IP Art Appreciation AIU Online Essay

Among the three artists Rubens, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt there have been many magnificent works of art. There are many different similarities and differences within each Artists works, aesthetic qualities and symbolic significance, as well as the artists’ points of view for each work of art. Rubens, (Peter Paul Rubens) â€Å"was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish Baroque painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. He is well-known for his Counter-Reformation altarpieces, portraits, landscapes, and history paintings of mythological and allegorical subjects.† He began by visiting many famous artists and copying some of their works of art to develop a sort of sense of understanding for this type of art and how it is create. One of his paintings â€Å"Head of Medusa† can be seen by many as very grotesque, yet it is incredibly detailed and realistic. Medusa was known as a Gorgon in Greek mythology, and that was of evil. Many often described her as a winged type creature with head of snakes. Though, she was mortal and Perseus killed Medusa by decapitating her. Medusas death is found in the epic, Argonautica. This painting is most likely depicting the defeat of evil, and intended to be very dramatic, catching the viewers’ attention immediately. (Rubens.org 2013) Caravaggio (Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio) â€Å"was an Italian artist active in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily between 1593 and 1610. He is commonly placed in the Baroque school, of which he is considered the first great representatives.† He was also one of the many artists that Rubens copied in his times of studying art. â€Å"The intense realism or naturalism, for which Caravaggio is now famous, is used in the majority of his paintings. He preferred to paint his subjects as the eye sees them, with all their natural flaws and defects instead of as idealized creations. This allowed a full display of Caravaggio’s virtuosic talents. He was also widely known as the most famous painter in Rome. His painting of Medusa in a leather jousting shield is very similar in meaning to that of Rubens painting, though  Caravaggio’s depicts that of the incident where the Goddess Athena placed in upon her shield because any who looked upon the head of Medusa would turn to stone. Both Caravaggio’s and Rubens painting are grotesque and dramatic, yet a beautiful display of their own imagery. (Caravaggio.org 2013) A writer named Walter Wallace gives an incredible and justifying description of Rembrandt ( Rembrandt Van Rijn). He states â€Å"In life Rembrandt suffered far more misfortune than falls to the lot of an ordinary man, and he bore it with the utmost nobility†¦. The child of poor, ignorant Dutch peasants, Rembrandt was born with near-miraculous skill in art. As an uneducated young man, he established himself in Amsterdam, married a beautiful, wealthy, sympathetic girl named Saskia, and enjoyed a brief period of prosperity and fame. However, because men of genius are always misunderstood by the public, fate snatched him by the throat†¦. Rembrandt responded with a masterpiece, a fact unfortunately apparent only to him and his wife. Everyone else, from the burghers to the herring-peddlers, thought the painting was dreadful. Rembrandt’s patrons hooted in rage and derision, demanding changes that the artist, secure in the knowledge that posterity would vindicate him, stubbornly refused to make.†(Wallace 1968) Like Caravaggio and Ruben, his works could be just as realistic and gruesome, yet seem to take your breath away at the meaningful imagery that they all portrayed. One of his paintings The Blinding of Samson, he depicts armored men holding down Samson, and taking a knife to his eyes, thus blinding him. This is of course representing the Blinding of Samson that is portrayed in the Holy Bible. This artist captures the viewers attention by the emotion of this moment. It was also very common to see stories of the Bible depicted in artists work during this time period due to The Roman Catholic Church’s stand point at that time. The three artists Ruben, Caravaggio, and Rembrandt all created amazing works of art, with similar interests as well as display of their own imagery. All three works of art depict similarity that suggests they are from the same time period, such as the style, detail of dramatic facial expressions, and that each was of some sort of mythology or theory that they firmly believed on or felt an intense obligation to share. References: Caravaggio, The Complete Works. (2013). Retrieved on September 28, 2013 from: http://www.caravaggio-foundation.org/Medusa,-painted-on-a-leather-jousting-shield,-c.1596-98.html Peter Paul Rubens, The Complete Works. (2013). Retrieved on September 29, 2013 from: http://www.peterpaulrubens.org/biography.html Wallace, Walter. (1968) â€Å"The Legend and the Man,† in The World of Rembrandt: 1606-1669. pp. 17-25.

Changing Self Essay

The texts studied in the Area of Study have been very significant in shaping my understanding of the concept of Changing Self. The novel Willow Tree and Olive, written by Irini Savvides, the short film Be My Brother (directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009) and the film About A Boy (directed by Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002), while different in form and cultural contexts, have both affirmed and challenged a range of ideas about Changing Self. One significant that these texts explore reflecting the complexity of changing self is that a change in self can involve a shift whether physical, emotional, social or intellectual change.Further, the texts explore the idea that a change in self can be facilitated by an external catalyst. The novel â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides explores the idea that changing self can involve a shift whether physical, emotional, and social or an intellectual change. Initially, Olive has experienced some trauma in her past, and only has brief recoll ections of it. She feels different from others and is detached from her family and friends because of the trauma. This is presented through the nightmares she recalls from the night of her rape: â€Å"It’s a memory – like a flashback, and I’m in it. The use of the simile reflects the event that took place upon her and recalls what happens. Later throughout the novel, Olive has a new appreciation for her family and friends. This is reflected through, â€Å"Dance. Watch people. Go for walks. Write poetry in my head. And I fall in love. With my people and their passion for life, and their acceptance of me, even though I am different. † Here, Olive comes to the realisation that the people, who she loves, support her even throughout the horror and change she has experienced because of her past.Thus, a change in self can involve a shift and is clearly demonstrated through the novel â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides. Likewise, the film †Å"About A Boy† (Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002) similarly explores the idea of changing self-involving a shift through a social and intellectual change. The main character, Will Freeman, is a rich, childfree and irresponsible 38-year-old slacker who, in search of available women, invents an imaginary son and starts attending single parent meetings.Initially, Will is a self-centred person who is unable to connect with people and being scared by commitment and love. Through cinematography, the montage of scenes of women Will has been out on a date with and also a connection with sentences convey the personality Will has, â€Å"I’m sorry, you’re breaking up with me? You, self-centred bastard, I can’t believe I have wasted all this time with you, you useless superficial loser. † On the contrary, as Will meets Marcus, an awkward 12-year-old boy his view on life changes through a series of events. Once you open your door to one person, anyone can come in. â⠂¬  This conveys that as he has let Marcus come into his life, more people are invited and he begins to make friends and have a closer bond with each of them. In addition, he has changed his view towards people which demonstrates social change. As a result, the film, â€Å"About A Boy† directed by Paul and Chris Weitz demonstrates that a change in self involves a shift, particularly a social and intellectual change. Another idea explored in the novel Willow Tree and Olive is that an external catalyst can facilitate a change in self.The catalyst of Olive is Kerry who is her mentor in helping her through the trauma she has suffered. Initially, Olive is afraid of what Kerry will say if she told her about her traumatic past and if she will have a different view about Olive. She attempts to trust Kerry by telling her: â€Å"I CAN’T BELIEVE I SAID IT. WHAT IF KERRY NEVER SPEAKS TO ME AGAIN†¦ BUT IT IS THE TRUTH. † Through the use of capitalisation, it shows that Olive is conscious and anxious about what she has told Kerry. She also is reflecting upon what she has said and in disbelief about how and why she had told her.Later in the novel, Olive begins to trust her friend Kerry that is shown through: â€Å"I wouldn’t have made it without your love. † Olive shows an appreciation for her friend Kerry and it is evidence of Kerry’s support for Olive through her past trauma through her affection towards Olive. Thus, it is evident that an external catalyst can facilitate a change in self. Similarly the short film â€Å"Be My Brother† (Genevieve Clay, 2009) explores the idea of changing self being facilitated by an external catalyst. Initially, Amanda is in insularity and has a disconnection with Richard because she acts negatively towards him through body language.Amanda’s posture is averted away from Richard and her facial expression with discomfort. In addition, Amanda and Richard are framed singularly and the proximity of their seating; Richard is on far left hand side of the seat and Amanda in the opposite. Later in the film, her previous assumptions about Richard’s intellect have been challenged and proven incorrect. This is characterised through the juxtaposition of Richard and Amanda in the same frame as well as the change in Amanda’s body language; her facial expression is positive as she is miling and she is facing Richard as they both converse. Thus, the short film, â€Å"Be My Brother† directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009 clearly demonstrates the idea of changing self being facilitated by an external catalyst. In conclusion, the range of texts I have studied have been influential in shaping my understanding about the concept of changing self, emphasising that changing self is a complex process that is highly individual and shaped by many factors which can be both internal and external.The texts, â€Å"Willow Tree and Olive† by Irini Savvides, â€Å"Be My Brother† directed by Genevieve Clay, 2009 and â€Å"About A Boy† directed by Paul and Chris Weitz, 2002 explore a range of ideas such as a change in self can be facilitated by an external catalyst and it can also involve a shift whether physical, emotional, social or intellectual. The texts have assisted me to appreciate that there are various methods, which may be complex, that allow an individual to change self.

Best friends Essay Example for Free

Best friends Essay Essay Topic: Clothing , Best friend Sometimes I wonder how my life would be without my best friend Tonya, after thirteen years of putting up with each other we are still as inseparable as ever. We know everything about one another, share everything, and spend hours talking to each other developing a relationship that cannot compare any other friendship. Many times when we are together we are mistaken for sisters and it’s easy to understand why; we both stand little over five foot tall, have blonde hair, blue eyes, and wear the same size clothing. It always seems that my closet has more of her clothes in it than mine and vice-versa. Our mothers can never stop comparing notes as to how many clothes they have bought us that they’ve never seen on their actual child wear. When we are together people swears that we speak a different language and between finishing each others sentences, the jumps in topics, and the giggles it’s amazing that we even understand each other. After spending all day together we always end up talking on the phone for hours and many times repeating the same conversations without ever realizing it. For some people it’s hard to imagine being friends with someone for so long, but if I were to choose one person outside of my family that I could not do without. I would pick my best friend Tonya. We’ve helped each other through the good times and bad and held each other when some guy has broken our hearts and even yelled at each others parents. She is as much a part of my family as anyone else, no matter what anyone says. We are best friends and so much more, everyday I am thankful that we found each other so many years ago because neither of our lives have ever been the same. Best friends. (2016, Jun 19). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

THE RHETORICAL SITUATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

THE RHETORICAL SITUATION - Essay Example ance with the author of the piece under consideration, the main reason why students fail at learning English is associated with their teachers’ inability to get their knowledge of the language across because of their incompetence as well as outmoded approach to teaching English. At the same time, the author claims the situation is improving, even though the changes take place randomly and do not promise immediate results. Throughout the article, the author uses Aristotelian type of argument. First, he makes an argument that many counties fail at teaching English and then uses a range of examples, mostly statistical data, to persuade the audience and confirm the position. Therefore, the major technique to reach the audience, which is used by the author, is the appeal to reasoning. In particular, it is inductive reasoning that is utilized: the author starts with an example of the specific case and then passes on to broad

Finance Concepts Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance Concepts - Assignment Example If the estimated life of this project is 5 years and the Required Rate of Return is 10%, then we can also calculate the NPV of this project. If the NPV is also a positive value then we can safely estimate that this project will carry a good return, and the initial investment would be covered in 5 years. (Shim & Siegel, 2000). 2. Whenever one wants to finance a business, he can go for either debt or equity financing. Debt Financing carries lots of advantages and disadvantages. The major advantage of this form of financing is that you do not lose the ownership of your company. The lender also does not have any sort of share in the future business profits. Moreover, the interest on debt is deductible on the tax’s returns, hence reducing the actual cost of loan to the company. Finally, in the case of debt financing the company is not entitled to send their annual reports to various stakeholders. However there is always another side of a coin. Debt Financing carries the disadvantag e of at being repaid at some point in time. The interest cost can be very risky for a company, especially at the times of financial crisis. Other than that the collateral the company pledges against the loan can put extra pressure on the owner of a small venture. There is a reason why companies choose to invest in stock rather than bonds. The investment in bonds carries lower returns than stocks. Even though it is less risky, the return on stocks can be much more appealing. Investors can, in certain situations lose money on bonds, if they sell a bond when the price is lower from when they purchased it. The higher inflation rates over the investment return on bonds will hurt the purchasing power of the money the investors have (Petch, n.d.). 3. In the field of finance there is an important concept of risk-return trade-off. There is a general idea that prevails, the higher the risk the greater the return would be for an investment. The balance of the risk-return trade-offs, is hence a key factor in designing a proper financial and investment plan. Let us take an example of investment in stocks. In the case of a speculative stock because of its high risk, as an investor, you will expect a higher return. The same is the case with the working capital management. If you keep a lower inventory, there is a risk of running out of stock and hence you expect a larger return out of it (Shim & Siegel, 2000). 4. In finance, a Beta measures how volatile any security is to the market average. In layman terms, it measures the return of a security in a certain time period in relation to the overall market. Let us take an example, if a company has a beta of 2.0 in due time, this would mean that if the stock market would increase by 10%, our company’s stock will increase twice fold i.e. by 20% and vice versa. If the company has a 0 beta that means it is not affected by the market. A 0.5 beta would mean the company’s stock is half as volatile as the market, while a 1 beta would show that the company is as volatile as the market (Shim & Siegel, 2000). 5. When a risk occurs due to non-probabilistic events and not by pure chance, it is classified as

Human Resources and Performance Management via Reward Systems Essay

Human Resources and Performance Management via Reward Systems - Essay Example The paper tells that in a business environment that has become increasingly globalized with a wide array of customer services demands and fierce competition between markets, organization performance and productivity has become the central focus of many organizations. Thus the objectives of the modern business organization are inevitably to improve performance with a view to remaining and or becoming competitive. In order to remain or become competitive, organizations are persistently seeking ways to enhance performance. This report intends to demonstrate how performance management via a rewards system can enhance organizational performance. It is first necessary to establish how a performance management can be structured so as to include a rewards system. Thus three of the main components of performance management systems will be evaluated. Ideally, a performance management system begins with performance planning, and branches off into performance appraisal/reviewing followed by feed back/counseling and performance facilitation which is in turn followed by rewarding, performance improvement plans, and potential appraisal. Together these components of performance management systems signify an organization driven by high performance systems if managed effectively and efficiently. Thus activities, practices and policies of any performance management system must be comprised of each of these components. ... Three major components of performance management systems will be evaluated. This will be followed by an evaluation of the link between motivation and performance management. The final part of this report sets out a description and evaluation of a total rewards system linked to performance management. Performance Management Systems In a business environment that has become increasingly globalized with a wide array of customer services demands and fierce competition between markets, organization performance and productivity has become the central focus of many organizations (Becker & Gerhart, 1996). Thus the objectives of the modern business organization are inevitably to improve performance with a view to remaining and or becoming competitive. In order to remain or become competitive, organizations are persistently seeking ways to enhance performance (Becker & Gerhart, 1996). This report intends to demonstrate how performance management via a rewards system can enhance organizational performance. It is first necessary to establish how a performance management can be structured so as to include a rewards system. Thus three of the main components of performance management systems will be evaluated. Ideally, a performance management system begins with performance planning, and branches off into performance appraisal/reviewing followed by feedback/counseling and performance facilitation which is in turn followed by rewarding, performance improvement plans, and potential appraisal (Armstrong, 2005). Together these components of performance management systems signify an organization driven by high performance systems if managed

The Crash of the Housing Market and its Effects on the Labour Force Essay

The Crash of the Housing Market and its Effects on the Labour Force - Essay Example The United States crash of the housing market was an unconstructive event that transpired and led to a financial crisis, as well as a subsequent recession, which started in 2008. The occurrence, officially referred to as the subprime mortgage crisis, was typified by an increase in subprime mortgage foreclosures and delinquencies and the resulting drop of market securities backed by alleged mortgages. These MBS and CDO – mortgage-backed securities and collateralised debt obligations, respectively, formerly granted appealing rates of return because of the greater rates on the mortgages, but the slightly lower credit quality eventually lead to massive defaults. Whereas factors of the financial crisis became clearer during 2007, a number of major financial organizations collapsed in September 2008, with considerable interference in the credit flow of these organizations and their consumers, along with the start of a harsh global financial crisis (recession). The financial turmoil had long-lasting effects to the United States and European financial systems. The United States, in particular, fell into a deep recession with almost 9 million jobs lost from 2008 to 2009, nearly 6 percent of the nation’s workforce. ... licies to endorse affordable housing, poor local and state governmental programs and mark-to-market accounting principle), role of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, poor policies by the Federal Reserve (American central bank), high debt levels and incentives of financial institution, credit default swaps, the trade deficit, technology and globalisation and finally the boom and subside of the shadow banking schemes (Wall 5). As from 1997 to 2006, the peak period of the American housing bubble, the value of a normal American house went up by 124% (Wallison 51). Between 1980 and 2001, the ratio of normal home values to normal household salary, also known as the measure of someone’s capacity to purchase a house, shifted from 2.9 to 3.1 (Wallison 51). By 2005, the ratio had increased to 4.0, and, by 2006, it hit a high of 4.6. This housing bubble made fairly a few property holders refinance their homes at much lower interest rates or back customer spending through taking out other mortga ges secured through the price appreciation. The United States household balance, as a fraction of yearly disposable personal revenue, was a stunning 127% by 2007, against 77%, in 1990 (Wallison 51). Effects on the Labour Force The ILO estimated that roughly 20 million positions will have been lost by the close of 2009 because of the financial crisis, particularly in the construction, financial services, real estate and auto industry, bringing world joblessness rate over 200 million for the initial time (Wallison 56). The number of unemployed individuals the world over was over 50 million, in 2009, as the world recession intensified. By the end of 2007, the United States joblessness rate was 4.9%. By late 2009, the rate had hit a high of 10.1% (Wallison 56). A wider measure of the unemployment

Personality Inventories Reliability, Validity, Correlation Essay

Personality Inventories Reliability, Validity, Correlation - Essay Example There is much that can be postulated concerning these two groups. The GESS questionnaire is an adaptation of Hale, Fiedler and Cochran's 25 item inventory (Hale, Fiedler & Cochran, 1992). This inventory is a measure of the optimism that an individual possesses concerning the likelihood of achieving goals in life. A person with a high GESS score has a great degree of optimism in their own ability to complete a task. While a person with a low GESS score is considered to be pessimistic about their own ability to reach a desired goal. Participants were selected randomly from the classroom. Of the 17 subjects participating in this study, 6 were male and 11 were female. Ages ranged from 19 to 30 years old. Two personality inventories were used in this study, the Internal Control Index and the Generalized Expectancy for Success Scale. Each test subject was seated in a relatively quiet and secluded environment and asked to fill-in the answers on the two separate inventories. The results of the first administration of the test questions are shown in Figure 1. GESS numbers and ICI numbers were calculated by hand scoring each questionnaire. GESS scores ranged from 86 to 149, out of a possible range of 30 to 150.

Market Analysis and Prospects for Timber Buildings in The Developing Essay

Market Analysis and Prospects for Timber Buildings in The Developing World - Essay Example The rapid growth in industrialization, urbanization and civilization brought many problems by which not only human beings but also all the other livening things are suffering and our entire planet has come in danger. It has been now the major priority to save our planet from being deteriorated. In such a situation before creating anything the environmental factor is taken into consideration. Construction line is also not at all exceptional. Today as all of us are acquainted with the drawbacks of the concrete or steel buildings, it has become necessary to think the other alternatives which the environment also will accept and it won’t be harmful to the environment. The research paper aims at investigating how beneficial it will be to use the timber in constructing the buildings. The objective of this research therefore is to study different benefits of using timber in building material. It is also the aim of this research to find out the profitability in using timber for constructing the buildings and houses in rural and urban areas in developing world. For this the scientific, ecological benefits are analysed and the future market of timber buildings is also focussed. The project represents a significant portion of the final year work of a degree programme. Progress during the year and the final report are both used as part of the assessment process. For this 150 hours have been spend in research and preparation of the final report. The topic for the research project is the â€Å"Market Analysis and Prospects of Timber Buildings in Developing World.† Timber has been an ideal material for building. Historically it is proved that wood has an inherent strength and durability and that is why it is an ideal material for building. Today when the architects and engineers plan to build the buildings they look at timber as their preference. In ancient time the man used to build the houses made by the Lignocelluloses

Canada's capital region report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Canada's capital region report - Essay Example This is a serious challenge facing the National Capital Commission in its attempt to increase Canadian’s perceptions of and visits to the National Capital Region (NCR). This report focused on the research that was conducted by Ipsos-Reid together with other lifestyle and demographic trends to help in identifying two important target markets. The research shows that the perception of the Canadians towards NCR is significantly better after a visit. The report analyzes the habits and preferences and proposes a combination of features of the National Capital Region be packaged for each market section. The report recommends a strategic approach that mainly concentrates on influencing visits by two identified market segments. These two target segments exhibit characteristics that make it possible to access them through combination of social media and outlets together with several well established groups that can become advocates for the cause. This approach will make it possible to reach a large number of positively pre-disposed sightseers and therefore helps in generating vital buzz around the National Canadian Region. As stated above, the primary role of NCC is marketing and communication plan aimed at ensuring that Canada’s Capital Region (CCR) remains a source of pride for all Canadians. In regards to the Ipsos-Reid research findings, the following valuable statement was developed. This statement serves as the backbone for guiding conceptual development, creative development and serving as a measure against which creative ideas can be evaluated. Every NCC efforts contribute to the brand value and equity of the capital. This requires the implementations of strategic alignment across the organization to make certain that each and every activity are focused towards developing the capital that will be a source of pride for every Canadian. The big question is therefore; apart from the communication and marketing plans, what are other strategies that NCC

Internal Building Security Proposal Essay Example for Free

Internal Building Security Proposal Essay Internal Building Security Proposal Access Control is an important part of any business. Anytime a business is under construction it will be more vulnerable to threats and attacks. Construction will need more protection because of the ability to gain easier access to a building because of the open areas within the building. Certain areas in a building are a target for attacks. Some areas are higher risk because of the information or high-value assets within the building. Access Control is the best way to wing out some threats and minimize other threats. Each individual at an access point will have several types of protection such as gates, lighting, cameras, detectors, sensors and other devices that can check individuals thoroughly and make sure each one is authorized to be in the building. Keeping individuals out that have no authorization can lower threats and minimizes chances of damage occurring externally. Access control will work from the outside in to protect a business. Technology is continuing to get better and there are a lot more devices available that can enhance security and help assist the personnel when concerning responsibilities. Access control still needs the support of security personnel to make sure all the devices are functioning properly. Technology has to be maintained to run properly and do what it is designed to do. Access Control was created to keep unwanted individuals from entering a location and to prevent from any employees or personnel from leaving with any valuable information unnoticed. There are so many ways to access a building that any vulnerable areas may be threatened at some point. Access control helps to minimize the vulnerabilities and lower threats against a business. Construction on a building will leave certain areas vulnerable and will be more difficult to secure because of all the individuals coming from outside of the business to do a job. More people can mean more threats, this will need more protection. Some of the types of technology that are becoming popular for protection are wireless access points, cameras, sensors,  detectors, wands, and computers. Security personnel are using these devices to detect and deter crime in the work environment (University of Phoenix, 2008). Wireless Access points and surveillance are becoming more common because of the portability. It is more difficult to carry around a big computer for monitoring purposes and access control. A wireless computer is much more compact and lighter to carry around while handling the responsibilities of monitoring employees at an access point. A building will also have a way for security personnel to monitor different areas of the building by using cameras. A wireless computer can make it easier to monitor these different areas all in one area. Cameras will not take the place of security but can make it easier for security to cover more ground successfully and still be able to perform other duties. One advantage that cameras have is that as long as maintenance is kept up that cameras will run non-stop even when security is unavailable or just in a different location. Crime can still occur with security on patrol. Areas more vulnerable can use cameras to help catch any activity that seems out of place. In most instances cameras are only viewed when something has already occurred and can validate an individual’s where physical where about during a certain time period. Sensors are a growing trend at access points. Many industrial buildings will have products that employees will have contact with during a work day. A business will use sensors on products to keep track of the location, while in the building. One product may be received and shipped from one location to the next until the process is complete and ready to be shipped to another building. Sensors can also be caught at access points if individuals attempt to leave the building with a product without authorization. One device that can find such sensors is the detector. At several access points for employees’ detectors will be present and scanned over an individual to ensure that no sensors are found before leaving a building during lunch and after work hours. A wand is just one type of detector that will scan and have an alarm go off when it detects certain materials. Individuals will have to physically take anything out of their pockets and show that it is not a business product. Another type of detector is a full body detector that can detect different objects on a person without having to do a strip search. Computers is somet hing that is storing more data for a business and also it has the capability of doing other tasks  such as viewing camera feed during recording, and keeping track of authorization, cards, and keys for employees. At different access gates, a card will need scanning before entering. A computer can make sure that the card scanned at the gate is valid. A private intranet will hold information for a business about employees, customers, employers, and the business products and services. This type of device will have access points within the system. A computer will have a private server but is still running on the internet and can be hacked. Hackers will try and find ways to access the information and retrieve or damage it. A business can find ways to strengthen the access points into the private database and prevent hackers from accessing business information. A computer will have software, updates, passwords, and programs to protect intruders from hacking thedatabase without authorization. Computers need protection to prevent from damage. A system that has been hacked can corrupt the system and make it unusable. A way of protecting a system before it is damaged is having a back-up system. If the system is destroyed the back-up can make a business more prepared for any threats or damage to restore the system back to normal (University of Phoenix, 2011). A business will have certain areas that contain more vital information or equipment that can be threatened by construction. Areas that are more high-value need more layers of protection against any threats. Data of a business will contain information such as customer records which will have information, such as where they live, telephone numbers, full names, social security numbers and more which can be used to commit other crimes such as fraud. High-value areas are more vulnerable because the amount of damage that can be done will cost more than in other areas of the building. For instance, bathrooms of a facility will have little to no products and are less of a risk than an office. So the security will focus more on offices because of the amount of value. Some areas may only include security cameras for monitoring an area. A big high-value area could include the main power room. This area can cause damage to not only the building but also to the equipment. The main power room may have heavier walls, more cameras, passwords, security personnel, and other types of protection. There are several considerations that should be kept in mind such as who can access the room, who will be working in a room that is in the high-value areas? High-value rooms will be threatened  normally both internally and externally. If a construction area is near anything high-value at a business, extra precautions may be taken to make sure the area is secure from both types of threats. Internal building security is important to have for every business to protect the business. A business has many assets that are unable to protect themselves. Security personnel are hired to protect the business, the people, and the environment. In a new building security will be less effective because of financial status and experience with threats. The type of threats will vary and the only way to avoid vulnerabilities is attempting to use other existing buildings methods when concerning access control, surveillance, and the protection of high-value areas. A business has to prepare for threats before they occur and then deal with new ones as they arise if there is no prior experience with the type of threat. For example, hackers are always finding ways to hack a system. No code or encryption that is created is identical and all the programs and software in the world can protect a business from all threats. A business needs constant management to evolve with society and the new changes. Taking advantage of new technologies will improve the chance of success for both the business and security. References University of Phoenix. (2008). Design and Evaluation of Physical Protection and Systems.

Independence Is The Freedom Of The Soul

Independence Is The Freedom Of The Soul INDEPENDENCE IS the freedom of the soul, a perception of the mind and a feeling understood by the heart. This freedom, perception and more importantly, this feeling is that of liberation, patriotism, self-dependence and other such things. When all such terms are put together and imposed upon the majority, it is a big responsibility on the youth of that nation and on those who create it. That nation is India. Im proud to be an Indian. How often have you heard that phrase? How often have you heard that phrase and felt the emotion coming through, like a quiver of arrows? Maybe once, maybe twice or maybe you never gave it a thought. Now that is freedom of thought. But, is it any good? However, with the evolving face of the youth of today, the insight levels of the Indian youth is increasing, and for the better. Coming back to those rare instances of pride being linked to our nationality, as a part of our identity, we begin to wonder why each and every one of us doesnt feel that way, every single time our nation is being criticised. Why is it only on the 15th of August or 26th of January we feel Indian? Why does the pride and patriotism towards our motherland only come out during an India-Pakistan cricket match? Why does the sudden realisation of being Indian occur to us only when we watch a movie like Chak De India? Why? Vishruta Mattu, an economics student of LSR College, Delhi gives us a fair idea of a thinking mans perception of freedom, Independence of India from a common mans point of view is not only the sense of belonging, but a sense of contribution and existence in every step that our nation takes. She also believes, We constitute our nation, it does not constitute us. Independence is not our right to express but our right to be heard. Independence is not only smart politics, but being a part of a smarter public. Lastly, she makes a vital point in saying, Independence of our nation is not what we feel, but what we make of it and most importantly, independence is not about rights, but our duties towards the nation. Kannagi Khanna on the other hand, hailing from Ahmadabad preferred to cut it short by saying, Independence to me is having the most important thing in the world, i.e., freedom, without having to own it. With all sorts of different views and perceptions coming through from the young minds of todays India, we had Karan Paul of St. Xaviers College, Kolkata being a little poetic about his viewpoint of the entire process of our Independence. He tries to convey to us that Independence is necessary to us as much as oxygen is, and hence, we must listen to what people have to say and then decide upon whether it is correct or not, or else remain a fool forever. Pooja Maheshwary, who has just finished her schooling from St. Xaviers College, Mumbai, gives us a completely different outlook to independence. How often do we actually think about the sacrifice, the struggle that has gone into obtaining this freedom that were enjoying, other than while studying about it in history class? To be honest, I never do. Independence to me means nothing. Being proud of my country on Independence Day and Republic Day every year has become more than a habit now. However, this needs to change, and fast. Independence is having the freedom of choice in whatever I may do, in whatever I may wish to do, and similarly, freedom with reference to our great heroes is the biggest gift that our forefathers could have ever given us. The very thought that believed in making the future generations see the light of an independent India, was a great vision and expressed the freedom of the mind, believes Dhiman Parekh, a B.A student of Fergusson College, Pune. After covering various viewpoints and ideas of and about Independence, we have Robin Mathew Babu, 19, of Delhi relating Indias Independence to his personal independence. He says, To me, it means the freedom to do what I want without thinking of anything and believing that no one can control the freedom of my expression and creativity. Not being in bondage, so that I can scale heights that I wish to, and that no external factor can control me or my thoughts, but myself. Lastly, Akshata Samant, an aspiring filmmaker, currently nurturing her dream at Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, believes, Were independent on a scrap of paper, but not independent in the mind. It may be easy to say that we are the worlds greatest democracy and yet not believe in it. We follow the western trends and feel proud, making our minds greatly dependent on the thinking of the west, and believing in the fact that we are modern. If we were independent, why would most of our countrys major decisions be governed or influenced by various external factors? What good is it to be Independent as a nation, if the mind is a prisoner? With such a lot of brainstorming over Independence and its importance in our lives, it is not difficult to believe that the youth are concerned about the issues of the nation, as long as they are given platforms. The need of todays youth is to be heard, not passed off. The need of todays youth is to be free, not restrained. The need of todays youth is realisation of values and not imposition. The need is not a need, but a want that must be satisfied. August 15. Independence Day. For an average young urban Indian, the day runs pretty much to this schedule: firstly, and most importantly, you hope to hell its not a weekend. If youre in school, you go for the flag-hoisting ceremony, followed by a mind-numbingly boring speech and a tableau of dances to depict national integration. If youre the enthusiastic type, youre probably participating in one of them. We must educate kids about the freedom struggle and Independence. We have to educate them as the environment is no longer what it was for us. In college, you could usually bunk the flag-hoisting, ignore the telecast of the parade from New Delhi on DD (not that you watch the channel, anyway) and bask in the holiday mood. And beginning to work is when an actual severing of all ties with I-Day happens. Because, you see, in college you could still get pulled up for not attending the flag-hoisting. Yes, its Independence Day, dude, for which those freedom-fighter people sacrificed everything to get us the power of choice we take so much for granted. And, can it be said that because we never fought for independence and never paid a price for freedom, the I in I-Day could mean only me and myself? Or, do some of the young people sipping cappuccinos at an outdoor cafe actually feel patriotic? Post-1947, there were the midnights children-born in the dawn of independence, torch-bearers of the ideals that won us this glorious freedom, blessed with promise and ridden with lapsesthe inheritors of that tryst with destiny. That was a generation split down the middle between those who stayed and those who left. Some fought and tried to create an India that could do the freedom fighters proud and others sought Green Cards and work permits in countries that nurtured dreams to fruition and who lived with the memories of a country now long gone. As for us, the children of the midnights children, born into a country already jaded, corrupted and washed clean of the dreams of freedom fighters, we now march to the beat of the cash register. When you read or hear about Gandhi or Nehrus principles, you are inspired, but where does all that fit into our lives? We were raised to think for ourselves and to act on what we thought was best for us. If I can lead my own life, do whatever I want to do and not be judged because this is still a conservative society in so many ways, I would, then, feel independent, says Meghana Manay, 18, studying for a business degree in a Bangalore college. Basically, if I can be left to myself, thats my independence. Independence for us has, unfortunately, come to mean individualism in the worst sense of the word, says Roopa Mathew, 24, who works with a multinational firm in Bangalore. She talks about how the ideals that drove the independence movement have got lost over the years. When you read or hear about the principles of Gandhi or Nehru, you are inspired. But where does that fit into our lives? We take independence for granted and its the circumstances that made us this way, says Shane Witherspoon, 27, an editor with an online publication in Bangalore. Shruti Shwetambari, a 29-year-old media manager in Mumbai, finds that, We have been abusing and misusing freedom and independence. I dont want to play the blame game but it is a complex mixture of our indifference and circumstances. But, the fact also is that we can make our own circumstances. These circumstances, glossed over by an illusion of reality, in a post-liberalisation society where malls and multiplexes and global conglomerates mushroom, have almost completely cut us off from what is actually happening outside of our metros. Independence comes with certain riders, but how can you make people look beyond their immediate needs when that is how we have become? Or even in them. Susan Stanley, 30, who works with an international software firm in Bangalore, says, We take independence for granted because we have never experienced subjugation. And so, their lives in this illusion are led almost parallel to reality and no one seems to really want them to converge. There is corruption and its disgusting.Its also disgusting to see how politicians only care about themselves and make money.And, when you hear about how discrimination happens in rural areas, you feel terrible, says Meghana. But, its a momentary feeling. Once it passes, you get back to thinking about yourself and your own world. Thats how I think weve all grown up-we picture the world to be as it is for us. Not for anyone else. Rajvi Mariwala, 25, a management student in Mumbai, says, Arent we being raised to be the second largest market in the world? With the largest middle class in the world, arent we all being raised to sell a dizzying variety of products to one another? English with a phoren accent and increasing buying power is our wagon to the first world. Roopa agrees: The society we live in now in cities like Bangalore is almost neo-imperialistic. We work in MNCs, shop at malls that sell international brands that are flaunted and eat at chains like McDonalds or Subway. How does this daily routine ever reflect the idea of independence as it was initially conceived? Shane is honest when he says, I have to think about money and about what is important to me. If I can lead my own life, do whatever I want to do and not be judged, I would feel independent. Basically, if I can be left to myself, thats my independence. And I dont think that can change much. Shruti finds that when her generation is labelled as being irresponsible or too materialistic, it is unfair as most of us were never inculcated with a sense of community work or of reaching out to less privileged people. But then, I dont know whether its also our fault for not imbibing these values and maybe we really have just chosen to be escapists. With a 10-year-old daughter, Rhea, Aparajita Singh, a management professional in Mumbai, finds that parents today need to make a conscious effort to educate children about issues like the freedom struggle and independence. My husband and I read to my daughter from Nehrus letters to Indira Gandhi, for example, she says. When role models have changed from Gandhi to John Abraham (whom Rhea and her friends worship), Aparajita talks about the onus on parents, My friends and I have to constantly talk to our children and educate them because the environment is no longer what it was for us. Poverty, discrimination, underprivileged children and downtrodden women-all have become the other face of India to the young, regardless of whether the issues are urban or rural. Its not that my generation is unaware of these problems, we are just not interested in them, other than feeling a little compassion for the people struggling with these issues. But then feeling compassion is of no use if it is not followed by action, says Susan. Shruti links this to the eternal Indian chalta hai attitude-We never pull up our socks and do anything. When you hear about a rape case or see something on TV about atrocities, you feel terrible. But when you switch the channel, you forget, says Malavika, 14, Meghanas sister and a Bangalore high school student. Ajay Balasubramaniam, 26, who works with an IT firm in Bangalore, points out that with 24/7 news channels, internet and sms updates, you are always aware of what is happening. So its not fair to say that we are oblivious to the problems because we cannot be with all this media exposure. Apart from scattered discussions over coffee or on email lists, few people actually get moving to resolve these problems. Yeah, we discuss things, we complain about how nothing changes but were also so immune. We dont want corruption, but what are we doing to stop it? If things dont change, thats also partly our fault, argues Roopa. Shane says that although he would like to do something to help, I fear that the so-called agencies of change could also be corrupt to the core. And, thus, while the heart may be in the right place, the TV channel still gets changed. Meghana reasons that this is because taking an initiative to counter a problem would be a responsibility not many want to shoulder.You appreciate your life more when you hear about these cases but you will have to go out of your way to help, she says. About rural problems, for example, how many of us would actually be okay with staying in villages to help those people? Its like another world completely and we dont even relate to it. They all worry about corruption, about rising crime, about giving children basic necessities like food and clothing and about raising their own children in this society, which is not really a pleasant thought. And one way to set change in motion could be through voting for the right politicians. But, as Shane points out, I dont think any one of us can relate to todays political leaders. They are full of empty promises and look only to make the most money in the short time they are in office. Malavika finds all of them sounding the same and talking about what they think we need, not the real issues. Too many vested interests are ruining the situation today and if we could just have some sort of goal congruence among political parties, it would help, reasons Shruti. Independence and democracy are responsibilities for us. Or, at least, they ought to be, says Rajvi. Patriotism is not just about standing up in a theatre for the national anthem before watching Mallika Sherawat in a steamy scene. The impetus lies with us to realise that not littering the street or demanding accountability from government is also patriotism. Ajay agrees that independence comes with certain riders, but how can you make people look beyond their immediate needs when that is how they have become? He finds that there is nothing at all that connects a young person today to the freedom struggle or even the concept of fighting for independence. History is taught to us in school and college with the intention of writing an exam and nothing more. This is where the true essence of what independent India is really all about is being washed away generation after generation. S. Iyer, 54, who works with a multinational firm in Chennai and has a daughter in her 20s, says his generation was probably so euphoric at the novelty of independence but also so disgusted at events like the Emergency that we got sick of murky politics. He argues that maybe they failed to provide their children with platforms to express patriotism. So, while the young might actually be very patriotic, I think we can be partly blamed for not guiding them towards the right channels of expression. And over the years, 1857 becomes just another date to be mugged up and Dandi becomes one more dot to be plotted on a map-learn up as much as you need to make the passing grade. Whoever else is not mentioned in those textbooks and whatever fact is not a question on the exam really does not matter. Just dont flunk the exam. This was a point driven well home by the sight of a 10-year-old on television some years ago, being asked by an anchor, Who wrote Vande Mataram? And the smug answer, given very confidently, was A.R. Rehman. Shane and Susan find that to many Indians, sadly, I-Day has become one more holiday with nothing to set it apart. And it is just that to them, too. Coming from a family that was entirely involved in the independence movement, however, Shruti says, In small towns, one sees a flag hoisted on top of every house on August 15, and Ive heard children humming patriotic songs-its like a festival. But in a city like Bombay, maybe it is just a history lesson with students saying khud to mar gaye aur chod gaye ek chapter humare liye(they themselves died, but left us another chapter to learn). Ajay is fascinated by how one mans dream actually became freedom for millions and can never think of it as just another day off work.This was a country where there were signs saying Dogs and Indians not allowed. And to be where we are now how can anyone miss the significance of Independence Day, asks Shruti. I do feel very patriotic on August 15. Because when I study about the independence struggle in class, I feel really moved by everything those people gave up and how they had to fight. I really appreciate it because without them, we may still have been ruled by the British, says Malavika. But what can I really do to celebrate independence on that day apart from being present at the flag-hoisting? And so, at some point during August 15, either while watching the tricolour unfold, or while standing up to sing the national anthem, or catching a glimpse of the defence regiments marching past the President, or seeing the little kids selling plastic flags at traffic signals, or listening to the FM station play Ai Mere Pyare Watan, your heart does swell with pride. But then, the moment passes. You bought the flag and tucked it on your windscreen. Jai Hind. Now lets go get a latte.

Comparison of South Africa and the UK

Comparison of South Africa and the UK Introduction: Background of South Africa: Religions: Christians: 79.8%, Pentecostal: 8.2%, Roman Catholic: 7.1%, Methodist: 6.8%, NGK: 6.7%, Zion Christian: 11.1%, Anglican: 3.8%, Unaffiliated: 15.1%, Muslims: 1.5%, Hindu: 1.2%, African: 3.8% Culture: Westernized culture. Traditional culture has decreased; this means South Africa has similar lifestyles to those in Western Europe, North America and Australasia. Languages: Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tswana, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu Customs: these are free imports allowed into the country: 200 Cigarettes 20 Cigars 50 ml perfume 250grams tobacco 1 liter of spirits (strong wine) 2 liters of wine Goods for personal use 250ml of Eau De Toilette Expensive items such as laptops may require a fee, which will be returned to you on arrival. These goods are not allowed: Local currency over 10 000 rand, endangered species of plants, animals Political Structure: Republic of South Africa (RSA) is a constitutional democracy. It consists of three structures of government: national, provincial and local governments. Judicial Structure: The body of judges and magistrates who sit in the Courts of South Africa. Background of Great Britain: Religions: Christianity is the major religion in the UK. Followed by Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism. The UK is described as a multi-faith society. Culture: The cultures are combined. It consists of the 4 main countries the UK is made up of: England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. Each has its distinct cultures. Also mainly known as the British culture. Languages: They do not have a constitutionally defined official language. English is the main language, spoken by 70% of the population. Other 30% include Welsh, Irish, Cornish and British sign language. Customs: The British are well known for: Good and well-mannered etiquettes. Meeting and greeting. Gift giving. Dining etiquette. Political Structure: Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy. Judicial Structure: The judicial system in the United Kingdom are separate judiciaries of the 3 legal systems in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. They are a body of judges that sit in the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Body: Economic systems of Great Britain: About 25% of Britain’s is arable, and almost half is suitable for meadows and pastures. Its agriculture that is highly mechanized and extremely productive, about 2% of the labor force produces 60% of the country’s food needs. Great Britain is one of the world’s leading industrialized nations. It has achieved this position despite the lack of most raw materials needed for industry. It must also import 40% of its food suppliers. Thus, its prosperity has been dependent upon the export of manufactured goods in exchange for raw materials and food stuffs. During the 1970s and 80s, nearly 3.5 million manufacturing jobs were created in service-related industries. The main industrial and commercial areas are the great conurbations, where about one third of the country’s population lives. The administrative and financial center and most important port is Greater London, which also has various manufacturing industries. Liverpool, Britain’s second port, along with south port and Saint Helen are part of the Merseyside conurbation. Great Britain has abundant suppliers of coal, oil and natural gas. Production of oil from offshore wells in the North Sea began in 1975, and the county is self-sufficient in petroleum. Great Britain’s trade focus has shifted from the United States to the European Union, which now accounts for over 50% of its trade. Great Britain is the fourth most populous country in Europe. Those of English descent constitute about 77% of the nation’s inhabits. The Great Britain’s population has shown increasing ethnic diversity since the 1970s, when people from the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Africa and China began immigrating, in the early 21century. English is the universal language of Great Britain. Sovereignty rests in parliament, which consists of the House of Commons, the House of Lords, and the crown. Effective power resides in the commons, whose 650 members are elected from single-member constituencies. The two main parties are the conservative party, descended from the old Tory party, and the labor party, which was organized in 1906 and moderately Social Democratic, is a weaker third party. Both Scotland and Wales have nationalist parties whose goal is the independence of those respective regions. Economic Systems of South Africa: South Africa’s Department of Trade and industry has launched the R71-million Itukise Unemployed graduates Programme, which will help unemployed graduates get work experience by negotiating placements at companies for them. Itukise provided work experience to unemployed graduates for 12 months. The department will also seek to place interns at companies interested in the programme. The programme also presented an opportunity to develop and market the profile of the manufacturing sector to young people, in provision of decent work and in increasing opportunities for people learning both on and off the job. The most likely scenario for South Africa’s economic and political trajectory until 2030 is to â€Å"chronic underachiever†. The 3.8% growth rate is close to the 3.2% average and had achieved since 1994. But according to the SA futures 2030, ANC will slip under 50% by the 2040 election. The Madiba Magic path could be reached in one of two ways: The ANC does well in the coming election and embarrass on internal reforms. A second route would be if the ANC were to do poorly in the coming election, the Democratic Alliance and multiparty democracy were to emerge strongly and the ANC were compelled to make reform to the public service and state in â€Å"a race to the top† against the DA in improving social delivery. Political instability dominates as both tripartite alliance and the ANC engage in a bitter and violent competition. The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) was hoping to get the majority of the countries nearly two million 18 and 19 year-olds registered, but ended up in that order with fewer than 700 000. The most interesting coalitions will emerge after the elections, when the ANC, DA and EFF will take the lead. Political Stability: As an emerging economy South Africa has not remained completely unaffected by the turmoil in other emerging economies world-wide, especially in Asia and lately also in Russia. This negatively affected investors’ confidence in these countries. Political change is an empty phase if it is not accompanied by changes in the socio-economic sphere, leading to meaningful changes in the quality of life of the ordinary citizen. Geographical Structure Geographical Location of South Africa: You may find South Africa at the south part of the African continent. It stretches across from north to south, for at least 1600 km. It has latitude between 22 and 35 degrees. And it also stretches from east to west for 1600 km, between 17 and 33 degrees longitude. Geographical Location of Great Britain: Great Britain is located off the north western coast of Europe. The total area of the United Kingdom is approximately 245,000 square kilometers. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest in Europe. The term Great Britain is used to refer to England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland because it’s on the largest island in Europe. This list contains the area sizes of the countries: Demographics of South Africa: The demographics of South Africa encompasses around at least 52 million individuals of diverse origins, language, cultures, and religions. In 2010 were the last census been held and the next census will be taken anywhere from 2016 Unemployment: South Africa`s unemployment rate has decreased to 24.10 percent within the fourth quarter of 2013 from 24.50 percent of 2013 within the third quarter. The statistics of South Africa reports the unemployment rate of South Africa. Mortality: In South Africa statistical release has presented information on mortality and causes of death, this were all based on death notification forms that were received from the Department of home affairs for death that has been occurred in 2009. The outline release trends in mortality from 1997 to 2009, differentials in mortality are selected by demographics, social and geographic characteristics for death occurred in 2009. Fertility: There has been a widespread agreement in general that fertility has begun to decline amongst all major population in South Apartheid prior to the end of apartheid. It has occurred at a much faster level for whites and Asians as they are compared to mixed race and Africans. This has occurred amidst the impoverishment of millions. Life Expectancy: One in every 10 South Africans is HI-positive despite that, SA has increased in life expectancy, according to statistics South Africa. The population total of SA IS 52.98 million then it was counted in the census of 2011. By a year the life expectancy of South Africa has increased by 59.6 (57.7 for males and 61.4 years for females. Free State is the province with the lowest life expectancy. Major deaths: Violence and accidental injuries, HIV, intestinal infectious disease. Demographics of Great Britain: In every 10 years a census is taken simultaneously in all parts of the UK. Data for England and wales is collected by the national statistics and they are responsible for it. The total population of the United Kingdom was 63.181.778 in the 2011 census. Population : By 7.0 percent since 1971 has the UK `s population increased, from 55.9 million in more recent years growth has been faster of a greater result number of births rather than deaths from the late 1990`s with an increasing factor of migration. Unemployment: There has been measured by the office for national statistics within months that unemployment stood at 7.1 percent, or 2.32 million people out of work. Mortality rate: In the United Kingdom are alcohol-related deaths a number of areas that were combined and were chosen to cover range of economic and social housing issues. Fertility: The total fertility rate is 1.9 children born/ women. A global fertility rate always in general declined and is the most pronounced industrialization country. Life expectancy: Compared to a one person in the early 1980`s a man born now can expect more than seven extra years of life ahead. Calculations have showed that girls that were born between 2010 and 2012 could expect to live 82.8 years and 79.0 years can boys live. Major death causes: Disease of the circulatory system. Cancer, respiratory diseases. Economy of Great Britain: The social structure of the United Kingdom has historically been highly influenced by the concept of social class, with the concept still affecting British society in the early-21st century. Although definitions of social class in the United Kingdom differ and are highly controversial, most are influenced by factors of wealth, occupation and education. (2) The United Kingdom has the 6th-largest national economy in the world and is the third largest in Europe measured by nominal GDP and its purchasing power parity. The United Kingdom’s GDP per capita is the 22nd-highest in the world in nominal terms. The UK government’s welfare cuts and changes to taxation have encouraged economic inequality so intensely that they amount to ‘speeded-up Thatcherism.’ The divide between rich and poor is widening faster than in the 1980s, according to a new report. The slicing of UK welfare benefits and simultaneous cuts in tax credits means that inequality will have soared twice as fast by 2015. Living standards were 21pc higher in the UK compared with the average in the EU, the statistics office Eurostat said. â€Å"In Luxembourg standards were 50pc higher.† Individual consumption was used as the measure, often cited because it includes all goods and services that a household consumes, regardless of whether they pay for them. Britains rating is boosted by public services such as health and education, which are largely government funded. A welfare state is a concept of government in which the state plays a key role in the protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the minimal provisions for a good life. The welfare state involves a transfer of funds from the state, to the services provided e.g. healthcare, education as well as directly to individuals. It is funded through redistributionist taxation and is often referred to as a type of mixed economy. Such taxation usually includes a larger income tax for people with higher incomes, called a progressive tax. This helps to reduce the income gap between the rich and poor and can establish some sort of equality between both rich and poor. Economy of South Africa: In South Africa with its high levels of racial inequality, inequality in income distribution is especially large and persistent. For an upper-middle income country in terms of GDP per capita and economic structure, there are still many people living in poverty. In its 2012-13 Global Competitiveness report, the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa second in the world for the accountability of its private institutions, and third for its financial market development, â€Å"indicating high confidence in South Africa’s financial markets at a time when trust is returning only slowly in many other parts of the world†. The countrys securities exchange, the JSE, is ranked among the top 20 in the world in terms of size. Thus indicates the extent at which South Africa has grown since 1994 up until now. Since the demise of apartheid in 1994, South Africas economic and social status has undergone marked changes. GDP annual growth has averaged about 3.5%, with the years 2004-2007 maintaining a 5% increase annually. Per capita PPP increased from $5700 in 1994 to $9560 in 2007. Measles immunization for children aged 12-23 months grew from 76% to 85%. And finally, the percent of South Africans aged 7-24 who had completed primary school skyrocketed from 77% in 1992 to a reported 100% completion rate in 2004, the last year for which this statistic is available The fact that more people receive social grants from the state than have jobs has created a flurry of alarm that SAs welfare spending is unsustainable, given the fear that unemployment could remain persistently high in a low-growth environment. There are many people who not over the age of 18 and therefore are not liable to be taxpayers as of yet and that impacts negatively on the welfare of South Africa. Imports and exports in South Africa have increased since the end of apartheid. South Africa is the second largest producer of gold, and is well known as the largest producer of chrome, platinum, manganese, vanadium, and vermiculite. South Africa is the world’s third largest coal exporter. Mining is only counted for 3% of the GDP. South Africa is well known for their large agricultural sector and is a net exporter of farming products. Top five markets of South Africa are: United States Germany Japan Zimbabwe China Imports and exports in Great Britain is the world’s fifth largest trading nation. Machinery and transport, manufactured goods, chemicals, and steel are Britain’s largest export earners. Britain’s pharmaceuticals industry is the world’s third largest exporter of medicines. Conclusion: We conclude that Great Britain is one of the most established countries and is much more developed, whereas South Africa is still developing, and slowly emerging in specific areas. Great Britain’s social structure is influenced by class, and South Africa’s is based on racial inequality, and income. Britain’s class is influenced by how wealthy the citizens are. South Africa was ranked second in the world for the accountability of its private institutions, and third for its financial market development, but many of these South Africans are still living in poverty. Word Count: 2585 Bibliography: References: http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/109/a-high-standard-of-living-brought-low-by-aids-in-south-africa http://www.southafrica.info/business/economy/econoverview.htm#.UyqX-NxaYpE#ixzz2wUAyoq53 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_United_Kingdom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_South_Africa http://geography.about.com/od/unitedkingdommaps/a/Great-Britain-Facts.htm Jill Pasqualle: Introduction : Backgrounds on the two countries Geographical Structure Imports and exports in each country, foreign relations, and trading partners. Ra-ees Peffer: Economy Deidre Lee Anne Plaatjies: Demographics and social structure Nomathamsanqa Pienaar: Economic systems

A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and realit

A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and reality in the play A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare, it is a play about lovers and includes madness, mayhem, magic and illusion. The title tells us of the inevitable confusion to come, as in Elizabethan times ‘A Midsummer Night’ was a festival linked with mayhem and chaos, and the fact it is a ‘dream’ conjures up ideas of illusion and fantasy. The play has two settings, Athens which represents reality, order and daylight and the woods, the world of the fairies, which symbolize illusion, magic, and a place of darkness. There are three main groups of characters the courtiers, the workmen and the fairies whose actions form four different plots within the play. 1. The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta 2. The love affairs between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena 3. The workmen’s play, its planning, rehearsal and performance 4. The quarrel between Oberon and Titania A Midsummer Nights Dream itself is an illusion, and to enjoy it you must temporarily suspend reality. Love is an important theme in the play, whether it is true love or induced by magic; it inhibits people’s ability to distinguish what is real or simply an illusion. The play begins in Athens, with the preparations for the forthcoming marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons. The use of these characters at the beginning of the play gives it a real sense of importance. Egeus enters with a complaint against his daughter Hermia; she refuses to wed Demetrius who has her father’s consent to marry her, but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus believes his daughter could not possibly truly love L... ...thing beautiful and magical. There are references throughout the play to moonlight; this helps to set up the nighttime scenes, as the play would originally have been played in the daytime. The moon was thought to affect people’s behaviour. This idea is portrayed in the play; the characters act irrationally during the nighttime scenes, and appear to gain clarity as the daytime returns. The young lovers awake, unsure of what they have experienced, and believe they have simply been dreaming. Puck has the final speech in the play and speaks directly to the audience; he refers to himself and his fellow actors as shadows within a dream, this reminds us that we have been part of an illusion just like the characters in the play. He ends asking the audience to clap this signals the end of the performance, and the illusion created by ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’. A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and realit A Midsummer Nights Dream Shakespeare’s treatment of illusion and reality in the play A Midsummer Nights Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare, it is a play about lovers and includes madness, mayhem, magic and illusion. The title tells us of the inevitable confusion to come, as in Elizabethan times ‘A Midsummer Night’ was a festival linked with mayhem and chaos, and the fact it is a ‘dream’ conjures up ideas of illusion and fantasy. The play has two settings, Athens which represents reality, order and daylight and the woods, the world of the fairies, which symbolize illusion, magic, and a place of darkness. There are three main groups of characters the courtiers, the workmen and the fairies whose actions form four different plots within the play. 1. The wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta 2. The love affairs between Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Helena 3. The workmen’s play, its planning, rehearsal and performance 4. The quarrel between Oberon and Titania A Midsummer Nights Dream itself is an illusion, and to enjoy it you must temporarily suspend reality. Love is an important theme in the play, whether it is true love or induced by magic; it inhibits people’s ability to distinguish what is real or simply an illusion. The play begins in Athens, with the preparations for the forthcoming marriage of Theseus, Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons. The use of these characters at the beginning of the play gives it a real sense of importance. Egeus enters with a complaint against his daughter Hermia; she refuses to wed Demetrius who has her father’s consent to marry her, but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus believes his daughter could not possibly truly love L... ...thing beautiful and magical. There are references throughout the play to moonlight; this helps to set up the nighttime scenes, as the play would originally have been played in the daytime. The moon was thought to affect people’s behaviour. This idea is portrayed in the play; the characters act irrationally during the nighttime scenes, and appear to gain clarity as the daytime returns. The young lovers awake, unsure of what they have experienced, and believe they have simply been dreaming. Puck has the final speech in the play and speaks directly to the audience; he refers to himself and his fellow actors as shadows within a dream, this reminds us that we have been part of an illusion just like the characters in the play. He ends asking the audience to clap this signals the end of the performance, and the illusion created by ‘A Midsummer Nights Dream’.

Inadequate Secondary Education in the United States :: Educational Learning School Essays

Inadequate Secondary Education in the United States ‘Tis education forms the common mind; Just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined. Pope – Moral Essays Two years ago, I used to work at a photo shop in downtown Philadelphia. Except for me, the only foreigner, there were five Americans working there. Once, we talked about the American life in the beginning of the twentieth century. To support my opinion, I used an example from a short story called â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† by a famous American writer O. Henry. It was a very shocking experience for me to find out that nobody knew who O. Henry was or what he had done for the world literature. Since then, I met a lot of American people with a lack of basic cultural knowledge and, at the same time, with an outstanding professional expertise. Very quickly, I figured out that the root of this problem is in the secondary school education. The American secondary school pays too little attention to producing students with well-rounded education substituting the â€Å"what† with the â€Å"how†. Placing an undue emphasis on the methods of teaching and studying (the â€Å"how†) at the expense of the material being taught and studied (the â€Å"what†) makes the choice of what to teach of secondary importance. A weak and disintegrated curriculum is a source of another problem. Excessive attention to the American culture and inadequate attention to the culture of the rest of the world lead American people to a false confidence in the superiority of the American culture. However, the fact is that American â€Å"high school graduates are ranked low compared to other countries† (Bowsher, 146). Many people may say that I exaggerate the problem, because the United States is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world and this fact is directly associated with a quality education. As to some lack of cultural education, they say, it can be filled at the higher educational level in college. Thus, these problems cannot be so global. Unfortunately, they are just so global. Evidently, the college education in the United States retains high standards that enable the U.S. to maintain its technology at the cutting edge. But students coming from high schools are often not ready for a more advanced study and must waste their time in noncredit courses (Burstein, par. 1). Alexander Burstein, an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Iowa State University, describes his view of this situation: Inadequate Secondary Education in the United States :: Educational Learning School Essays Inadequate Secondary Education in the United States ‘Tis education forms the common mind; Just as the twig is bent the tree’s inclined. Pope – Moral Essays Two years ago, I used to work at a photo shop in downtown Philadelphia. Except for me, the only foreigner, there were five Americans working there. Once, we talked about the American life in the beginning of the twentieth century. To support my opinion, I used an example from a short story called â€Å"The Gift of the Magi† by a famous American writer O. Henry. It was a very shocking experience for me to find out that nobody knew who O. Henry was or what he had done for the world literature. Since then, I met a lot of American people with a lack of basic cultural knowledge and, at the same time, with an outstanding professional expertise. Very quickly, I figured out that the root of this problem is in the secondary school education. The American secondary school pays too little attention to producing students with well-rounded education substituting the â€Å"what† with the â€Å"how†. Placing an undue emphasis on the methods of teaching and studying (the â€Å"how†) at the expense of the material being taught and studied (the â€Å"what†) makes the choice of what to teach of secondary importance. A weak and disintegrated curriculum is a source of another problem. Excessive attention to the American culture and inadequate attention to the culture of the rest of the world lead American people to a false confidence in the superiority of the American culture. However, the fact is that American â€Å"high school graduates are ranked low compared to other countries† (Bowsher, 146). Many people may say that I exaggerate the problem, because the United States is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world and this fact is directly associated with a quality education. As to some lack of cultural education, they say, it can be filled at the higher educational level in college. Thus, these problems cannot be so global. Unfortunately, they are just so global. Evidently, the college education in the United States retains high standards that enable the U.S. to maintain its technology at the cutting edge. But students coming from high schools are often not ready for a more advanced study and must waste their time in noncredit courses (Burstein, par. 1). Alexander Burstein, an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Iowa State University, describes his view of this situation:

Weimar Experience And Maintaining Democracy :: essays research papers

Human nature, in individuals, as well as within united bodies of people, is to correct, learn, and grow from ones mistakes. If one cannot learn from one’s own mistakes, it is necessary then to learn from the mistakes of others. When dealing with the political sciences, especially in international history, it is possible to analyze what has succeeded, and what has failed. The United States, being a fairly young country, has the advantage of a relatively short past, unmarked by national chaos as a result of poor governing. The United States, by learning from past history of other nations, chose a system of stability and balance, called democracy, which has caused the United States to flourish over time. Democracy has successfully reined in this country for all of its 200-year history. Democracy, for our nation, has proved to be a keystone in every aspect of our success, our growth, and our strength as a country. It is crucial however, that we learn from the past, to realize that things can and do change. In the 1930s Germany, struck by inflation, a collapse in the economy, and national outrage, declined from a democratic republic, to a totalitarian state. The fall of the Weimar republic, and the rise of the NSDAP, which eventually led to WWII, shows how the drastic effects of economic problems, extreme nationalism, and drastic changes in cultural identity, can lead to a totalitarian state, and a complete political turnover within a nation. It is important to learn from the Weimar experience in order to help maintain the health, stability, and power of our own democracy today in the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, Germany experienced an industrial revolution that caused them to almost capitalize in trade and production as a country. By August of 1914 WWI had began and Germany, both economically, and socially was hit hard. By the closing months of 1918, Germany, once strong and peeking in industry and economy finances, returned from the war battered and beaten. They were completely finished off by the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. The treaty outright blamed the war on Germany, and charged them with the damage fines of the entire war. Such a huge amount of money would surely strike down and weaken an already tattered Germany, which was precisely the intention at hand. Germany was faced with paying for all damages caused by the war.

Children’s ASPIRIN Essay

In 1986, FDA adopted a preliminary rule requiring aspirin manufacturers to add warnings to product labels about the possible association between aspirin use and the development of Reye’s syndrome. The permanent rule became final in 1988, and the labeling reads: Children and teenagers should not use this medicine for chicken pox or flu symptoms before a doctor is consulted about Reye’s Syndrome, a rare but serious illness. Until now, some questions about the relationship between aspirin and Reye’s syndrome still remain. Although figures show that 90 to 95 percent of Reye’s syndrome patients in the United States have taken aspirin during a preceding viral illness, it is estimated that less than 0. 1 percent of children having a viral infection and treated with aspirin develop the syndrome. Are other factors involved? Apparently so. Reye’s syndrome has always been a puzzling disease and the research on possible causes has been hampered because no one can come up with a simple specific diagnostic test for the syndrome. The waters are further muddled by the existence of at least 19 viruses, including the chicken pox and flu viruses, which cause infectious illnesses that can precede Reye syndrome development. Some experts have proposed that Reye’s syndrome develops from the interaction of a viral illness, genetic susceptibility to the disease, and exposure to chemicals. Soumerai, Ross-Degnan, and Kahn (1992) tell the story of the virtual disappearance of Reye’s Syndrome over a short period. Their narrative shows how debate in the scientific community and the health policy community was played over media outlets. The attention over both professional and, particularly, public communication channels were closely associated with the decline in disease incidence. They make a convincing case that the decline was not primarily associated with the timing of declared changes in policy or particular recommendations made to physicians, or even with the warnings placed on aspirin bottles. Rather, the decline followed immediately on increased coverage on these issues in the mass media. This is sensible, because much use of aspirin was independent of visits to physicians, and thus would be most sensitive to sources of change in public knowledge. Although there are no empirical studies that determine the link of aspirin and Reye’s Syndrome, Bayer should take this controversy seriously by doing research about it in order to finally lay this issue to rest. If Bayer proves that there is indeed no link between RS and Aspirin, it will be a positive feedback for the company and it will surely gain more support from the consumers. 8. ) What is the product strategy that Bayer is using as far as the placement of aspirin globally? Would you suggest something else? Since the early 80s, Bayer’s Children’s ASPIRIN business had been continuously falling downwards spiral. This scenario occurred when the US medical community suggested that there is an associated link between the consumption of children’s aspirin and the occurrence of a dangerous condition in children known as Reye’s Syndrome. Though the link was never proven, Bayer acted responsibly to the public relations crisis by self-imposing a worldwide ban on all promotion and advertisement of Children’s ASPIRIN in 1988. In the years that followed, Bayer had not fully reconsidered its strategy for Children’s ASPIRIN, nor had it considered introducing other analgesic products for children. For years, Zander had wanted to conduct a brand audit to determine the future of ASPIRIN in the children’s segment. But the project always fell behind something more pressing; given this new wave of publicity, it seemed like the time for the audit was now or never. Incidentally, with the decline within the children’s segment, there had been new discoveries opening other business opportunities. In 1985, the medical profession revealed that aspirin is effective in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. As the prevention market developed, Zander and other managers at Bayer realized that an increasing percentage of Children’s ASPIRIN sales went to prevention. This was due, in part, to its lower cost but also to the lower dosage recommended for prevention (81–100 mg. compared to 325–500 mg. in adult aspirin). Unfortunately, the percentage of sales of Children’s ASPIRIN accounted for by the prevention market was unclear. In the creation of awareness of a pharmaceutical that generated additional sales, transferring market from ethical drug to over-the-counter (OTC) status is a strategy to increase market share and sales over the product life cycle of the drug. This strategy is one means of prolonging—and possibly increasing—sales revenues of the drug as generic copycats arrive on the market upon patent expiration. The value of the brand to the consumer differentiates otherwise identical and competing products. In placing the product globally without the aid of advertising, it is best to market through word-of-mouth of happy consumers who had found the product as effective. Also, producing empirical studies that disprove the link of Reye’s Syndrome could also thwart the past scare and would increase the credibility of the corporation. However, the combination of direct selling to doctors and direct advertising to consumers is expected to become the predominant global strategy of pharmaceutical companies in both ethical and OTC categories in the future. References Bayer Website. Buchanan, L. & Merker, C. K. (2002). Bayer AG : Children ’ s Aspirin. In A. A. Thompson, A. J. Strickland, & J. E. Gamble. Crafting and Executing Strategy -The Quest for Competitive Advantage, 14th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin). Soumerai S. B. , Ross-Degnan D. , & Kahn J. S. (1992). â€Å"Effects of professional and media warnings about the association between aspirin use in children and Reye’s syndrome†. Milbank Quarterly, 70( 1), 155-182.

Questionnaire

QUESTIONNAIRE It is a research instrument consisting of a series of questions and other prompts for the purpose of gathering information from respondents. Although they are often designed for statistical analysis of the responses, this is not always the case. The questionnaire was invented by Sir Francis Galton. It refers to paper and pencil data gathering method by letting the subject or respondent complete the questionnaire before the researcher or his representative, or it can be mailed Questionnaires have advantages over some other types of surveys in that they are cheap, do not require as much effort from the questioner as verbal or telephone surveys, and often have standardized answers that make it simple to compile data. However, such standardized answers may frustrate users. Questionnaires are also sharply limited by the fact that respondents must be able to read the questions and respond to them. Thus, for some demographic groups conducting a survey by questionnaire may not be practical. Questionnaire is also the most commonly used tool to generate data. Sometimes, it is called the survey form. TYPES A distinction can be made between questionnaires with questions that measure separate variables, and questionnaires with questions that are aggregated into either a scale or index. Questionnaires within the former category are commonly part of surveys, whereas questionnaires in the latter category are commonly part of tests. Questionnaires with questions that measure separate variables could for instance include questions on: * preferences (e. g. political party) * behaviors (e. g. food consumption) * facts (e. g. gender) Questionnaires with questions that are aggregated into either a scale or index include for instance questions that measure: * latent traits (e. g. personality traits such as extroversion) * attitudes (e. . towards immigration) * an index (e. g. Social Economic Status) Question types Usually, a questionnaire consists of a number of questions that the respondent has to answer in a set format. A distinction is made between open-ended and closed-ended questions. An open-ended question asks the respondent to formulate his own answer, whereas a closed-ended question has the respondent pick an answer from a given number of options. The response optio ns for a closed-ended question should be exhaustive and mutually exclusive. Four types of response scales for closed-ended questions are distinguished: * Dichotomous * Nominal-polytomous * Ordinal-polytomous * (Bounded)Continuous A respondent's answer to an open-ended question is coded into a response scale afterwards. An example of an open-ended question is a question where the testee has to complete a sentence (sentence completion item). What Are the Criteria of a good Questionnaire? 1. The language must be clear. 2. The content of the question must be specific. . The question should show singleness of purpose. 4. The question must be free from assumptions. 5. The question must be free from suggestions. 6. The question should have linguistic completeness and grammatical consistency. Questionnaire administration modes Main modes of questionnaire administration are: * Face-to-face questionnaire administration * Paper-and-pencil questionnaire administration * Computerized questionnaire administration * Adaptive computerized questionnaire administration

Depression

INFORMATIVE SPEECH OUTLINE DEPRESSION JIMENA VILLEGAS SPC1017 INTRODUCTION Hook: How many of you are going through depression? Or do you have friends and/or family members who are going through depression? Thesis Statement: Today I will talk about depression. I will talk about the background, the causes of this disease, the symptoms and finally, the treatment and prevention of depression. BODY I. Background A. What is depression? 1. According to Dr. Jane Doe from www. health. yahoo. com, â€Å"Depression is a mood disorder that makes you feel sad or hopeless for a period of time†.Dr John Doe states in his article, The People Who Suffer from Depression that â€Å"Depression can have a significant impact on the enjoyment of your life, your work, your health and to the people who care about you†. Depression affects people differently. Some people feel down for a period of time and others feelings come and go. If you have short term depression you are still able to work and take care of daily activities. But if you have a long period of depression and don’t seek any kind of treatment; you are more at risk of becoming even more depressed or becoming physically ill. B.How many people are affected by depression? 1. According to the health professionals at, www. nmha. org. com â€Å"Depression has affected more than 19 million American adults each year. And yet, the non-reported sufferers of depression cannot be estimated. Depressive illness often interferes with normal functions of every day life, as well as, causing physical pain for those who suffer from depression. Serious depression can destroy family’s lives as well as the person affected. A lot of people, who are depressed, do not seek help or treatment†. II. Causes of depressionA. According to www. psychlogyinfo. com, depression is often caused by a stressful life event, illnesses, or certain drugs or medication. B. Depression can be caused by a serious loss, relationship prob lems, and work stress, family crisis, financial problems, or any unwelcome life change. III. Symptoms A. Depression is more than just the normal, temporary felling of sadness and hopelessness. It has other factors that your health care professional can help you with. B. Dr Jane Doe claims â€Å"Depression has other symptoms†. Her article on www. harvardmedical. com, provides many examples of symptoms.Here are a few from her list: a. Depressive mood. b. Not enjoying the daily activities in your life. c. Problems concentrating. d. Poor memory. e. Having trouble making decisions. f. Changes in eating habits. g. Weight gain or weight loss. h. Changes in eating habits. i. Difficulty going to work or taking care of daily responsibilities. j. Slow thoughts and speech. k. Feeling guilt and hopelessness. Wondering if life is worth living. l. Thoughts of death and suicide. IV. Treatment/Prevention A. Depression is usually treated successfully with professional counseling and/or prescri bed medication.People with depression can be treated as outpatients or in some cases a person has to be hospitalized. B. According to www. health. org. com, here are some ways to prevent you from becoming depressed. a. Try to be with other people. It’s better than being alone. b. Participate in activities that may make you feel better. c. Mild exercise. d. Going to a movie, a ballgame, or participating in religious, social, or other activities that may help. e. Most importantly let your family and friends help. CONCLUSION Today I’ve talked about depression. I’ve given you the background, causes, symptoms, and treatment options available for depression.According to the American Psychiatric Association, at least 3 in 10 people will become depressed in their lifetime. That means at least 30% of you could suffer from depression. Even though depression is a very stressful and serious disease, we should always protect ourselves from getting it. Always ask your family and friends for help. They can be the most helpful people in your life. Get treatment as soon as you can. Remember your loved ones are there for you. Don’t hesitate. Depression is a very dangerous disease that can affect your loved ones, and especially Depression Depression is not only a state of being sad, it is a disease that conquers the ability to feel emotion, whether good or bad, whatsoever. Depression not only involves the mind, it also involves the body and thoughts. Depression is not a disease that only influences males or children of the age three to eleven. Every human being is prone to depression. Although women are three times more likely to become depressed than men, men are five times more likely to commit suicide when depressed than women.Although all age groups are open to depression, teenagers are the most common to be heard of being affected by the disease. This is probably because of peer pressure and the changes in their life. One great risk for becoming depressed is if you smoke. Some scientists hold to believe that smoking may be linked to Depression. Tobacco smoke kills off an enzyme that is responsible for breaking down a nerve cell chemical that activates pleasure seeking behavior. Most experts believe a combination of family history (your genes) and stressful life events may cause depression.Genes: people whose family members have had depression are more likely to go through a depression period. Life events are a major cause of depression for example the lost of a loved one, had a baby (depression after birth), recently divorced, constant stress, substance abuse, or any other life changing event. How do you know if you are going through a depression? Well here are some symptoms: Sadness and loss of satisfaction in things once enjoyed are probably the most known symptoms. But some symptoms are sometimes overlooked. Guilt is one symptom that coincides with depression immensely.When feelings of guilt are put on a person they lose what hope they once had. They blame themselves for things that they are not accountable for and have extreme feelings of hopelessness. Other symptoms overlooked are insomnia and loss of appetite. Not getting enough sleep may be linked to stress and guilt. Feeling hopeles s, worthless or guilty. Losing energy or feeling tired all the time. Having problems concentrating, remembering, or making decisions and one of the most important symptom is thinking about death or hurting one self.Depressed individuals have shorter life expectancies  than those without depression, in part because of greater susceptibility to  medical  illnesses and suicide. There are three different types of depression. Major Depression is the most severe case of depression that there is. The symptoms for Major Depression are just like any other type of depression. To be Majorly Depressed you do not have to have been hospitalized or medicated. Lots of people get depression confused with extreme sadness. Depression is not a term just to be thrown around; it is a evere state of being. The diagnosis of major depressive disorder is based on the patient's self-reported experiences, behavior reported by relatives or friends, and a  mental status examination. Typically, patients a re treated with  antidepressant medication and, in many cases, also receive  psychotherapy  or counseling, although the effectiveness of medication for mild or moderate cases is questionable. Dysthymic Depression is a low level of depression that lasts up to at least two years and in most cases longer.When one is diagnosed with Dysthymic Depression they are very resistant to treatment. Although Dysthymic Depression is not as severe as Major depression it is still very important. Dysthymics will usually undergo a Major Depression episode sometime during their dysthymic period. Bipolar Depression, also known as, Manic Depression, is yet another type of Depression. This type has very different symptoms than that of Major Depression or Dysthymia. The symptoms of Bipolar Disorder are having both very high and very low mood swings.When one has Manic Depression one day they could be extremely happy and the next in a very severe depressive mood. This change in mood can happen over hou rs or over a period of time. Sometimes depression can be avoided all together. Having a good home life and a high self-esteem would be primary for people not to be depressed. Although in some cases you are predisposition to have depression, little things do help. Talking about your problems and not bottling them up helps immensely to avoid emotional breakdowns and blowups.Avoiding extreme â€Å"stressers,† like putting yourself in a situation you cannot get out of, also helps. Avoidance of cigarettes and alcohol also helps with staying healthy and happy. Offer goodwill to others, learn to detach from thoughts, keep busy, avoid feelings of guilt, live a balanced life, don’t base your happiness solely on other people, have low expectations, don’t dwell on the negative, exercise, get a regular sleep schedule, have healthy meals, and a very important one is to talk to a rofessional like a counselor or psychologist. [pic] Facts †¢ Almost 10 percent of Americans have depression in a given year. †¢ Depression is the leading cause of disability in the U. S. for people ages 15 to 44. †¢ Depression is one of the most common and treatable mental health disorders. †¢ Major depression can occur in children, teens, and adults. †¢ Most patients who have depression can be effectively treated, and they can return to their normal activities and feelings. †¢ Depression distorts your thinking.When you are depressed, your mind can play tricks on you. †¢ Depression makes you selfish. It's very hard to think of other  people  when you're wrapped in a prickly blanket of sadness, and all you can think about is your own pain †¢ People don't choose to be depressed, but they do make a choice about how to deal with it †¢ Depression can be as hard on your loved ones as it is on you †¢ In the United States, around 3. 4% of  people  with major depression commit  suicide, and up to 60% of people who commit suicid e had depression or another mood disorder