Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism Coursework

Russia as a Developer of the Modern Terrorism - Coursework Example According to the research findings, it can, therefore, be said that the practice of individual terror is well known in Russia from the times of the anarchists and Bolsheviks movements at the beginning of the twentieth century when professional revolutionaries pursued the policy of random murder struggling against Russian Czarism. After the Bolsheviks revolution in 1917, the new Red government arranged so-called â€Å"red terror† against dissidents among the former Russian intelligentsia. The first concentration camps were invented not by Hitler, as it is assumed to recognize, but by the leader of Soviet Russia Vladimir Lenin in the 1920s. The next Russian leader Joseph Stalin developed the death camp practice to the incredible scale. Millions of people died in the Siberian death camps being incriminated for anti-Soviet activity. The terror and violence constituted the main technology of the Soviet Russia expansion during the 1920-1940s. Annexing new territories such as Ukraine , Baltic Countries, and the Caucasus, Soviet Russia eliminated the opposition by means of the army and the secret service terror. The deportation of the whole nations such as Chechens and Crimean Tatars into Central Asia in the 1940-1950s resulted afterward in the local conflicts and wars in the 1990s. During the seminar at The City University of New York dedicated to terrorism in Russia, Professor Randall Law showed the direct link between Chechen’s struggle for independence and terrorism in the 1990s. Due to the fusion of militant Islam and the independence intentions, Chechens had to apply terroristic methods against Russia. The reason was in a policy of President Putin, who managed to convince the worldwide community that Russia was fighting against the international terrorism during both Chechen wars. Ben Laden and Hattab names have added validity to Putin’s arguments. After the World War II, the Soviet Union established Soviet regimes in several Central European countries by means of the so-called Warsaw Pact making such countries as Poland, Bulgaria, and Czechoslovakia dependent of Moscow.

Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Pride and Prejudice Essay Elizabeth seems to represent something of a departure form the conventional image of women of her time By Comparing Jane Austens characterisation of Elizabeth with that of the other female characters in the novel, and by examining its social context, discuss this verdict in the heroine of Pride and Prejudice. The novel Pride and Prejudice is about a fascinating love between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy who have to overcome a lot of difficulties and social prejudices to be together. Some readers may be amazed by the way Jane Austen builds her female characters, especially the main heroine Elizabeth Bennet who is an energetic, quick-witted, sharp- tongued, bold and intelligent girl. Everyone soon realizes that she is the most distinguished and unique character in the novel because of her strong-willed and eager mind. Jane Austen lived in a historical time of social and political changes all over the world but she focused on the middle-class, narrow-minded life in England in which womens social status was established by marrying a prosperous man who would be able to provide them and their family with good security for life, very similar to Mrs. Bennets desires. However a majority of central female characters in Austens works are strong-natured and they promote womens freedom on marriage. Elizabeth is a highly unconventional woman of her time. Her mannerisms and thoughts seem to be different to other characters in the novel. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters in the Bennet family. However, unlike her mother and her siblings whose childishness and narrow-mindedness always showed themselves poorly in public, Elizabeth is quite smart and has a fast tongue. This is the reason for her being the most favourite daughter of her father and the least one of her mother. Mr. Bennet, an intelligent man with a cynical sense of humour, has made an unwise marriage with a simple minded and ill-mannered woman, Mrs. Bennet, and when he realizes this, he has a tendency to hide in his study rather than take part in the social and family activities with his wife. Being her fathers confidante almost portrays Elizabeth as the son of the family. Throughout the novel, it is recognizable that Mr. Bennet always gives Elizabeth a unique interest as he sees in her in a different way from her sisters and other girls. While Mrs. Bennet has little value for Elizabeths intelligence and wit: Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good humoured as Lydia, Mr. Bennet has a high regard for these qualities: They have none of them much to recommend them, they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters. (Chapter 1) Mr. B. believes that his Elizabeth is more sensible and shrewd than her sisters so he frequently offers her advice, supports her and trusts her in all that she does. For example when Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collinss proposal due to the fact that she does not want to marry such a pompous man, Mrs Bennet is outraged however Mr. Bennet is not livid about her decision at all and instead he supports her. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do. (Chapter 20). This shows that Mr Bennet is humouring his wife and is joking with Elizabeth. Refusing this marriage with Mr. Collins, which would highly benefit the Bennet family, seems unusual in Elizabeths time. Any other women would be delighted to marry a man of Mr. Collins standard. In addition to the quickness of her mind, Elizabeth also shares good humour with her father. She likes taking ironic enjoyment at others silliness and hypocrisies and is quick to mock them exclusive of her mother and her younger sisters though she is sometimes humiliated by their ludicrous behaviour. In the novel, she is portrayed as having a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous. (Chapter 3). Elizabeth does not care to join her family in the balls and finds her familys behaviour unusual. In fact she finds humour in the way her family conducts themselves. She is completely in contrast to Lydia one of her younger sisters. This is uncommon in females in that society, partaking in balls and getting excited about them was one of the many things women were expected to do. Again this shows Elizabeths uniqueness. At the first encounter between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy at the Meryton ball, Darcy callously turns down the offer to dance with Elizabeth and insults her by saying she is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me (Chapter3). Such a remark on a girl, particularly in a dance party is very impolite and offensive and it makes Elizabeth slightly annoyed. However, rather than being humiliated and hiding her embarrassment, she retells this incident to her friends in a teasing and sardonic way. I think that her reaction is wise and rare as not often can a woman behave as calmly as her in a situation like this. She laughs at what Mr. Darcy says about her appearance and changes the fact of being insulted from her to Mr. Darcy. Furthermore, in her discussions with Miss. Bingley and Mr. Darcy at Netherfield Park, Elizabeth herself admits that I dearly love a laugh but I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. (Chapter11). Being a person who has an exceptional mind, Elizabeth knows what she should or shouldnt make a joke about and she states this point of view clearly and frankly. In other words, only follies and vanities of others can delight her and she is good at creating laughter from these enough to make her conversation become attracting and amusing. Everybody is drawn towards her because of her quick mind and excellent sense of humour. Finding humour in things that would seem rude at the time seems eccentric of women of that time. Elizabeth should be insulted and angry at Mr. Darcy, yet she seems to laugh at how ridiculous his thoughts. This shows that Elizabeth does not care about her appearance to people in society and she is content with being herself. Elizabeth shows that she is unconventional, when she meets Lady Catherine De Bough. During the conversation, Lady Catherine puts a series of questions to Elizabeth concerning the upbringing of her sisters and expects to receive the normative and easy on the ear answers from her. Yet, Elizabeths responses cannot make the Lady satisfied as she thinks. Why did not you all learn? (Chapter 29 )Elizabeth is open in expressing her own ideas and her replies to the impolite and rude questions of Lady Catherine are quite cold and frank. For example, when being asked about personal information, Elizabeth does not hesitate to hold back the answer regardless of the old womans feelings. In other words, it is a signal of rebellion against the social principals that an inferior such as herself should challenge a very wealthy and important woman like Lady Catherine. Her brave and admirable reaction to this situation impresses me and I respect her for being able to do that. It is irregular for someone of Elizabeths position to talk and conduct herself in the way she did to someone like Lady Catherine who was inferior to her in both age and wealth. She should have respected her and agreed with everything she said. She should have said very little as Mrs Jenkinson and Sir William said. Others such as Mr. Collins, who had been much acquainted with Lady Catherine De Bourgh, behaved in a more appropriate way, as it would have been expected. When playing Cards with Lady Catherine he would agreeing to everything her Ladyship said, thanking her for every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many. Unlike most of the other characters in the novel and the conventional women of her time, Elizabeth is a strong woman who is capable of harmoniously balancing reason and emotion in dealing with every incident. She does and says whatever she believes to be right without paying attention to the external forces. The determination in her character really makes her become the most admired and praiseworthy woman. For example when Jane becomes ill, Elizabeth is determined to go meet her. She is also stubborn about walking there rather than taking horse and carriage. Mrs. Bennet is afraid that Elizabeths visiting to Netherfield would make Jane recover from illness quickly and she would not stay there as long as her mother wants. Moreover, the appearance of a girl as the result of walking three miles through the mud is surely not expected to see and the girls social image may be affected. Nevertheless, Elizabeth pays attention to nothing of it. Her only concern is Jane and her health so she does not have intention of changing her initial decision. Her answers to her parents are full of willpower and resolution. Her look with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise when arriving at Netherfield is a great surprise to the people here but she appears unworried about their comments and views on her. Nothing can make her flinch from difficulties. In a society like Elizabeths appearance is everything and by arriving to Netherfield as she did would ruin her familys social image. However Elizabeth paid no attention to this and this shows that she is an unconventional woman of her time. She was more concerned for her sister Jane than her familys reputation. Moreover, Elizabeth is really a woman of action who once decides to do something will do it no matter how hard it is. She is very unwavering, particularly shown by her treatment of Darcy when she believes him to have done wrong. As we know, at their first meeting, Darcy was impolite and insulted words on Elizabeths beauty making her think so badly of him. At the evening at Longbourn, Sir William Lucas intends to introduce Elizabeth to Mr. Darcy as a very desirable partner to dance. However, she immediately refuses this offer and does not change her mind no matter how Sir William tries to persuade her. Even though when Mr. Darcy himself elegantly asks for her hand, she only smiles and turns away. Later on, when she hears about the fake story that Wickham makes up to leave a stain on Mr. Darcys reputation she increasingly believes he is a terrible and cruel man. That is the reason for her indifferent and harsh attitudes to Mr. Darcy whenever they meet (but this changes after Elizabeth knows the truth of the two men). I can say that it actually takes a great strength of character and resolution to confront such a power man as Mr. Darcy who should be treated with respect and courtesy because of his wealth and social status. However, it is a part of Elizabeths personality that attracts Mr. Darcy as well as the readers of Pride and Prejudice. Rejecting to dance with a man of such high standard as Mr. Darcy takes a lot of strength and this strength was uncommon in women of Elizabeths time. Elizabeth should have disregarded what Mr. Darcy had said before and quietly and obediently dance with him, and do as she was told. She should have conducted herself in a respectable manner. The opening line of Pride and Prejudice is It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife implies that the only way for women to ensure themselves a stable life is through marriage. Marriage to some certain extent is like a business transaction. In the novel, Jane Austen uses the character Charlotte Lucas to illustrate this point and contrast with Elizabeths views on love and marriage. Charlotte is also a smart and well-educated woman like Elizabeth so it really makes Elizabeth surprised when hearing her friends decision to wed Mr. Collins. However, in a society where women are expected to marry a well-off man even though they are not in love with him was common. Their main reason was gaining financial security, or else facing homelessness and poverty. Therefore Charlottes actions were understandable. Compared with Elizabeth, Charlotte is older, plainer and more desperate to find a husband so Mr. Collins proposal is the rare opportunity to save her from the unpleasant reality, I am not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collinss character, connections, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. (Chapter 22). Charlotte is constrained by the fact that all she desires is wealth and stability and it can be achieved just through marrying to Mr. Collins. In her thought, love is not a real concern in marriage. To her closest friends choice, Elizabeth exclaims: Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte impossible! She completely astonished at seeing Charlotte marrying without affection and it is their opposite points of view on this matter that makes them never be close as before. In Elizabeths time marriage was like a business transaction. All that was necessary was for the man to have money. Love had no importance. This meant that Elizabeths views on marriage were highly unusual and were irregular of her time. However Elizabeth also shows conventional features of women of her time. Firstly she marries someone of a higher status, and has more wealth than herself. This was typical of women in her time. In fact Mrs Bennet was happy declaring Ten thousand a year! Oh Lord what will become of me. (Chapter 59). She was delighted in knowing that her daughter has married an accomplished, rich man. Elizabeth Bennet marries Mr. Darcy, providing her family and herself financial security, as a woman of her time desired and aimed for. Her story ends very similar to Jane, a typically conventional woman, showing her regularity. Another conventional aspect of Elizabeth Bennet is that she plays the piano forte She has a very good notion of fingering (Chapter 31). Elizabeth also partakes in dancing in the Meryton balls. So much so that she is said to be an excellent dancer. You excel so much in the dance Miss Eliza (Chapter6). When Mr. Darcy talks of accomplished women he says that an accomplished women is one who add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading (Chapter 8). Elizabeth Bennet also reads regularly showing she is an accomplished and conventional woman. Traditionally a woman of Elizabeths time would be experienced in reading, playing the pianoforte, partaking in local balls, all aspects which Elizabeth Bennet has. In conclusion Elizabeth Bennet is not entirely an unconventional woman. She possesses mainly conventional aspects such as playing the piano. However I believe that it is her mind and thoughts that are unconventional. Elizabeth has been blessed with wit and intelligence. This comes through in her mannerisms and this is what forces her to seem unconventional. Through her thoughts, words and actions, no one can deny the fact that Elizabeth is an intelligent girl who possesses a humorous sense as well as a keen capability of observation. In the novel, she is described as a beauty and has especially expressive eyes, but what everybody notices about her is her spirited wit and quick responses. Elizabeth is not only smart but she also has a strong character. She is very brave to confront with the people who are far more powerful and superior than herself like Lady Catherine and Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth is quite determined and independent in her actions and opinions. She is ready to refuse the marriages that could provide her with a comfortable life and a high standing in the society just because she finds that man does not suit her in terms of intellect and personality. In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen uses Elizabeth Bennet as a literary device to represent her values and attitudes on the importance of marrying for love. The heroine dares to go against the social conventions that women should marry for their economic benefits. She only weds the man she really loves and respects. This makes the young free-spirited woman differ substantially from the other female characters of the novel. Although the novel was written a vast amount of time ago and Jane Austen is no longer with us, the distance of time could not fade away the image of Elizabeth as a complex young woman with sparkling intelligence and a strong personality. Although Elizabeth makes some mistakes, for example she has been driven by her pride and prejudice for a long time leading to the misjudgements between Wickham and Mr. Mr. Darcy, the striking features she possesses still overweigh these weaknesses. She is not perfect but is an idealized woman. That is possibly the message Jane Austen was trying to get across, that there is no perfect woman, but then who is. In modern times, Elizabeth would be the opposite of unconventional. Now women are free to express their opinions and are encourage speaking their minds. In this way I think Jane Austen has predicted the future of women through Elizabeth. I believe Jane Austen has been accurate in her prediction and she has succeeded in producing more Elizabeths throughout the world. I admire Elizabeth Bennet and I believe that she is an ideal women. Particularly when it comes to her strength of mind and her courage.

Baroque Period And Opera

Baroque Period And Opera Early baroque composers favoured homophonic texture over the polyphonic texture typical of Renaissance music. They felt that words could be projected more clearly by using just one main melody with a chordal accompaniment. Homophonic textures only characterise early baroque, by the late baroque period, polyphonic texture returned to favour. To depict extreme emotions, early baroque composers used dissonance with a new freedom. Never before were unstable chords so prominent and emphatic. Contrasts of sound were stressed, one or more solo singers against a chorus, or voices against instruments. A baroque piece usually expresses one basic mood: what begins joyfully will remain joyful throughout. Emotional states like joy, grief, and agitation were represented-at the time, these moods were called affections. Specific rhythms or melodic patters were associated with specific moods. The prime exception to this baroque principle of unity of mood occurs in vocal music. Drastic changes of emotion in a text may inspire corresponding changes in the music. Rhythmic patterns head at the beginning of a piece are repeated throughout it. This rhythmic continuity provides a compelling drive and energy the forward motion is rarely interrupted. Baroque melody also creates a feeling of continuity. An opening melody will be heard again and again in the course of a baroque piece. And even when a melody is presented in varied form, its character tends to remain constant. There is a continuous expanding, unfolding, and unwinding of melody. This sense of directed motion is frequently the result of a melodic sequence, that is, successive repetition of a musical idea at higher or lower pitch levels. Many baroque melodies sound elaborate and ornamental, and they are not easy to sing or remember. A short opening phrase is often followed by a longer phrase with an unbroken flow of rapid notes. Volume tends to stay constant for a stretch of time. When the dynamics do shift, the shift is usually sudden, like physically stepping from one level to another. This alternation between loud and soft is called terraced dynamics. The organ and harpsichord were both well suited for continuity of dynamic level. Imitation between various lines, or voices, of the texture is very common. A melodic idea heard in one voice is likely to make an appearance in the other voices as well. In the baroque period chords became significant. As composers wrote a melodic line, they thought of chords to mesh with it. Indeed, sometimes they composed a melody to fit a specific chord progression. This interest in chords gave new prominence to the bass part. Basso continuo or figured bass is made up of a bass part together with numbers which specify the chords to be played above it. Usually the bass part is played by the left hand of an organist or harpsichordist and a cellist or bassoonist. The right hand, the keyboard player improvises chords or even a melodic line, following the indications of the numbers. Word painting was used. Heaven might be set to a high tone and hell to a low tone. Rising scales represented upward motion; descending scales depicted the reverse. Descending chromatic scales were associated with pain and grief. Composers emphasised words by writing many rapid notes for a single syllable of text. Opera is the fusion of music, acting, poetry, dance, scenery and costumes. Began in Italy around 1600. Voice types: Coloratura soprano very high range; can execute rapid scales and trills lyric soprano rather light voice; sings roles calling for grace and charm dramatic soprano full, powerful voice; is capable of passionate intensity lyric tenor relatively light, bright voice dramatic tenor powerful voice; is capable of heroic expression basso buffo takes comic roles; can sing very rapidly basso profondo very low range, powerful voice; takes roles calling for great dignity Aria A song for solo voice with orchestral accompaniment. Its an outpouring of melody that expresses an emotional state. In an aria, I love you, might be sung ten times to accommodate the expansion of the idea. Often the action stops while the characters feelings are revealed through music. An aria usually lasts several minutes. It is a complete piece with a definite beginning, high point, and end. Recitative A vocal line that imitates the rhythms and pitch fluctuations of speech. In a recitative, words are sung quickly and clearly, often on repeated tones. There is usually only one note to each syllable in a recitative. Recitative is used for monologues and dialogues that connect the more melodic sections of the opera. In opera multiple characters can express contrasting feelings at the same time when different melodies are combined. This is only possible in opera and cannot be duplicated in spoken drama. An opera chorus generates atmosphere and makes comments on the action. Their sound creates a kind of tonal background for the soloists. Most operas open with a purely orchestral composition called an overture or a prelude. Since the eighteenth century, the music for an overture has been drawn from material heard later in the opera. The overture is thus a short musical statement that involves the audience in the overall dramatic mood. Orchestral introductions to acts in the opera other than the first are always called preludes. Opera was born in Italy. During the late baroque, operas consisted largely of arias linked by recitatives. These recitatives were usually accompanied only by a basso continuo, in which case they are called secco recitatives. At emotional high points and moments of tension, however, they might be supported by the orchestra, they are then called accompanied recitatives. Late baroque arias followed the structure of ABA called da capa aria. Monteverdis Orfeo is considered to be the first great opera. Orfeo is about Orpheus, the gifted musician of Greek mythology. Orpheus, son of the god Apollo, is ecstatically happy after his marriage to Eurydice. But his joy is shattered when his bride is killed by a poisonous snake. Orpheus goes down to hades hoping to bring her back to life. Because of his musical talent, he is granted this privilege, as long as he does not look back at Eurydice while leading her out of hades. Orpheus looks back in a moment of anxiety and Eurydice vanishes. Apollo pities Orpheus and brings him up to heaven, where he can gaze eternally at Eurydices radiance. Orfeo includes recitatives, arias, duets, choruses, and instrumental interludes. Tu se morta in Act II of Orfeo is an example of a secco recitative. Orpheus sings solo in a recitative style with accompaniment by a basso continuo played by an organ and bass lute. The texture of this piece is homophonic, as was popular in early Baroque music. There is no time signature which gives the performer the freedom to portray emotion in their singing. Word painting is also found in this piece. Words such as stelle (stars) and solo (sun) are sung high in the performers register while abissi (abysses) and morte (death) are sung low. Roman opera was based more on religious subjects than on Greek mythology, and it made more use of the choruses. Distinction between recitative and aria began to emerge. The prototype of comic opera were intermezzi, comic interludes between the acts. The principal characteristics of Venetian opera were: more emphasis on formal arias, the beginning of bel canto style and more attention to vocal elegance than to dramatic expression, less use of chorus and orchestral music, complex and improbable plots, elaborate stage machinery, and short fanfare-like instrumental introductions. As compared to Italian opera, the outstanding traits of French opera were: use of ballet, greater importance of the drama, more use of the orchestra and instrumental music, shorter and simpler dance-like airs, careful attention to accentuation of the text, more expressive and melodic recitative, less emphasis on virtuosity, the French overture. In Baroque music, ritornello was the word for a recurring passage for orchestra in the first or final movement of a solo concerto or aria (also in works for chorus). In ritornello form, the tutti opens with a theme called the ritornello (refrain). This theme, always played by the tutti, returns in different keys throughout the movement. However, it usually returns in incomplete fragments In the Prologue of Orfeo there is a recitation by La Musica, there are five verses, each introduced by a ritornello. The same ritornello appears at the end of Act II and at the beginning of Act V. La serva padrona was originally an intermezzo to Pergolesis opera seria Il prigioniero superbo (The Proud Prisoner). The two were premiered on 5 September 1733, the first performance after an earthquake in Naples had caused all theatres to be closed, and celebrated the birthday of the Empress of Habsburg. Il prigioniero was unsuccessful in its day[1] and is not a recognized title in todayà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s operatic repertoire. Eventually the two pieces were separated, and La serva padrona went on to enjoy fame throughout Europe for years after its premiere. The importance of this intermezzo can hardly be overlooked in the history of opera. With a new finale, the French version played a large part in the Querelle des Bouffons. It was appealing because of its presentation of characters that were relatable to any audience, namely the cunning maid and her aging master. La serva padrona is often seen as the quintessential piece that bridges the gap from the Baroque to the Classical period. Owing to its importance, over time it came to be known as more than just an intermezzo and was performed as a stand-alone work. Intermezzo I Dressing room. Uberto, an elderly bachelor, is angry and impatient with his maidservant, Serpina, because she has not brought him his chocolate today. Serpina has become so arrogant that she thinks she is the mistress of the household. Indeed, when Uberto calls for his hat, wig and coat, Serpina forbids him from leaving the house, adding that from then on he will have to obey her orders. Uberto thereupon orders Vespone to find him a woman to marry so that he can rid himself of Serpina. Intermezzo II Same dressing room. Serpina convinces Vespone to trick Uberto into marrying her. She informs Uberto that she is to marry a military man named Tempesta. She will be leaving his home and apologizes for her behavior. Vespone, disguised as Tempesta, arrives and, without saying a word, demands 4,000 crowns for a dowry. Uberto refuses to pay such a sum. Tempesta threatens him to either pay the dowry or marry the girl himself. Uberto agrees to marry Serpina. Serpina and Vespone reveal their trick; but Uberto realizes that he has loved the girl all along. They will marry after all; and Serpina will now be the true mistress of the household. The piece is for bass, soprano, and a mute actor. Opera is the fusion of music, acting, poetry, dance, scenery and costumes. At the end of the sixteenth century a small group of aristocratic intelligentsia, known as the Camerata, met frequently in Florence. The Camerata had the intention of reproducing the combination of words and music which made up Greek theatre. The text was the main focus of this music with all the words being sung naturally, in the same manner as normal speech, and the music must interpret the spirit of the text. This resulted in a new style of music which was mostly homophonic, in contrast to polyphonic music that was popular at the time. The first surviving opera, Peris Euridice in 1600, was a flop, Monteverdis Orfeo seven years later, however, was not. Orfeo managed to fulfil the requirements posed by the Camerata and while also being dramatic and portraying extreme emotion. Over the baroque period opera evolved and developed into different types and varied in different areas. Orfeo was characteristic of a Florentine opera and an opera seria. All forms of opera shared similar musical components such as: solo song, in opera called aria; pieces for two or more solo voices, duet, trio etc; recitative, a singing style that replicated the rhythms and pitch fluctuation of speech; chorus; the orchestra; and the overture, the instrumental introduction to an opera. The various cities of Italy each had variants on the opera. Florentine opera, such as Orfeo, was based off Greek mythology. While Roman opera was based on religious subjects and made more use of choruses. Venetian opera had an emphasis on formal arias, less use of chorus and orchestral music, complex and improbably plots and short fanfare-like introductions. Choruses were nearly non-existent in Neopolitan opera and there was a new style of operatic song, arioso, which was a mix between recitative and aria. Castrati were popular and drew great interest from audiences. Opera spread to France and included the use of ballet, more extreme drama, more use of the orchestra and instrumental music, more expressive and melodic recitative and less emphasis on virtuosity. Towards the end of the Baroque period a new style of opera appeared known as opera buffa. These comic operas originated as intermezzi between the acts of opera serias. Opera buffa differed from opera seria due to its light and humorous subjects, commonplace characters rather than heroic figures, popular tunes replaced the dramatic and formal aria; and characters, subjects and melodies of opera serias were parodied. Pergolesis opera buffa La serva padrona was an intermezzo to Pergolesis opera seria Il prigioniero superbo. Monteverdis Orfeo and Pergolesis La serva padrona show the development and similarities between early baroque and late baroque opera. Whilst the pieces are of differing style and were written over 100 years apart many characteristics of baroque music and opera appear in both. The plots of Orfeo and La serva padrona differ greatly as one is a opera seria and the other an opera buffa. Orfeo tells the tale of Orpheus, the gifted musician of Greek mythology. Orpheus, son of the god Apollo, has just married Eurydice but his joy is soon crushed after she is killed by a poisonous snake. Orpheus goes down to hades hoping to bring her back to life and further drama and tragedy ensues. La serva padrona features the old bachelor Uberto and his maidservant Serpina. Uberto and Serpina are contantly fighting but Serpina manages to trick Uberto into marrying her and becomes the homes mistress. Verspone, a servant of Ubertos, is a mute character but is important to the plot. The opera is light hearted and made up of common people. Over the baroque period the plots of operas changed dramatically in style as can be seen in Orfeo and La serva padrona. All operas were mostly homophonic, this way words could be projected more clearly with only one main melodic line. Both Orfeo and La serva padrona are mostly homophonic. In fact, whilst polyphony came back into fashion as the baroque period progressed, La serva padrona is less adventurous in terms of harmony in comparison to Orfeo. Orfeo makes use of polyphony in choruses, duets and trios. This can be seen in Act I: lo non diro qual sia nel tuo gioir with Euridice, Chorus, Nymph and the Sheperds singing two different melodies in a round-style which eventually join together in a homophonic ending. Excerpt from Orfeo Act I: lo non diro qual sia nel tuo gioir La serva padrona is rather simple, only written for a string quartet and a soprano and bass. The second violins generally double the first violins and the viola generally doubles the bass part one octave higher. The instrumentation of Orfeo is more expansive than that of La serva padrona. Orfeo utilises: 2 clavicembalos, 1 double harp, 2 chitarrones, 2 bass cithers, 3 bass gambas, 2 organs with wood pipes, 1 organ with reed pipes, 2 small violins, 4 violins, 4 violas, 2 violoncellos, 2 contrabass viols, 4 trombones, 2 cornetts, 1 fautino, 1 high trumpet, 3 soft trumpets. Orfeo makes use of this range of instruments through its varying pieces. Orfeo has arias, recitatives, choruses, dances, sinfonias and duets. La serva padrona on the other hand is made up of only arias and recitatives and a duet to end each act. The range of instruments in Orfeo also results in contrast of dynamics between pieces. The use of more and less instruments changes the volume from loud to soft, suddenly, rather than gradually. This is known as terraced dynamics and is characteristic of the baroque period. La serva padrona remains a similar dynamic for most of the opera. Dynamics are altered through the doubling of string parts and the removal of string parts. Two different types of recitative were used in baroque opera. The first being secco recitatives, which were usually accompanied by only a basso continuo. The second being accompanied recitatives which were accompanied by the orchestra. Tu se morta in Act II of Orfeo is an example of a secco recitative. Per altro io penserei in Act II of La serva padrona is an example of an accompanied recitative. This style of recitative is used for an emotional high point in the opera. Arias are also found in both pieces. La serva padrona being a piece of the late baroque period, the arias follow the structure of ABA known as de capa aria. Excerpt from La serva padrona Act II: Per altro io penserei The ascending violin patterns in the excerpt above are an example of the musics use in supporting the text. The fast, ascending, scalic pattern is representative of the excitement and confusion in this piece of the opera. This is a technique known as word painting. Words may be set to higher and lower tones according to the emotion or type of word. This is seen in Te se morta in Act II of Orfeo in which the words stelle (stars) and solo (sun) are sung high in the performers register while abissi (abysses) and morte (death) are sung low. Word painting was used throughout the whole baroque period in opera. Excerpt from Orfeo Act II: Te se morta Beyond the standard soprano, alto, tenor, bass, there were different types of opera voices. These included: coloratura soprano, lyrics soprano, soprano castrato, dramatic soprano, lyric tenor, dramatic tenor, basso buffo, basso profondo. Orfeo makes use of a variety of voice types. Orfeo is performed by a dramatic tenor, due to their powerful voices, while Eurydice and La Musica were performed by soprano castrato. In La serva padrona Uberto is performed by a basso buffo as they could sing very fast and were perfect for comic roles. Serpina is performed by a coloratura soprano which is evident due to her rapid scales and trills and high range. The contrast in voice types in the two operas is due to their different style with one being an opera seria and the other an opera buffa. Reoccurring passages for the orchestra in baroque music are called ritornellos. Ritornellos are found throughout Orfeo. The ritornello is introduced in Act I and it appears at the end of Act II and at the beginning of Act V. Excerpt from Orfeo Act I: Prologo Ritornellos do not appear in La serva padrona as there is only a string quartet and voices. Imitation however does appear. The imitation of various voices of texture was common of the baroque period. Melodic ideas that are shown in one voice appear in other voices as well. Excerpt from La serva padrona Act I: Sempre in contrasti Due to the increased use of homophony in the baroque period chords became much more significant than they were in the past. Basso continuo or figured bass is a bass part that is used together with numbers which specify the chords to be played above it. Usually the bass part is played by the left hand of an organist or harpsichordist and a cellist or bassoonist. In Orfeo the basso continuo is played by many instruments but mainly by organs. In La serva padrona the basso continuo is played by the cello or double bass and is doubled by the viola an octave higher. Basso continuo is a primary characteristic of the baroque period and lasted over all 150 years. Monteverdis Orfeo and Pergolesis La serva padrona both share many characteristics that are common of the baroque period. They also have a few significant differences that are due to the differing style of opera. French and German operas would offer further contrasts to these two Italian operas. On first glance it appears that Orfeo is more evolved and later opera than La serva padroma, this, however, is not true. While Orfeo does offer more instruments and a greater contrast of pieces La serva padroma takes a small part of the first operas and expands on them so that it stands as a genre of opera on its own. The evolution of opera through the baroque period wasnt through the invention of new techniques or massive stylistic changes but rather through refinement of the original techniques and slight tweaks to the musical and lyrics content.

Brave Roof Climber :: First Person Narrative Examples

I will never forget the evening of the rooftop--the evening I was christened "brave roof climber." For some time my older, more adventurous sister had been begging Father to let us go to the roof. He would not even be bothered by helping us to erect a ladder--the juniper tree next to the house would suffice! It was positioned at such a tempting angle, with its long, inviting branches just scraping the top of the roof. One particular evening Father said that we could go; this, much to Mother's chagrin! She had her motherly concerns to be dealt with; perhaps we would get scratched by the branches or fall off the roof; or, even worse, miss a branch entirely and have a very dramatic, Pollyanna-esque scene. And then, there were the shingle granules to be dealt with-- blast those wretched granules! Mother would admonish us to not let any of the granules come off of the new roof--maybe we should just forget about the whole thing and stay on solid ground. Luckily, fathers always keep a memento of youth and adventure in their pocket and are more sympathetic to amateur juniper-tree -climbers at night. I never would have been able to do it without Adrienne. Adrienne, what a girl! She always got into the most scrapes of any of we four girls. She was always insistent to tread "the path not taken". Even if that path led to scrapes and bruises, scolding and reproofs, gashes and rips in her clothes (that were then never handed down to me), ridicule and laughter, or come what may! She had her mark yet to make in this world. She would be a fashion designer, a novelist and poet, an explorer of the Australian outback, a gourmet chef! She always thought of putting the strangest combinations together! She used to dunk her animal crackers in red "Kool-aid," and try to convince me that the mixture of soap with one's toothpaste was the surest way for a brilliant "Colgate" smile. I believed her. Sometimes I wonder what that says about the kind of kid I was. However, she was my big sister, and I looked up to her. I didn't always agree with her though! For example, I would never plough through into the great unknown of beyond without thinking of the consequences! In any pair, surely there must be the cool-headed, sensible one who tries desperately to keep the other in line.

Nicomachean Ethics Essay

Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote the Nicomachean Ethics, portraying the significance of studying the realms of ethics and political science. In his work, Aristotle focuses on the theme of how human beings can attain the chief human good—happiness—at which everything aims. Aristotle argues that ethics, the study of moral character, and political science, the branch of knowledge and analysis of political activity and behavior, must be closely studied together in order to fully grasp the meaning of and obtain the good way of life. Aristotle believes that there is only one goal, one ultimate end for every individual—that is eudaimonia, translated as happiness, not as a feeling but happiness as the highest human good or a life full of activity. He claims that a person should live a way of life distinct from the lives of animals, where they only live for the sake of living or pleasure. 1 As human beings, people should use their power of speech to communicate and make rational decisions within a polity, striving to live their lives up to their full potential and to their full capacity for a happy life. 2 The life of politics, the via activa, is thus the key to the chief good or the best life for humans; however, the life of action must be of certain type of quality, in accordance with reason, since different actions may lead to the good or the bad life. In other words, a person’s actions must be in line with arete, with virtue or excellence. 3 Possessing virtue is having the ability to realize the good things, and doing them at the right time and the right way to get things done. Virtues can result to two different ways: a good or bad life. For example, President Lincoln versus Adolph Hitler—both of these men possess the virtue of wisdom, although they have used them disparately, one ending a Civil War in peace and the other manipulating others to killing millions of innocent people. To make it to the good end, Aristotle claims that we must practice virtue by, giving it a certain type of character or ethical quality to our actions. 4 Although human cannot acquire virtue by nature alone, nature allows and gives us the capacity to acquire virtue by learning and through exercising them in our lives. 5 By constantly acting with virtue, we cultivate habituation and ultimately we do not need to be self-controlled to do what is just. Instead, we become accustomed to do what is right willingly and naturally. Activities of good ethics or good moral character are virtues. And so, to best learn and exercise these virtues is by incorporating political science in connection to ethics. Aristotle asserts that the science of politics, the highest master of science combined with many other sciences, must be very well studied, for it is where moral laws are examined and its end, including the ends of other sciences associated with political science, will be the chief human good of all society. 6 Therefore, Aristotle presents the idea that the state must play an important role to aim and shape a society of good citizens, incorporating what the good life is: the life of virtue. 7 The state must look after its citizens morally, creating a type of society that will allow people to have a political life together; consequently, this political life will give them the opportunity and the ability to realize their wide range of capacities and their ideal life. Without the state, humans will not be able to experience the good life, the life of action. They are not self-sufficient enough to work alone, for they need others to be self-sufficient and happy. 8 Having a community will give every individual a chance to experience the struggle within the polity, in which he or she can exercise his or her many virtues, whether it be the ability to be courageous in the face of danger, the ability to make better judgements, or the ability to resist pain in the midst of hard criticism. Consequently, they build up their ethos or character, cultivating them to eventually living a happy life. The life of struggle, of politics, is the life where humans can have the chance to develop their full capacities, abilities, and strengths to overcome many hardships and difficulties. 9 Having a strong state does not achieve full satisfaction; hence, the state must know what eudaimonia is in order to direct and guide its citizens. It is necessary for the state to study and establish what is just and what is ethics. In this way, the state could inculcate what is moral through laws and education. Acquiring the chief good starts at home. Aristotle argues that a good state support an educational system, for a society that promotes morality is the best way of cultivating habituation in young children. 10 Having this strong educational system in the state will successfully encourage parents of each household to train their young children in good principles, abiding by the set of moral laws established in the community; as a result, they will naturally apply their good habits in their daily lives and ultimately gain the perfect virtuous life. Connecting the study of ethics and political science together can bring the whole society into a healthy life of virtue. Ethics is the key in which politics can utilize and produce a good society. By knowing what is righteous and what is ethics, the state can make the ultimate life of happiness possible for its citizens. Political science plays the role of establishing and enforcing good and moral character through an effective system that can guide and habituate every part and class of society. Ultimately, having access to a superfluous life of activity in a way that is in line with reason will let individuals life life to the fullest, of virtue and of happiness.

Medicine and law Essays

Medicine and law Essays Medicine and law Essay Medicine and law Essay Introduction It is now a firmly established belief that legal and ethical considerations are integral to medical practice in the planning for the care of the patient. With the advances in medical sciences and growing sophistication of the legal framework in modern society as well as increasing awareness of human rights and changing moral principles of the community at large, doctors and other healthcare workers alike are now frequently caught in difficult dilemmas in many aspects arising from daily practice. Examples are plenty such as the duty to respect informed consent, truth-telling, breach of confidentiality, disclosure  of medical errors, rationing of scarce health resources, biomedical research, organ donation, etc. Besides, there is also growing anxiety both within the medical profession and in the community regarding increasing trends of complaints and lawsuits against doctors. From the bitter experience of many doctors who were engaged in complaint or lawsuits in the past, many of them had resulted from failing of their doctor-patient communication skill or inadequate ability to comprehend and resolve dilemmas in clinical settings. Medical ethics has developed into a well based discipline which acts as a bridge between theoretical bioethics  and the bedside. 1 The goal is to improve the quality of patient care by identifying, analysing, and attempting to resolve the ethical problems that arise in practice. 2 In addition to our moral obligations, doctors are also bound by laws and official regulations which form the legal framework regulating medical practice. It is now a universal consensus that legal and ethical considerations are inherent and inseparable parts of good medical practice across the whole spectrum. The disciplines of law and ethics in medical practice overlap in many areas and yet each has its unique parameters and distinct focus. Legal and Ethical Regulations of Medical Practice in History In ancient Egypt, practice of medicine was subject to legal restrictions. The right to practise was restricted to members of a certain class, and all doctors had to learn and follow the percepts laid down by their predecessors. Obviously, this was to protect the public from quackery. Fees for the doctors were paid by the State. If unsatisfactory results followed a course of treatment that had departed from the orthodox, the doctor responsible would be liable to punishment, which could be very harsh. Similar legal restrictions on medical practice were also  found in other early civilizations such as Babylon and India. 3 Throughout the history of mankind, medical legislation has continuously evolved to regulate the practice of medicine. The fundamental objective is to safeguard the standards of the medical profession and to protect the public against unskilled vendors of medicine who would be as injurious to the community as other criminals. The Justinian Code of the Byzantine Empire in 529 AD is probably the earliest law code found to contain clauses to require educational standard and proof of competence of doctors by examinations. It also restricted the number of doctors in each town and penalties were imposed for malpractice. By 12th century, there were well established medical legislations in Italy, namely the edict of Roger II of Sicily in 1140 and Frederick II in 1224, to prescribe organized medical teaching, set courses, examinations and qualifications. 3 In Hong Kong, laws on public health and medical practice, essentially an adoption of the English Acts, had been introduced from the early days. In 1884, the first Medical Registration Ordinance was enacted to regulate the practice of medicine in the territory. Nowadays, the Hong  Kong Medical Council is established and empowered by law to perform the following major functions: (a) assessment of qualifications and maintenance of Register of Medical Practitioners, and registration is the only valid licence to practise medicine; (b) formulating guidelines on the ethical and professional standards; (c) investigation of complaints of professional misconduct; (d) supervision of medical education and training; and (e) assessment of fitness to practise where a doctors health is of concern. 4 In addition to legal regulation, there were also codes of medical ethics to guide the doctors for proper conduct. The earliest code of medical ethics is the Hippocratic Oath originated in Greece in the 5th century BC, which evolved to regulate the standard of conduct and care by 4 MEDICAL SECTION August 2003 the medical profession at that time. 3 Indeed, the spirit of this 25-century old Oath was restated in the Declaration of Geneva by the World Medical Association in 1948. The Declaration is the basis of the modern version of the International Code of Medical Ethics, which was first formulated by the World Medical Association in 1949 with subsequent amendments by the World Medical Assembly  in 1968 and 1983 in Sydney and Venice respectively. Meaning of Law and Medical Ethics in a Nutshell In its simplest context, law can be defined as enforced rules devised by the State to govern the behaviour of its members for the mutual benefits of all. Observance of the rules must be guaranteed by some kinds of sanction directed against the rule breakers. In addition to laws for the general public, doctors are bounded by certain specific rules stipulated in statutes as well as code of professional conduct laid down by the official regulating authority, namely the Medical Council, and administrative codes  set by the institutions. Together, they form the legal framework regarding the practice of medicine, violation of which may lead to criminal or civil liability, or disciplinary actions. In addition to legal obligations, there are also expectations of society for the doctors and the goal of the profession based on long established moral principles of self-evident value, which define the moral framework of medical practice. Medical ethics can be defined as a self-imposed code of conduct accepted voluntarily within the medical profession, the observance of which depends on ones conscience and moral values. Law and medical ethics are both dynamic and are in a constant state of change with time due to changing circumstances and societal values. Thus, new legislation and court decisions give rise to changes of the law and new ethical issues emerge in response to challenges created by new technology, law or other influence. There is also wide difference in law from country to country because of factors regarding religion, culture, traditions, political systems and social standards. Fundamental Principles in Medical Ethics5 Medical ethics is an applied ethics which involves examining specific controversial issues such as abortion,  breach of confidentiality, end-of-life care, rationing of scarce medical resources. The objective is to try to identify the issue concerned, analyze it with reasoned ideas and arguments and arrive at a viable and morally acceptable resolution for it. In the realm of medical practice, it is difficult to hold rules or principles that are absolute in view of the many variables that exist in the context of clinical cases as well as new issues that arise as a result of changing circumstances and belief. Nevertheless, over the years, there are certain fundamental principles that have won a general acceptance as guideposts in the  moral analysis of ethical dilemmas in medicine. The fundamental principles that apply generally to medicine or health care at large are: (a) respect of patients autonomy; (b) the principle of nonmaleficence, i. e. , the duty to avoid harm or injury to patients; (c) the principle of beneficence, i. e. , the duty to do good to your patients, relieve their pain and suffering and to save life if you can; and (d) the principle of justice and act fairly. The values that encompass the four fundamental principles in medical ethics are self-evident. They are considered to be doctors prima facie duties to the patients  and society. It is necessary for a doctor to take all of them into account when they are applicable to the clinical case under consideration. Not infrequently, when two or more principles apply, they may be in conflict. For instance, the decision to operate on a case of acute appendicitis involves at least two competing prima facie duties on the part of the doctor. At one end, the doctor is obliged to provide the greatest benefit to the patient by performing an immediate appendectomy. At the other end, surgery and general anesthesia carry risks and the doctor is under the obligation to avoid causing harm to the patient. The resolution adopted must base on a balance between the demands of the competing principles by determining which carries more weight in the particular case. In the case of appendicitis, a generally accepted rational calculus holds that the patient is in far greater risk of harm from a ruptured appendix if the doctor do not act, than from the operation and anesthesia if the doctor proceed to surgery. Law and Medicine Broadly speaking, medical matters come into interaction with law in four aspects: (a) legislation and administrative regulations affecting medical practice; (b) court judgments  on problematic or controversial ethical issues in medicine; (c) medical matters or personnel may become subjects of lawsuits when issues of medical malpractice or alleged medical negligence arise; and (d) use of medical matters as evidence in courts for other criminal or civil proceedings such as cases of homicide, rape, wounding, workmans compensation, insurance claims and the like. The Interaction of Law and Ethics in Medical Practice Despite their distinctive roles, law and medical ethics overlap in many areas. It is indeed difficult to dissociate the legal and ethical basis of the professional duties of  doctors. For instance, both law and medical ethics address to issues of confidentiality, euthanasia, abortion, use of dangerous drugs, medical malpractice and the like. MEDICAL SECTIONVol. 8 No. 6 5 Both law and medical ethics aim at safeguarding a good standard of medical practice within the community. The overriding consideration is to ensure the health and welfare of the general public. It is fundamental that doctors should be law abiding or they may face civil/criminal consequences due to breach of the standards prescribed by legal requirements. On the other hand, an ethics percept that is not adopted into  law may be a significant professional and moral guidance but it is generally not enforceable. Often, lawmakers (courts and legislature) do take into account the views of medical profession, which may include ethical principle, when crafting laws affecting medical practice. Thus, ethical standards can be incorporated in the legislation and become part of the legal standards. At times, a doctors prima facie ethical duty may clash with his legal obligation. A notable example that often occurs is when the duty of confidentiality has to be breached by a court order and refusal to disclosure  amounts to contempt of court. It is true that law is the established social rules for conduct which, in most instance, incorporates ethical standards to which the society subscribe. However, there are also instances when laws may be bent to reach socially compelling results, which can deviate from what is ethical. An entire society can become morally corrupt. No doubt, the doctors in Nazi Germany and Japan who had participated in the most notorious human experimentations during the Second World War were ethically wrong and were convicted of war criminals in subsequent trials, although  their behaviour were not legally wrong under their social standards at that time. Growing Attention to Legal and Ethical Issues in Medical Practice Attention to legal and ethical issues in medical practice is growing intense in recent years both within the medical profession and in all sectors of the society. The ethical issues raised by new medical advances and the rapidly changing public values have provoked much debates among medical professionals and in other disciplines including lawyers, philosophers, sociologists, theologians, mass media and the community at large. Large scale  programmes such as the human genome project, end- of-life care, priority setting, rationing of medical resources, womens health have attracted profound research interest in their ethical, legal and social issues. The propensity to litigate is also on the uprising trend in recent years. This is part and parcel of the general trend that people nowadays are more conscious of litigation in all areas of life, particularly in the light of the increased awareness of their legal and human rights as well as rules of law. During the past century or so, medicine has evolved more as a science than as a mystical art. The media has also reduced the complex medical sciences to a level that will allow the general population to comprehend. Moreover, consumerism is now firmly established in medical practice and this has been promoted on a wide scale by patients rights organizations as well as authorities through public education and introduction of charters and performance pledges. In recent decades, there has also been a fall of the traditional paternalism in medical practice. Thus, the patients and their families are now more ready to speak up to protect their rights, to raise questions or doubts on the conduct  and skill of their doctors. Furthermore, issues of infringement of patients rights, malpractice and medical negligence are now attracting wide media coverage. This has undoubtedly served to alert the general public to such possibilities. The increase in medical negligence claims and litigation on issues of malpractice in recent years is reflected both in the number of lawsuits and the tremendous sum of monetary value involved. There is now greater availability of lawyers as well as compensation claim agencies who are ready to assist the patients and their families to institute legal actions against their doctors. A greater proportion of the general population is now aware that the courts can and, on occasion, do provide substantial monetary compensation for personal injury. This has obviously enhanced the growing compensation awareness in the public mind. Even in a lawsuit that has not been successful in proving the defendant doctors liability to the plaintiffs personal injury, it can still devastate the doctors career because of the media coverage it receives. The new wave of class-action lawsuits against healthcare professionals and organizations in North America is particularly worrying. The assembling of a  group of plaintiffs instead of a single plaintiff greatly expands the defendants exposure to liability. Besides, it is also likely that the media attention on such a case will attract additional potential plaintiffs. 6 Another factor that has been suggested by some health care professionals is the depersonalization of the doctor- patient relationship. It is undoubtedly easier to sue a relatively anonymous defendant, such as a hospital consultant, than to sue a family doctor whom one has known for years, and this is even truer of hospital authorities. The Scope of Law and Ethics in Medical  Practice The scope of law and ethics in medical practice is expanding all the time. Any attempt in listing out the core topics can neither be complete nor prescriptive. Some topics are of interest to doctors of all specialties whilst some topics are more important to particular specialties. The following list is based largely on the consensus statement of the teachers of medical ethics and law in 6 MEDICAL SECTION August 2003 UK on a model for core curriculum in medical ethics and law within medical education: 1. Official regulations of medical practice (a) Statutes laid down by legislature e. g.  Cap 161 Medical Registration Ordinance Cap 134 Dangerous Drugs Ordinance Cap 137 Antibiotics Ordinance Cap 138 Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (b) List of Misconduct in a Professional Respect issued by the Medical Council of Hong Kong7 2. Foundations of doctor-patient relationship1,5 (a) Doctors obligation of fidelity – patients expect that doctors are trustworthy, knowledgeable and competent. Doctors are looked upon as trustees of patients medical welfare, always acting in the interests of the patients. We owe a duty of not causing harm to our patients (the principle of nonmaleficence). We also have a duty to do good  to our patients if we can (the principle of beneficence). (b) Respect of patients rights, including the basic principle of human rights and their relations with moral and professional duties. (c) Respect of privacy and confidentiality – the doctor- patient relationship is essentially founded on trust and confidence. Doctors are expected to respect for patients privacy and disclose patients information only when justified. At times, there is often conflict of interest between individuals or between and individual and the public with regard to disclosure of patients information. There is also  legal requirement to protect privacy in the general sense (Cap 486 Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance). (d) Respect of patients autonomy informed consent and refusal to treatment are basic patients rights. There are several related issues regarding the determination of patients capacity to share in decision-making (patients competence), the principle of risk-benefit equation to decide how much information to be given to patients (therapeutic privilege) and the concept of surrogate decision in cases of incompetent patients. Difficult dilemmas can arise when this is in conflict with other prima facie duties of the  doctors such as the situation when emergency interventions are required in cases of incompetent patients. (e) The difficult patients, noncompliance, hostile patients and abuse of patients rights. (f) Breach of duties leading to medical negligence or malpractice claims. 3. Death and related issues (a) The definition and diagnosis of death. (b) The persistent vegetative state – what is the meaning of human life: an organism or a person with body and mind? Is there a need for advancing the definition of life; from somatic death and brain stem death to neocortical death? 8 (c) End-of-life care – whether life support decision is  to prolong life or suffering? Difficult issues of medical futility, forgoing life-sustaining treatment, doctor-assisted suicide and euthanasia have immense ethical and legal implications. A fundamental question for doctors is whether letting to die is the same as euthanasia. 8 (d) Legal and ethical issues in organ transplantation. 9 (e) Death certification and disposal of dead bodies. 10, 11 (f) Coroner and medico-legal investigations of death. 12 4. Reproductive medicine and genetics (a) The management of infertility – the legal and ethical issues in artificial insemination and surrogate motherhood. (b) The control of fertility – sterilization and other forms of contraception. (c) The right of foetus – the legal13 and ethical issues in abortion and the question of maternal-foetal conflict. (d) Prenatal screening and wrongful life, genetic counseling and eugenics. (e) Genetic therapy – whether it is to treat the abnormal or to improve the normal. (f) Cloning of human being – its legal and ethical considerations. 5. Biomedical human research and experimentation (a) The legal14 and ethical15 regulations. (b) Ethics committee consultations. (c) The discrepancy between developed and developing countries. 6.  Special issues in psychiatry (a) Legal16 and ethical justification for detention and treatment without consent. (b) Informed consent in patients suffering from mental illness – the question of competence by the state of mind. (c) Conflicts of interests between the patients, families and the society. (d) Mental disorders and crime – mental disorders and liabilities of an individual and issues of compulsory treatment for offenders (especially in cases of sex offenders); the role of psychiatrist as an expert witness. 7. Special issues in paediatrics (a) Consent in minor. (b) Conflicts of interest between parental rights, the  rights of the child and the duty of the paediatrician. (c) Legal and ethical issues in cases of child abuse. 17 (d) The paediatricians role in child protection. 8. Healthcare delivery and resource allocation18 (a) Dilemmas in deciding a fair distribution of scarce medical resources and the rights of individual patient to healthcare services. (b) Healthcare cost crisis: its political, social and economic implications. 19 (c) The criteria for rationing healthcare resources and MEDICAL SECTIONVol. 8 No. 6 7 the sustainability of the healthcare services – does rationing simply means cutting or trimming  healthcare budget? What is a fair healthcare policy? What is the direction of healthcare reform? (d) Ethical considerations in the business aspects of healthcare – economic constraints, models of remuneration, professional freedom. The issues related to Health Maintenance Organizations and other managed care providers. (e) Responsibility of individuals for their own health. (f) Global distributions of healthcare resources: a gross unevenness. 9. Quality assurance (a) Continuity of care for patients. (b) Communications between doctors and patients, doctors and doctors. The duty to consult when  necessary. (c) Peer review and clinical audits, continuous medical education. (d) Truth-telling, disclosure of medical errors and incompetent colleagues. 20, 21 (e) Healthcare complaints – what is a fair and user- friendly mechanism to receive and resolve complaints. 10. Use of medical matters as evidence in courts (a) The medical witness – a doctor may be called to attend courts to give professional or expert evidence, or both. The objective of medical evidence is to assist the court in determining the truth and hence enabling justice to be done. A medical witness must have impartiality, reliability,  clarity and relevancy. His duty is to give evidence on a scientific objective manner commensurating with his role as a doctor as well as his expertise. (b) The issue of hired gun. (c) Conflict between a doctors duties to his patient and his role as a medical witness. Conclusion In recent years, teaching of law and ethics in medical practice has emerged as a core curriculum in both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in many developed countries such as the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. 22, 23 Research and discussion papers on clinical ethics and reports on medico-legal  cases now constitute a significant contribution to the expansion of medical literature, which have enriched our knowledge in the areas with widening scopes. 2 This is perhaps a major area that the medical education and training in Hong Kong need to catch up. Doctors are now expected to have knowledge and understanding of the principles of medical ethics and the legal responsibilities of the medical profession. They should also have the ability to recognize complex legal and ethical issues arising from clinical practice and sound decision-making skills to resolve them. 24 Often there is  no single or universal answer to such issues. The views within the medical profession as well as the public change constantly with time and vary from one country to another. It is therefore prudent for doctors to keep themselves informed about the current views, and when in doubt, be ready to consult their peers, lawyers and ethicists. References 1. Fletcher JC, Hite CA, Lombardo PA, Marshall MF, eds. Introduction to Clinical Ethics. Frederick Maryland: University Publishing Group, 1995. 2. Siegler M, Pellegrino ED, Singer PA. Clinical ethics revisited. BMC Medical Ethics 2001; (available from: biomedcentral. com/1742-6939/2/1). 3. Camps FE ed. Gradwohls Legal Medicine, Chapter 1. Bristol: John Wright Sons Ltd. , 3rd edition, 1976. 4. The Medical Council of Hong Kong Homepage: mchk. org. hk. 5. Beauchamp TL, Childress JF. Principles of Biomedical Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 1994 6. Lightstone S. Class-action lawsuits medicines newest legal headache. JAMC 2001;165(5):622. 7. Medical Council of Hong Kong. Professional Code and Conduct: For the Guidance of Registered Medical Practitioners. Hong Kong: HKMC, revised 2000. 8. Arras JD, Steinbock B, eds. Ethical Issues in Modern  Medicine, Part II: Defining Death, Forgoing Life-Sustaining Treatment, and Euthanasia. Mountain View, California: Mayfield Publishing Co. , 4th edition, 1995. 9. Cap 465 Human Organ Transplant Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 10. Cap 174 Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 11. Cap 132 Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 12. Cap 504 Coroners Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 13. Cap 212 Offence Against Persons Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 14. Cap 278 Medical (Therapy, Education and Research) Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 15. Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences. International Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical Research Involving Human Subjects. CIOMS, revised 2002. 16. Cap 136 Mental Health Ordinance, Law of Hong Kong. 17. Social Welfare Department, Government of HKSAR. Procedures for Handling Child Abuse Cases. Hong Kong: SWD, revised 1998. 18. McKneally MF, Dickens BM, Meslin EM, Singer PA. Bioethics for clinicians: 13. Resource allocation. CMAJ 1997;157: 163-7. 19. Health and Welfare Bureau, Government of HKSAR. Lifelong Investment in Health: Consultation Document on Health Care Reform. Hong Kong: 2001. 20. Hebert PC, Levin AV, Robertson G. Bioethics for clinicians: 23. Disclosure of medical error. CMAJ 2001;164(4):509-13. 21. Burrows J. Telling tales and saving lives: Whistleblowing The role of professional colleagues in protecting patients from dangerous doctors. Medical Law Review 2001;9: 110-29. 22. Position Statement: An ethics core curriculum for Australasian medical schools. Med J Aus 2001;175: 205-10. 23. Doyal L, Gillon R. Medical ethics and law as a core subject in medical education. BMJ 1998;316:1623-4. 24. Australian Medical Council. Goals and objectives of basic medical education. Guidelines for assessment and accreditation of medical schools. Canberra: AMC, 2000.

Definition of Contradictory Premises

Definition of Contradictory Premises Contradictory premises involve an  argument (generally considered a logical fallacy) that draws a conclusion from inconsistent or incompatible premises. Essentially, a proposition is contradictory when it asserts and denies the same thing. Examples and Observations of Contradictory Premises Here’s an example of Contradictory Premises: If God can do anything, can He make a stone so heavy that He won’t be able to lift it?Of course, she replied promptly.But if He can do anything, He can lift the stone, I pointed out.Yeah, she said thoughtfully. Well, then I guess He can’t make the stone.But He can do anything, I reminded her.She scratched her pretty, empty head. I’m all confused, she admitted.Of course you are. Because when the premises of an argument contradict each other, there can be no argument. If there is an irresistible force, there can be no immovable object. If there is an immovable object, there can be no irresistible force. Get it?Tell me more of this keen stuff, she said eagerly.(Max Shulman, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Doubleday, 1951)It is . . . sometimes difficult to distinguish between real and apparent incompatible premises. For example, a father who is trying to convince his child that no one should be trusted is obviously making an exception of himself. If he really were making incompatible claims (since you should trust no one, and you should trust me), no rational conclusion could or should be drawn by the child. However, the incompatible premises are only apparent; the father has carelessly overstated the first premise. If he had said, Dont trust most people or Trust very few people, or Dont trust anyone except me, he would have had no trouble avoiding the contradiction.(T. Edward Damer, Attacking Faulty Reasoning: A Practical Guide to Fallacy-Free Arguments, 6th ed. Wadsworth, 2008) To say that lying is justified must, according to the rational principle enshrined in the categorical imperative, be to say that everyone is justified in lying. But the implication of this is that the distinction between lying and telling the truth is no longer valid. If lying is universalized (i.e., if everyone ought to lie becomes a universal maxim of action), then the whole rationale for lying disappears because nobody will consider that any response might be truthful. Such a [maxim] is self-contradictory, since it negates the distinction between lying and truth-telling. Lying can exist only if we expect to hear the truth; if we expect to be told lies, the motive for lying disappears. To identify lying as ethical, then, is to be inconsistent. It is to try to sustain two contradictory premises (everyone ought to lie and everyone ought to tell the truth) and is therefore not rational.(Sally E. Talbot, Partial Reason: Critical and Constructive Transformations of Ethics and Epistemolo gy. Greenwood, 2000) Contradictory Premises in Mental Logic Unlike the standard logic of textbooks, people draw no conclusions from contradictory premisessuch premise sets cannot qualify as assumptions. No one ordinarily would assume a contradictory set of premises, but would see such as absurd. (David P. OBrien, Mental Logic and Irrationality: We Can Put a Man on the Moon, So Why Cant We Solve These Logical Reasoning Problems. Mental Logic, ed. by Martin D. S. Braine and David P. OBrien. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1998)In standard logic an argument is valid as long as there is no assignment of truth values to its atomic propositions such that the premises taken conjunctively are true and the conclusion is false; thus any argument with contradictory premises is valid. In mental logic, nothing could be inferred in such a situation except that some assumption is wrong, and the schemas are not applied to premises unless the premises are accepted. (David P. OBrien, Finding Logic in Human Reasoning Requires Looking in the Right Places. Perspectives on Thin king and Reasoning, ed. by Stephen E. Newstead and Jonathan St.B. T. Evans. Lawrence Erlbaum, 1995) Also Known As: Incompatible Premises

Building Tension Skills For Crafting Suspense In Your Story - Freewrite Store

Building Tension Skills For Crafting Suspense In Your Story - Freewrite Store Mastering your craft as a writer - especially as a fiction writer - can take years. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can be proactive in getting to grips with the skills and techniques you need to take your writing from mediocre to masterful. One of the most foundational skills you need to comprehend is that of creating tension (or suspense) in your stories. Why Suspense Matters Suspense is an essential ingredient in fiction. It’s what keeps your readers turning the page long after they’ve declared that they’ll ‘read just one more page before I put the light out’. Without tension and suspense, your story is flat and lifeless. When I first started out as a self-proclaimed fiction writer, I didn’t understand suspense at all. I thought that suspense fiction was a genre all of its own, and so I didn’t realize how important it was to my stories. Suspense matters. You can’t write a great story without it. Unfortunately, writing scenes full of suspense and tension can be tricky. You have to learn about the right balance (otherwise known as pacing) and understand the different techniques you can use to create tension. Authors who rely too much on just one or two tension-building techniques suffer from the unfortunate problem of creating ‘predictable tension’. You might get away with that in one book, but if you build a following of fans, you’ll soon find that they get wise to your predictable tension techniques, so your writing loses much of its suspense. You want to keep your readers gripped, which means you need a whole arsenal of tension techniques that you can mix up in your writing to avoid the death-knell of predictability. I’m going to teach you three essential suspense skills you need to write unputdownable fiction. #1. Create Crucial Conflict Conflict is one of the key ingredients of suspenseful writing. Conflict automatically creates tension in scenes, so naturally, it’s an author’s best friend. What makes conflict even more important is its versatility. There are different types of conflict too. For example: Character versus nature (e.g. when a character faces some kind of natural disaster) Character versus self (e.g. a character who has some kind of internal struggle to deal with) Character versus society (e.g. characters pitted against an oppressive government regime, or a character that’s part of a minority group who struggles with marginalization) Character versus character - relational type (e.g. unrequited love or some kind of drama within a family) Character versus character - hero/villain type (e.g. the traditional good-guy versus bad-guy situation) Character versus technology (e.g. science fiction scenarios where technology is the antagonist) Character versus the supernatural (e.g. scenarios where characters are faced with battles against prophecies about their own fate) As you can see from this list of conflict types, conflict in fiction is always rooted in characters - the conflict is between the character and something else. If you try to create conflict by any other means, your story will fall flat, unfortunately. At its heart, conflict is about something keeping your character(s) from their goals. That means that you need to know - and make clear to your readers - what your characters’ goals are. Without this fundamental first step, you can’t create the tension you need to create a gripping story. Spend some time brainstorming your character’s goals and the types of conflict that might keep them from achieving those goals. Pick two or three scenarios out of your brainstorming session and write a scene for each where your character is pitted against the literal or figurative nemesis to their goal. Creating conflict is a skill you need to practice until it becomes an automatic part of writing. Don’t just practice when you’re writing your novel, either. Honing your craft as a writer means spending time developing your skills before you sit down to write your masterpiece. Here’s some prompts you might want to try: Davy is about to leave the house and embark on a trip when an unexpected guest arrives†¦ Allison has planned the speech she’s going to make to break up with Drew, but then, just as she’s about to open her mouth, Drew gets down on one knee and proposes†¦ Craig has just accepted a place at CalTec when a news story breaks that threatens his entire future†¦ Becca is hiking in the mountains alone, trying to come to terms with something that’s happened, when a fierce storm unexpectedly hits. #2. Raise the Stakes You know your characters, you know their goals - but your goal as a writer is to keep your characters from achieving their goals (at least until you’re ready for the climax of your story). One thing that startled me when I started writing full time was how much I came to sympathize with my protagonists, so much so that I felt bad for pitting them against so many obstacles to keep them from their goals. You can’t afford to let sentimentality get in the way of your tension-creating skills. I learned that the hard way. One of the most effective ways of creating tension in your writing is to keep raising the stakes. This means that the more your characters fight against the things opposing their goals, the further away they seem from achieving their goals. There’s a range of ways you can raise the stakes in your novel - but before you get to writing your story for real, try practicing these different stake-raising techniques: The Ticking Clock Nothing raises the stakes more than a time limit. In practice, that means that you give your character a goal that has to be achieved in a certain time frame. The reason why the limit is there is up to you. When you use this technique, every time your character makes a failed attempt to overcome the obstacle in their way, the more aware the reader becomes of how little time is left. It keeps your readers gripped. The Fun-House Floor If you’ve never been in a fun-house, this won’t mean anything to you, so I’ll explain. In a fun-house there is often a section made up of platforms that move up and down and side to side, making it really difficult to cross to the other side. In fiction, the fun-house floor technique introduces change and uncertainty for your character, unbalancing them and making them (and your reader) wonder how to move forward. There’s plenty of things you can introduce to create uncertainty - the death of a loved one, the revelation of a secret, the loss of a job. The Shock Revelation To use this technique effectively, you need to understand foreshadowing (you can check out my guide to using foreshadowing if you want to brush up on those skills). Making a shock revelation is a great way of raising the stakes - as long as you ensure that it’s a revelation that in some way keeps your character from their goals. You can’t just dump a shock revelation into your story, however. It needs to be set up (using foreshadowing - but carefully) so that your readers get the ‘ah-ha’ moment. Chucking in a revelation that you haven’t hinted subtly at using foreshadowing isn’t going to make your readers happy. It can be a shock to your character, but your readers might already have their suspicions. Practicing Raising the Stakes Use these prompts to practice your stake-raising skills: Amelia’s nephew has gone missing while she was taking care of him, and his parents are due home in 36 hours†¦ The deadline is in three days... Juan has just 24 hours to gather evidence to prove that his partner is innocent of the murder†¦ Carrie receives an anonymous letter with the words â€Å"I know what you did† on it... Ethan’s secret is out†¦ Michael’s uncle dies suddenly†¦ Stefan has just paid the deposit on his condo when his boss fires him... #3. Partner Tension With Pacing When I realized that my fiction was missing tension, I kinda went to the extreme with it, and tried to throw tension into every scene, every conversation, every moment my characters took to think†¦ It wasn’t pretty. It was the precise opposite of pretty. When you’re working with tension and suspense, you need to have a balance. That’s where pacing comes in. Pacing gives your characters (and your readers) time to breathe between intense scenes filled with tension. You can’t have your character going from tension-filled-scene to tension-filled-scene without having some kind of ‘normality’ in-between. That’s not how real life works, and it doesn’t work in fiction, either. Understanding pacing creates a more realistic flow to your fiction, which is why it’s important you learn to pace your writing in parallel with tension. There are two types of pacing - fast pacing and slow pacing. Let’s take a look at them and see how you can partner pacing with tension for fabulous fiction. Fast Pacing Essentially, fast pacing is where most of your tension lives. These scenes carry urgency and spend less time on unnecessary details. When you’re writing these kinds of scenes, you want your writing to be punchy to reflect the pace. This is not the place for long descriptions or explanations. Fast pacing works by building tension to a crescendo. These are the scenes that will keep your reader urgently turning the pages to find out what happens. Slow Pacing To give your character a breather, slow pacing after a particularly tense scene works really well. Here’s where you can focus on the details, explore your character’s psyche and begin to build up towards the next tense scene. Slow pacing can be filled with emotion or packed with emotive and atmospheric details. You can still add tension in these slower scenes, but you’ll do it differently. In slow-paced scenes, you’re not using action to create tension, but rather focusing on building tension with atmospheric details. This works particularly well in thrillers or horror fiction, where things like the rustling of leaves or footsteps on the pavement can create suspense. Some slow-paced scenes are pretty identical to ordinary, non-tension-filled scenes, so if you can write an ordinary scene, then you can write one of these. Writing slow-paced atmospheric scenes with undercurrents of more gentle tension, however, take a bit more practice. Here are some prompts you can try out: Describe the shadows in the room The light flickers†¦ Phoenix is sitting in the basement. Describe the atmosphere†¦ Sam is taking a walk to clear his head. He heads into the forest, his favorite place in the world. Describe the sounds, smells, sights. Then, there’s the crack of a twig†¦ Making Tension Come Naturally You can’t write fiction without tension, so if writing is your passion, then you have to master the art of creating both fast-paced and slow-paced tension. For most people, this takes time and patience before you get it right - but once you do, you’ll find that it soon starts to come naturally, and you’ll find yourself putting just the right amount of tension into your scenes without having to consciously think about how you’re going to do it. The more you practice, the easier it becomes!

Beauty and the Beast Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Beauty and the Beast - Research Paper Example The focus in this paper is on ‘Beauty and the Beast’ as probably one of the most unforgettable theme songs in one of the greatest Disney classics of all time. The movie has been well loved and is, to put simply, an enchanting treat to audiences that have seen it. The movie has offered a potent combination of romance and enough wit to ensnare viewers young, old and the young at heart. The nomination for an Oscar nomination is indeed a testimony to this film’s quality. In a nutshell, the film is about a love story between a somewhat free-spirited country girl named Belle yearning to escape the humdrum provincial life. There she is constantly pursued by a good looking albeit ignorant suitor by the name of Gaston. However, as fate would have it and more so to put the love story in motion, Belle’s father got stuck in the woods and then captured by the feared Beast. Being the heroine of the story, she valiantly switched places with her father. Thus, the Beauty me ets the Beast and the romance started though initially with a bit of distrust and a pinch of fear as Belle becomes somewhat a cross between a prisoner and a guest in the mystical mansion of Beast. There, she met even more strange things as there are different furniture that can speak. Interestingly though, these talking teapot, clock and candelabra became some sort of a bridge that connected the would be lovers. Slowly, the romance blossomed and after an altercation that nearly cost the Beast’s life, Belle’s true love for the otherwise hideous and feared creature broke the spell and out came a dashing prince. And, as the adage goes, they lived happily ever after. Main Body Barely even friends As mentioned, the two main characters were barely even friends when they met. In fact, since the presence of Belle in the Beast’s mansion or castle was merely the result of a prisoner swap, these two were even enemies. However, as love stories and animated features would ha ve it, these two became lovers in the end. Technically though, that is quite a stretch which can be expected from such a feature. After all, it is s fairy tale. And where there’s fairy tale, there is magic. And, maybe, love do comes with a bit of magic. Also, love comes with a desire to change oneself though this can careen dangerously to the darker side or climb further up to be a better person for the one that you love. Minow (2007) recognizes the unique quality of this film which holds the distinction of being the first ever animated film to be nominated to the Oscars. It was a lovely movie and though the shift from enemies to friends seem predictable, the story still did justice to the viewers by portraying a changing and improving image of the characters that seemed to be the critical factor for their romance to become possible. The two characters, Belle and the Beast, were initially cast against each other though despite the presence of a persistent suitor, Belle was ge nuinely single and is therefore open to romance. Although the plot seemed obvious because of the title, the movie did its part in showing the development of the characters own selves before developing a love for each other. It would be prudent to note that the hideous form of the Beast was a punishment from an otherwise wayward prince. Also, it can be seen that the imprisonment of Belle was likewise a watershed event in her life that has opened up herself to be more caring and sensitive to other people. In fact, getting to know Beast in a deeper sense can only be the possible explanation for such a beauty to fall for the beast (Minow 2007). A Beastly Beauty in itself The film itself was a romance in the making. Berardinelli (1991) argues that it was the best animated movie that was ever made. However, he concedes that the Lion King was by far the highest grossing Disney film, the story and cinematography coupled with the astounding soundtrack and musical has pushed the movie to grea t heights.

Multivariate Techniques Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multivariate Techniques - Research Paper Example In view of the possible incoherence due to the management restructuring at Company W, retraining of Company W’s top management in key departments such as sales, marketing, and production is vital. In addition, the top management at WidgeCorp needs statistically verifiable conclusions on issues and recommendations resulting from broad management restructuring agenda. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the use of factor analysis as a statistical data analysis technique, highlight some of its real life applications, and demonstrate its applicability to company W. Keywords: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) Factor Analysis Introduction Acquisition is a corporate strategy in wide use by organizations that seek to increase their market presence, lower operation costs, or retain profitability in unfavorable economic conditions. One of the major challenges facing mergers and acquisitions, which accounts for many failures associated with the pro cess, is lack of coherence and incompatibility in the management teams of the corporate entities involved. A disconcerting 50% of merger and acquisition deals fail due to a number of factors, one of which is the inability to reconcile the management cultures of the companies involved (Monahan, 2000). Therefore, a successful acquisition does not end with the formalization of the acquisition process, but with retraining and restructuring to ensure retention of harmony in the management structures of the two companies. The integration process is delicate, and needs careful deliberation and planning by the top management so that it does not defeat the purpose of the acquisition. This summary seeks to explain the effects of implementation of factor analysis in Company W. Admittedly, subjective judgment and experience present glaring limitations as decision-making techniques (Monahan, 2000). Despite the proven effectiveness of multivariate statistical analysis techniques such as factor an alysis techniques, WidgeCorp should not undermine the possible benefits that traditional methods used at Company W might offer the new corporate conglomerate. The management should aim to bring the best practices from either side of the management landscape to benefit from the synergies appropriately (Monahan, 2000). The transition to a common management approach should be as smoothly as possible, and should aim to win the cooperation of the employees the changes will affect the most. What is Factor Analysis? Factor analysis is a statistical analysis technique that explains the variation and correlation of variables with the use of uncorrelated, unobserved variables known as factors (DeCoster, 1998). Statistical researchers hail Charles Spearman, a psychologist, as the pioneer in the practical application of factor analysis. Factor analysis is highly applicable to social sciences and in business in areas such as marketing, production, and sales (DeCoster, 1998). The technique is hig hly effective in areas that involve the processing of very large quantities of data. The overriding premise of factor analysis is that factors that have high correlation share the same driving factors and vice versa. Factor analysis assumes two forms: exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analy

Ecommerce Assignment (National Bank of Dubai) Essay

Ecommerce Assignment (National Bank of Dubai) - Essay Example According to a study, by the Department of Psychology at Middle East Technical University, organizational success (of a web site) may be considered by the site's user-friendliness.4 The criteria specified in the study ("rollovers, pop-up menus, and search capabilities") to determine user-friendliness is, however; met by the NBD's web site. Therefore, based upon these criteria, it must be concluded that the site is an organizational success. The non transaction interactivity of the web site is sufficient and dynamic, yet rudimentary. The most attractive (and unique) aspect of this area is the "careers" section which shows the depth the bank has undertaken to inform potential employees of unique career paths. There is a very well formatted "site feedback" questionnaire as well as a separate link to contact the bank directly. However, an attempt to contact the bank, via this method (during working hours,) did not receive a reply as of the time of this writing. Privacy and security is a prime concern for all banks and customers and NBD appears to have a fairly good handle on the process.