Art: Birth of the Virgin

Description In Pietro Lorenzetti’s triptych, Birth of the Virgin, the artist’s gift for pictorial illusionism is clearly evident. The painting is 6’1’‘X5’11’’ in dimensions and painted with tempera on wood. Lorenzetti enhances the illusion by using various vertical lines as well as painting a column through one of the figures. This creates an illusion of extended space within the painting. Lorenzetti uses shades of red, brown, green, black and blue. The clothing of the figures are darker in shade compared to the background of the scene which is painted in tints of yellow and white. The contrast each other very well and draws more attention to the subject of the painting, Saint Anne. The strong contrast between the light and dark colors of the painting create a three dimensional illusion. Lorenzetti uses the tints of white and yellow to contrast the the wardrobe and appearance of the figures. The artist also used extensive shading on the wardrobe and curtains to add a three dimensional appearance to the painting. Lorenzetti was successful in creating depth within his painting for it shows the room as three dimensional rather that two dimensional. Overall, the colors truly create a sense of drama within this painting. The subject of the triptych, St. Anne, is in a reclining posture. There are three scenes within this painting. First, we see the child informing Joachim on the birth of his daughter. We also see women bringing gifts to the new mother. Lastly, the midwives attend to and wash the new child. The painting has two triangular aspects in this painting with St. Anne at its highest point and also the dome at the top of the triptych as another high point.

Siblings Love

Darius Dualuqua 9/6/2012 Fundamentals of Writing 098-125 WHAT IT’S ABOUT? The articles discuss the lifestyles of young college students loving and enjoying the pros and cons that come with living on campus and collage social lifestyle. It heavily speaks about the amount of hookups that transpire between both sexes on college campuses. It speaks about something that has taken uprising since the mid-1960s and had since grown into a big scene and has come to dominate the social scene on college campuses. Some of the main idea would be how the consumptions of alcohol dismiss the fear of inhibition and also lead to a risky sexual behavior.SUPPORT/MAIN IDEA The author gives us a lot reason why hookups are so rampant on campuses and what’s fueling that drive. In the article the author state and give several reason from what causes the hookup to the sexual drive that one gets when intoxicated. First the author provides us with a time back when a lot of these mistakes started to happen, back in the mid-60s when huge amount of students began living on campuses same sexes living in close proximity and alcohol started being part of the mixture.The author also gives us details in paragraph 5 what are some of the benefits into college lifestyle hooking up. â€Å"There’s no string attached between partners, hooking up is not just about sex, it also a way for student to find relationship after an initial hookup† also in the 8 paragraph, the author speak about how alcohol was a huge influence on a lot of the hooking up. Furthermore give students a reason to be out of control and make poor decisions saying â€Å"I was drunk†.ANALYZE This article is very important not just only to college a young freshman who’s looking into moving on campus for the fun of the social lifestyle of school but also for parents who have their child on college campus and don’t have a clue to what’s happening on campus. This article give us details on how this have become a huge epidemic and how the alcohol and hooking up on college campuses lifestyle have come to dominate the social scene on a lot of school campuses.This article has a lot of facts and key point that raises a lot of eyebrows on the college lifestyle that a lot of parents don’t get to see. However, the author give is some ideas in paragraph 13 that might be meaningful and helpful to solving this epidemic that has been going on for decades, however if this have been going on for so long, when will the administrators of our school system start to find an solution to these problems. I guess only time will tell. It will either get worst or someone will continue to write about the hookups and sexual assaults that are being fueled by the alcohol.

Development or environmental injustice Essay

What does it really take to experience development? What are the defining criteria for development? Is development quantitatively measured or qualitatively evaluated? What are the key indicators of a developing or developed country? The answers depend on the person’s priority and preference. The expansion of metropolitan areas has been referred to as urban development by those who are after the material indicators of development- high rise buildings, wider highways, more cars and more parks. For those who are concerned with the long-term environmental and health effects of urbanization, they call it urban sprawl. For the purpose of having a common point of reference, let me use 1Dr. Howard Frumkin’s definition of urban sprawl: â€Å"the complex pattern of land use, transportation and social and economic development. † This complex pattern requires the extension of urban areas to rural areas, and thus converting the latter to urbanized locality. Urbanization implies vast forest and agricultural lands to be converted to different land uses. Sad to say, the list includes recreational facilities and parks which, for investment and environmental considerations are to be of least priority. Extensive roads construction which provides spaces for suburban dwellers to drive a car just to buy a pack of cigarette in the next block, is not suppose to be of immediate consideration. Besides this qualitative indicators of poor urban sprawl considerations, there are environmental threats of urban sprawl that are needed to be evaluated and be given high priority by the development advocates, as it concerns life of the present and future generations. 2â€Å"Automobile has been a prerequisite to urban sprawl. † (J. E. Anderson) The most adverse effect of heavy reliance to automobiles is obviously air pollution. In the United States, 3about 25% of all trips are shorter than one mile of these, 75% are by car. Another related 4study revealed that only 1% of trips in the US are on bicycle and 9% by foot. Do these figures present impressive urban development rates for the US? I am afraid not because the Netherlands has 30% accounting for transportation on bicycle. These facts rather provide proofs that vehicles are the leading source of air pollution. Despite modern environmental standards, urban air quality remains to be greatly affected by the emission of air pollutants from transport. In the 5US alone, 30% of nitrogen oxide and 30% of hydrocarbon emissions are brought about by mobile sources. In addition, 5carbon dioxide emission, which is the end product of burning fuel such as gas, accounts for 80% emissions. Carbon dioxide is the major greenhouse gas, with global warming potential. Needless to explain, development should no be measured quantitatively, that is by the number of cars that are going to and fro the streets of the cities. Rather, development should be measured qualitatively, that how much does it contribute to the quality of life the residents are to experience when programs relative to urban sprawl are push through. Housing development is a part of urban sprawl, which requires forest fragmentation. 6Chet Arnold of the Center for Land-use and Research at the University of Connecticut said forest fragmentation occurs when â€Å"large, continuous forests are divided into smaller blocks, either by roads, clearing for agriculture, urbanization, or other human development. † This means that housing development requires animal populations in the cleared forests to be thrown out of their natural habitats. Destruction of natural habitats accounts for great loss of biodiversity, which results to ecological imbalance. I agree that man deserve to have decent life and part of it is having a more comfortable living. But humans are not the only residents of the earth. We also have to take into consideration the floras and faunas as part of biodiversity. Let us remember that earth creatures are dependent on each other. Humans, being given the capacity to think and understand over the lower forms of life should see things beyond material and short-term comforts that development brings. Urban sprawl in this context alone is clearly an environmental injustice. Water resources are not exempted from the list of natural resources that are directly affected by urban sprawl. As requisite of urban sprawl deforestation brings forth water pollution. This is besides the effects of pollutants that directly come from factories, sewage treatment plants and local wastes, which are typical to urbanized cities. Rainwater that runs through the deforested lands are not effectively absorbed and thus flows downstream. This process results to lesser groundwater recharge, then water supply shortage follows. Added to the list of negative effects of urban sprawl to natural resources are noise pollution, the heat island effect, soil erosion and the declining fertility rates of soils. The main point of all these is that urban sprawl is the root of many environmental injustices. Air pollution, deforestation, water pollution, soil degradation and the destruction of biodiversity are results of a chain reaction from a single step to what others refer to as urban development. What humans failed to do and still refuse to consider is the future. Development projects, of which urban sprawl is a major player, are focused on comforts and pleasures of today and shortly after tomorrow. The next generation should be taken into serious consideration. There are things that still can be undone, but there are things that cannot. Natural resources that were destroyed can still be replaced, but it takes a century to bring them back to where they used to be. By itself, there’s nothing wrong with development. What makes it undesirable is its planner to consider the future. REFERENCES 1. Frumkin, Howard. Urban Sprawl and Public Health. Public Health Reports. May-June 2002 issue. Volume 117. page 201 2. Anderson, J. Edward. Personal Rapid Transit and Urban Development. Retrieved from http://faculty. washington. edu/jbs/itrans/sprawl. htm on December 19, 2006 3. Koplan, JP, Dietz. Caloric Imbalance and Public Health Policy. JAMA 1999. 282. pages 1579-81 4. Pucher, J. Bicycling Boom in Germany: A Revival Engineered by Public Policy. Transportation Q 1997:51. pages 31-46 5. US Environmental Agency. National Emission Inventory. Air Pollutant Emission Trends. Current Emission Trend Summaries. Retrieved from http://www. epa. gov/ttn/chief/trends/index. html on December 19, 2006 6. NASA. Urban Sprawl: The Big Picture. Retrieved from http://science. nasa. gov/headlines/y2002/11oct_sprawl. htm on December 19, 2006

Supreme Court Week 6 #12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Supreme Court Week 6 #12 - Essay Example If precedence has been established, the Court is unlikely to change precedence. This is not to say that this never happens. Precedence is sometimes overturned as the make-up of the court changes and the interpretation of the Constitution changes over the years. The next idea is that of the judicial conference. This is an even t when all of the Federal justices get together and talk about things. The conference was established in 1922 and is made up of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court and a justice from each of the circuit courts. The purpose of this conference is to establish rules that Federal justices are to follow. The rules are largely procedural, but they can affect which cases the Supreme Court hears. A final way to filter cases is by looking back at the published opinions of Supreme Court justices and other federal judges. An opinion gives insight into why a judge ruled the way she did. This can be used to justify bringing a case to the Supreme Court if the opinion shows the ruling to be very narrow or biased in some

Pulse Magnetic Field Therapy and Phototherapy Essay

Pulse Magnetic Field Therapy and Phototherapy - Essay Example Pulse Magnetic Field therapy uses magnetism in order to elicit its therapeutic effect. Based on research conducted by Marjorie (p. 3), PMFT is quite resourceful when it comes to orthopedic and neurological treatment. The therapy works through the utilization of energy stored. Magnetic fields normally form around electrons that move through a given structure in a specific uniform direction. The energy usually involved result in a magnetic field when it is at right angles. Photo therapy, on the other hand, utilizes laser in treatment. In veterinary medicine, the commonly used phototherapy devices are light emitting diodes. These always come in two types namely; Solid state lasers and extreme brightness Led’s. , the solid state devices produce light when a certain voltage is passed through diodes. The frequency of the emitted light is highly dependent on the type of impurities existent at P-N junction. In regard to extreme brightness Led’s, these generate light also at the P-N junction; though utilize concave mirrors to reflect it forward. Light frequencies have an impact on its therapeutic use. We have blue, infrared and visible red frequencies. Differences in frequencies have an impact on light energy and the level of tissue penetration. In physics, higher energy is produced with the shortest wavelength. Pulsed magnetic field therapy and phototherapy carry clinical importance when it comes to the field of veterinary medicine in a number of ways. Current research affirms that bone growth factors have a role.

Can a well-supported public broadcast system still offer something of Essay

Can a well-supported public broadcast system still offer something of value Can content regulations begin to disentangle the m - Essay Example Such assumptions thrive on the notion that the promotion of the government agenda forms part of the policies of the public broadcast systems. However, case analyses have shown that public broadcast systems can still achieve a high degree of proficiency in delivering value in the ways that uphold professionalism and balance. Certain universal thresholds must be met in order for the public broadcast systems to achieve the element of objectivity and trust from the multiple stakeholders. Despite favorable policies and adequate funding, public broadcast systems have to engage with certain fundamentals that relate with the establishment of principles and attitudes that attune with the core values of media and broadcasting (Crook 54). The need to protect the truth and achieve objectivity in reporting enjoins these systems to bind their practices under certain obligations that cover the interests of all stakeholders. Impartial reporting requires the adoption of a range of policies that effec tively connect with the fundamentals of business as understood under the framework of change and development. Cases abound where public broadcast systems have resisted the pressure to conform into objects of manipulation by the government. Professionalism entails the upholding of the interest of the majority while still defending the rights of the minority. Well-supported public broadcast systems in parts of the world have played important roles in criticizing negative policies (Crook 19). These systems have demonstrated a capacity to keep checks on public systems despite the fact that they draw much of their financial support from such systems. For instance, public broadcast systems in the United States have been instrumental in providing critical analyses on matters of national importance. Such matters have included policies on homeland security, approaches adopted on the global war against terrorism, government policies on spending, and other factors that involve a range of issue s that connect with matters of national importance. In these roles, the broadcast systems have faulted the government on certain flaws in its approach. Such an approach to the practice of broadcasting restores balance, objectivity, impartiality, and professionalism in the field of practice. Public broadcast systems have provided forums for parties with varying perspective without regard to affiliations or stakes. Within the aspect of professionalism, including multiple parties in the determination of processes often aligns with the need to foster understanding and inclusivity across the board. Such strategies are meant to respond to the diverse nature of the society in ways that represent the interests of all. Such an approach offers value in the practices of the public broadcast systems in the sense that they avoid the temptation of sectional appeasement and deliberate misrepresentation of issues. In order to avoid the temptations of bias and prejudicial treatment, public broadcast systems should establish the margins of influence and cooperation in ways that protect the principles of professionalism and journalistic standards as understood within a universal scope. Content regulation plays an important role in determining the performance of the media in a variety of respects. Most significantly, regulating the content of media

Buiness Communication - Chariman's Statement Essay

Buiness Communication - Chariman's Statement - Essay Example Background Information Apple is a company that has a long history from the time it was started in the year 1977 to its current position in the market. All through the company has endeavoured to bring the best user experience to its customer through innovative products and services. Apple Inc provides hardware, software, services and internet services in the industry to satisfy their esteemed customer and to develop an effective IT front which is necessary in the development of the world economy. The company sells both manufactured products as well as third party goods. The organizational progressive growth for the last five years is a result of our committed customers and we expect to maintain this mutual relationship in the long term. Business Strategy Innovation has been a core competency strategy for Apple Inc. From the time when the Mac-OS developed its desktop hardware, the organization has strived to meet the demands of a dynamic IT industry. The organization has successfully d eployed recent competent hardware requirements in the industry. The iPad tablet series have formed part of its innovation scheme that has continuously improved portability, efficiency, hardware capacity and seamless technology that demanded in the industry today. The organization has ventured into research to develop it to gather the consumer tastes and to develop products that satisfy the consumers. The organization allocated $1.8 billion towards research in the year 2010 as part of its strategy to satisfy its customers through research driven innovative products and services. Effective leadership and teamwork has assisted the organization to successfully deploy this strategy. Products and Services The organization seeks to satisfy the market with modern IT hardware requirements that are up to the technology demanded in the market environment. The iPhone, iPod, iPad, Mac-computers and Apple TV have formed part of the organizations focus on the digital hardware in the market environ ment. In addition, the organization has developed its personal software products to satisfy the unique hardware requirements of its hardware products. The IOS and Mac OS have formed part of the operating system for the organization's products. On the other hand, the company has provided application software such iLife and iWork which are integrated in the Mac-OS are professional suites that are critical in driving business operations. Apple’s customer focus includes majorly the education sector, the enterprise, government and creative market environments. Market and Logistics Apple continues to enjoy a global customer loyalty that is reflected in our business turnover for the year ended 2010. In general, the organization reported an improvement in its sales over the last five years and the project is expected to be reflected in the coming years. The company is targeting more customers each year to ensure that it remains profitable in the long term. The competition in the mark et has become stiff with more organization pushing their business to international levels. Nokia in the mobile industry and Microsoft in the software industry have posed a tough competition for Apple. Research and Development The management team at Apple has future prospects to expand its business operation internationally and still

Trending curation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Trending curation - Essay Example Just like in tweeter, where we have tweets as message sent by people, pins in pinterest are shared images that people can pin on customized boards. Users have freedom to customize their own boards with their preferred categories such as car models, funny photos, or amazing architects just to name a few. The article titled, a guide to the new and fun social media for the starters http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/ explain how Pinterest works. Snapchat despite of being around for a year has gained much popularity among the young people where they talk of snapchatting each other. By the end of last year, Snapchat was rated number three among the most popular sites in Itunes free app. Snapchat offers an exciting and interesting way to share images with relatives and friends. The unique feature in snapchat is that the user has the control the amount of time the image can be viewed before it is removed automatically. The article on this link http://infospace.ischool. syr.edu/2012/11/29/what-is-snapchat/ best explains how snapchat operates. Do you think photo communication or social wordless have changed the way we communicate and how? Taking and sharing photos have greatly changed how we used to communicate, for instance, if a person text you wanting to know where you are, one can take a snapchat and share with the person, the photo will explain in precise where you are without additional details. In addition, some people have are shy to talk to people face to face , but social media allows these person to share their moments or thoughts through a simple photo. For instance, one can share a moment of his first-born child across the whole world, where people will congratulation and like the photos of the child electronically (Petrescu 1). How do these social networks ensure that the privacy of individuals is safeguarded? A person can only view your pinterest if invited which is very similar to following in twitter. One is required to register to receive invites or invite the person you know to see your pins. Pinning is a simple process that involves using a pin it button, easily drag and place the pin on the browser extension, click to the photo or image you find exciting and select it, then finally place the pin to the appropriate board with a descriptive text, and the pin is shared. Pins can also be shared via other sites such as Facebook and twitter in order to gain more audience across all networks. In snapchat, the image or photo shared can only be available to a friend for a time ranging from one to ten seconds. Photo captions using snapchat is very easy since it requires the user to tap on the screen or create a doodle. Photo created can be shared with one person or a group a group of persons. Snapchat automatically creates a best friend alternative by identifying the persons you have shared most photos (Petrescu 1). Which do you think are the most common features of photo communicating sites such as instagram and sn apchat? Sharing of photos is the main feature of wordless social, where the user can take photos within the customized app or share the already taken photos via the phone camera. All these social sites allow people to share photos to each other such as Facebook, tumbr, and twitter. Photo manipulation is a feature that allows users to modify their photos to their liking, one can add names and funny texts on the photo to make it exciting. Instagram, snapchat, and

Dining experience in a New York Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Dining experience in a New York - Essay Example The examination of Ninja New York is one which goes a step further with the services provided, not only for the taste and expectations in quality. This is furthered with creating a story behind the operations and management while displaying alternatives within the industry for those that are interested in the food and beverages. Examining how this particular operation has worked and the results which have occurred provide opportunities with those who are providing services in restaurants while examining challenges that this also creates. Analysis of Ninja New York The basis of Ninja New York immediately moves outside of the competition by creating a myth behind the food and beverages provided. The basis of this is to show a myth that is related to the ninjas in ancient civilization practicing until they found a secret and mythical village where they began to create magical and secret recipes. This main story line is able to build the main identity of the food and the approaches which are taken in the restaurant toward the food. The result is that the myth immediately creates a sense of curiosity and mystery toward the products provided while developing a brand image that stands ahead of other competitors that are also offering Eastern foods. The myth that is a part of this follows the understanding that the Ninja restaurant was already a part of Japan then was brought to New York. The result is the ability to create an atmosphere with the Japanese style of food. The restaurant does this by dividing the sections with the Ninja Village and the Rock Burn dining. This follows with the myth of the ninja, specifically with not making a mistake with the food otherwise one goes into the ninja chamber. These areas are designed specifically with the myth intact and to create an understanding of ancient Japan and how this relates to the food and beverages which are served. By doing this, there is an immediate expectation toward the quality of the food and the mystery whic h the restaurant has created behind this. The overall atmosphere which is created with Ninja New York follows with the expectations by the operations management to continue to create the atmosphere with the food and beverages as well as the presentation which one has. The training includes acting and moving like a ninja while serving others the food. There is also a training to study the menu ingredients, specifically because of the relationship to Japan that is created. The ninja food that is a part of the restaurant is based on having high quality food brought from Japan and which holds the same mystery and myth of the ninja concepts. The concepts include desserts, such as Ninja Art Desserts, including bonsai plants. The food and beverage continues with the right presentation and with being interactive, allowing the customers to move into the theme of the ninja arts through the food they are eating. For example, a dish made with crab and grapefruit has a sword in the middle. When this is pulled out, dry ice is released to make smoke. The ideas come from proposing creative ideas that move into the theme of the ninja, specifically which moves into the menu through a contest. The result is that the servers and chefs are able to become a part of the restaurant with the development of the food and

Maori Culture Essay Example for Free

Maori Culture Essay Abstract The Maori, which means ordinary or common, arrived in New Zealand in the 14th century. Polynesian by descent, they came from the mythical land of Hawaiki, believed by many experts to be a combination of places, including Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii and the Cook Islands. Upon arriving in New Zealand, the Maori dubbed the picturesque land Aotearoa, or land of the long white cloud. The Maori Culture The Maori like many other Pacific Islanders started their journey in a canoe. Living on an island afforded the Maori with a unique and diverse culture that is still evident in Modern day New Zealand. In the next few pages I will give you a brief glimpse of the Maori way of life then and now. I will discuss the belief and value system, gender roles, healing the sick and also the impact of Colonialism on the Maori way of life. There are three basic beliefs and values of the Maori. I nga wa o Mua, Whakapapa and Mana. I nga wa o Mu. Maori believe that ancestors and supernatural beings are ever-present and able to help the tribe in times of need. The Maori world view is to look in front of us to the past for guidance as that is where we came from. It was because of this philosophy that the Maori did not conveniently forget about the Treaty of Waitangi once it was signed. Through facing the past they can learn from past mistakes and not repeat them. This concept is totally reversed in other cultures, who try to encourage them to forget about the past and to put things behind them Whakapapa Whakapapa translated means genealogy. The Maori believe that everything and everyone are connected and therefore a part of their Whakapapa. Whakapapa includes genealogies of spiritual and mythological significance, as well as information about the persons tribe and the land he or she lives on. The Whakapapa is passed down orally in the form of stories. One of the most famous stories is story of the creation of Aotearoa. Aotearoa was pulled from the sea by the demi god Maui. Maui was the last of five brothers and was known to be clever. He hid in the canoe of his brothers and when they would not give him bait to fish he took his magical hook and slashed his face and smeared the blood on his hook so that his blood would attract the fish. Smelling the blood the god of the sea gave Maui his biggest fish. Maui asked his brothers to not cut up and eat the fish until proper arrangements had been made to appease and thank the gods for their gift. While Maui was on land trying to pull the boat to shore his brothers started to cut the fish because it started to move. That is why Aotearoa the fish and the mountains and the valleys are where Maui’s brothers tried to cut the fish. Mana According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Mana is â€Å"Among Polynesian and Melanesian peoples, a supernatural force or power that may be ascribed to persons, spirits, or inanimate objects. Mana may be good or evil, beneficial or dangerous, but it is not impersonal; it is never spoken of except in connection with powerful beings or things. The term was first used in the 19th century in the West in connection with religion, but mana is now regarded as a symbolic way of expressing the special qualities attributed to persons of status in a hierarchical society, of providing sanction for their actions, and of explaining their failures†. The Maori believe in three forms of Mana. The first type of Mana is the Mana that you have when you are born. This Mana comes from your Whakapapa and can attribute to the rank and status of your descendants. This Mana is not only the ancestor themselves but also the deeds that they did and the skills, traits and abilities taught to them by their tupuna (elders). The second type of Mana is Mana given to you by other people. Today there are people who seek Mana and deliberately go around trying to gain Mana by telling people about their own importance. There is a Maori saying: â€Å" The Kumara does not talk about its’ own sweetness.† But Mana seekers do exactly that. Humbleness is a very highly valued trait in the Maori world. Many of the great leaders are very humble people, hence part of their greatness. The Maori people sing their praises, thereby heightening their Mana. You will never hear the great leaders singing their own praises. It is not that they are trying to be humble; it is that they just are. The third type of Mana is Mana from the group. The best example I could come up with is the Mana of the marae. The marae is the sacred courtyard that you must be formally invited to enter for the first time. The marae is where challenges are met and issues are debated. When you stay on a Marae all are treated well and fed great food. When the visitor leaves they tell everyone about the great time they had thus increasing the Mana of the marae. If they tell everyone they were treated ill and unkind then the Mana of the marae decreases. Traditional Maori folklore focuses on oppositions between pairs, such as earth and sky, life and death, and male and female. From the time of creation the original couple, Rangi (sky) and Papa (earth) were locked in sexual union until the god Tane was able to push them apart and provide for the creation of human life. So as you can see opposition existed before the creation of human life according to Maori traditional stories. It then would suffice that opposition would exist throughout Maori culture. Premarital sexual relationships were considered normal for Maori adolescents. Both males and females were expected to have a series of private relationships before they married. When Maori females became sexually active, they were to publicly acknowledge this so that they could become tattooed. Tattooing marked their ritual and public passage into adulthood. It was also considered extremely attractive and erotic. Tattooing among the Maori was highly developed and extremely symbolic. Maori facial tattoos were created by two methods. One was by piercing and pigmenting the skin with a tattooing comb. The other was by creating permanent grooves in the face with a chisel-like instrument. . Females were also tattooed in Maori society. Female facial tattooing was known as ta ngutu. Designs were placed on the chin and lips. When it comes to sickness and healing in Maori culture things were very different before Colonization. In traditional times before the colonization of New Zealand, Maori saw science and religion as the same entity and believed that illnesses were caused by supernatural sources. Maori had a good concept of anatomy, physiology and the use of plants for healing; however there was an undefined distinction between the mind and body. Maori believed an evil spirit or a type of witchcraft would attack an individual to cause ill-health as a punishment for breaking the tapu (sacred restriction) of the family that the spirit belonged to. This type of illness was called mate atua (disease of the gods) since there was no obvious physical cause. The individual would experience pain, weakness, loss of appetite, malaise, fever and occasionally delirium due to possession of the spirit. When Captain James Cook colonized New Zealand in 1830 he brought with him, evasive plants and animals as well as guns, alcohol and diseases that the Maori were previously exposed to. New Zealand’s isolation meant that the Maori people lacked immunity to bacterial and viral infections that were common in other countries. The Maori found that their healing methods were ineffective against the new diseases and had to rely on the medicines of the missionaries. The effectiveness and popularity of the missionaries’ medicines assisted in the conversion of Maori to Christianity. It appeared to the Maori that the Christian god had superior powers and this attributed to the health and prosperity of the Europeans. The fundamentals of Maori society, culture, religion and medicine became strained as religion was involved in their everyday lives and many of their beliefs were based upon it. The people began to lose their Mana due to the shift of religion and the spread of Western knowledge undermining the tohunga’s ( spiritual leader) authority The downfall of the whare wananga (school of learning) was also due to conflict between Maori religion and Christianity. In 1907 the Tohunga Supression Act was passed due to concern being raised over the practice and safety of some tohunga. Maori healing was seen as ‘dangerous’ by Western modern medicine as it was not scientifically proven. The Tohunga Suppression Act was repealed in 1962 however this had little significance as some tohunga had practiced throughout the 20th century especially in remote rural areas of the country. Tohunga are still significant in current Rongoa Maori however modern tohunga have not been trained in traditional methods giving them a position of authority and prestige however they are still recognized as experts in their field. Many modern tohunga showed potential in their childhood by spending time with their elders and learning tribal and cultural lore. They then became an apprentice under an established tohunga to learn their expertise Current Maori healthcare is based on a holistic model that incorporates the physical, emotional, family and spiritual aspects of health. Each aspect must be treated or used to ensure full recovery of a patient. The current function of modern tohunga is varied. Conventional medicine is incorporated into the tohunga’s practice however traditional methods of karakia (chants) and inoi (prayer) are still extensively used. Native plants for medicinal purposes are widely used however application of uses varies between each practitioner. References 1. Franklin- Barbajosa, Cassandra. Tattoo: Pigments of Imagination. National Geographic News. March 7, 2008. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0412/online_extra.html 2. Maori.org.nz. http://www.maori.org.nz/ 3. Moriori. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9053755/Morior 4. The Legend of Maui. http://www.sacredtexts.com/pac/maui/maui04.htm 5. The Definition of Mana. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mana 6. Maori Colonization. http://www.heritagehistory.com/www/heritage.php?Dir=erasFileName=britain_11.php

Greek and Roman Houses Architecture

Greek and Roman Houses Architecture What are the significant ways in which Classical Greek and Roman houses differ? What can we learn about their households from these differences? It is important to remember that houses in the Classical and Roman periods need to be analysed carefully. Excavations carried out through the ages have had varying degrees of accuracy when interpreting the information that is gleamed from the artefacts. Allison describes how items are ‘decontextualized and says that very often sites have been removed from their situations before the context has been properly recorded (2004: 4). This needs to be taken into account when we compare houses and their included artefacts, and also how we interpret what these things tell us about the contemporary societies. While on the subject it is important to account for the fact that some items of less artistic merit may have been removed for museum collections and those that are even less interesting have been left in situ, this can provide an unrealistic interpretation of the site. While investigating the different types of housing I will be using several case studies, namely for the Roman topic I will be using Pompeii for examples. It is also important to remember that we have a lot more standing evidence for Roman housing than we have for the Greek housing. In evidence for Greek housing we have mainly floor plans whereas we have preserved sites such as Pompeii and Ostia (Italy) for the Roman contexts. This essay will not cover the remains of the houses but rather what the houses would have been like, and will provide a comparison between the standing structures, and is not intended to discuss the differences in preservation of the sites. Evidence we have for classical Greek housing is very limited. The structures do not survive like the examples we have of Roman houses that still exist. Although Pompeii is unusual it means we gain an undisturbed look at a society, and can explain a lot about the way of life. Unfortunately we do not have many well preserved sites for classical Greek housing so we have to get the information by thorough excavation of sites and extracting the information from the artefacts found. One example that is often quoted by historians in studies is Olynthus (Ault et al., 1999: 46 Adrianou, 2009: 5). This will be covered in this essay along with buildings from Athens (Goldberg, 1999). As there is less information for Greek housing than there is for Roman, making judgements on what the households were like by studying the housing is difficult. This essay will address housing from the two periods from the urban settlements of both cultures. The focus will be on urban settlements because there has been more research into these areas, therefore patterns can be more easily identified and more accurate conclusions may be drawn. Evidence for housing within the Classical and Roman periods is limited as mentioned above, however, this does not mean that studies have not been carried out, and interpretations of the evidence uncovered have been made. In Athens ‘a small number of houses that are badly preserved (Goldberg, 1999: 142) have been uncovered and the layout of several buildings have been surmised, especially those nearer to the agora (Goldberg, 1999: 142). In parts of Europe which would once have belonged to the Roman Empire there are examples of houses which are better preserved, for instance, Pompeii, which is a beautiful example, although not necessarily a ‘typical Roman city. This essay is to focus on these areas because they are areas that have been most researched and the discoveries made here have been analysed most thoroughly with reports being published on the findings. In Roman housing, when interpreting evidence of the use of rooms it is brought to our attention by Allison (2004) that rooms were labelled as they were excavated in Pompeii. This means that the name that has been allocated to these rooms is not necessarily the nomenclature given by contemporaries of the society. This has other repercussions, it means we cannot assume that the room was used for the reason that we assume from the name. For instance just because we label a room as being a dining room does not mean that it was necessarily used only for dining in. Sometimes rooms had a number of functions (Allison, 2004: 63). There is more evidence of some houses than others in Roman societies. For instance, atrium houses are much better documented than others. McKay also describes the Etruscans as having atrium housing. This shows some overlap between the Roman and Greek societies. But he attributes these techniques to the Near East (McKay, 1998:15 Palagia, 1998: 40). This is down to the fact that they are generally bigger than other houses. Due to this, it is true to say that in Pompeii they were excavated more carefully because they were distinctly larger (Allison, 2004: 29). Vitruvius describes how there were three types of atrium courtyards. One had a ratio of 3:5, another had one 2:3 and the other was 1:1 (VI.III.3). This is important because it shows there were rules to be followed when it came to Roman housing. Vitruvius (On Architecture) describes five different types of courtyard but also describes them and the precise measurements of the rooms adjoining these separate courtyards. This would suggest that these houses followed patterns when they were built; and that there was relatively little difference between them. Roman houses were built following more rigid guidelines than those expressed by Greek house plans. It has been described that Greek housing followed no pattern (Cahill, 2002), this is especially true at Olynthus where Cahill carried out a study on floor levels (2002), but is also seen in plans from houses in Athens. Figure 1 shows one of the houses from the north side of the Areopagus in Athens and is typical of the houses that have been exposed (Goldberg, 1999: 144). As shown, there is no central room which all of the others lead off from, unlike in Roman houses which have a central atrium which the other rooms open out onto such as the House of the Faun shown in Figure 2. Roman houses seem to follow more of a plan demonstrated in Virtuviuss On Architecture which describes the definitive ratios that rooms and courtyards have to be. Although the layouts are very different they have the similarity of both having a courtyard situated in the house. The function of this room in both societies varied, taking into account the time of day, year and what was going on in the house at the time. This is important as it refers back to Allisons point (2004: 63) which said that rooms often had a number of functions which could change. Goldberg also makes the point that this is the reason for moveable furniture (1999: 157); it makes it much easier to change the function of the room. Roman houses have a number of rooms which tend to be found in most other houses. For instance, they all have atrium which lead back into other rooms and generally speaking have a peristyle behind this. The atrium is where most of the business side of things would have been done. This means that private and public matters were kept separated. Alternatively in Greek houses men tended to have a room set aside but this was not necessarily at the front of the house and meant that business was dealt with at home some of the time (Goldberg, 1999: 142). Goldberg (1999: 155-156) also states that the courtyard of the house was the hub of activity. Everything passed through here; even though it may have been a female domain it was a way for husbands to keep an eye on their wives and all traffic through the house would have passed through here initially. This is important because it demonstrates mistrust in women, who were thought by some to be difficult to predict and generally difficult (King, 2005: 110). One of the main differences to be identified between the two types of housing to be studied is that Greek housing seems to have rooms that are gender assigned. This is not a theme that has been identified in Roman housing. It has been suggested by historians (2005: 231) that Greek women were more suppressed than Roman women, which Goldberg (1999: 158) argues may not have been true with the counter argument that women had some leverage and power over their husbands because of the dowries paid to their husbands at the time of their marriages (Goldberg, 1999: 158). What is not argued is that women had less power than men, was it then for this reason that men had different rooms from women? For instance, the andron was a room that historians have related to the male domain. It is thought that this was where symposia would have taken place (Goldberg, 1999: 149); however, this is not a phenomenon that is mentioned in Roman houses as having been something that was prevalent. Maybe this is d ue to the idea that women in Roman society were deemed to have had slightly higher standing than their counterparts in Classical Greece (2005: 231). Ault et al. complain in an article published in 1999 that ‘both artefacts and architecture are studied as isolated entities (Ault et al., 1999: 45), but what there has not been enough investigation into is the link between the two and what each one can tell us about the household as an entire unit. As alluded to above, the open areas within houses in both societies being looked at were busy places within the house. Within the Greek houses they were a ‘defining feature of Athenian houses (Jameson, 1990: 179) but also served a wider purpose, as a temperature control for the rest of the house and were a tool within the economic goings on of the society in that they ‘served as enclosed yards to ensure the protection of the household property (Goldberg, 1999: 144). The courtyards were considered to be the womens domain, although it was not unusual for men to be found here and it would have been used as a thoroughfare for male visitors wishing to get through to the andron (Goldberg, 1999: 147). It is only in more recent years that fewer assumptions have been made as to the value of each of the rooms. By looking at the evidence again historians are now better educated as to the functions of items of furniture and where they fit within rooms and what this tells us about the households and to a certain extent society. These gender divisions which have been described by Goldberg (1999) are not always as clear as it would appear, for instance, the spaces within houses which have been assigned to females are not actually marked archaeologically by ‘womens objects, like mirrors or jewellery boxes (Goldberg, 1999: 149). However this works in the opposite direction when assumptions have been made inaccurately about the function of certain houses just because there is a presence of one particular artefact, for instance loom weights. This is a topic also covered by Allison (2004) within the context of Pompeii, where inaccuracies were made about room nomenclature. The presence of loom weights does not necessarily presuppose that the house is a weaving shop (Allison, 1999: 70); it could be that there were just a larger number of looms within a particular house and the theory that they were mobile would mean that they could quite possibly have stored more than one or two looms in one household (Allison , 1999: 70). What it is more possible to assume is that the presence of loom weights in certain areas of the house, such as the courtyard, would suggest that these areas were dedicated to females (Allison, 1999: 71). In Roman society women would have done the weaving in the forecourts of the house as this was the ‘well-lit part of the house (Allison: 1999: 70). In comparing the houses from the two societies being studied it is clear that there are some spaces that one society demonstrates that the other doesnt. For instance, in Greek houses wells for water are frequent (Goldberg, 1999: 153); this is not something that is mentioned within sources on Roman housing. Neither did Roman houses include a room just for the purpose of male entertaining. Even the atriumwasusedby women for weaving (Allison, 1999: 71). It is perhaps also worth noting that from the sources included within this study there has been no mention of urban villas having a second floor. However, there are examples where houses are situated above shops such as in Ostia (Storey, 2001) and are raised off the ground. This is also difficult to verify within excavation reports purely because if the building no longer exists then there may be evidence of a floor plan for the ground floor, but no evidence of the second floor would remain. With studies like this one we encounter problems. To really investigate this topic, more research needs to be done which links the artefacts which are uncovered and what this can tell us about the household that they were found within. It is not safe to assume that just because an item was found in a room that this is where it belonged long term, an excavation is merely a ‘diachronic sample of debris reflecting patterns of use and behaviour over an extended period (Ault et al., 1999: 52), and this snapshot of the household may not be entirely accurate. Through the course of writing this essay it has been observed that conclusions are difficult to draw due to the nature of the material being dealt with. For instance, the irregular layout of Greek housing means that patterns are not easily identified as they are in Roman housing, there are of course similarities between them and patterns in the rooms that most often appear but there is no rigid layout which means we can predict what we will find, for instance, not all houses had andronesand some houses had second floors whereas others did not. Another fact to be taken into account is that a lot of the uses of these rooms is speculative. There is little evidence from primary sources from the time about the uses for rooms, so where historians have suggested a use for a room they are doing so by using the artefacts which is not always accurate (Allison, 2004). It is difficult to directly compare the two types of housing as the Greeks and Romans go about their housing in different ways, with the Greeks dividing the house into genders, something which does not happen in Roman architecture. This is a very limited cross section across the two societies and their houses leading to the conclusions being limited to urban houses and poorer houses may have been different again. This would be something to look into further. Therefore, ‘we remain woefully uninformed about many of the patterns of social and economic relationships within and between households (Ault et al., 1999: 44).

Development of Health Care Strategies and Policy in the UK

Development of Health Care Strategies and Policy in the UK Health and Social Policy Introduction: In this essay we will discuss the health care plans and objectives, beginning with the definition of health and an analysis of the Constitution of the World Health Organization highlighting which are the areas of health care policy that seems to have received greatest attention. Health relates to physical and emotional well being and this is emphasized even further in the British idea of a welfare state were health relates to social policy and serves as one of the most important areas of governmental concerns. The health care sector of the UK government represented by the NHS and department of health is discussed extensively with health care programs, implementations of change within the health care settings, modernization, collaborative working approaches and a general improvement of health care services being emphasized as essential to realization of a successful health care policy in the UK. We also discuss obesity and smoking related problems within this general context of health care and social policy to show how polices or administrative aspects are related to health care services implementation in general Defining Health and Healthcare The World Health Organization defines Health as a state of complete mental, physical and social well-being and not just a condition free from disease and abnormality. The Constitution of the WHO is given as follows: Source: WHO constitution, 2005 THE STATES Parties to this Constitution declare, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, that the following principles are basic to the happiness, harmonious relations and security of all peoples: Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, and political belief, economic or social condition. The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent upon the fullest co-operation of individuals and States. The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all. Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health and control of disease, especially communicable disease, is a common danger. Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to such development. The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health. Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people. Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples, which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures. Worldwide Health Policies: The legislative and administrative measures on health policy within the divisions of WHO are carried out by Health Policy Analysis Programme (HPA) which is now fully integrated into that of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. Among the Health policies, the Health Impact Assessment (HIA) program adopted by the WHO is a major opportunity to integrate health concerns into all other related policies. HIA influences the decision-making process, and addresses all determinants of health, providing a new direction for participation and empowerment in health related issues and decisions. The overall aim of health policies is to track the use of HIA and to evaluate its effectiveness identifying what are the factors that can help in successful implementation. Along with the Health impact assessment which serves as a decision making tool, the health targets are instruments that can facilitate achievement of certain health policies as they represent commitments of reaching or fulfilling specified outcomes in health care objectives within a defined time frame. Health targets have been identified by the member states of the WHO European Union and OECD countries as tools for both policy formulation and implementation. Health targets have been the focus of several health related discussions and have contributed substantially to national and sub-national health polices (WHO report on Health Policy, 2005). In order to maintain the effectiveness of health target programs and health impact assessment, the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies launched a three year multi-country project on the effectiveness of HIA in August 2004, and this was co-funded by the European Commission under the Public Health Programme. As far as the WHO Environmental Health Policy is concerned, most European countries have addressed national health policies through the national environment and health action plans (NEHAPs). The WHO reports that Poor environmental quality contributes to 25 -33% of global ill health. Environmental health policy involves collaborative working different sectors and ministries, and the policy-making procedure itself involves many stakeholders in the phases of planning and consultation (WHO report, 2005). One of the important health policies is the evidence on health needs and interventions (ENI) Programme at the WHO Europe committee which helps assure staff and programmes which uses available evidence in providing advice and recommendations to member states. One of the goals of WHO is to ensure that there is a link between potential interventions programmes or policies and improvements in public health for the primary areas of advice and recommendations. The ENI programme is an important part of the European Advisory Committee on Health Research (EACHR)and is a division of the WHO advisory mechanism on health research, the primary role of which is to advise the WHO regional director for Europe on priorities and policies for development of research. WHO/Europe defines evidence as follows: findings from research and other knowledge that may serve as a useful basis for decision-making in public health and health care. (WHO report, 2005) The ENI policy makes WHO/Europe accountable toWHOs Member Statesas WHO is expected to make use of best available evidence to provide advice and recommendations for health policies to member states and it would be unethical if WHPO could not keep up to the requirement. Health and Social Policy in the UK A Policy has been defined as: ‘The process by which governments translate their political vision into programmes and actions to deliver ‘outcomes’ – desired changes in the real world’ Modernizing Government White Paper (2001) See DH report 2005, Health Policy A more working definition for policy is as follows: â€Å"A course of action with general applicability, requiring agreement at ministerial or ‘top of the office’ level† (Professor Mike Richards 2003) See DH report 2005, Health Policy The Department of Health suggests a Policy is usually developed within complex systems and with many deadlines and pressures; the DH Policy Collaborative is a unique collaborative approach in which health professionals and administrators need to work within the constraints of this restrictive and complex health environment and despite this be able produce benefits to the teams involved. In this period when the Department of Health (DH) is undergoing major organizational changes the Policy Collaborative complements the downsides of organizational change through promoting learning of new and innovative ways of addressing health issues. With public demands up for a faster and better NHS and social service, and for improved levels of public safety, the health department is working towards developing the right leadership for the whole healthcare system and also to secure delivery (Stephens 2004; Castledine 2004). The different health policy teams involved in health care implementation plans in different departments and their foci of work are given below: Source: DH report on Health Policy, 2005 Policy teams involved in phase 1 of the DH Policy Collaborative Policy team Focus of the work as part of the Collaborative Envisaged distinctive learning Transplant team Policy regarding tissue banking and the development of EU legislation Working with the NHS and other stakeholders on a high-risk, esoteric issue with a European dimension Cancer team The introduction of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme Developing a bowel cancer programme fit for implementation, whilst taking account of the issues for symptomatic services Older people’s NHS/social care policy teams and workforce team To ensure the availability of an integrated health and social care workforce to help older people to maintain their independence Integration of workforce and service policy making and health and social care expertise NHS Standards team The preparation and publishing of statements of standards in relation to the provision of healthcare by and for English NHS bodies and cross-border SHAs Policy making around a ‘bright idea’ with urgent deadlines and devil in the detail Within the UK the NHS and Department of Health including the NHS executive set a national framework within which healthcare services are delivered and implemented. The health department uses several different policy measures and tools such as legislation, circulars and guidance, corporate contracts, financial levers and review meetings. Many national level departments and organizations such as the Audit Commission, Clinical Standards Advisory Group, parliamentary committees, the royal colleges and specialist associations, and the Mental Health Act Commission have an impact on research implementation (Klein 1989). As the DH reports, policy measures can have unanticipated consequences and can conflict with policy goals and their may be many obstacles to evidence based practice. There is a growing awareness for the need to identify solutions to problems within the NHS ad health policy initiatives and certain reforms on evidence based care also need evaluation. The aims of the DH policy for improvement of healthcare services are given as follows (DH report on Health Policy, 2005) †¢ To support the policy teams in reaching their objectives set within a specified time period †¢ To include wider stakeholder involvement in the process of developing health policy further †¢ To make implementation the primary measure of the DH policy making process †¢ To help project teams and wider stakeholders with handling of issues relating to implementation throughout the policy development process. †¢ To ensure a coherent, integrated set of policies supporting an agreed strategy. †¢ To take learning and experiences from the policy implementation programme and use that learning to develop an improved policy development and management process †¢ To improve ways of working and learning from experiences within DH †¢ To be informed of the ‘policy management toolkit’ †¢ To involve participation and support of colleagues in managing change in policies within the DH †¢ To develop measures that can demonstrate real progress of the ‘Excellence in Policy Making’ criteria set out in the NHS management objective. †¢ To give time for creative thinking and implementation of policies, testing small changes, using examples of best practice and achievement †¢ To be brave in testing new ways of working and striving for excellence in policy making and challenging the ‘status quo’. †¢ To take measured risks in the quest for continuous improvement in policies and to achieve an excellent policy. Health policy within the UK is incorporated within the concept of a British welfare State. The concept of a welfare state refers to government policies and objectives that strive for an ideal model of provision where the state accepts responsibility for providing comprehensive welfare in all areas to its citizens (Brown, 1995). Within the UK, the idea of a welfare state suggests government objective to provide its citizens with guaranteed minimum income, social protection and provision of healthcare and other services at the best possible level. The health care sector of the UK government is largely controlled by the Department of Health with the policy decisions taken by the DH and implemented in association with the NHS. The key elements considered within a welfare state framework are Health, Housing, Welfare, Employment and Social Security. Healthcare Management in the UK – Evidence and Studies Eccles et al (2005) suggested behavioral changes of health care professionals as an important factor of policy implementation. They write that routine healthcare is a haphazard and unpredictable process and the usefulness of results of implementation is quite limited. Their study explored the role of a theory based framework and suggests that some methods that could be used to operationalize the framework in the context of designing and conducting interventions which are aimed at improving the use of research findings by individual healthcare professionals or teams. This particular research aims o understand the importance of theory based research of health care services and emphasize on the role of behaviors and attitudes of health care professionals in successful implementation of health care plans. Cauchi (2005) highlights the challenges of integrated governance in the NHS with emphasis on collaborative and multi-agency working beginning from April 2005 and this according to him poses a challenge for all medical personnel with the nurses being given a leading and more responsible role in the management of clinical cases. Glen (2004) offers a wide ranging analysis and scrutiny of roles of professionals in the medical, nursing and healthcare sectors. Glen suggests that a coherent vision of the future is needed to shape the future of the health workforce and also argues that this requires moving beyond the presumption that medical reforms are primarily focused on shifting the responsibilities of doctors on to the nurses. The paper claims that the implications of changes in health care roles and the ability of existing professionals to function effectively in the future will require education, training and human resource investments which are supportive of these changes implied. The need to have a clear definition of competence and a national standard to practice has been recognized as essential especially as nurses work in acute critical care settings. A correlation between levels of practice, education ad remuneration has been suggested as important in management of health care. The author suggests tha t educational programmes for senior nurses should be in coherence with educational programmes required for modernizing medical careers. The paper also suggests that the NHS modernization agenda and government’s health services improvement require certain changes within the culture at higher educational institutions, professional organizations, workforce development agencies and NHS trusts. The NHS healthcare policy on obesity have made several suggestion on whether junk food advertisements should be banned (Patchell and Paterson 2004) to spreading awareness on the need to have a balanced diet (Price, 2005). A balanced healthy diet cuts down on risks of obesity, diabetes and heart diseases and keeps the citizens healthy and active if it is also combined with a healthy and active lifestyle and this approach has been taken up by the Department of Health to promote awareness and reduce health problems. For reducing other problems such as smoking, several measures have been taken up by the DH and NHS and these policies and initiatives range from community interventions using co-ordinated, widespread, multi-component programmes to try and influence behavior that would help in preventing smoking in young adults (Sowden et al., 2003) to effectively addressing tobacco control within health promoting NHS trusts as part of its network of health promoting hospitals (HPH) (Quinn et al, 2001). Conclusion: In this paper approached the problem of health and health care implementation program using worldwide and British perspectives of welfare and discussed related social policies and plans for implementation of these policies. We discussed in brief, the objectives of the WHO and the NHS, the different departments involved in a new collaborative framework of healthcare within the NHS, the aims of health care policy and the associated problems and obstacles in implementation of these policies. In this context we discussed specific cases of health care policies related to two major problems of obesity and smoking. We suggested along with evidential studies that maintaining modernized health care services and collaborative approach in the NHS are key elements of future health care improvement plan and also involve promoting awareness of the needs of an active and healthy lifestyle in individuals. Thus along with governmental efforts, individual awareness are key to better health and future well being and seem to form an obvious part of social policy. Bibliography Annandale, Ellen.  The sociology of health and medicine :a critical introduction /Ellen Annandale.  Cambridge :Polity Press,1998. Brown, John,  The British welfare state :a critical history /John Brown.  Oxford :Blackwell,1995. Inequalities in health :the Black report /Sir Douglas Black [et al.] ; edited and with an introduction by Peter Townsend and Nick Davidson.  Harmondsworth :Penguin,1982, c1980. Checkland K, Harrison S.  Policy implementation in practice: the case of national service frameworks in general practice. J Tissue Viability. 2004 Oct;14(4):133-6. Castledine G.  A nursing perspective on the new plan for the NHS. Br J Nurs. 2004 Aug 12-Sep 8;13(15):926. Cauchi S.  Integrated governance: is this the future? Prof Nurse. 2005 Mar;20(7):53-5. Eccles M, Grimshaw J, Walker A, Johnston M, Pitts N.  Changing the behavior of healthcare professionals: the use of theory in promoting the uptake of research findings. J Clin Epidemiol. 2005 Feb;58(2):107-12. Glen S.  Healthcare reforms: implications for the education and training of acute and critical care nurses. Postgrad Med J. 2004 Dec;80(950):706-10. Ham C J (1992). Health policy in Britain. Macmillan, London   Hayes J.  Time to change. Nurs Stand. 2005 Feb 23-Mar 1;19(24):78. Klein R E (1989).  The politics of the NHS. Longman, London   Dilemmas in UK health care /edited by Carol Komaromy  3rd ed. Buckingham :Open University Press,2001.   Health and disease series ;bk. 7  Previous ed.: 1993.   Lea, Ruth,  Healthcare in the UK :the need for reform : IOD policy paper /Ruth Lea.  London :Institute of Directors,2000. Price S.  Understanding the importance to health of a balanced diet. Nurs Times. 2005 Jan 4-10;101(1):30-1. Patchell C, Paterson M.  Should junk food advertisements be banned? Nurs Times. 2004 Jan 20-26;100(3):19. Quinn J, Sengupta S, Cleary H.  The challenge of effectively addressing tobacco control within a health promoting NHS Trust. Patient Educ Couns. 2001 Dec 15;45(4):255-9. Sowden A, Arblaster L, Stead L.  Community interventions for preventing smoking in young people. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(1):CD001291. Stephens R.  A new era of health care. Nurs Manag (Harrow). 2004 Sep;11(5):12-3. Stevens S.  Reform strategies for the English NHS. Health Aff (Millwood). 2004 May-Jun;23(3):37-44. Taylor RT.  Effecting change in the NHS. Hosp Med. 2004 Sep;65(9):568. Turner JJ.  The GMC: expediency before principle: GMC reforms may damage the NHS. BMJ. 2005 Jan 29;330(7485):252; discussion 254. Timmins, Nicholas.  The five giants :a biography of the Welfare State /Nicholas Timmins.  London :HarperCollins,1995. Ujah EU, Bradshaw L, Fishwick D, Curran AD.  An evaluation of occupational health services within the NHS in London. Occup Med (Lond). 2004 May;54(3):159-64. Wilson T, Buck D, Ham C.  Rising to the challenge: will the NHS support people with long term conditions? BMJ. 2005 Mar 19;330(7492):657-61. Review. Webster J.  Leading the switch to patient-centred care. Prof Nurse. 2004 Oct;20(2):20-1. Websites: www.who.org http://www.euro.who.int/healthtopics/HT2ndLvlPage?HTCode=health_policy www.nhs.uk www.dh.gov.uk – for DH reports http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAndSocialCareTopics/MentalHealth/MentalHealthList/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4031694chk=87%2BXMM

Comparing William Blakes The Tyger and The Lamb Essay -- The Tyger Th

Comparing William Blake's â€Å"The Tyger† and â€Å"The Lamb† William Blake is referred to as many things, including poet, engraver, painter and mystic, but he is probably most famous for his poetry. Blake began writing the poems below in about 1790 whilst living in Lambeth, London. His poetry has a wide range of styles but his most famous poems are those from â€Å"Songs of Innocence† and Song of Experience†. The two sets of poems are designed to show different states or ways of seeing. They are Blake's way of representing the different ways in which people actually experience the world. In â€Å"Songs of Innocence† the language is simple and repetitive, the lines are kept short and the rhymes are obvious. A childlike vision is conveyed through Blake's clever use of voices with their varying perspectives and questions. The poems reveal particular states of being and ways of seeing which the author is not saying are the whole truth. The poems have a joyful quality but they contain a subtle awareness of sorrow. â€Å"Songs of Experience† contrasts strongly with the softness of â€Å"Songs of Innocence†. These poems show how horrible and cruel the world really is under the surface of what we see. Blake has many themes represented in his poems from Song of Experience and Songs of Innocence but they mainly centre on his childhood, the aspects of rural and urban life, his protest against the horrible way of life and a strong disliking to the way the Church was run. These points will be discussed in the next poem analyses. â€Å"The Tyger† and â€Å"The Lamb† are often 2 poems paired together and I think that was Blakes intention, for example line 20 of â€Å"The Tyger† it says â€Å"Did he who made the Lamb make thee?† So these will be the first t... ...oem. There are many harsh words such as â€Å"cold† used to describe the church as it is but when he describes what he wants it to be the feeling of the poem becomes warmer, like that of a poem in Song of Innocence. From these poems I believed that what Blake means by â€Å"Innocence† is that of a simple life where you don’t know about the troubles around you and blissfully go along with life as it hits you. And from this, â€Å"Experience† is what life is really life, it concentrates on the negative sides of things and shows that there is always an improvement to be made. I personally find Blake's poems rather intriguing. At first when you look at one of two poems it is hard to understand the ideas that blake puts forward but after many poem analyses it becomes clear of the difference between Innocence and Experience. Blake must have been a very conscious man.

Critique of a Website Essay -- Website Design Analysis Essays Papers

Critique of a Website Web sites are just like magazines, newspapers, brochures, menus, or even directions on how to make nitroglycerin from house-hold goods, in that they all have to be put together in such a manner that whoever is reading or browsing over it will be able to clearly distinguish this from that. In this sense, a critique of any particular web site will have justification, while carefully considering also that this is an altogether new medium of information exchange. Now, all of this talk of togetherness is actually a general reference to basic design principles, such as color coordination, if color is used, text size, font choice/ style, art integration, accessibility, and just plain and simple design of the page. For example, it wouldn't be all that appealing to the eyeball if a page being viewed had all the text jumbled up in a corner, so small your eyes were bleeding by the time you figured out that it wasn't even worth the trouble. Darn. It's important to rememeber, especially these day s, that what you read is as important as how it looks. Have you ever tried reading an interview in a Raygun magazine? Kinda hard, right? Design totally for its own sake is nice, as art that is, and admittedly it looks cool. However, it's two in the morning and you're standing in line at the corner 7-11 trying to pay for your 40 ounce bottle of Kool-Aid, and you happen to see that your favorite MTV Pearl Crap-clone band is on the cover of this hip magazine and you go to read it, but you can't. It's not because to you failed elementary school three times in two years, but because the maestro in charge decided to get fancy with it and thought it'd be cool if he hid the text under a black box or likewise photograph. I like to loo... ...the misifits skull in the background. nice. http://www.lehigh.edu/~pj12/kubrick.html --clockwork orange... at times I wish I had those eye-lid clamps for some of my classes, that and bottle of visine, too. it's a nicely designed page, with lots of information on his films. I forgot he was the one who directed dr. strangelove, a personal classic of mine. http://www.ee.pdx.edu/~caseyh/horror/hellraiser/ --i'm a clive barker fan, so this one was an obvious pick for me. lots of information anybody could ever want to know about the cenobites and the hellraiser mythology. http://nw.demon.co.uk/barkerverse/ --the official clive barker web site... duh. I particularly enjoyed this site because it contained much information on him and plenty of graphics and pictures from his new movie, Lord of Illusions, and others. Besides, it was nicely put together.

Christine Adika

Directed by Roman Polanski, The Pianist is an outstanding, emotion-filled film which brings us back to history when the German Nazi invaded Poland. Basically, the film is all about the struggles experienced by a Holocaust survivor in Nazi-occupied Warsaw in Poland. The Pianist is based on the life story of a Holocaust survivor Wladyslaw Szpilman, played by Adrien Brody, who is also a talented Jew musician who belongs to the well-off family in Poland. The Pianist is an interweaved story of survival and complexity. The film also starred Emilia Fox, Michael Zebrowski, Frank Finley, and Maureen Lipman. The film started with Szpilman passionately playing his piano over a live radio recital—just while the German Nazis has invaded them; just when bombs are exploding and people are dying in the area. The Szpilman belongs to a family who lived a comfortable and well-off life not until September 1, 1939—when the German Nazi started invading Poland. The Jews of Warsaw was brought in a ghetto, including the family of Szpilman. While his family was brought to a death camp, Szpilman escaped and survived the brutality. He hid in an abandoned building. As he stayed there, a German officer who shares the same interest as his in music became his friend. The German officer became the one who gave him food regularly.   He lived underground until the Soviets arrived. Some say that Adrien Brody did not act well in the movie. They say that the actor did not display any kind of emotion that touched them. But I think Brody is portrayed his role well. Although, given with a relatively few lines in the film, managed to capture the emotions of  the viewers, I think. He exactly depicted the role as I imagined it as read the book. It was no doubt he won the Oscar Best Actor award. The music of the movie, which appeared to be perfectly chosen, enhanced the setting and the mood of The Pianist. One example is the Chopin, which he played during his live recital over the radio while bombs are exploding outside.   Chopin represented his passion for music. Meanwhile, the Nocturne in C-sharp Minor setting emphasized that the film is an historical account and. Its tone set the stage for the dramatic tone of the movie.   The â€Å"Moving to the Ghetto† song also enhanced the film. The Pianist was based on a book written by Szpilman right after he was rescued by the Soviets which was originally titled as Death of a City. It served as a diary of a Holocaust survivor in his days in hell. The film director was successful in bringing in to the viewers of the film the exact setting in the book. The film, through its cinematography showed the viewers the pain that the Jews had to endure. The plot of the film showed scenes as traumatic as the book had traumatic story in every page. The book was perfectly represented in the film especially the part that the Jews are treated as â€Å"parasites of the humanity.† Just how the book described the cruelty of the German Nazi, the movie flashed scenes which are, I must say, equally brutal as told in the book. The main character was also portrayed as how Szpilman appeared to be in the book. Watching the film is actually reading the exact book. It was like turning each page of the book as I witnessed each scene in the film. The film basically revolved around oppression that happened during the German Nazi invasion. I think tried to show the pains and the sufferings that one has to endure for him/her to liberate him/her fully from the oppressors. The film featured no heroic acts or anything that are usual in the protagonists of a film. It mainly told us a story of survival—even when almost alone. One worth noting in the film is the occasional use of metaphors and symbols to creatively present the message or the content of the film. One example is when he looked intently to his piano. The musical instrument that he once used to entertain and â€Å"allure† other people is now an instrument could signal death. The Pianist is definitely a must-see movie. The film is imbued with artistic substance while portraying one of the most brutal plights in history. The movie disdains Spielberg’s â€Å"Schindler's List† which provided a larger picture of a Holocaust and opted to focus on one individual who had experienced to be in the same situation. This choice made the movie more effective, I guess. Because I was able to understand feel more the situation during that time. The Pianist provided a magnified view of the Holocaust—and that made the movie more interesting. Focusing on one individual, I think, made the audience feel more the mood and content of the movie. More than a mere autobiography and an historical account, The Pianist is a magnificent work made by a cinematic mind. The two and a half hour viewing of the film might cause you to hold your breath due to the chaotic story with a brilliant portrayal. To say that the film is just an ordinary one and lacks twist and creativity is like saying that you don not understand the movie at all. The movie has a string of profundity that must be dug in for the viewer to comprehend and absorb the essence of the film. The movie is not all about winning and losing, hiding and seeking. Simply put, it is all about life death. Survival, that is. Reference: Internet Movie Data Base â€Å"External Reviews for The Pianist† 31 March 2007

What’s Cause of Poverty in Africa?

Introduction: â€Å"Poverty is a state of not having enough money to take care of basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter† (Audu). In another word, people do not have sufficient income to purchase enough food. Africa is a continent known for its deep history and rich culture but also know as a continent battling against poverty and disease (Audu). Poverty in Africa has been rising for the last quarter century while it has been falling in the rest of the developing world.Poverty doesn’t result from just one or two causes. The problem entrenched poverty is extremely difficult to solve because of different factors and all interacting with one another. Three main sections cause poverty in Africa are economic, political and external. Body: Economic: Employment is the main route out of poverty for poor people in an undeveloped country. The government does very little to create more jobs for African nations even with students that graduates from college can’t fin d work.With the unemployment rate increase, a lot of Africans have turned into armed robbers, blood money rituals, and secret cults organization, migrating outside Africa and turning into prostitution in order to survive. Therefore, the economic productivity is low but poverty rate is high. When leaders are not accountable to those they serve then there is a sign of corruption. Corruption both in government and business place heavy cost on society because it plays a major cause and a result of poverty. It’s because poverty can be fought in the presence of strong institution, and equitable distribution of resources (Collier).However, programs that designed to fight poverty in Africa are not fully implemented because the funds end up in the hands of corrupt individuals, who pocket the majority (Bartle). This emphasizes poor governance because those in authority have failed to apprehend the corrupt. Therefore, it requires a non-corrupt government to turn public income into human development outcomes and strengthening of business confidence, economic and social. Political: Social inequality starts from cultural ideas about the relative worth of different genders, races, ethnic groups and social classes (Bartle).According to Jeff Stats, in African history, apartheid laws defined a binary caste system that assigned different rights and social spaces to different races, using skin color to determine the opportunities available to individuals in each group. Base on this law it’s very inequality for people in Africa because people who are in low class will never able to change their level since they don’t have the opportunity and options to change it. External: With constant war and conflict in Africa makes it very difficult to farm, to work for living or earn money.It’s hard to start ordinary life because many men are forces to flee from their homes to fight for the war. This will make the continent’s productivity goes down and pover ty rates go up. Another factor that cause poverty in Africa is diseases such as malaria, HIV, and TB. When a member in a household is affected by any of those diseases there is very little resources are spent on treating the sick. This lead to people who are left behind with no resources to support themselves and the situation is worsened by poor health facilities.

Campbell Soup Case Essay

Synopsis The Campbell Soup Company has dominated the soup â€Å"industry† since the company developed a cost-effective method of producing condensed soup products in 1899. Throughout most of the twentieth century, Campbell was known as one of the most conservative companies in the United States. In 1980, Campbell startled the business world by selling debt securities for the first time and by embarking on a program to lengthen and diversify its historically â€Å"short† product line. Despite a sizable increase in revenues, the diversification program failed to improve Campbell’s profitability, which prompted the company’s executives to refocus their attention on their core business, namely, manufacturing and marketing soup products. Unfortunately, by the end of the twentieth century, the public’s interest in soup was waning. Faced with a shrinking market for its primary product, Campbell’s management team allegedly began using a series of questionable business practices and accounting gimmicks to prop up the company’s reported profits. A class-action lawsuit filed in early 2000 by disgruntled Campbell stockholders charged top company executives with misrepresenting Campbell’s operating results in the late 1990s. The principal allegation was that the executives had used a variety of methods to inflate the company’s revenues, gross margins, and profits during that time frame. Eventually, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Campbell’s independent audit firm, was named as a co-defendant in the case. The plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit claimed that PwC had recklessly audited Campbell, which effectively allowed Campbell’s executives to continue their illicit schemes. This case examines the allegations filed against PwC by Campbell’s stockholders with the primary purpose of illustrating the audit objectives and procedures that can and should be applied to a client’s revenue and revenue-related accounts. The case also provides students with important insights on how the Private  Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 has affected auditors’ civil liability in lawsuits filed under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. Campbell Soup Company–Key Facts 1.During much of its history, Campbell Soup was known as one of the most conservative large companies in the U.S. economy. 2. Campbell’s conservative corporate culture abruptly changed in the 1980s when the company sold debt securities for the first time and embarked on an ambitious program to diversify and expand its product line. 3.In the late 1990s, after the diversification program had produced disappointing financial results and when market data indicated that the public’s interest in soup was waning, Campbell executives allegedly began using several illicit methods to meet Wall Street’s earnings targets for the company. 4.A class-action lawsuit filed in 2000 charged that Campbell had offered customers large, period-ending discounts to artificially inflate sales, accounted improperly for those discounts, recorded bogus sales, and failed to record appropriate reserves for anticipated sales returns. 5.PwC, Campbell’s audit firm, was named as a defendant in the class-action lawsuit and was charged with recklessly auditing Campbell’s financial statements. 6.Because the class-action lawsuit was filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the federal judge presiding over the case had to decide whether the allegations involving PwC satisfied the new â€Å"pleading standard† established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. 7.The PSLRA’s pleading standard requires plaintiffs to plead or allege facts  suggesting that there is a â€Å"strong inference of scienter† on the part of a given defendant. 8.To satisfy the PSLRA pleading standard in the Third Circuit of the U.S. District Court in which the Campbell lawsuit was filed, a plaintiff, at a minimum, must allege that the given defendant acted with â€Å"recklessness.† 9.After reviewing PwC’s audit workpapers, the federal judge ruled that the plaintiffs had failed to satisfy the PSLRA pleading standard, which resulted in PwC being dismissed as a defendant in the case. 10.In February 2003, Campbell settled the class-action lawsuit by agreeing to pay the plaintiffs $35 million, although company executives denied any wrongdoing. Instructional Objectives 1.To demonstrate that even the largest and highest profile audit clients can pose significant audit risks. 2.To identify discretionary business practices and accounting â€Å"gimmicks† that can be used to distort a company’s reported operating results. 3.To identify audit procedures that should be applied to a client’s sales and sales-related accounts. 4.To examine the implications that the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 has for the civil liability of independent auditors in lawsuits filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. 5.To examine the concepts of recklessness and negligence in the context of auditors’ civil liability. Suggestions for Use The â€Å"high-risk† accounts that are the focus of this case are sales and sales-related accounts. This case focuses students’ attention on schemes that companies can use to enhance their reported operating results. These schemes involve both â€Å"discretionary† business practices and accounting gimmicks. Auditing textbooks generally ignore the fact that audit clients often manage or manipulate their reported profits by using discretionary business practices—such as delaying advertising or maintenance expenditures. This case requires students to address this possibility and consider the resulting audit implications. After discussing this case, I hope my students recognize that companies that use discretionary business practices to â€Å"rig† their profits are likely inclined to use accounting gimmicks for the same purpose. As an out-of-class assignment, you might ask students to find in the business press recent examples of companies that have attempted to manage their earnings without violating any accounting or financial reporting rules. Have students present these examples and then discuss them when addressing case question No. 1. I think you will find that students have very different opinions on whether it is ethical for public companies to â€Å"massage† their income statement data while complying with the technical requirements of GAAP. You might consider packaging this case with the Health Management, Inc., case (Case 1.4). The Health Management case provides a general discussion of the PSLRA. The Campbell Soup case contributes to students’ understanding of the PSLRA by examining in more depth the â€Å"pleading standard† established by that federal statute and the impact that standard has on lawsuits filed against auditors under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Suggested Solutions to Case Questions 1.Here are a few examples of discretionary business practices that corporate executives can use to influence their company’s revenues and/or expenses. ââ€" ºDeferring advertising, maintenance, or other discretionary expenditures until the following period. ââ€" ºSlowing down (or accelerating) work on long-term construction projects or contracts for which the percentage-of-completion accounting method is used to recognize revenue. ââ€" ºUsing economic incentives to stimulate sales near the end of an accounting period (a technique used by Campbell). Are the practices just listed â€Å"ethical†? Typically, students suggest that since these practices do not violate any laws, GAAP, or other â€Å"black and white† rules, the practices cannot be considered â€Å"unethical†Ã¢â‚¬â€a roundabout way of arguing that they are ethical. That general point-of-view seems consistent with the following comment that Judge Irenas made regarding Campbell’s period-ending â€Å"trade loading:† â€Å"There is nothing inherently improper in pressing for sales to be made earlier than in the normal course . . . there may be any number of legitimate reasons for attempting to achieve sales earlier.† For what it is worth, I believe that corporate executives who defer needed maintenance expenses or who postpone advertising programs that would likely produce sizable sales in future periods are not acting in the best interests of their stockholders. In other words, I do not believe such practices are proper or â€Å"ethical.† Likewise, corporate executives who take advantage of the inherent flexibility of the percentage-of-completion accounting method, ostensibly to serve their own economic interests, are not individuals who I would want serving as stewards of my investments. In my view, it is a little more difficult to characterize the â€Å"trade loading† practices of Campbell as unethical. Why? Because, allegedly, the company’s competitors were using the same practice. If Campbell chose not to offer large, period-ending discounts to their customers, the company would likely have lost sales to its competitors. [Note: Campbell’s CEO who resigned in 2000 announced in mid-1999 that his company was discontinuing trade loading.] 2. I would suggest that companies that use various â€Å"legitimate† business practices to â€Å"manage† their earnings are more prone to use illicit methods (accounting gimmicks, etc.) for the same purpose. As a result, auditors could reasonably consider such business practices as a â€Å"red flag† that mandates more extensive and/or rigorous audit tests. [Note: Professional auditing standards suggest that corporate executives who place excessive emphasis on achieving earnings forecasts may be prone to misrepresenting  their company’s financial statement data.] 3.SAS No. 106, â€Å"Audit Evidence,† identifies three categories of management assertions implicit in an entity’s financial statements that independent auditors should attempt to corroborate by collecting sufficient appropriate audit evidence. The third of these categories is â€Å"presentation and disclosure.† Included in the latter category is the following item: â€Å"Classification and understandability. Financial information is appropriately presented and described and disclosures are clearly expressed.† [AU 326.15] Likewise, one of the five transaction-related assertions is entitled â€Å"Classification.† This latter assertion suggests that, â€Å"Transactions and events have been recorded in the proper accounts.† Here are examples of â€Å"spin† techniques that can be used to enhance income statement data without changing net income: ââ€" ºClassifying cost of goods sold components as SG&A expenses to inflate gross profit on sales. ââ€" ºReporting items that qualify as operating expenses/losses as nonoperating expenses/losses to inflate operating income. (One of the most common variations of this â€Å"trick† in recent years has been including legitimate operating expenses in â€Å"restructuring† losses.) ââ€" ºTreating â€Å"other losses† as extraordinary losses to inflate income from continuing operations. 4.Shipping to the yard: Year-end sales cutoff tests are intended to identify misclassification of sales occurring near the end of a client’s fiscal year. Auditors will typically choose a small sample of sales that the client recorded in the final few days of the fiscal year and a comparable sample of sales that occurred in the first few days of the new fiscal year. Then, the relevant shipping and other accounting documents for those sales will be inspected to determine that they were recorded in the proper period. This standard test might have revealed the fact that Campbell was booking some unusually large sales near the end of accounting periods. Even though the shipping documents for these sales might have suggested that they were valid period-ending sales, a curious auditor might have  investigated the sales further. For example, that auditor might have attempted to determine whether the resulting receivables were collected on a timely basis. During the course of such an investigation, the auditor would likely have discovered that the sales were reversed in the following period or dealt with in some other nonstandard way. Accounts receivable confirmation procedures might also have resulted in the discovery of these â€Å"sales.† Customers to whom such sales were charged would likely have identified them as differences or discrepancies on returned confirmations. Subsequent investigation of these items by the auditors may have revealed their true nature. As pointed out by the plaintiffs in this case, during physical inventory counting procedures auditors typically take notice of any inventory that has been segregated and not counted—for example, inventory that is sitting in parked trucks. If there is an unusually large amount of such segregated inventory—which was apparently true in this case, the auditors should have inquired of the client and obtained a reasonable explanation. The old, reliable â€Å"scanning year-end transactions to identify large and/or unusual transactions† might also have led to the discovery of Campbell’s sales â€Å"shipped to the yard.† Guaranteed sales: During the first few weeks of a client’s new fiscal year, auditors should review the client’s sales returns and allowances account to determine whether there are any unusual trends apparent in that account. Auditors should be particularly cognizant of unusually high sales returns and allowances, which may signal that a client overstated reported sales for the prior accounting period. Accounts receivable confirmation procedures may also result in auditors discovering an unusually high rate of â€Å"charge-backs† by the client’s customers. In some cases, clients will have written contracts that document the key features of sales contracts. Reviewing such contracts may result in the discovery of â€Å"guaranteed sales† or similar transactions. Finally, simply discussing a client’s sales policies and procedures with client personnel may result in those personnel intentionally or inadvertently â€Å"tipping off† auditors regarding questionable accounting practices for sales, such as shipping to the yard or guaranteed sales. 5. Here are definitions of â€Å"negligence† and â€Å"recklessness† that I have referred to in suggested solutions for questions in other cases. These definitions were taken from the following source: D.M. Guy, C.W. Alderman, and A.J. Winters, Auditing, Fifth Edition (San Diego: Dryden, 1999), 85-86. Negligence: â€Å"The failure of the CPA to perform or report on an engagement with the due professional care and competence of a prudent auditor.† Recklessness: â€Å"A serious occurrence of negligence tantamount to a flagrant or reckless departure from the standard of due care.† After reviewing the definition of â€Å"negligence,† ask your students to define or describe a â€Å"prudent auditor.† Then, ask them whether they believe that definition/description applies to the PwC auditors assigned to the 1998 Campbell audit. Here are two hypothetical examples drawn from this case involving what I would characterize as â€Å"reckless auditors.† ââ€" ºA client employee tells PwC auditors that many year-end sales are â€Å"guaranteed† and that no reserve has been established for the large amount of returns that will likely be produced by those sales. PwC decides not to investigate this allegation because of manpower constraints on the engagement. ââ€" ºWhile reviewing receivables confirmations returned by Campbell customers, PwC auditors discover that approximately one-fourth of those customers indicate that their balances include charges for large amounts of product purchased near the end of the year, product that they did not order or receive. PwC dismisses this unusually large number of similar reported differences as a â€Å"coincidence.† 6.Here is a list of key parties that have been affected by the PSLRA. ââ€" ºInvestors who suffer large losses that they believe were caused by reckless or fraudulent conduct on the part of a given company’s management team, its auditors, or other parties associated with the company’s financial statements. At least some of these investors have likely found it more  difficult and costly to recover their losses because of the barrier to securities lawsuits erected by the PSLRA. [Note: Granted, the PSLRA has little impact on the ability of investors to recover losses in those cases involving obvious gross fraud or malfeasance by corporate management or other parties.] ââ€" ºSome parties have argued that the PSLRA diminishes the overall efficiency of the stock market. These parties argue that by making it more difficult for investors to file lawsuits under the 1934 Securities Act, the PSLRA has resulted in a larger portion of scarce investment capital being squandered by irresponsible corporate executives, which, in the long run, diminishes the strength of our economy and our nation’s standard of living. ââ€" ºGenerally, corporate executives have benefited from the PSLRA since it has reduced, to some degree, their exposure to civil liability. ââ€" ºAs pointed out in the Health Management, Inc., case (Case 1.4), the PSLRA apparently has not been very beneficial to large accounting firms. For whatever reason, in recent years, there has been a general upward trend in federal securities cases alleging accounting irregularities. Not only are independent auditors more likely to be named as defendants in such cases, the settlements in those cases tend to be considerably higher than in other lawsuits filed under the federal securities laws.