Introduction to Oboe and Bassoon

An Introduction Oboe and Bassoon By Marie A Rogers 300005290 Woodwind Techniques 1 1010-1100 Mr. Robinson The oboe is a soprano-range double reed instrument with a length of 62cm. Its wooden tube is distinguished by a conical bore that expands into a flaring bell. The modern oboe’s range extends from the B flat below middle C (b3 flat) to about 3 octaves higher (A6). The oboe has a very narrow conical bore. It is played with a double reed consisting of two thin blades of cane tied together on a small metal tube called a staple, which is inserted into the reed socket at the top of the instrument.Traditionally made from African Blackwood, also called grenadilla, the instrument is made in 3 parts. The top joint has 10 or 11 holes, most of which are manipulated by the players left hand. The bottom joint also has 10 holes, which are predominately controlled by the right hand. The bell has 2 keys that are not used very much by the player. Oboe History The baroque oboe first appeared in the French court in the mid-17th century, where it was called â€Å"hautbois†. This name was also used for its predecessor, the shawm. The basic form of the hautbois was derived from the shawm.Major differences between the two instruments include division into 3 sections or joints, for the hautbois, and the elimination of the pirouette, a cup placed over the reed that enabled the shawm players to produce greater volume. The latter develop more than any other, was responsible for bringing the hautbois indoors where, thanks to its more refined sound and style of playing, it took up a permanent place in the orchestra. Classical period brought upon an oboe whose bore was gradually narrowed, and the instrument became outfitted with several keys, among them were those for the notes D#, F, and G#.A key similar to the modern octave key was also added called the â€Å"slur key†. It was used more like the â€Å"flick† keys on the modern German Bassoon. Only later did French instrument makers redesign the octave key to be used in the manner of the modern key i. e. held open or upper register, closed for lower. The narrower bore allowed the higher notes to be played easier, and composers began to utilize the upper register of the oboe in their works. Oboe Reeds Most professional oboists make their own reeds since every oboist needs a slightly different reed to suit his or her individual needs.By making their own reeds, oboists can precisely control factors such as tone color and intonation. Novice players often begin playing on â€Å"fibrecane reed† which is made of synthetic material. Fibrecane reeds are much easier for the novice to control and take a shorter amount of time to ‘break in†, and usually last longer. After learning on fibrecane reeds, which are available in several degrees of hardness, a medium reed usually being used. These reed, like Clarinet and Bassoon reeds are made of arundo donax. Different types of OboesTh e oboe has several family members. The most widely known today is the Cone Anglais or English Horn, the tenor (or alto) member of the family. A transposing instrument, it is pitched in F, a perfect 5th lower than the oboe. The Oboe d’ Amore the alto (or mezzo soprano) member of the family, is pitched in A, a minor 3rd lower than the Oboe. A less commonly played instrument is the Bass Oboe which is an octave lower than the oboe. Even less common is the Hecklephone, which has a wider bore and larger tone than the bass oboe. Only 165 hecklephones have ever been made.Its hard to find competent players because of the rarity of the instrument. The least common is the mussette or (piccolo oboe), the sopranino member of the family (usually pitched in Eflat or F above the oboe), and the Contrabass Oboe ( typically pitched in C, 2 octaves deeper than the standard oboe). The Bassoon Bassoon is a member of the double-reed family, and generally plays in the bass and tenor registers. The b assoon plays most commonly in concert bands, orchestras and chamber ensembles. It is a non transposing instrument.The bassoon is generally made of maple, with medium hard types of wood, such as sycamore, maple and sugar maple preferred. Less expensive models are also made of materials such as polypropylene and ebonite, primarily for student and outdoor use. The bassoon is 4. 4 feet long. The bore of the bassoon is conical, and the two parallel bores of the boot joint are connected at the bottom of the instrument with a U- shaped metal connector. Both bore and tone holes are precision machined, and each instrument is finished by hand for proper tuning.The bocal connects the reed to the rest of the instrument and is inserted into a socket at the top of the wing joint. The range of the bassoon begins at bflat 1 and extends upward over 3 octaves. Bassoon history Earlier bassoons were called â€Å"Dulcian†. They two instruments are quite similar; they both have a double reed fitte d into a metal crook, obliquely drilled tone holes, and a conical bore that doubles back on itself. The origins of the dulcian are not clear, but by the mid 16th century it was available in 8 different sizes from soprano to great bass.Its primary function seems to have been to provide the bass in a typical wind band of the time. Early â€Å"dulcian† technique was rather primitive, with 8 finger holes and generally one key, indicating that it could only play in a few keys. The Baroque period was when the bassoon became very similar to what it is today. The man most likely responsible for developing the true Bassoon was Martin Hottorre. He was responsible for breaking the instrument down the one-piece dulcian into 4 sections (bell, bass joint, boot and wing joint).The modern Bassoon exists in two distinct primary forms the Buffett system and the Heckle system. Most of the world plays the Heckle system, while the Buffett system is primarily in France, Belgium, and parts of Latin America. Bassoon techniques The Bassoon is held diagonally in front of the player, but unlike the flute, oboe, and clarinet, it cannot be supported by the players hands alone. Some means of additional support is required; the most common ones used are a neck strap or shoulder harness attached to the top of the boot joint, a seat trap attached to the base of the boot joint which is laid across the chair seat prior to sitting down. To stabilize the right hand, many Bassoonists use an adjustable common shaped apparatus called a â€Å"crutch†, which mounts to the boot joint. An aspect of Bassoon playing technique called flicking involves the momentary pressing or â€Å"flicking† of the high A, C, and D keys by the left hand thumb at the beginning of certain note in the middle octave in order to eliminate the cracking or brief microphonic that happens without the use of the key.Bassoon Reeds Bassoon reeds, made of Arundo donax cane, are often made by the players themselves , although beginner bassoonists tend to buy their reeds from professional reed makers or use reeds made by their teachers. Reeds begin with a length of tube cane that is split into three or four pieces. The cane is then trimmed and gouged to the desired thickness, leaving the bark attached. After soaking, the gouged cane is cut to the proper shape and milled to the desired thickness, or profile, by removing material from the bark side.This can be done by hand with a file; more frequently it is done with a machine or tool designed for the purpose. After the profiled cane has soaked once again it is folded over in the middle. Prior to soaking, the reed maker will have lightly scored the bark with parallel lines with a knife; this ensures that the cane will assume a cylindrical shape during the forming stage. On the bark portion, the reed maker binds on three coils or loops of brass wire to aid in the final forming process. The exact placement of these loops can vary somewhat depending on the reed maker.The bound reed blank is then wrapped with thick cotton or linen thread to protect it, and a conical steel mandrel (which sometimes has been heated in a flame) is quickly inserted in between the blades. Using a special pair of pliers, the reed maker presses down the cane, making it conform to the shape of the mandrel. (The steam generated by the heated mandrel causes the cane to permanently assume the shape of the mandrel. ) The upper portion of the cavity thus created is called the â€Å"throat†, and its shape has an influence on the final playing characteristics of the reed.The lower, mostly cylindrical portion will be reamed out with a special tool, allowing the reed to fit on the bocal. After the reed has dried, the wires are tightened around the reed, which has shrunk after drying. The lower part is sealed (a nitrocellulose-based cement such as Duco may be used) and then wrapped with thread to ensure both that no air leaks out through the bottom of the reed and that the reed maintains its shape. The wrapping itself is often sealed with Duco or clear nail varnish (polish).The bulge in the wrapping is sometimes referred to as the â€Å"Turk's head†Ã¢â‚¬â€it serves as a convenient handle when inserting the reed on the bocal. To finish the reed, the end of the reed blank, originally at the center of the unfolded piece of cane, is cut off, creating an opening. The blades above the first wire are now roughly 27–30 mm (1. 1–1. 2 in) long. In order for the reed to play, a slight bevel must be created at the tip with a knife, although there is also a machine that can perform this function. Other adjustments with the knife may be necessary, depending on the hardness and profile of the cane and the requirements of the player.The reed opening may also need to be adjusted by squeezing either the first or second wire with the pliers. Additional material may be removed from the sides (the â€Å"channels†) or tip to b alance the reed. Additionally, if the â€Å"e† in the staff is sagging in pitch, it may be necessary to â€Å"clip† the reed by removing 1–2 mm (0. 039–0. 079 in) from its length. Playing styles of individual bassoonists vary greatly; because of this, most advanced players will make their own reeds, in the process customizing them to their individual playing requirements.

Oedipal Complex in the Tragedy of Hamlet Essay

How might the Oedipal complex factor into the tragedy of Hamlet? Oedipal complex Freud’s theory of stages of development for boys To describe a boy’s feelings of desire for his mother and jealously and anger towards his father Also thought boys felt they were in a completion with their father for possession of his mother His father is looked at as a rival They boy is observing his father in hopes of being like him or even better Those that carry on these feelings into adulthood are considered to have an Oedipus Complex During the Gibson movie Hamlet hates his uncle/step father; Claudius which Freud says is alright. Claudius is now the new king of Denmark We guess Hamlet would have taken the throne eventually if Queen Gertrude had not remarried. It seems like Claudius and Hamlet have built a rivalry and are in a competition for Gertrude. Because Hamlet feels like Claudius has taken his place next to Gertrude. One of the most controversial scenes in the Gibson movie is when Hamlet goes into Gertrude’s bedroom and confronts her about Claudius. He tells her not to have sex with Claudius (jealousy) He’s obsessed with the thought of his mother in bed During this confrontation there is a lot of sexual tension between the two The movie shows them passionately kissing What other comparisons can we draw between Hamlet and Oedipus? Similarities Differences Oedipus earned the trust of his people Oedipus acts on his actions How could one make the argument that the mother figure is the root of all problems in the play? What is the role of King Hamlet’s ghost in the play? How do you know that it is not a figment of Hamlet’s imagination? Why can’t Gertrude see it? Does Hamlet love Ophelia? How does one obtain power in Hamlet? Explain the importance or lack of importance of thinking and action. How do the Id, Ego, and Superego emerge in the play? At what point in the movie do you believe Hamlet crossed â€Å"a line of madness†? Does he come back? When? How is Hamlet being portrayed in the Gibson movie, the other movie, and the play? What other dramatic differences can you identity among the play’s text, the Gibson version, and the third version that you viewed? The biggest difference between the play and the Gibson version is that Fortinbus isn’t mentioned.

Assumptions, dependencies, constraints, exceptions example

Electricity Workstations to be used by the Department Chair and the Enrolment Advisers Users have knowledge in using web browsers and can understand and execute simple HTML functionalities. Students fully understand and comply with the pre-enrolment guidelines and procedures imposed by the department. Dependencies Maintenance and security of the website Website licensing requirements All information needed for the system is completely gathered Pre-enrolment guidelines and procedures must be properly disseminated External storage for back-up purposes Constraints The system is not connected with the ORACLE system. The system does not cover the pre-enrolment of regular students. The system cannot be accessed outside the university. The system does not set the time of appointment for the conditional student. It only reminds the student of certain details that he must remember for a smooth and orderly pre-advising. The system does not handle the approval of proposed schedule. The system does not handle the encoding of subjects. Exclusions The following statements specify what the system should not do: 1. ) The system shall not grant access to users that do not belong to the Department of Information Systems of the University of Santo Tomas. 2. ) The system shall not grant access to users who that do not have an account in the system. 3. ) The system shall not grant access to users who have not logged-in in their accounts. 5. ) The system shall not grant access to users if the given username and password do not match an account in the system database. 6. ) The system shall not accept users who try to register with empty fields in the registration page. 7. ) The system shall not allow conditional students to create a schedule unless he is accompanied by his parent(s)/guardian to sign a contract/waiver together with the department chair. 8. ) The system shall not grant access to students after the given time and date of until when they can send their schedule. 9. ) The system shall not allow unwarranted parties to view data that they are not authorized to see.

Listening Strategies Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Listening Strategies - Literature review Example Language learners were normally expected to develop their listening skills without any assistance, while the other three skills of reading, writing and speaking are given the necessary attention (Mendelsohn 1984; Oxford 1993). Second language learners were expected to listen to the target language all day and then expected to improvements in their ability to comprehend. This approach was described as the osmosis approach (Mendelson 1984) The arguments in relation to the importance of listening were initially voiced in the middle of the 1960’s. Rivers (1966) indicated that speaking can only be described as communication when it is understood by someone else and so teaching learners how to comprehend spoken words is paramount in importance if the aim of communicating is to be achieved. Thus, Hedge (2000) indicates that the literature relating to ELT has emphasised the point that listening skill has been taken for granted over the years. In fact, a number of second language teach ers have refused to pay attention to the significance of listening in facilitating the acquisition of a second language (Luchini and Arguello 2009). However, Nunan (1999) points out that listening has been treated as relatively important as it is the means by which the skill of speaking is attained. The incorporation of listening into a more modern set of guidelines, including functional language and approaches to communication was the main focus of the 1980’s (Morley 2001). This attention increased significantly in the 1990’s and this has continued into the decade of the 2000’s. Even though listening is now regarded as a critical aspect of language learning, it continues to be the least understood of all the processes (Osada 2004). Thus, Luchini and Arguello (2009) states that allowing students to answer questions after listening to tape-recorded material is not a means of teaching them to listen. In this regard, Hedge (2000) points out that the aim of answerin g questions after listening to recorded material is only for administering tests and not teaching second language learners to listen. This practice was found to have a negative impact on the ability of second language learners to communicate well in the target language. In relation to the neglect of listening comprehension in both research and practice, Osada (2004) indicates that even up to recently there has been insufficient research in this area. In fact, Nunan (1997) referred to listening as a Cinderella skill because it has been ignored in preference for other skills such as speaking. Listening is important in order to facilitate language learning as it facilitates a better understanding of the inputs. Osada (2004) also emphasised the complexity of the listening comprehension process. Anything that is said has to be understood at the same time as it is heard and so knowledge and skills necessary for doing so has to he used at the same time. In order to process the speech the c omprehension of the text has to take place at the same as the listening. Additionally, it has to be retained in order to have a better understanding of the speech that follows. Furthermore, it requires continuous adjustment based on previous knowledge and incoming information. This poses a problem for listeners as the space available to process the information is limited. Osada

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay - Term Paper Example Most of the time, this waste is hazardous and may cause detrimental effect to any living organisms, including human (Freedman, 3-9). One of the most common environmental toxicant includes the polychlorinated biphenyls or PCBs. PCBs are man-made organic chemicals belonging to a broad family of hydrocarbons. It was used in many industrial and commercial applications because of its good chemical properties like being non-flammable, high boiling point, chemical stability and good electrical insulating properties. These compounds are widely used for many applicants such as transportation and coolants. PCBs are also used as plasticizers in paints, plastics, and rubber products. It was first manufacture during 1929 but their use had been banned in 1979 upon determining its dangerous effects to both the environment and human health (Davis and Wade, 2-6). PCBs have a range of toxicity and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. These toxic compound s are considered to be persistent organic pollutant for it do not degrade easily and may remain for a long time in the environment. PCBs can contaminate some parts of plants and food crops. PCBs may also be taken up into the bodies of small organisms in that lake including fishes. These toxic compounds may bioaccumulate in these food sources and ingestion may have many adverse health effects in human with symptoms such as skin condition or changes in the blood which may lead to liver damage. Some food which contains PCBs can cause poisoning to the consumers. Moreover, some studies report the health effect of PCBs in children of mothers who were exposed to PCBs (ATSDR, 285-290). Hence, it is important to detect this compound in the environment to prevent its hazardous effect. One of these methods of detection includes the use of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay or ELISA Analytical Technique Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a biochemical technique which allows rapid scree ning and quantification of an antigen in a sample. It is used mainly to detect the presence of an antibody or an antigen in a sample. The ELISA has been used as a diagnostic tool in medicine and as detection or measuring tool of environmental toxicants. In ELISA, an antigen is affixed to a surface and a specific antibody is applied over the surface so that it can bind to the antigen. This antibody is linked to an enzyme, and in the final step a substance is added that the enzyme can convert to some detectable signal, which is most commonly a color change in a chemical substrate (Lequin, 2415-2416). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or (ELISA) analysis biochemical technique is used to measurement of organic contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls in an environmental sample. Performing an ELISA includes at least one or more antibody with specificity for an antigen. The sample, which has unknown amount of antigen, is immobilized on a solid support either non-specifically or spec ifically. The immobilization process occurs in two ways. One process is by the adsorption to the surface wherein a sample containing an antigen is adsorbed into an inert surface, usually a 96-well polystyrene well. Another process involves capturing another antibody specific to the same antigen, as in a "sandwich" ELISA (Lequin, 2417). The detection antibody is added after the antigen is immobilized, forming a complex with the antibody. This is usually done by washing the surface with a solution of a non-specific protein to block proteins

Large corporations, such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot, have been Research Paper - 1

Large corporations, such as Wal-Mart and Home Depot, have been criticized for driving mom-and-pop shops out of business. Is this - Research Paper Example Struggling to keep afloat, many have either sold their businesses, had to drastically change their business model, or have gone out of business altogether. While there may be some validity to the notion that large corporations are slowly causing the demise of small businesses, the American public can be seen as partly to blame for this modern day phenomenon as well. Fair Competition Many wonder if competition in the marketplace should be fair, or whether the business mentality in America should be seen as survival of the fittest where the one with the most customers and the biggest revenue wins. The free enterprise system prides itself on giving the consumer a choice. In addition, the system itself is designed to give anyone a chance of making it big, event if that means a large multinational corporation. To stay afloat, small businesses must adapt to the reality the big corporations are here to stay. There is, however, a way to remain competitive and for a small business to retain i ts place as neighborhood shop. There are current laws guarding against the establishment of monopolies in many Western countries, including the United States, but this does not preclude a given business from becoming so large that is squeezes out smaller competitors unable to keep pace. The reality is such that big businesses have more buying power and are often able to sell goods at a lower price than other businesses of their type, but of a smaller size. The fear, of course, is that once neighborhood shops are driven out of business, then large corporations such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart, will have little incentive to keep their prices low. There is also the feeling across America that the loss of the mom and pop shop will be like losing a part of American culture and its heritage. In order to determine how to save these shops, however, one must first come to a conclusion about what is really causing the small business to become a thing of the past in the first place. While small er businesses are at a comparative disadvantage, many scholars would argue that they could survive if they simply employ a bit more creativity and ingenuity into their business model (Bickle, 2012). Fair competition can be had between big and small business alike. The entrepreneurial mind is not limited by size. The neighborhood shop owner has the same potential to engage in creative marketing and loyalty programs to attract customers as the big business does. In fact, smaller businesses need far fewer customers to remain a viable player in the business world of a community than a large corporation does. As such, if a small business owner can become a bit more creative and enhance the visibility of their product, while providing a service that is superior to that of the big business down the street, the may be able to retain more than enough customers to keep their doors open. In the end, the business that can attract and retain enough customers to satisfy the goals set forth in its business model can position themselves to survive and weather economic storms. Some could argue that big business is in trouble today as well. Due to the large amount of financial and human capital that must be expended to keep a business such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart afloat, an uncertain economy brings about uncertain times for these companies as well. Recent years have seen the demise of such large retailers as Montgomery Wards and

The role of the rule of law in the criminal justice process in UK Essay

The role of the rule of law in the criminal justice process in UK - Essay Example In the British Criminal Justice System, divisions like the Crown Prosecution Sector, the police, the law courts and the prisons operate together to bring about criminal justice. In general, the three departments are mutually responsible for the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and its subdivisions. These three consist of (i) The Ministry of Justice, which is concerned with the magistrates' law courts, the Appeals Courts, the Crown Court, the National Offender Management Service, and the Legal Services Commission (ii) The Home Office under whose jurisdiction are the police (iii) The Attorney General's Office which is in charge of the Serious Fraud Department, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Customs and Revenue Prosecutions Division In ordinary circumstances, it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice to oversee the entire justice procedure (Roberson, Wallace and Stuckey, 2009). It is responsible for justice being meted out from the time when a suspect is apprehended, to t he time they are charged with a crime and incarcerated (if this is the result) (Schmalleger, 2009). The Ministry of Justice also plays a role in a felon’s probation process. The ministry is also expected to provide legal aid, and seek to decrease the chances of re-offending. The Home Office, on the other hand, is responsible for safeguarding the public from instances of crime, terror and other anti-social behaviours. The home office ensures people’s safety in order to facilitate investment and peaceful coexistence. It also promotes the acceptable level of tolerance that allows people to live with others from different backgrounds without there being unnecessary problems that come about through misunderstandings. This division is responsible for counter terrorism initiatives, safe policing and overall crime reduction strategies.  The Attorney General, who is usually assisted in handling these responsibilities by the Solicitor General, is the key legal counsel to the B ritish Government (McLeod, 2010). Both the Solicitor General and the Attorney General are responsible for making sure that all citizens uphold the rule of law.   The Attorney General also has additional public interest responsibilities such as committing to objecting to extremely lenient sentences that are given to serious criminals, as well as initiating proceedings in courts concerning the Contempt of Court Act (Zander, 2007). The function of the Criminal Justice System (CJS) is to bring all to justice by convicting and imprisoning the felons while defending the public. It is also in charge of investigating crimes and making sure that the perpetrators are held accountable for their crimes (Packer, 1968). The CJS also carries out other functions such as executing court orders, collecting fines and overseeing custodial as well as community punishment.   The main objectives for the CJS are:   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To enhance their efficiency in bringing crimes and their p erpetrators to justice.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To boost public confidence in the way the CJS conducts its operations   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To make crime victims feel that their grievances have been satisfactorily addressed by the Police unit as well as the CJS.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To constantly gather, evaluate, and make use of statistics concerning different ethnicities so as to identify irregularities in the distribution of responsibilities in the CJS.   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To increase the finding of criminal factors so that the public is made aware that criminals will not go unpunished (Sanders and Young, 2000). While not all the members of society are predisposed to crime, such a step will help in discouraging potential criminals. The Basic Concept Underlying the Rule of Law In the 19th and 18th British society, many individuals who belonged to the upper classes were not treated in the same way as the rest of the British citizens. If they committed any crimes, they had special government laws that would be used to judge their cases

Stress and Strain Physics Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Stress and Strain Physics - Coursework Example Strain is a measure of any particular change in the shape of an object while stress is a measure of the strength of a particular material. Because of this research problem, we will incorporate the concept of elastic modulus to help understand the problem and address the research question. Elastic modulus is a measure of the amount of the stress required to make a change in the shape of an object (Redman, 2006). The question of research The major research questions that this research seeks to investigate and address are the concepts and the basic terms of stress and strain. The research will also look into various types stress and the mathematical formulae and equations involved in understanding the concepts investigated. Finally this research paper will look into the stress strain curve. This research paper will help us understand the variability and relationship between stress and strain, this will enhance our ability to standardize the equations and the variables involved in the co ncepts of strain and stress. The main objective of this research papers is to shed light on the concepts of strain and stress and to address the relationship between the two terms. The equations and formulae involved are just to help us conceptualize and master the two concepts in addressing our research problem stated in the introduction above. ... On the other hand, strain is a deformation due to a twist of a solid due to the action of stress. This gives the extent to which an object is stretched due to stress. Hence strain in a product of stress or rather stress causes strain. As stated earlier in the introductory part of this research paper, we will look into various types of stress which will be elaborated in the subject of research area. Generally there are three distinct types of stress that results from subjecting an object to stress. If an object is compressed or stretched, that particular object is subjected to what we refer to as a tensile stress. If another object if put under a force a long a whole surface and the volume of the object is altered, then we refer to that particular experience as a bulk stress. Lastly, it acts tangentially to the surface and results into a twist of the object, then we refer to that as a shear stress (Tipler, 1995). As the major objective of this research paper, we are going to investiga te some of the major concepts of stress and strain that will help us as students to understand the two terms. Some of the major concepts that we as students may find challenging when learning about stress and strain include: Deformation of rocks; we often difficult for us to realize that rocks too get broken or bent. It is also challenging to realize the forces responsible for events such as faults and folds. This can be seconded by those who live in areas which are tectonically stable and have never experienced any such thing as tremors. If we have to understand the basic terms of strain and stress, we must therefore rise above this barrier because it will not be easy to understand the conditions and causes of deformation if we cannot comprehend the word deformation itself.

Poverty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Poverty - Research Paper Example The author uses various forms of language to define poverty, as well as convey the nature of poverty to the reader. She starts by defining poverty from a personal perspective and taking the reader through her suffering and the pain of her daily life. Her main aim is to make the readers experience poverty and view themselves in her dirt and poverty, doing so in order to make the reader grasp what world she is coming from. Through the use of imagery to expose the horrific and hideous world of poverty, she enhances her ability to make her audience question the stereotypes that they have of the poor. According to her, there are poor people in every country. Majority of individuals in the world are quick to stereotype Kuwaiti citizens as rich and multi-millionaires, whom all change their automotives on a yearly basis and live in villas (El-Katiri et al 14). While this is true and most Kuwaitis do live relatively well, there are, however, those Kuwaitis who are poor or underprivileged and live below the poverty line, relying heavily on monthly charity that they receive from charitable organizations. It is true that there are very few Kuwaitis who cannot manage a meal, whether foreign laborers or Kuwaiti nationals. However, while shelter, food, and healthcare are attainable with ease because of the welfare system run by the state, there are also charitable organizations based in and out of Kuwait that spend millions in order to make sure that the essential needs of Kuwaiti nationals are taken care of (El-Katiri et al 14). While this may not make sense given the relative wealth in Kuwait compared to other countries, it is also worth remembering that poverty is a major problem worldwide. In today’s world, poverty is an epidemic that has very few solutions (Parker 1). In fact, those who are poor in relatively wealthy countries are worse off compared to those in developing nations. This is because poverty is enabled by classification in these countries with class s tratification making it difficult to â€Å"spread the wealth†. These classifications may be based on individual behavior categories, cultural factors, political factors, economic factors, and social factors. These classifications contribute to poverty. Social class determines wages, which would be the variable that leads to poverty. Those families receiving lower wages are barely able to cater for living expenses (Parker 1). In this case, they do not have sufficient money to enroll for programs that will aid their children’s education. In Kuwait, as well as, other countries like Kuwait in the region, classification based on wealth and private property is not so important, especially compared to having the power, to access state institutions that are involved in distributing revenues from the oil (El-Katiri et al 15). Kuwait is a rich country where poverty is relatively low. However, there are still fundamental social divisions within the country. These divisions exist between tribal families that have settled for a while and those who settled in the country within the last thirty years. The latter group does not have strong and long established ties with the ruling class. In fact, most of them do not even possess Kuwaiti citizenship and are

Indian American Immigrants in the Golden Age Essay Example for Free

Indian American Immigrants in the Golden Age Essay Arthur W. Helweg is known as a Cultural Anthropologist and a Professor of Anthropology at the Western Michigan University, who studied the lives and stories of many Asian Indian Immigrants in different countries around the world which includes Australia, Canada, Great Britain, India and the United States of America (Arthur W. Helweg). Through his love and passion for the people with Asian Indian origin, he worked with different publications and has already written various books that feature the tale of many Asian Indian Immigrants around the world. He also co-authored the book entitled â€Å"Immigrant Success Story: East Indians in America,† which has been awarded with the Theodore Saloutos Book Award given by the Immigration and Ethnic History Society, as the best book on immigration history category in the year 1990. More so, he has also done co-editorial task wherein he has been chosen to be a part of the editorial team for the book series entitled Discovering the People of Michigan. The book entitled â€Å"Strangers in Not-So-Strange Land: Indian American Immigrants in the Golden Age† is regarded as one of the most brilliant works of Arthur William Helweg in his chosen field of interest in studying the narrative of many Asian Indian people around the globe who seek for better life and fortune outside the premises of their motherland. This book is also characterized as one of the apparent proofs that signify the dedication and excellence of Arthur Helweg, as a Cultural Anthropologist and an enthusiast of the Asian Indian struggles as immigrants in different countries abroad, more especially in the United States. Currently, there are now thousands of Asian Indians who are living in the United States. Synopsis of the Book In a sense, this book of Arthur Helweg presents his own account of case study regarding the narrative and struggle of many Asian Indians in the United States. For more than three decades, the story of these people has never been in the mainstream and almost regarded as nonexistent ever since they arrived in the U. S. However, this profound community of Asian Indian is regarded to be a group of immigrants with the highest educated members and known as the highest earning average family of any ethnic group in North America. Thus, theses Asian Indians are noted as valuable members and representatives of the latest type of immigrants arriving in the United States. In a sense, the author, Arthur Helweg, has focused more about the theme of immigration of these people in the United States. This book highlights the truth and facts about the narrative of Asian Indian immigration and how these highly educated and professionally trained immigrants vary and deal with different challenges and difficulties associated to the traditional concepts of migration in the United States. Thus, this book tells about the real stories of these people regarding their journey to the land of America and how they adjusted to the new set of laws in the United States, as immigrants and foreign people. This also highlights the case study of the author about the adjustments involved in creating a new line of respect between the Asian Indians and the Native American people. Furthermore, this reading also renders a clear overview about the historical narrative of the Asian Indian in the United States and how the Indian Diaspora becomes a global tribe, which has been all over the world. This also explains the origin of these people and how their homeland is being recognized, as these people continuous to create good recognition across their names internationally. With the fact that these people is now recognized as one of the well acknowledged group of immigrants in the United States, this book also highlights the real happenings as to how the ethnicity of the Asian Indian survived in a relatively new world and volatile nature of the United States. More so, this also depicts the apparent pictures with regard to the efforts and hard work of these people in laying the foundation of their ethnicity in the United States. The Critique From a personal point of view, it is of reasonable grounds to say that Arthur Helweg, as a cultural anthropologist, professor and author is indeed a master and specialist of what he does best, which is that of studying the narrative of Asian Indian immigrants in different areas around the globe, more especially in the United States, as evident in the excellence of this book. More so, this book is observable to be cohesive and reliable in presenting valuable and factual accounts of the Asian Indian ethnicity and their journey towards instituting their equal position in the American society. Starting from the fundamentals and discussing the significance of the main story, the writing style of Arthur Helweg for this book is indeed informative and at the same time profoundly entertaining, as he also incorporates most of his distinct humor in presenting and discussing some of the light aspects of the book. Though writing a case study type of book is a bit tricky and complicated to do, the author, Arthur Helweg, has done a good job in presenting a well researched and comprehensive readings with regard to the life and struggle of these people, as valuable refugees in foreign countries like the United States. The way Arthur Helweg highlights and reveals both of the minor and major issues that these people are experiencing in the United States, as immigrants, is really one of main factors of that has made this book cohesive and well informative, not only for the member of Asian Indian community in U. S. but also for the people who wants to know more about the narrative of these ethnic people. Relation to Class Material As for this book, the topic about ethnicity and race of the Asian Indian in the United States is what I really understand the most. As a part of the class discussion, I learned that though people from other countries with specific ethnicity or cultural background prefers to live and start a new in a foreign outside of their original home turf, they can still be classified as an individual according to their culture, as seen evident through their beliefs, actions and language. Thus, as for the case of Asian Indian, depicted in the book of Arthur Helweg, it has become more understandable that these people, though they traveled so far and miles away from their homeland, still remain as a recognizable ethnic society in the U. S. because of their cultural background and racial origin, which can never be easily altered though they are already living in a relatively strange world. More so, through the materials we have discussed in class, it made me understand better that racial inequality in diverse countries like the United States is one of the most significant and common issues as well as dangers that typical ethnic immigrants like the Asian Indian in the United States are facing as a group of people living a strange world. Lastly, it is of my well established knowledge that migration of different of ethnic group in particular country helps alter the cultural background and/or orientation by the people involved in the process. In the end, this book of Arthur Helweg, has helped me better understand the issues and facts as to how migration of different ethnic groups of people around the world is changing the world cultures and influencing the formation of various policies both local and international. More so, through this book, I learned that in the end, race and/cultural differences should not be the main basis from which one would draw the importance and superiority of ethnicity. Instead, people should value the worth of one another according to their abilities and help for the betterment of a given country, regardless of race or cultural background. Works Cited Arthur W. Helweg. 15 may 2009 http://msupress. msu. edu/authorbio. php? authorID=13 Helweg, Arthur. Strangers in a not-so-strange land: Indian American immigrants in the global age. California: Wadsworth, 2004. Miller, Barbara. Cultural Anthropology in a Globalizing World. Boston: Addison-Wesley, 2007. Profile of Asian Indians in the U. S. A. spindlepub. com. 15 May 2005

Disadvantages of IFRS for SMEs

Disadvantages of IFRS for SMEs International Financing Reporting can be referred to as a set of accounting standards developed by the International Accounting Standards Board which is applied when preparing the Financial Statement and Balance Sheet of a company. In providing a global framework, IFRS has its own specific goals of how public companies organize and disclose their financial statements. Definition of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) A small and medium sized enterprise (SME) is managed by self-employed people either in partnership or on their own. It tends to be companies that are independent. The definition of SME is different from one country to another, depending on how many employees that the companies have. According to Saleh (2006), Malaysias SME can be represented based on the turnover, size and activity of the company. SMEs criteria in Malaysia can be divided into three categories which are micro, medium and small enterprises and it has been classified into the contributions of the sectors based on full time employees and annual sales turnover. Based on Mohammad (2012), the definitions of SMEs in Malaysia as in year 2005 are as the table below: Definition of IFRS for SME IFRS for SMEs has been issued by International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) in 2009 (Goel, 2010). IFRS for a SME is based on the existing full set of IFRS, but it is customised to match the requirement of reporting and accounting in SMEs. It can also be defined as entities that publish general purpose financial statements for external users. The advantages and disadvantages of IFRS for SMEs There are a number of advantages and disadvantages in adopting IFRS for SMEs. One of the advantages in adopting IFRS for SMEs is enhancing the comparability of financial statements and improving access to international funding. Under IFRS for SMEs it uses different accounting method. As stated by (KPMG, 2010) the different in accounting treatment that IFRS for SMEs have which leads to less comparable than those that applying full IFRS and it can reduce the time as more entities adopt the standard thus the interpretation of the requirement in the standard become standardised. IFRS also can strengthen the SMEs position when negotiate with the credit institutions and when it has a positive effect that have on a credit ratings so this will reduce the cost of borrowing. For instance, the adoption of IFRS leads to an increase in equity ratio and revaluation of fixed assets. This is because IFRS information can help the SMEs in buying and selling goods or services to get new relationship with customers and suppliers in locally or internationally since the financial reporting has been standard by internationally. Besides that, IFRS for SMEs is less complex that has been simplified from the full IFRS. According to (Jayakumar, n.a), IFRS for SMEs has been simplified through the fundamental principles of full IFRS to make the accounting requirement less complex and also reduce the effort to produce the financial statements which International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) has removed some number of accounting option that have in full IFRS. In contrast, Accounting Standards Committee of German (2008) supported that the preparation of financial statement in IFRS for SMEs is time, effort and cost intensive that not all requirements and issues in the ED (Exposure Draft) IFRS for SMEs were carefully understood and correctly applied by the participants. This is because German is a tax driven in the financial statement rather than economically relevant values. Furthermore, some people suggest that IFRS for SMEs is not applicable to adopt and it should be rejected. For instance, based on Samujh (2007), New Zealand is not appropriate to adopt IFRS for SMEs because of balancing principles, practicality and politics might be difficult for the country to converge the standards with the global standards. The adoption of IFRS for SMEs will affect the current reporting regulation in New Zealand. Other than that, IFRS for SMEs especially in developing countries is difficult to manage because of some limited resources in that country. As mentioned by Bohusova et. al (2011), SMEs for developing countries is difficult to cope with typical SMEs challenges such as limited human resources and limited financial and the decision to adopt the IFRS is based on their economic growth, existence in the capital market and others. The disadvantage of IFRS for SMEs is it can create a possible confusion in the marketplace. For instance, in adopting IFRS for SMEs there is a relevant regulation that some country must to follow before or after the adopting such as in Germany, they are using tax accounting in their financial statement prepared by German GAAP. However, as stated by Kemp (2009), in Australia there are many issues that should be considered from the lawmakers in measuring the appropriate IFRS for SMEs that create two versions of GAAP which are full IFRS and IFRS for SMEs which make additional training, and transition issues between these two versions. Additionally, the accounting software is not consistent so the users should be educated in the new standard because it keeps changing. The financial statement must be comparable and clearly understandable so that it would be easier for the user to compare the performance. According to Miller (2010), the changes for accounting software and lending agreement will be required such as the changes in the new standard which need the users of financial statements to be educated and some company want to change their accounting firm that the company needs to find a firm that know how to apply of IFRS for SMEs. Overall, IFRS for SMEs is easier for the user to use instead of applying full IFRS. This is because, full IFRS will give a burden for the user as IFRS has become more detail and more countries have started to use IFRS since full IFRS is too complex to use. An arguments and debates in adopting IFRS for SMEs. Based on IASB, there is more than 50 jurisdictions decided in full IFRS must be compulsory by all the entities in the SMEs and when the full IFRS is adequate for all entities, then the IFRS for SMEs will be appropriate. In contrast with Neag,R. et al. (2009) suggested that IFRS for SMEs is not compulsory for all entities. This has been proved by Deloitte (2013) that not all jurisdictions have adopted the full IFRS, the full IFRS is adopting only for the jurisdictions that do not have their own accounting systems. Other than that, as stated by Reilly (2009), IFRS for SMEs has more simplified standard that is appropriate for the bigger unlisted companies to follow and by adopting IFRS for SMEs can save amount of money for those who in unlisted companies that have adopted full IFRS. He also suggest that some argue that unlisted companies that are preparing the financial statement should be applied for IFRS for SMEs and the debate on this issues is the IFRS for SMEs standard needs some cost to adopt but it is too complex for small unlisted entities. As mentioned by Stokdyk (2010), he recommended that IFRS for SMEs was best suitable for the large and medium sized entities reporting under full IFRS. Moreover, some people argued that no one want an option in the IFRS for SMEs. This is because the countries not often to have an option in financial reporting. For instance, in German about 80 per cent German companies do not want to adopt IFRS for SMEs in their present draft form because they encountered difficulties when asked for the financial information for the German manufacturer that exports to the US and would produce information that prepared by German Commercial Code (Canham, 2008). When a countries change the financial reporting standards it will be difficult for the company to use the new standards. There is the other debate about the differential reporting that was an important issue in Australia. According to Faux (2005), in early 1980s, the differential reporting was an importance issue that the country should be considered when the accounting regulators were developing a framework for their financial reporting. The regulators focus on financial reporting that should be provide the general purpose information to the needs of wide-ranging of users who are unable to knowledge the preparation of the financial reports that was tailored to their own needs. As a conclusion, IFRS for SMEs is more appropriate for international demand especially for the developed and emerging economies which a common set of accounting standards in the smaller and medium sized enterprises is easier for the user to use than the full set of IFRS. Why choosing Malaysia in IFRS for SME? SME companies have an important position in the economy, most importantly in developed and developing economies. Malaysia is one of an emerging economy in Asia. Thus, Malaysia want to adopt the IFRS for SMEs in order to improve confidence in the accounts of SMEs, to reduce the cost that is involved in maintaining the standards since IFRS for SMEs is more cost effective to produce, and to improve the comparability for users of accounts of financial statements across different industries. History and regulations of accounting for IFRS and SMEs in Malaysia. In June 2005, the definition of SME across the economic sectors was approved by the National SME Development Council with endorsement from all the Government Ministries and Agencies as well as financial institutions that are involved in SMEs in Malaysia (National SME Development Council, 2005). In 2006, Malaysia was introduced two-tier reporting framework issued by Malaysia Accounting Standards (MASB) for the companies in Malaysia which are MASB had approved Financial Reporting Standard (FRS) for non-private entities and the Private Entity Reporting Standards (PERs) for the private entities with the objective to reduce the burden of private entities in the financial reporting compliance. Other than that, in August 2008, Malaysia had brought the Financial Reporting Standards (FRSs) into full conjunction with IFRS. As stated by (Malaysian Institute of Accountants, n.a), in 1 August 2008 the Financial Reporting Foundation (FRF) and MASB announced a plan to bring full convergence with the IFRS which is the full compliance with IFRS for the financial reporting system in Malaysia by 1 January 2012. Therefore, the plan that made by MASB and FRF create an exposure draft issued by MASB. MASB Exposure Draft 75 IFRS-compliant Financial Reporting Standards that was issued by MASB on 28 June 2011 result in the Malaysian financial reporting framework being standard with IFRS-compliant financial reporting framework. While in 2010, ED 72 FRS for SMEs has been issued by MASB. According to (MIA, n.a), MASB issued MASB ED 72 FRS for SMEs in 26 March 2010 for the SMEs in Malaysia to use by users that required to publish general financial statement purpose for the external users and do not have public accountability. Other than that, the purpose of IFRS for SMEs in Malaysia is to reduce the detailed requirements under the full IFRS for small entities since full IFRS is too complex for small entities to apply. In Malaysia, the IFRS for SMEs was issued ED 72 in March 2010 (MASB, n. a). Thus, ED 72 is identical with the IFRS for SMEs that was issued by IASB. IASB issued the IFRS for SMES in July 2009 (MASB, 2010). Generally, Malaysia is in the process in adopting IFRS for SMEs that is expected to be issued in 2013. The revisions of the IFRS for SMEs in Malaysia will be in 2015 on the any amendments to the IFRS for SMEs. According to IFRS (2013), during the first half of year 2013, Malaysia is expected to be issued FRS for SMEs and it will be effective for annual periods on or after 1 January 2016 of the new framework for the private entities. This means that, MASB is considering replacing the PERS framework in Malaysia to IFRS for SMEs in 2016. The relevance and appropriateness of IFRS for SMEs in Malaysia. As we know that, full IFRS is too complex to apply for small entities. Therefore, to make an appropriate for smaller entities, Malaysia needs IFRS for SMEs to provide self-contained in the set of accounting principles which is based on full IFRS. Malaysia makes a modification in IFRS for SMEs from the full IFRS founded from the needs of users in SMEs financial statements which is based on the topics that are not relevant to the SMEs, hence they will eliminate the topics and remove the choices for accounting treatment to make it simple. Other than that, they are also simplifying the methods for the measurement and recognition for the IFRS for SMEs. However, Malaysia has two frameworks which are PERs and MFRs. The problems occur when comparing these two frameworks according to current documentation and its interpretations. Since IFRS for SMEs is new to the reporting entities, the practices and interpretation of it must be develop from time to time. For example, the entities must considered for cost intensive when they want to change PERs to adopt IFRS for SMEs which they have to pay more to adopt a new standard in the entities. As stated by Yusoff (2009), the Companies Commission will come out in advance with some of the recommendations that have been made by Company Law Reform Committee in Malaysia including the introduction of a threshold before an audit is required. Normally, most countries do not have across the board audit requirements except for Malaysia. In Malaysia, the foreign investors and inactive companies must be audited so the auditors to SMEs would be valuable because this forces them to be independent and could refuse the business advice to fulfil the professional requirements. Other than that, SMEs have to face with tough competition in a liberalized environment and they need to produce quality goods at a competitive price in order to compete in the market. By having the changes to IFRS for SMEs would give SMEs in Malaysia to have more capabilities to face stiff competition in the market by having rational strong external financial reporting to make sure it access to capital is not compromised (Yusoff, 2009). When Malaysias SMEs react quickly of their global competitors, they will encourage the innovation and the regulation would change. Furthermore, the adoption of IFRS for SMEs has been issued by MASB and IFRS for SMEs can provide growing business which they required to apply full Malaysian FRSs. However, in 2011, MASB approved another framework for accounting in IFRS for SMEs. According to Farmer (2011), Malaysia has agreed to have a new accounting framework based on the Malaysian Financial Reporting Standards (MFRS Framework) approved by MASB on 19 November 2011 and it is applicable from 1st January 2012. Hence, Malaysian SMEs can choose either to continue to apply PERS or the new MFRS Framework. Therefore, the IFRS for SMEs in Malaysia is relevant since its accounting framework in IFRS for SMEs is separate from the full IFRS. Based on (MASB, 2010), at the international level, IFRS is separate with the accounting framework in IFRS for SMEs thus it is not affect MASBs IFRS convergence with policy in 2012 since Malaysia have the decision on whether to adopt the standard or not. In contrast with New Zealand, the IFRS for SMEs is uncertainty relevant in their countries because this country must bear the cost for implementing and maintaining in both full IFRS and IFRS for SMEs (Samujh, 2007). The stability of economy and political in Malaysia has created more investors to invest in Malaysia. This has been proved by Bernama (2012), Mustapa Mohamad who is the Minister of International Trade and Industry said that there were four SMEs from Japan that want to invest in agriculture, manufacturing and green energy industry in Malaysia which is some of them have bought land to start the operation in Malaysia. Malaysia also has developed infrastructure similar with other western country which lead for Malaysia to be a host of other services that result in this country to become a good place for the investors because of Malaysias economic and political stability (Malaysian Dutch Business Council, n.a). When Malaysia adopts IFRS for SMEs, the standard will be the same with international. Thus, it will be easier for the investor to invest in the SMEs in Malaysia since the financial reporting has been standardised. In Malaysia, the important contribution of SMEs is in terms of its economic growth, employment and exports. According to Ministry of International Trade and Industry (2013), SMEs contribute to the economy in terms of Gross Domestic Products GDP for 30%, for the total work force is 56.4% and in terms of total exports is 19%. SMEs play an important role in the economy of Malaysia in generating economic growth for the country. Other than that, the SME sector contains 99.2 per cent of all businesses in Malaysia (Ministry of International Trade and Industry, 2013). Finally, as a conclusion IFRS for SMEs in Malaysia is appropriate to apply because it is under control by MASB. As stated by Godfrey et. al, (2007), MASB has a fully responsible for the development of the accounting standards in Malaysia. They are also having the power to issue new accounting standards, make any changes to propose the accounting standards when it is necessary to change and others. Other than that, SME Corp was established in Malaysia to monitor and evaluate the application of strategies, policies and the development in the SMEs across all economic sectors (Hashim, 2009 pp.269-295). Besides that, currently Malaysia is an advisory for all SMEs in Malaysia and a central point as the reference information for the users in SMEs. (Total Words Amount: 2994)

Young Goodman Brown :: Free Essay Writer

"Young Goodman Brown" by Nathaniel Hawthorne tells the story of a man that is tempted by evil. He discovers that sometimes evil triumphs over good, and this makes a dramatic impact on his future. Brown lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with his family and community after he meets with the devil, which causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. "Young Goodman Brown" begins in the street at Salem village where Goodman Brown will soon leave to begin his journey. Faith, Brown's wife, does not want him to go on this journey as she says to him, â€Å" ‘prithee put off your journey until sunrise and sleep in your own bed tonight’ † (Hawthorne 310-311). Goodman Brown replies, â€Å" ‘of all nights in the year, this one night must I tarry away from thee’ † (311). The couple part and Goodman Brown sets forth on his journey. He is venturing into the woods to meet with the devil. This makes him feel guilty and he tries to justify the reason for his journey and lessen his guilt by saying, â€Å" ‘After this one night I‘ll cling to her skirts and follow her to heaven’ † (311). Goodman Brown heads down a â€Å"dreary road...† (311). He is then approached by his fellow traveler, who happens to be the devil. The devil had with him â€Å"a staff that bore the likeness of a great black snake" (312). The devil tries to convince Goodman Brown to continue down the path with him, but Goodman Brown declares that he kept his meeting with the devil and no longer wishes to continue on. He says, â€Å" ‘My father never went into the woods on such an errand, nor his father before him. We have been a race of honest men and good Christians’ † (312). The devil is quick to point out, however, that it was he that was with Brown’s father and grandfather when they â€Å"set fire to an Indian village† and â€Å"lashed the Quaker women† (312). These acts show that he does not come from a family of "good Christians" (312). When Goodman Brown's first excuse not to carry on with the errand proves to be unconvincing, he says he can't go because of his wife, " ‘Faith. It would break her little heart; and I’d rather break my own’ † (313). At this point the devil agrees with him and tells him to turn back and then points to a figure of a woman on the path.

Interest groups and politics :: essays research papers

Interest Groups and Politics As we approach the 2004 presidential election everyone is getting in line to throw their money into the Proverbial feeding trough that all politicians take from. Campaigns are made and broke depending on how much money they have to spend. Fundraising is one way for politicians to receive contributions from your typical everyday blue collar citizen, but where do the four and five figure contributions come from? They come from intrest groups and lobbyists. These are the people, companies, and organizations that control our government whether they admit it or not. Campaign are run by this money and their agendas are the ones that congress on both the state and national level. The best way to sum up how all this works is "You’re one of 435 ants in the House, and unless you’re on the right committee a lot of these people don’t even return your phone calls." — Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-Fla.), on raising money from PAC directors ("Speaking Freely, 2nd Ed." by Larry Makinson (Center for Responsive Politics, 2003)). Interest groups give what is called â€Å"soft money† to candidates; in return these candidates push the issues that the interest groups hold important. For instance, recently on 60 MINUTES they ran a special on the prescription drug companies and the government. It is shown that the United Sates pays double for medication what the rest of the world pays for the same thing. The reason this is occurring is due to the fact that these drug manufacturers are pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars in to these campaigns. Since 1999 certain legislators have received more then one and a half million dollars in campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. President Bush personally has received half a million dollars. (60Minutes, CBS News). It is quite amazing that if you look at the top 100 overall donators in 2002 that seven of them are the largest drug manufactors in the world, and the are all heavy republican supporters. On the same side to this is the insurance companies . They also give large contributions to politicians. In 2002, companies such as Blue Cross / Blue Shield, AFLAC, and Cigna, were all huge contributors to the Republican Party. Since the late 80’s republican have always been able to raise more soft money. In 2002 alone democrats raised 217 million dollars, while the republicans raised a whopping 442 million in soft money (opensecrets.

Civil Liberties Essay -- Government Politics USA Essays

Civil Liberties After September 11, 2001, in the United States of America, many aspects of our daily lives have changed. One notable change has been the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Many bills are being drafted to ensure the safety of the United States. We, as Americans, are going to have to sacrifice many of our civil liberties due to this tragic event. There are many good reasons why these bills are being drafted, but there are also negative effects such as the loss of civil rights. One particular bill being drafted is the USA PATRIOT Act. The USA PATRIOT Act puts the CIA back in the business of spying on Americans. It permits a vast array of information gathering on U.S. citizens from financial transactions, school records, Internet activity, telephone conversations, information gleaned from grand jury proceedings and criminal investigations to be shared with the CIA (and other non-law enforcement officials) even if it pertains to Americans. Most importantly, the information w ould be shared without a court order. While there is a need to shut down the financial resources used to further acts of terrorism, this legislation goes beyond its stated goal of combating international terrorism and instead reaches into innocent customers’ personal financial transactions. If the USA PATRIOT Act becomes a law, financial institutions would monitor daily financial transactions even more closely and be required to share information with other federal agencies, including foreign intelligence agencies such as the CIA. Section 358 requires that, in addition to law enforcement, intelligence agencies would also receive suspicious activity reports. These reports are usually about wholly domestic transactions of people in the United States, and do not relate to foreign intelligence information. In addition, Section 358 would allow law enforcement and intelligence agencies to get easy access to individual credit reports in secret. There would be no judicial review and no notice to the person to whom the rec ords relate. Through these provisions, the CIA would be put back in the business of spying on Americans, and law enforcement and intelligence agencies would have a range of personal financial information without ever showing good cause as to why such information is relevant to a particular investigation. Since September 11, Federal, state, and... ... at odds. Law enforcement authorities already have great leeway under current law to investigate suspects in terrorist attacks – including broad authority to monitor telephone and Internet communications. In fact, under current law, judges have rejected only three federal or state criminal wiretap requests in the last decade.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"This is a country that understands that people have fundamental God-given rights and liberties and our government is constituted to protect those rights. We cannot – in our efforts to bring justice – diminish those liberties,† said Sen. George Allen, R-Va., in a statement responding to the terrorist attacks. â€Å"Clearly this is not a simple, normal criminal case. This is an act of war, and those rules of warfare may apply. But here at home and domestically, we need to make sure that we’re not tempted to abrogate any civil rights such as habeas corpus, protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, the freedom of expression and peaceable assembly, or freedom of religion.† Sources Cited: 1. www.aclu.org, The American Civil Liberties Union, 2001 2. www.corpwatch.org, CorpWatch, 2001 3. www.msnbc.com, MSNBC Terms and Conditions, 2001

Meritocracy: Sociology and American Dream Essay

Peter Saunders (1990, 1996) has been one of the most vocal critics of the British tradition of social mobility research encompassing studies such as those done by Glass and Goldthorpe. According to Saunders, Britian is a true meritocracy because rewards go naturally to those who are best able to ‘perform’ and achieve. In his view, ability and effort are the key factors in occupational success, not class background. Saunders uses empirical data from the National Child Development Study to show that children who are bright and hard-working will succeed regardless of the social advantages or disadvantages they may experience. In his estimation, Britain may be an unequal society, but it is a fair one. In response to such claims, Richard Breen and John Goldthorpe criticize Saunders on both theoretical and methodological grounds. The authors conclude that individual merit is certainly a contributing factor in dterminng individuals’ class positions, but that ‘class of origin’ remains a powerful influence. According to Breen and Goldthorpe, children from disadvantaged must show more merit that those who are advantaged to acquire similar class positions. Page 303 Sociology 4th edition by Anthony Giddens 2001 Blackwell Publishing ltd Oxford uk Meritiocracy – A system in which social positions are filled on the basis of individual merit and achievement, rather than ascribed criteria such as inherited wealth, sex or social background. Pg 693 Schools and Society – info in blue book If the American Dream of meritocracy is our country’s promise, public education is what ensures that promise to all children. Education more than any institution is the system’s way of making certain that achievement is independently earned, not tied to one’s background. Pg 274 The American Dream does not guarantee that everyone will make it in America but it presumes that despite inequalities in their circumstances each individual will have a fair chance, an equal opportunity and no one will be unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged. Given that we are born into different families with very different backgrounds, the system must provide some way to balance our opportunities. A major role of the institution of education is to do just that it is supposed to level out what is an initially uneven playing field. Pg 274 Education was viewed as the Great Equalizer making the American Dream real, and also as the key to the dream. Education provides at least in theory a clear route to follow : ifi you work hard enough in school, then you can be anything, do anything, rise up to any level you choose. Pg 274 What was considered to be a â€Å"good school†? . Parents said that good schools had updated facilities and equipment, stimulating atmospheres and high-quality educational programs. They said they are safe, had teachers who are dedicated, small class sizes, computers, healthy environments and successful graduates who went on to excel academically and occupationally. Pg 277 Sociology making sense of society 4th ed – Marsh Keating Here we can see a continuation of Durkheim’s psotiivist approach, with its emphasis on description rather than criticism. Its implication that education contributes towards a meritocratic system (in which pupils’ educational achievements are based only on ability and effort† has been severelet challenged. As research has repeatedly highlighted the profound effects of social inequalities on educational outcomes.

Maslow and Taylor Essay

The maslow pyramid of needs symbolise a theory needs and motivations of the 40s by Abraham maslow this pyramid is divided to 5 levels, according to him the human being tries to satisfy one need in one level before they start thinking about the next one :the person start with the level at the bottom which is the bare necessities like food and the shelter†¦ when all physiological needs are stisfied the person steps up to the next level which is security (health, work, belongings) then they jump to the social needs where people need to be a part of a society a group a family†¦ where they can communicate and work as a team then the 4th need which is the esteem of thenselfs and people, people need to see that they are respected then the last one which is the† self actualisation† which measured by how people see themselfs and their success in challenges in their work †¦ On the other hand Taylor sees the work motivation differently and talks about it with a theory of scientific management : which is mostly based on motivation by pay because according to him workers dont enjoy their work thats why they need to be controled. for that managers should separate production into small tasks and workers should get the training for the task they are meant to do as they can work efficiently on their task , theses workers are paid according to the number0 of items they have produced on a period of time which motivate them to increase their productivity . in other words Taylor sees workers as machines and makes them over-exploited. The main difference between how maslow and taylor see the workers motivation is that the second thinks that money is the only motivation which we can see in everydays life that it is false, maslow separed motivation to 5 levels when the worker satisfies one level of needs he moves up to an other level and become more demanding this is why workers under taylorism went on strikes , because there is many factors apart from income that affects the workers motivation like the working conditions the recognisation of their work , the greatings of the manager †¦

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep

Is a science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick first published in 1968. The main plot follows Rick Deckard, a bounty hunter of androids, while the secondary plot follows John Isidore, a man of sub-normal intelligence who befriends some of the androids. The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic near future, where the Earth and its populations have been damaged greatly by Nuclear War during World War Terminus. Most types of animals are endangered or extinct due to extreme radiation poisoning from the war. To own an animal is a sign of status, but what is emphasized more is the empathic emotions humans experience towards an animal. Deckard is faced with â€Å"retiring† six escaped Nexus-6 model androids, the latest and most advanced model. Because of this task, the novel explores the issue of what it is to be human. Unlike humans, the androids possess no empathic sense. In essence, Deckard probes the existence of defining qualities that separate humans from androids. The book's plot served as the primary basis for the 1982 film Blade Runner. Setting Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? takes place in 1992 (2021 in later editions), years after the radioactive fallout of World War Terminus destroyed most of Earth. The U. N. ncourages emigration to off-world colonies, in hope of preserving the human race from the terminal effects of the fallout. One emigration incentive is giving each emigrant an â€Å"andy† — a servant android. The remaining populace live in cluttered, decaying cities wherein radiation poisoning sickens them and damages their genes. Animals are rare and people are expected to keep them and help preserve them. But many people turn towards the much cheaper synthetic, or electric, animals to keep up the pretense. Rick Deckard owned a sheep, but it died of tetanus, and he replaced it with a synthetic sheep. The main Earth religion is Mercerism, in which Empathy Boxes link simultaneous users into a collective consciousness based on the suffering of Wilbur Mercer, largely an endless walk up a mountain in which stones are thrown at Mercer, the pain of which the users share. The television appearances of Buster Friendly and his Friendly Friends, broadcast twenty-three hours a day, represent a second religion, designed to undermine Mercerism and allow androids to partake in a kind of consumerist spirituality. It is revealed that neither Mercer nor Friendly are actual humans despite popular belief. edit]Androids Androids are used only in the Martian colonies, yet many escape to Earth, fleeing the psychological isolation and chattel slavery. Although made of biological materials and physically all but indistinguishable from humans, they are considered to be pieces of machinery. Police bounty hunters, such as Rick Deckard, hunt and retire (kill) fugitive androids passing for human. Often, Deckard's police department will collect and analyze the corpses of suspected â€Å"andys† to confirm that they are, in fact, artificial. Earlier androids were easier to detect because of their limited intelligence. As android technology improved, bounty hunters had to apply an empathy test — the Voigt-Kampff — to distinguish humans from androids, by measuring empathetic responses, or lack thereof, from questions designed to evoke an emotional response, often including animal subjects and themes. Because androids are not sympathetic, their responses are either absent or feigned, and measurably slower than a human's. The simpler Bonelli Test, used by another police department in San Francisco, measures the reflex-arc velocity in the spinal column's upper ganglia, but is very painful to the subject, as well as the results taking longer to produce. Plot summary The novel follows bounty hunter Rick Deckard through one day of his life, as he tracks down renegade androids who have assumed human identities. The novel begins with Deckard feeling alienated from his wife who, he feels, is misusing her mood organ by choosing inappropriate moods, like depression. Deckard meets Rachel Rosen when travelling to Rosen Industries to test the validity of an empathy test on the new android type: the Nexus 6. Rachael is an attractive female android Deckard initially believes to be human. Rachael believes herself to be human as she has memories implanted from the niece of her manufacturer. She attempts to turn Deckard away from bounty hunting. Deckard becomes confused about humanity, morality and empathy. He is arrested after attempting to retire the second android and taken to what appears to be a fully functional and publicly accessible police station—but it is not a police station Deckard knows about. Deckard escapes with fellow bounty hunter Phil Resch after deducing that the station is staffed by androids. His moral quandary deepens after working briefly with Phil Resch, who Deckard learns is a particularly callous fellow bounty hunter. Deckard's story is interwoven with that of J. R. Isidore, a driver for an animal repair shop who cannot qualify to leave Earth due to his low IQ. Isidore lives alone in a nearly entirely empty apartment building with little outside contact other than his Empathy Box. Pris Stratton, an android identical in appearance to Rachel, moves into the building and the lonely Isidore attempts to befriend her. Pris and her friends get Isidore to help them trap Deckard as he comes to retire them. Once Deckard realizes the size of the challenge ahead, he enlists Rachel to help him, and they proceed to have sex. By Deckard's having sex with her, Rachel hoped to stop him from bounty hunting, but he will not and drops her off. Deckard nevertheless succeeds in killing the androids, causing Isidore to break down from the loss of his only friends, and earning him a citation for the record number of kills in one day. He returns home and his wife reports having seen Rachael Rosen kill his real pet goat. He understands that Rachael was taking revenge and is thankful that the loss is only financial; the android could instead have killed his wife. He travels to an isolated desert to meditate and has an epiphany. He also finds a toad, thought to be extinct and considered to be Mercer's favorite animal. Deckard brings it home, where his wife discovers that the toad is in fact synthetic. Deckard is not glad but â€Å"prefers† to know the toad is artificial.

Ethics in Sport

As George Orwell said, â€Å"Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play. It is bound up with hatred, jealousy, boastfulness, disregard of all rules and sadistic pleasure in witnessing violence. † In other words, sport isn’t just about game play anymore. The athletes we see in serious sport, the people who have acclaimed money and fame, usually expect better treatment from everyone else, they’re spoiled and therefore behave poorly on the basis they believe they can get away with it.This is why it is not only appropriate, but essential for sporting clubs to punish athletes for off field indiscretions, that is, behaviour that displays a lack of good judgement. Sporting clubs should show no lenience towards athletes who choose to put their sporting careers at risk by behaving in childish ways. Their contracts should result in termination, suspension or they should be fined, depending on the circumstance. Athletes who display idiotic behaviour create a financial l oss for their club as well as creating a negative image for them too.And, by being in the public eye, they are setting a bad example for their fans, especially the children who look up to them. Media coverage of off field indiscretions can create a negative image of the club that has employed the athlete involved. The Rugby league’s image problem is at a very bad state and is known to have so many scandals that even a Wikipedia page has been made for their record of off field indiscretions. On Sunday 17th April, 2011 there was a 60 Minutes report that highlighted the battle between AFL and Rugby league for junior participation.The parents that were interviewed admitted that the relatively clean-cut image of the AFL held greater appeal for them, and normally led to them persuading their kids not to choose Rugby league. Rugby players are continuously stained with a poor reputation because of the reckless actions of a very small minority. An athlete represents the club they belo ng to. So, when one member of the team is involved with off field indiscretions they are ruining it for the respectable players, in ways such as losing hard earned sponsorships.When an athlete displays poor behaviour they are initiating a loss of millions of dollars. Now, more than ever, sporting clubs are pressured by their athlete’s sponsors to take appropriate action for off field indiscretions . This is because when an athlete is involved with off field indiscretions their sponsors will dissociate themselves from the club. Tiger Wood’s disgusting adulterous indiscretions in 2010 received worldwide media attention, and the outcome of this negative coverage caused the loss of millions of dollars in sponsorship deals.On another note, long-standing Sydney Roosters sponsor, Samsung, dumped their club in 2009 after a series of off-field indiscretions left them no choice but to detach their brand with rugby league before it tarnished their own reputation. This indicates t hat such contracts should be terminated on the basis that the athlete’s behaviour had a drastic financial effect on the game. In a competitive sporting landscape, no club is in a position to be losing sponsors, nor are they in a position to be losing fans. Athletes are role models to our children.Unfortunately, it is almost unavoidable that children will observe athletes acting aggressively, as the media are irresponsible in over-covering and sensationalizing violent incidents in sport. Sociology professor at Oregon State and author of several published studies’ on athlete’s behaviour, Steven Ortiz, says: â€Å"Spoiled-athlete syndrome begins early in sports socialization. From the time they could be picked out of a lineup because of their exceptional athletic ability, they've been pampered and catered to by coaches, classmates, teammates, family members and partners. As they get older, this becomes a pattern.Because they're spoiled, they feel they aren't accou ntable for their behaviors off the field. They're so used to people looking the other way. † The athlete’s shouldn’t be used to people looking the way, and they simply can’t afford to while they are in the public eye, as role models. In psychology, I’ve learnt about ‘model behavior’ that is, that from a young age we imitate behavior we observe from our role models. In more detail, if they’re behavior is followed by a positive outcome we are more likely to imitate this behavior then if it were followed by a negative consequence.Therefore, if we expose our children to inappropriate athletes that aren’t punished for their off field-discretions – and these athletes happen to be perceived as role models, are we promoting our children to develop an aggressive repertoire of behavior? Many would argue that an off field indiscretion has no impact on the game play of the athlete, and therefore they should not be terminated as punishment from the game because they are a valuable team member.However, the decision by the AFL club, the Brisbane Lions to terminate the contract of star full-forward, Brendon Fevola demonstrates the fact that a player’s off field behaviour can be as much as a consideration as their on-field performance in regards to their employment. Brendon’s controversial antics included embarrassing drunken performances and in The Sunday Telegraph in June 2012 he was quoted saying â€Å"I grabbed a bottle of wine from her fridge and within 15 minutes it was empty.I opened another bottle, drank it, then went for another one. † The fact that the majority of athlete’s sign a code of conduct at the beginning of their careers which outlines what behaviour is expected from player, demonstrates that there are no exceptions and there should be no room for behaviour that doesn’t meet that expectation. It is essential for sporting clubs to punish athletes for their o ff field indiscretions. Any athlete who does not meet the expectation of the club should be terminated as a result.Although it may seem harsh, this is necessary as any idiotic behavior may have a great financial loss as a consequence, and also result in tarnishing their club’s reputation. Also, these athletes are role models to the general public, particularly young children. According to online website, Ranker, the Top 10 Most Popular Athletes published in February 2010, include adulterer Tiger Woods and drug-cheat Lance Armstrong – great role models, right?

Which factor is most important to consider when thinking about Essay

Which factor is most important to consider when thinking about education and classrooms - Essay Example This paper will focus on the debate between private and public schools, their advantages and limitations, then which factor is most important to consider when thinking about education and classrooms. Public schools have their own advantages and disadvantages just like any other institution. The advantage of public school is a standardized way of education. The school provides an equal opportunity to all the students and this makes it more accommodative. Public schools are strict when it comes to discipline, as the students need to develop spiritually, psychologically, emotionally and educationally. More parents prefer to take their children to public schools because of the low economy experienced in most of the countries worldwide. The parents save for their children’s college fees and it has become comfortable for them. The school curriculum and the program managed by the state follows an equal setting of the exams. This is easier for the students to handle the exams as they are on the same level. The graduation and attendance of the students help the government to have a clear statistics of each public school and its performance. Examinations tackled determine the stude nts mean grade, leading to suggestions of the students looking for a different school if they do not perform well. Teachers must have certain qualifications for them to work in a public school. They must attain a degree in college, have teaching license and proven by the state for them to teach. This means that the teachers are well qualified in public schools. Classrooms in a public school are well structured and built with desks inside for the students (Ross, 2004). There are requirements for students before joining a public school through the help of their parents. The management is systematic in a way that the parents must ensure the location of the school and where the child lives. The disadvantages of the public schools exist as well.

MacGruber ( comedy film 2010 ) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

MacGruber ( comedy film 2010 ) - Essay Example Such acts made him appear as an idiot hero, who made audience laugh at him ironically (Alter 2010). The theme of the movie revolves around the character of MacGruber, who made life-saving inventions with the help of household materials. Throughout the entire story, he kept on getting in and out of extremely sticky conditions, but he managed to handle those situations with his crazy mind tricks (Taccone 2010). Although MacGruber was a hero and the main character of the story, but every other character of the movie was explicitly called â€Å"idiot† by him for his stupid acts. This has been the main problem of the story because its settings and designed actions failed to make up audiences’ mind about his own comedy action hero (Alter 2010). Therefore, it could be concluded that the director and writer both have intended to present a good comedy movie, but the below average performance and designed actions of the hero have diverted attention of audience from the original theme to his stupid

Choose a medieval work of art and analyse it in terms of its method of Essay

Choose a medieval work of art and analyse it in terms of its method of narrative - Essay Example Jesus narrates this story in Luke 15: 11-32. It is the tale of a man who had two sons. The younger of the two sons being wayward and implacable manages to secure his share in the family inheritance, while the father is still alive. Doing so, he proceeds on a journey to far off lands to lead a life of incontinence and indulgence. Eventually his profligate life makes him loose all his wealth and he has to finally succumb to the level of serving as a swineherd, a task considered to be improper and menial as per the Judaic tradition and beliefs. Finally this spoiled son manages to regain his sense of values and decides to revert back to the mercy and forgiveness of his long ditched and betrayed old father. Contrary to the expectations of the prodigal son, the father instead of denying or disowning his faithless progeny, welcomes him wholeheartedly, without even waiting for him to give words to his repentance and sense of loss. The father not only warmly embraces his sinful son by forgett ing his excesses, but asks his servants to sacrifice the choicest calf to celebrate the occasion. Such discernable exuberance on the part of the father makes the elder son think that the father is perhaps more favourable towards his errant sibling and does not appropriately appreciates his loyalty and noble sentiments. The father allays the misgivings of the elder son and placates him by saying that’ â€Å"My son, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found (Luke 15: 31-32, New International Version: Online).† This parable was the Messiah’s way of rebutting the aspersions of Pharisees as to Him being open towards and accepting of repentant and sinners and gives expression to the joy and bliss felt by an individual who has corrected his ways and has come back to the flock of the faithful. In

Dietary analysis project Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Dietary analysis project - Assignment Example For example, an oz equivalent of Grains is a 1 slice of bread, or 1/2 cup of rice. An oz equivalent of Protein Foods 1 oz of meat, 1 egg, or 1/4 cup cooked beans. According to the BMI report as provided, I have a BMI of 19.1. This is an implication that my body weight is normal and hence I should strive to maintain the weight by eating a balanced diet and engaging in physical activities. According to the calorie assessment report, I need to intake 2031 calories in order to maintain my current weight. However, my current intake is below the goal. My current average calorie intake is 1065. This implies that I am bound to lose more weight if I maintain my current eating patterns (Veitch 87). There are nutrients that are still deficient and others in excess in the revised diet. The significant nutrients that are still deficient in the revised diet are Calories from saturated Fat and dietary fiber. Perhaps I was unable to get dietary fiber because I did not include foods rich in fiber. In addition, the foods that I included in the revised diet were not fatty and hence the deficiency of fat as noted in the revised diet. On the contrary, the revised diet also had some nutrients in excess. These included proteins, Vitamin B3 - Niacin (mg), Vitamin B12 (mcg), Phosphorus (mg), Vitamin C and Zinc. These statistics came about as a result of the meat, chicken and turkey sausages that I included in the revised diet as having been taking in only one day. Their quantities also contributed to the excess levels of proteins as noted in the bar graph report for the revised diet. As noted in the bar graph report for my diet on that day, I am a poor observant of a balanced diet and for this reason I need to implement corrective measures in order to improve my eating patterns and food types (Veitch 46). It is through this that I will be in a position to not only stay healthy but also maintain my body weight as recommended from the BMI report. As a result, I will take certain

Homosexuality-theories compared and contrasted Research Paper

Homosexuality-theories compared and contrasted - Research Paper Example Two theories have been advanced to explain the origin of homosexuality; both are scientific theories though the social scientists have also contributed to the explanation by stating that it results from a social and environmental factor. In my view homosexuality is a human act that results from peer influence and the need to adventure and acquire knowledge of what is perceived to be against the norm (Lester,pp 123). 1.0 The Genetic theory This theory states that homosexuality as a human behavior is a culmination of the genetical constitution of a human body. It argues that’s there are genes that are responsible for the occurrence of homosexuality, these genes it states are homozygous in a recessive situation, and in the case of heterozygous case it will only be manifested if there is a diploid cell formation from another heterozygous situation (Bret,pp 243). This explains the reason as to why it is said to be hereditary and can be traced in a lineage. The genes are said to occupy the same locus in the genomic sequence (William,pp 229). This theory has been ignored for the obvious reasons that its assumes that only one gene is responsible for determination of sex in human beings, which is an obvious understatement 2.0 Theory of Neurohormonal His theory tend to explain the influence of hormones in homosexuality though different reports gives conflicting statements rendering the theory less efficacy on its explanations, its states that the prenatal hormones in association with the nervous system under a conducive environment during the gestation periods at the second to fifth month may results into a homosexual person, the theory proposes that when the nervous system comes into contact with hormones such as testosterone,estradial and some other sex hormones during neuro organization, then homosexuality results. The theory gives more weight to testosterone hormones as being critical during gestation period as being responsible for the development of homosexuality, this theory on the same principle explains the situation of monozygotic and that of dizygotic twins (Bruce,pp 198). Comparison of the two theories Its worth noting that the two theories have concurrence at some point, they all apprecia te that homosexuality is controlled by innate factors, the genetic one being that its controlled by the genes while that of the neurohormonal one is influenced by the hormones, in this way the theories tend to believe that the external environment actually do not plays any role in influencing the sexual orientation of an individual (Lester,pp 23). The theories also confirms that the status of homosexualism is hereditary and that it can be passaged from one generation to the next provided that the genitical materials of the homosexuals are constant, also for the neurohormonal theory, the presence of the hormones will dictate the occurrences of homosexuality, In addition to those both the theories also acknowledge the role of the environment in homosexuality, in this sense both accepts that for a homosexual individual to occur a enabling environment is necessary Which is correct? The question of which of the theories that explains homosexuality can be banked on has led to a ragging de bate as all have shortcomings: certainly all are not mutually