unemployment Some opponents of globalisation argue that the developing countries will have higher level of unemployment because of the globalisation. But other economists are thinking that there will have a competition among the low wages countries, this will lead to unemployment in developing countries. It is because developed countries will create the working opportunities to the low wages developing countries. Brittan (1998) says that it is overly simplistic view that globalisation has lead the high unemployment in the developing countries. He thinks that this is because the demand of unskilled labours are decline because of the advanced of technology. Therefore, the demands of skilled labours are increasing because the company need workers who can work and operate the machine and this will improve their productivity compare to using low skilled workers. But Nader (1993) and Brecher en Costello (1994)have the different views with Brittan, they states that the workers has less bargaining power in the global company because of globalisation. This is true because of the fact that the border between countries is still real to workers. There exist limitations in the labour mobility of workers. According to Scholte (1997), there is an uncertainty on the job security and lower wages because of the cross border production. Therefore, globalisation is not necessarily bad to the workers. 2.2 The impact of globalisation on wages and labour standards. The second labour related issued is regards to the impact of globalisation on wages and labour standards. In order to improve their competitiveness advantages, developing countries will lower their labour wages, taxes and regulations. Brittan (1998) agrees that if developing countries became more interdependent, it is necessary to protect their workers right. Therefore, developing countries have to increase the labour wages, but this will increase the labour standards and this will reduce the levels of participation of developing countries in the world nation. Litan en Herring (1995:5) indicated that there is a limit in the way that countries can compete in a competition in laxity. The companies who specialised in the customers financial services will still prefer to deal with the countries that the financial services are proper regulated. From this review, it can be seen that developing countries need to find a way to increase their competitive advantages in order to compete in this changing world economy. Likewise, the Economic Intelligence Unit (2002) has indicated that developing countries cannot ignore the workers right to increase their international competitiveness. It is because developed countries still need to find the lower labour wages countries in order to lower their manufacturing cost. This is the opportunity for developing countries to be competitive in the world economy 3.0 The impact of globalisation on the international distribution of income Mander en Goldsmith (1996) has indicated that the distribution of worldwide income is still unbalanced. But other economists has the different view with Mander, they argues that since 1960, there is an increase in the income between the countries. Todaro agrees with this view, he also indicated that between 1960 and 1982, developing countries only experienced GDP growth of 1.1% per annum. Masson (2001) indicated the issue that comparing the relative levels in the distribution in income. Manson has divide it into two groups of countries in comparing the level of economic growth which is the countries are actively involve in the globalisation and another group is not actively involved in the globalisation. Masson found that the developed countries that actively involve in the globalisation have grown by 3.5% in eighties and increase to 5% in the 1980. Besides that, those countries which didnt actively take part did not realise any after 1980. The countries that opened their economies grew at a faster rate than the developing countries (Masson, 2001). The countries that opened their economies grew at a faster rate that the developing countries (Masson, 2001). Therefore, it is wrong to argue that globalisation has caused the inequality and unequal distribution of income in the developing countries. 4.0 The impact of globalisation on world trade. Opponents to the process of globalisation have different view on the impact of globalisation on developing countries. Brittan (1998) has pointed out that globalisation has increase the wealth of developed countries and it also not wider the poverty gap in the developing countries. Brittan states that the developing countries such as Asian, there are an improvement in their economic situation. This improvement of Asian countries has narrowed the gap of distribution of income between developing and developed countries. Although there is an improvement in their economic, but many developing countries still poor, if they cannot catch up and follow the trend of globalisation. Hak Min (1999) has the different view with Brittan on the distribution of income between developing and developed countries. He indicated that this has become less skewed because globalisation in the integrated world economy has lead to industrial growth in a limited number of developed countries. Besides that, many countries have been developed serious financial problem. It wills wider the income gap between developed and developing countries. Hak Min indicated that during 1980-1990, 25 of 121 countries in the world wide have carry out more than 90% of all financial transactions. Therefore, the low-income developing countries just share the globalise capital flows for less than 10% of the total transactions. These developments is seen by Gill en Law (1988:127) as the transnational stage in the development of capitalism. Therefore, even developing countries has tried to improve their competitiveness, but developed countries are the main controller of the world economy. Globalization give the opportunity to the developing countries to catch up, if the countries using the right method in the world economy. 5.0 Models 5.1 Feenstra and Hansons model Feenstra and Hanson (1996, 1997) have propose a model where there is a continuous goods ordering where it was being differentiated by different levels of skill intensity. This model assumes the process of produce simple final goods which requires different levels of skilled labours. They assume that developing countries are able to meet the demand of unskilled labours, whilst the demands of skilled labours are able to meet by developed countries. Therefore, companies will shift their production to developing countries to lower their manufacturing cost. Therefore, it creates the opportunity to the developing countries since there is an increase on investment and trade liberalisation. Besides that, this will increase the level of skills of developing countries since they have learnt the skills that transfer from the developed countries. 5.2 Zhu and Treflers model Feenstra and Hansons model have been extended by Zhu and Trefler(2005).Zhu and Trefler have extended it to a case that without foreign investment. Their model is referred to the Ricardian sources that based on the factor endowment. In their model, it indicated that technological catch up by developing countries, therefore many companies are shift their simple process of production to the developing countries since they are able to produce more effectively. Therefore, this will leads to a rise in skilled labour in the developing countries and developed countries; this mechanism is similar to Feenstra and Hansons model. 6.0 Conclusion Globalisation is a threat or opportunity to the developing countries? From this literature review, it has indicated that under certain situation, globalisation will lead to higher unemployment or instability of the countries. It is decide by many factors to determine whether a threat or opportunity is. In this paper, I have examined this question based on the impact of globalisation on different aspects. Undoubtedly, globalisation can help each country to improve them by sharing the knowledge, high trade flows between countries. Optimistically, it may lead to higher standard of living and servicing in the world. In other word, it may also create the inequality between developing countries and developed countries, because there is a wide gap between developing and developed nations. Therefore, it is difficult to let the developing countries to beyond the developed countries. It is depends on the policy taken by the government. If the countrys government is able to do the right things in the right time, globalisation will create the opportunity such as China is able to compete with US even China is developing countries.

Baby Bosses :: essays research papers

Hendrick, Bill. â€Å"Baby Bosses: Youth vs. experience doesn’t have to be us vs. them.† The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Monday, 18 April 2005. â€Å"Living.† Pg. B1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The article addresses a different side effect of the generation gap between the 79 million baby boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) and Generation Xers (those born between 1965 and 1984). The already-present tension between managers and their subordinates becomes exponentially worse as the age difference between them continues to widen. More and more young adults are starting their careers in managerial positions instead of having to start their way at the bottom and work up to the top. Understandably, older workers often have a difficult time accepting direction from someone young enough to be their child—or, in some cases, their grandchild. Baby boomers often perceive their younger co-workers as impersonal, condescending, and disrespectful. This view is unjustified more often than not; the older employees’ views are clouded by the fear of losing their jobs or the resentment of others’ advancement over theirs. A large catalyst for tension is seniorsâ€⠄¢ lack of hesitancy when it comes to filing ageism suits. In worst-case scenarios (the likes of which are all too common in the American business world), the seniors complete their tasks while always on the lookout for the opportunity to sue, in the not-so-great American tradition of suing every individual who makes you feel uncomfortable or slighted; in response, the younger crew go about their business ever on the edge, not wanting to succumb to the negative pressures of those above them but unwilling to deal with a lawsuit.

Children`s early learning Essay

Key research findings which show the importance of parental involvement in their children`s learning in their early years, including fathers involvement have shown that parents are the child`s first educators and role models and have a strong influence on their learning. When a parent either mum or dad is actively involved in their child`s education this has a positive effect on the child`s achievement. If a parent takes interest in their child`s education by talking with them, monitoring homework, actively involved in school activities, attending parents evening, then the child will have the chance to achieve their full potential as they will have the best support. The Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky pointed out the importance of talking especially when an adult helps a child in problem solving. This showed that a child can achieve more if they have the help and support and skills from someone rather than left to their own devices. Within the early years, The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) (Sylva et al 2004) did a study of development of around 3,000 children between the ages of 3-7, research found that parents actively involved with reading, numbers and learning letters helped reduce the risk of special educational needs (SEN).The EPPE also found that parents who created regular opportunities for their children to play with friends at home and taking their children out were all associated with higher intellectual and social behaviour.

Effects of Alcoholic Drinks to College Students Essay

Although alcohol may give you a feeling of elation and aroused senses due to a lessening of inhibitions during the early stages of alcohol intoxication, alcohol is a depressant. It depresses the central nervous system—leading to slowed reactions, slurred speech, and ultimately, to unconsciousness. Alcohol progressively affects different brain areas. Alcohol first affects the part of the brain that controls inhibitions. When people lose their inhibitions, they may talk more, get rowdy, and do foolish things. After several drinks, they may feel â€Å"high,† but really, their nervous system is slowing down. Alcohol acts fast because it is not digested like food. Instead, it moves directly into the bloodstream from the stomach and small intestine. It takes a long time for alcohol’s effects to wear off—as it takes approximately one hour for the liver to process the alcohol in one drink. ALCOHOL’S DAMAGING EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN Difficulty walking, blurred vision, slurred speech, slowed reaction times, impaired memory: Clearly, alcohol affects the brain. Some of these impairments are detectable after only one or two drinks and quickly resolve when drinking stops. On the other hand, a person who drinks heavily over a long period of time may have brain deficits that persist well after he or she achieves sobriety. Exactly how alcohol affects the brain and the likelihood of reversing the impact of heavy drinking on the brain remain hot topics in alcohol research today. We do know that heavy drinking may have extensive and far–reaching effects on the brain, ranging from simple â€Å"slips† in memory to permanent and debilitating conditions that require lifetime custodial care. And even moderate drinking leads to short–term impairment, as shown by extensive research on the impact of drinking on driving. A number of factors influence how and to what extent alcohol affects the brain (1), including * how much and how often a person drinks; * the age at which he or she first began drinking, and how long he or she has been drinking; * the person’s age, level of education, gender, genetic background, and family history of alcoholism; * whether he or she is at risk as a result of prenatal alcohol exposure; and * his or her general health status. BLACKOUTS AND MEMORY LAPSES. Alcohol can produce detectable impairments in memory after only a few drinks and, as the amount of alcohol increases, so does the degree of impairment. Large quantities of alcohol, especially when consumed quickly and on an empty stomach, can produce a blackout, or an interval of time for which the intoxicated person cannot recall key details of events, or even entire events. Blackouts are much more common among social drinkers than previously assumed and should be viewed as a potential consequence of acute intoxication regardless of age or whether the drinker is clinically dependent on alcohol (2). White and colleagues (3) surveyed 772 college undergraduates about their experiences with blackouts and asked, â€Å"Have you ever awoken after a night of drinking not able to remember things that you did or places that you went? † Of the students who had ever consumed alcohol, 51 percent reported blacking out at some point in their lives, and 40 percent reported experiencing a blackout in the year before the survey. Of those who reported drinking in the 2 weeks before the survey, 9. 4 percent said they blacked out during that time. The students reported learning later that they had participated in a wide range of potentially dangerous events they could not remember, including vandalism, unprotected sex, and driving. Binge Drinking and Blackouts| †¢ Drinkers who experience blackouts typically drink too much and too quickly, which causes their blood alcohol levels to rise very rapidly. College students may be at particular risk for experiencing a blackout, as an alarming number of college students engage in binge drinking. Binge drinking, for a typical adult, is defined as consuming five or more drinks in about 2 hours for men, or four or more drinks for women. | ARE WOMEN MORE VULNERABLE TO ALCOHOL’S EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN? Women are more vulnerable than men to many of the medical consequences of alcohol use. For example, alcoholic women develop cirrhosis (5), alcohol–induced damage of the heart muscle (i. e. , cardiomyopathy) (6), and nerve damage (i. e. , peripheral neuropathy) (7) after fewer years of heavy drinking than do alcoholic men. Studies comparing men and women’s sensitivity to alcohol–induced brain damage, however, have not been as conclusive. Using imaging with computerized tomography, two studies (8,9) compared brain shrinkage, a common indicator of brain damage, in alcoholic men and women and reported that male and female alcoholics both showed significantly greater brain shrinkage than control subjects. Studies also showed that both men and women have similar learning and memory problems as a result of heavy drinking (10). The difference is that alcoholic women reported that they had been drinking excessively for only about half as long as the alcoholic men in these studies. This indicates that women’s brains, like their other organs, are more vulnerable to alcohol–induced damage than men’s (11). SUMMARY Alcoholics are not all alike. They experience different degrees of impairment, and the disease has different origins for different people. Consequently, researchers have not found conclusive evidence that any one variable is solely responsible for the brain deficits found in alcoholics. Characterizing what makes some alcoholics vulnerable to brain damage whereas others are not remains the subject of active research (34). The good news is that most alcoholics with cognitive impairment show at least some improvement in brain structure and functioning within a year of abstinence, though some people take much longer (35–37). Clinicians must consider a variety of treatment methods to help people stop drinking and to recover from alcohol–related brain impairments, and tailor these treatments to the individual patient. Advanced technology will have an important role in developing these therapies. Clinicians can use brain–imaging techniques to monitor the course and success of treatment, because imaging can reveal structural, functional, and biochemical changes in living patients over time. Promising new medications also are in the early stages of development, as researchers strive to design therapies that can help prevent alcohol’s harmful effects and promote the growth of new brain cells to take the place of those that have been damaged by alcohol.  ¦ As well as damaging their health, university students who drink too much alcohol may also be damaging their academic performance. Alcohol: The Benefits of Moderate Drinking Drinking alcohol in moderate amounts can have positive influences on physical and mental health. While alcohol is one of the most widely abused substances on the market, it is also one that features certain benefits for drinkers who consume it in safe amounts. For individuals who consume low levels of alcohol, benefits like reduced stress, increased cardiovascular health and decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes offer a wealth of reasons for consumers to drink in moderation. Reduce Stress, Anxiety and Tension Research shows that the consumption of alcohol in moderate amounts can lead to certain psychological benefits. Low levels of alcohol can trigger stress reduction, easy feelings of anxiety and help consumers to reduce tension. In addition, low levels of alcohol consumption can also cause the consumer to feel more pleasant and relaxed. Studies on sleep show that people who drink in moderation get more sleep on average than do those who indulge in excess. These psychological effects of moderate drinking are positive ones that can be beneficial to the consumer. A Longer Life The positive psychological effects of drinking in moderation can be associated with the studies that show moderate drinkers tend to love longer than people who don’t drink at all or those who drink in excess. Studies from a number of different countries including China, the United States and England indicate that longevity is highest among groups of people who drink alcohol in moderation. Increased Cardiovascular Health Several studies have shown that drinking alcohol in moderation has a positive correlation with certain aspects of cardiovascular health. In particular, the risk of developing coronary artery disease is significantly lowered in conjunction with moderate consumption of alcohol. Another link between alcohol and cardiovascular health shows that moderate consumption of alcohol has a positive correlation with survivability in the event of a heart attack. Those who drink low levels of alcohol are more likely to live and less likely to experience another heart attack. Alcohol produces several positive effects on the body when consumed in low levels. For example, it increases levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and lowers levels of bad cholesterol (LDL). Alcohol also acts as a blood thinner once it enters the human body, much like common aspirin does. Thus, when consumed in moderation, it can reduce the likelihood of developing blood clots in arteries. Decreased Risk for Type 2 Diabetes While consuming alcohol in large quantities has been proven to put drinkers at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, some studies show that drinking in moderation might have the opposite effect. The relationship between alcohol and type 2 diabetes is the focus of a great number of ongoing studies. Findings show, however, that moderate drinkers are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than heavy drinkers. All of these health benefits associated with moderate drinking serve as an incentive for consumers to limit their levels of alcohol intake. Too much alcohol eliminates the health benefits described above. The best way to maximize on the health benefits of alcohol is to consume it in low levels. Negative Effects of Drinking Alcohol on Physical Fitness While occasional alcohol use may not have a major impact on physical activity, there is a clear link between sports, exercise and drinking alcohol. In fact, alcohol is the most widely used drug by athletes which is why alcohol related difficulties seem to be more common among those who exercise regularly. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Studies done to determine the influence that alcohol has on exercise Studies have shown that consuming alcohol has the following influence on exercise: *Diminishes the use of amino acids and glucose by the muscles of the skeleton *A detrimental influence on the supply of energy *An impairment in metabolism while exercising In addition, persuasive evidence implies that continual use of alcohol is connected with unfavorable effects on systems of the body and organs, including the liver, brain, heart and blood vessels. Exercising while under the influence of alcohol Drinking alcohol has a negative influence on motor skills, stamina and aerobic ability. Alcohol has the following effects on motor skills: *Delayed reaction time *A decrease in hand-eye coordination *Less precision and balance Alcohol has the following effects on strength training and short term athletic functioning: *A decline in athletic performance as a whole. *Decreased times in cycling and running *Weakened pumping power of the heart *Impaired temperature control while exercising *Weakening of grip strength *Decreased jump altitude *Lower 200 and 400-meter running performance *Becoming tired more quickly while participating in high-intensity workouts Alcohol has the following effects on aerobic performance: *Dehydration *Considerably diminished aerobic performance *Hindered 800 and 1500-meter running speeds *An increase in health risks after working out in hot atmospheres for an extended amount of time Working out with a hangover. A hangover is caused by a number of factors including, dehydration and toxicity from the alcohol. The symptoms include a gloomy mood and headache. Unfortunately, these side effects can cause a decline in athletic performance. Working out with a hangover has been shown to considerably decrease aerobic adequacy by as great as 11 percent. Long term effects that alcohol has on exercise performance Long term, heavy (more than two drinks each day) alcohol use can impair exercise in the following ways: *Hindering the cardiovascular reaction to exercise. *Cause nutritional deficits from changes in nutrient consumption, digestion and metabolism. *Cause muscle injury, wasting and feebleness in several muscles, including the heart. *Changing the body’s hormonal atmosphere It is also important to note that women might be more susceptible to the toxic results of alcohol on the heart. It is clear that drinking in excess can negatively influence exercise. Alcoholism is a growing problem in the United States and is even a problem in teenagers, too. Unfortunately, there are a variety of negative effects that are associated with the consumption of alcohol. While the negative effects can either be long term or short term, all of them start with the first drink of alcohol. Negative effects may not become apparent immediately, but as time goes on, the adverse effects of alcohol will become more and more noticeable and, in some cases, they can even lead to death. Diseases One of the negative effects that alcohol tends to have is the increased risk for multiple serious diseases. Increased consumption of alcohol can lead to serious medical problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, which often results in death. Infections, sleeping disorders and sexual dysfunctions can also be caused by consumption of alcohol. Recent studies have also shown that consumption of alcohol can actually raise the risk of certain cancers, including breast cancer, throat cancer and intestinal cancer. Consuming alcohol can be very serious and there are many grave negative effects that are caused by alcohol. Avoiding alcohol can help you avoid these adverse effects and perhaps even save your life.

Compare and contrast the ways in which Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli present Scene 1 of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Example

Compare and contrast the ways in which Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli present Scene 1 of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Example Compare and contrast the ways in which Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli present Scene 1 of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Compare and contrast the ways in which Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli present Scene 1 of Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay Essay Topic: To Build a Fire Baz Luhrmann and Franco Zeffirelli portrayed the film Romeo and Juliet in very different ways. Most of the scenes in the film are portrayed in different ways although there are some similarities. There are some very obvious differences including the intended audience, the setting, the place and the timing of the play. There are some smaller differences as well such as the use of music, camera angles, lighting, the way different people are introduced and many more.I think that in Luhrmanns version of the film the intended audience is a much younger audience, from teenagers to people in their mid 20s. I believe this because his version has much more action in it and is more modern which is more appealing to the younger generations than to the older generations. The audience intended for Zeffirellis version, however, is most likely the older generation than the younger generations as it is quite slow moving and focuses only on the essentials of the story than to make the audience intere sted with the lack of action. The fact that the film was made in the 1960s makes it even more appealing to the older generations as it was made when they were young and so it is familiar as well as the fact that it is set in the times of when it was written.The settings in the two versions show the most difference and in Luhrmanns version it is more modern and so reflects life as we know it today. It includes modern cars, buildings, guns, drugs and many more things instead of swords or old houses, which show just how modern it is. In Zeffirellis version, however, it is set in the Shakespearean period, which can be seen by the way that they dress, the way the buildings are made and that they use swords and so already we can see a major difference between the two films. These two examples show how without even considering the storyline we can see differences which separate the two films and while there are still a couple of big differences left there are also a few smaller changes whi ch make a big difference.In the modern version by Luhrmann the way the prologue is introduced is very strangely appealing to the audience and draws them into the film. The film starts by showing a woman on television, on the news, explaining the story to us as it is written in the book. With the television slowly coming closer and closer towards us and finally stops before it merges with the television we are watching it on. This was then followed straight after by loud opera type music showing the city in flashes from high up with the action and the drama of helicopters flying around to get you interested. Each of the important characters in the film was then introduced to us by showing them with their name appearing next to them in bold.While all of this is going on a man with a deep voice repeats everything the woman on the TV screen had just said, as it gets to the end of what he is saying the flashing of the city of Verona and the writing gets faster with the music getting more and more dramatic until finally they both stop and it goes straight to the Montagues in a car with loud obnoxious music. While they are on screen it shows THE MONTAGUE BOYS next to them to introduce them to us and referring to them as the boys adds the badness to them as if they are in a gang. The way all of that is put together is very clever as it immediately gets the audience interested in the film and want to watch the rest of it. The way it all goes by so fast as well adds to the action which appeals to the younger generation.In the older version by Zeffirelli the way it is shown to us is very different to the one I just described. Zeffirelli prefers the softer approach to the film trying to draw you into it which almost immediately would make the younger generation bored but interesting for the older generations. Zeffirelli shows Verona from high up in the air in soft focus to add the touch of innocence to the place with very soft music playing and a man with a very calm voic e reading the introduction to us. When the man has finished it goes straight to the part where the Montagues see the Capulets and try to start trouble between them.He doesnt want to add any drama or action to the play and would rather get straight into the action of the play, which is good in some ways but not in others. Its good for people that want to know the story of Romeo and Juliet and are not so concerned with any of the drama and action or the way certain things are portrayed, however, it is also bad as it can lose the audiences interest in the film. There is a difference in music as well, which plays a major part in the introduction of the film. In Luhrmanns version the loud music makes the audience interested while also showing the kind of atmosphere that there is in Verona. Zeffirellis way of using soft music, however, shows the innocence of the setting and starts the film calmly without knowing what to expect unlike Luhrmanns version where you know you will expect drama. In the modern film the director has made the Montagues drive into a gas station with the camera on the floor and the car coming straight to it as if it is going to run it over but stops just before it can. It then shows the Montagues talking to each other but doing it in a very loud and menacing way and as Benvolio walks off screen the other two carry on causing trouble. Subsequently the Capulets arrive in their car with the design very much the same as the Montagues car but in a different colour. The car drives towards the camera again and stops just before it can run it over which is then followed straight after by a door opening.All we can see at first are the persons shoes and then when we see him dropping a cigar to the floor and stepping on it immediately shows the slickness of the person. As they are showing this mystery man cowboy music is played but then stops as the camera doesnt show the person but shows a nun and a schoolgirl going in the opposite direction with the came ra following them instead. The Montagues car is right next to a van but on the other side of the van is the Capulets so at the moment they cannot see each other. The Montagues then start harassing the nun and school girls with the camera showing the girls screaming and then driving off leaving the Capulets and Montagues right next to each other surprising them both.We can now see what the Capulets are wearing and we can see how slick they are and they get a certain respect for them straight away, which makes us feel scared of them. It is this introduction to the two families starting a fight that shows the problems already between them which will continue during the rest of the film. This is done very well with all the different types of music that are played and the way the camera moves quickly between showing each person and their reaction to the situation. The way that the camera zooms in on particular parts of people such as peoples faces and feet is also a good technique as it gets a certain effect about the person which the director is trying to achieve.In the older film the director goes straight to the Montagues who are causing trouble but not in as much detail as the other film. In this version the Montagues also see the Capulets, which is seen from their point of view from afar showing an interesting use of the camera angle, and actually go to them looking for a fight. The Montagues are much braver in this version compared to Luhrmanns version where they were cowards in the other film and the Capulets arent as sinister as in Luhrmanns due to the fact they are walking around with an old man which adds a gentleness to them. Zeffirelli doesnt really want music in this part of the film with just the use of background noise, which makes it easier for us to hear what is going on and what is being said in the film. It also allows us to pay more attention to their facial expressions rather than assume what they are like from the music being played. The camer a isnt used to its full potential in this part though as it just follows around whoever is talking at the timing and doesnt zoom in or out and is just normal.It is this part of the play where the fight scene takes place and I think Luhrmanns way of showing this is much better than Zeffirellis. Luhrmann starts off by showing the Montagues as cowards and then one of the Capulets showing his teeth which say sin on it as the camera at this point is zoomed in onto the teeth and this scares them straight away. The Capulets make the most of this chance to make fun of them and the Montagues do not like being made fun of so they purposely bite their thumb at the Capulets knowing it will end in a fight. The Capulets do not like this at all and drive their car closer to the Montagues then get out and start arguing with the Montagues.At this point while they are all arguing the camera zooms around all over the place from one Montague to another, then to a Capulet, then to their guns and then to their expressions. The Montagues see that Benvolio is coming out of the toilet and purposely end it knowing they would get shot at and then go hide. Benvolio sees this and draws his own gun out which is where we are now introduced to him by his name appearing on the screen. Straight after this happens we get introduced to Tybalt, the camera moves very slowly at this point showing him step on his cigar and emphasize the grinding of his heel on it, then the camera goes to his face and this is when his name appears.The camera switches to Benvolio holding the gun and it switches between the two characters as they speak. Between each time the camera switches it gets closer and closer to Benvolio and Tybalt until finally showing only their eyes and as all of this is going on cowboy music is being played again and it carries on throughout the shooting part. The two families are diving all over the place to get cover and while they are shooting the camera sometimes goes very slowly to dram atize what is happening or it speeds it up. We know that an explosion is going to happen at this point as it is in a gas station and they are shooting each other which seem very reckless. The Montagues drive away leaving Benvolio behind to run after them and meanwhile Tybalt dramatically takes off his coat and takes out an attachment to his gun and we see down the aim of his gun as he shoots one of the Montagues in the car from afar.The next thing we see is a lot of helicopters coming to the scene and the Prince who in this is a police officer shouts at them from a loudspeaker in the helicopter and tells them to drop their guns. There is a lot of noise at this point and they both manage to drop their guns at the same time and the camera slows this bit down and then stops straight away to when they are in the Princes office. He then explains to each of the two heads of the families the consequences if it happens again and this is the dramatic end to the fight.In the older version by Zeffirelli, however, it is much different because as the fight between the two families begins it is all because of a Montague tripping an old man that the Capulets were with and they start fighting with swords. This is then followed by a lot of people fighting instead of just a couple of people. There is still no music at this time and we can only hear the background noise and all of the shouting.They carry on fighting for a while with their swords and then we see Benvolio enter trying to stop the fight. The Montagues in this are being portrayed as cowardly in this as well, but when Tybalt enters he questions what Benvolio is doing which makes Benvolio scared to a certain point. We can tell how sinister Tybalt is straight away by the way he is talking, acting and the amount of respect he gets as soon as he enters the scene. As the fight begins again we see even more people join in at this time and it gets more and more serious as lots of people are dying.There is still no music but the camera angle is far back and high up to show the amount of people that are getting involved in this. As the prince enters fanfare music is played which immediately lets everyone know the prince is coming and they all stop fighting. The prince enters from afar allowing the audience to see the effect that he makes on the crowd of people fighting. He tells off the two families for what they are doing and has to shout so that everyone can hear and it is clear to see just how angry he is about the situation. At this point of the scene, the camera here is switching between the prince and the reactions of the families listening to him in order to increase the drama.Both Zeffirelli and Luhrmann make the introduction of Romeo in a similar way as they both start off by showing him from afar and with soft music playing showing his romantic and soft side. The only differences are the equipment used such as the presence of cars, beaches, bridges and a sunrise. Both versions show the gentlen ess of Romeo and how he is different compared to the Montagues that we see before with the use of soft focus when first seeing Romeo.In Luhrmanns version we see him on the beach before a sunrise and in Zeffirellis version we see him walking under a bridge and the soft music and the way the camera introduces him from afar creates a similar effect in both. The camera switches from far away to close up and so on until he reaches Benvolio and they then talk. The music has finally stopped at this point but soon starts again and gets louder as Romeo finds out about the fight increasing the drama. Interestingly, Romeos introduction is the only part in the first scene where both directors have shown something the same.In my opinion, I think that both films have been successful in their own way but overall from my point of view and perhaps as a younger audience, I preferred Luhrmanns version. Zeffirelli has made a good version of the play with the way it is directed but I feel he was focusin g more on telling the story of Romeo and Juliet rather than trying to get the audience interested into actually watching it and showing the range of emotions as to me it seemed quite dull and lifeless.Luhrmanns version attempted to make it exciting to the audience while still telling the story in a more interesting way. As I said earlier, Luhrmanns film is meant for the younger generations because of the action in it which would interest them, and Zeffirellis version is meant for the older generations because of the way he has just focused on the story itself without adding action. Overall, both are very good and are alike in some ways but very different in other ways, so the favourite would depend on your personal taste.