Spiritual Food of the Baroque Period - 680 Words

The baroque period brought forth the most ornamented art of all time. The musical field grew parallel to the fields of painting and sculpture, all three categories experienced a dramatic increase in interest. Consequentially, the sudden flow of finances allowed the musicians to examine, modify, and renew their standards’ and methods. Baroque music quickly developed into a very individual style. During the nearly one hundred and fifty years that the Baroque period lasted the basic style did not change, in fact it was simple built upon. Francis Schaeffer advises us that the arts are ways to understand the society and politics of the past, given the distinct correlation between the art world and music world we can tell that the Baroque period was a time of peaceful renovation. The driving ideology of Baroque music was the need to communicate. Baroque music has many characteristics that set it apart. Early baroque music uses extreme instrument contrast to create a dramatic emotional climax. Later musicians developed a method of succinctly building a climax. The other noticeable difference is the key instruments are tuned to. The quality of instruments has significantly increased since the Baroque period, to mimic the original sound of baroque pieces orchestras often tune their instruments down about half a key. Melody and harmony were emphasized across the board instead of in individual genres. Another key characteristic was the attitude of the composers, in desperation toShow MoreRelatedMusic is one of many forms of art. There are varying types of music which consists of seven1300 Words   |  6 Pagesmore complex over time, mixing different patterns with different characteristics. These complex patterns had grown over hundreds of years. Different music forms had given way to spiritual and cultural purposes. These comple x rhythms and patterns would create a purpose that humans would use throughout history. During this period, different cultures began to believe that there were far more superior beings that created this world. This thought created many religions. These early religions would use musicRead MoreThe Language For South American And China2128 Words   |  9 Pagesoften in fast-paced life, for the pursuit of material they deplete much energy and almost tend to ignore the spiritual energy. Religion is the driving force and restraint on the spiritual level of American society. Money is important, but money is not useful for everything. Money is the power and constraints on the physical level, but people need to have power and constraints on the spiritual level, which is mainly done by religion. The religion in American society is colorful. The United StatesRead MoreMusic History and Its Influence on America2401 Words   |  10 PagesArtifacts from every culture show people playing musical instruments. The oldest findings came from Asia, dating back four thousand years. Music has been used to perform religious ceremonies, performed in front of Royalty, and even to find spiritual balances, and centers. Whatver its uses, its main purpose has always been used to bring people together. Although there is no exact date for the origin of music, in my opinion, music was born when men were created. When the first cavemanRead More John Coltrane Essay5593 Words   |  23 Pageshis work. In composition he excelled in an astonishing number of forms – blues, ballads, spirituals, rhapsodies, elegies, suites, and free-form and cross-cultural works. The closest contemporary analogy to Coltranes relentless search for possibilities was the Beatles redefinition of rock from one album to the next. 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As we now find ourselves beginning a new millennium, questions with regards to musics origins, its spiritual, religious and mystical properties, its moral and ethical power, its transcendent qualities, the role of the arts and artists and the importance of art in general, and music in particular, are questions that I believe any thinking, caring, probingRead MoreA Descriptive Study of the Practice of Music Therapy in Hong Kong17388 Words   |  70 Pages and aesthetic experience, furthermore, it is seen inherently throughout the history that music as a therapeutic tool. For example, singing, chanting, dancing and drumming in spiritual and ritual ceremonies were common and usual in almost every tribal societies. These activities served as a connection to higher spiritual forces and music is thought as a therapy on an unconscious level in such phenomenon. Turning music therapy into a profession has resulted from contribution of pioneers in theRead MoreThe Philippine Architecture: Spanish Colonial Period18287 Words   |  74 PagesSpanish Colonial Period Chapter Review Arch 117 Abegail Imee R. Enriquez 2012-68836 Spanish Colonial Period How does Spanish Colonial architecture reflect Filipino identity? Discuss the various building types and their relationship to pre-colonial architecture in your arguments. Spanish colonial architecture reflects Filipino identity mostly through the Religious Architecture. As what the world knows, Philippines is the only Catholic country in Southeast Asia; thus, most of our structures all

Differences Between Greeks And The Mediterranean Sea

Greeks have been in America since about 1528. Greece is located at the southeast end of Europe on the Mediterranean Sea. The first recorded Greeks colonized in Florida, which is where about 77 thousand Greeks still inhabit today as well as a majority of the East Coast. Greeks believe in a simple four-step process to being healthy and if these four basic kinds of things are in order they will be healthy but if they are out of order, illness will occur. I chose to do my research on Greeks because I had heard of the popular â€Å"Mediterranean Diet† talked about for years. I have also seen movies about Greek culture, like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but did not know all the traditions of the Greeks. The four-step process of health maintenance†¦show more content†¦For example Epione is the goddess of the soothing of pain and Iaso is the goddess of recuperation from illness. As far as my research shows, most modern Greeks go to physicians to restore their health. There are also Greeks who use a new alternative form of medicine used today called Hellenistic pagans, these are people who pray to the Greek Gods to help them heal. They also use dietary management using foods that are easy to digest like soups to detoxify their bodies. Another way to restore health is to correct the four-step process if you are doing something wrong. To protect their health from the evil eye, Greeks wear garlic, amulets, or make a cross out of ash behind a child’s ear. The evil eye curse is when someone has envy for another, and this superstition has been around for many years and symptoms include headache, nausea and confusion. Greeks also knock wood to guard against misfortune. Many cultures also have rites, which are ceremonial acts. Birth rites in the Greek culture are very important, because family is important, so birth is celebrated. Gifts are given to pregnant women like little amulets to guard against evil eye or gold coins. Families also often honor traditional names in the family by bestowing the name on the baby. For the marriage rites the ceremony is spoken in Greek or English, but there are traditional parts that

Comparing Romeo and Juliet Death Scenes free essay sample

In the 1997 version of Romeo and Juliet, Luhrman used the many oxymorons, and ironic symbols to show his interpretation of the tragic death scene. One very important occurrence that kept happening in his movie was the uncertainty of the ending and close-calls. An example being when Romeo receives news that Juliet is dead in Mantua, he immediately gets in his car and drives off. If he had waited just a few more minutes, and thought rationally, the mailman would have delivered to him the letter from Friar Lawrence explaining everything. There are many other examples of this like when Romeo is about to take the poison, Juliet wakes up to watch him do it. When if he had waited five seconds, or she had been faster in telling him shes okay, they wouldve lived happily! The director did this because he wanted to create a heavy air of irony. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing Romeo and Juliet Death Scenes or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Even though we, as the audience know that the main characters dont survive, the way he stages these close-calls makes the viewer uncertain as to what the ending will really be. This technique also helps to showcase the tragic flaw that makes up the tragical Romeo. In the actual death scene itself, Luhrman did an excellent job of showing the passion, misfortune, and sorrow of the film. There is some debate on the change that Luhrman made concerning if he did Shakespeares original play justice. The fact that Friar Lawrence didnt even appear is a crucial factor that was not included in his adaptation. Luhrman did this to illustrate the romance of such a dramatic scene in the final act of the movie, without the interruption of Friar Lawrence to destroy the sad beauty of it . At the end of the day Luhrmans interpretation of the play was a extraordinary, contemporary, and beautifully styled. In the Zefferelli version of Romeo and Juliet, although he portrayed the death scene in almost all its exactitude, there were still some components to be missed. Shakespeare was an amazing play-write that created fantastical stories, with web-like plot lines. Some of his plays, however have been lost in translation. The original play of Romeo and Juliet has certain elements in it that people of todays society cannot relate to. An example of this is Juliet getting married at 14 to an older man. The fact that Zeferelli followed the original play makes it awkward to connect to. One specific area that totally lost the audience was in the during the death of Romeo and Juliet, everything was so gawky and clumsy looking. The lines were hard to understand, the acting was definitely not up to par, and it really made the scene unrealistic, and not connectable. The whole scene itself was so awkward that people were laughing, and finding it comical! Thats one sure way to know that the director was not doing the play justice. Both of these movies are amazing films to watch, but it is very clear that Luhrman is the superior director.

Ophelias Weaknesses Essays - Characters In Hamlet,

Ophelia's Weaknesses Ophelia's Weaknesses In classic works of literature all characters have certain flaws. In Shakespeare's tragedies the characters all have flaws that eventually lead to their undoing. In the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, the character of Ophelia is ultimately killed by her flaw. It is apparent that Ophelia is an obedient person through her thoughts and actions in the beginning of the play, but upon closer inspection, the audience sees that she is not merely obedient. Ophelia's thoughts and actions go beyond obedience to show that Ophelia is a weak and entirely dependent character. Ophelia's cruel actions towards Hamlet, which go against her feelings for him, demonstrate her obedience to her father. For example, in the beginning Ophelia tells her father that she likes Hamlet: ?My lord, he hath importuned me with love/ In honorable fashion...?(1.3 118-119). By stating this to Polonius, she implies that Hamlet is a decent and honorable man and that she does have some feelings for him. Ophelia's later actions sacrifice these personal feelings under the order of her father, proving her complete obedience. In particular, Ophelia agrees not to see Hamlet anymore after the request from her father: ?I shall obey, my lord...?(1.4 145). Ophelia's actions show that Polonius has complete control over his daughter because she sacrifices her personal feelings to please him. Ophelia's desire to please her father is the direct cause of her obedience. Thereafter, upon having agreed not to see Hamlet, Ophelia allows herself to be used as a puppet in order for the King and Poloni us to spy on Hamlet: ?Ophelia walk you here / We will bestow ourselves...? (3.1 48-49). Ophelia has an inward desire to please others, even if it means displeasing herself, and her obedience stems from this. Ophelia's drastic actions must come from something other than obedience, something such as her character. Ophelia's obedience goes deeper than her trying to please to father and shows what a weak character she is. Ophelia's thoughts and actions show what a weak character she is. For instance, when Hamlet harasses her and tells her to go to a nunnery where she can no longer harm anyone, she does not defend herself but, after he is gone, she pities herself: ?O woe is me t' have seen what I have seen / see what I see...? (3.1 174-175). Ophelia is not a strong enough person to defend herself, even when Hamlet is mocking everything that she is. Ophelia's ?woe is me? pity comes from the fact that she barely is reprimanded because she always tries to please others. Furthermore, when Polonius dies, Ophelia loses her primary guidance and, instead of attempting to go on with her own life, she calls on her brother for help in resolving her problems: ?My brother shall know of it / and so I thank you for your good counsel...? (4.5 75-76). Ophelia suffers and basically collapses once her father dies because he has always been there to instruct her, and now she is left to her own guidance. Ophelia is not str ong enough to survive by herself, and upon her self-recognition of this fact, she calls for her brother's help and guidance. Polonius's controlling manner is unreplaceable and Ophelia soon realizes this: ?I would give you some violets / but they withered all when my father died...? (4.5 207-208). Violets are a known symbol of faithfulness, this is why Ophelia says that the violets are gone, because she feels betrayed that her father has left her. Polonious's overbearing influence on Ophelia stunted her emotional growth by only allowing her to think and feel what she was told to. Ophelia's obedience and weakness as a character can be traced to her complete dependence on other people. Ophelia's actions can be explained by the fact that she was completely dependent on other people. In fact, Ophelia's dependence on others is evident in the very beginning: ?I do not know, my lord, what I should think. POL: Marry, I will teach you. Think yourself a baby...? (1.3 113-114). This shows how Ophelia depends on her father to determine what she should think and feel, and how she should live her life. Ophelia's complete dependence, or lack of independence,

How to Overcome Teenagers Problem Essay Example

How to Overcome Teenagers Problem Essay Example How to Overcome Teenagers Problem Essay How to Overcome Teenagers Problem Essay Random acts of kindness are a means by which we make a deliberate attempt to brighten another persons day by doing something thoughtful, nice, and caring for them. Kindness is a way of showing others that they count and that even in the face of hostility and selfishness, youre making a stand for kindness.Originally associated with Anne Herbert, who is said to have once written Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty on a place mat in a restaurant,this concept has become an organized celebration through various events around the world, as well as referring to a general call to action in the name of kindness. And you dont need to wait for someone else to instigate a day or week of celebrations to practice random acts of kindness; you can put them into play any time you like!By doing kind acts for others, youre helping to create kindness-aware communities that value generosity of spirit and action and kindness toward others as essential parts of a healthy community . Here are some suggestions for encouraging others with your random acts of kindness. EXAMPLES OF ACTS OF RANDOM KINDNESS!!!!! Be kind. Kindness as an attitude is infectious. When youre willing to share your kindness, others will be inspired by your example and think about doing something as kind themselves.Fan that flame by being kind to everyone. Be thoughtful. Random acts of kindness can be shown through thoughtfulness about the needs of others. Use your manners as a form of kindness. Manners arent dead, theyve just been forgotten in many ways. Yet, manners are the bedrock of courteous and kind relations and their use is an indication of respect for others. Hold doors open for others, hold an umbrella over someone in the rain, and be on time for everyone youve promised to meet. Give out compliments generously.Theres usually an awkward silence when youre stuck in an elevator or waiting in a queue with a stranger. Instead of staring at the floor, find something you like about the o ther person and compliment him/her on it. Not only will it make him/her feel good, it just might kick off a conversation with a new friend. Volunteer. Offer helping hands. Do you ever see homeless people and feel overwhelmed by your inability to make a difference? Even if you cant save them all, you can do a lot with one small act.Buy a pair of gloves or dig up an old blanket, and give them to someone whos living in the cold streets or to any organization that serves the homeless. Share a little wealth around. Forgive somebody. You be amazed at the ripple effect an ounce of forgiveness can have in your life and in the lives of others. Unburden yourself of the past and think kind thoughts again about that person. Share a smile. When meeting a new person, or even chatting with an old one, express joy. Show that youre happy to be with them, and that they make you happy

Biography of Ferdinand Marcos, Philippines Dictator

Biography of Ferdinand Marcos, Philippines' Dictator Ferdinand Marcos (September 11, 1917–September 28, 1989) ruled the Philippines with an iron fist from 1966 to 1986. Critics charged Marcos and his regime with crimes like corruption and nepotism. Marcos himself is said to have exaggerated his role in World War II. He also murdered a family political rival. Marcos created an elaborate cult of personality. When that state-mandated adulation proved insufficient for him to maintain control, President Marcos declared martial law. Fast Facts: Ferdinand Marcos Known For: Philippines dictatorAlso Known As: Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr.Born: September 11, 1917  in Sarrat, PhilippinesParents: Mariano Marcos,  Josefa EdralinDied: September 28, 1989  in Honolulu, HawaiiEducation: University of the Philippines, College of LawAwards and Honors: Distinguished Service Cross, Medal of HonorSpouse: Imelda Marcos  (m. 1954–1989)Children: Imee,  Bongbong,  Irene, Aimee (adopted)Notable Quote: I often wonder what I will be remembered in history for. Scholar? Military hero? Builder? Early Life Ferdinand Edralin Marcos was born on Sept. 11, 1917, to Mariano and Josefa Marcos in the village of Sarrat, on the island of Luzon, the Philippines. Persistent rumors say that Ferdinands biological father was a man named Ferdinand Chua, who served as his godfather. Officially, however, Josefas husband Mariano Marcos was the childs father. Young Ferdinand Marcos grew up in a privileged milieu. He excelled at school and took an eager interest in things like boxing and shooting. Education Marcos attended school in Manila. His godfather Ferdinand Chua may have helped pay for his educational expenses. During the 1930s, the young man studied law at the University of the Philippines, outside of Manila. This legal training would come in handy when Marcos was arrested and tried for a 1935 political murder. In fact, he continued his studies while in prison and even passed the bar exam with flying colors from his cell. Meanwhile, Mariano Marcos ran for a seat on the National Assembly in 1935 but was defeated for a second time by Julio Nalundasan. Assassinates Nalundasan On Sept. 20, 1935, as he was celebrating his victory over Marcos, Nalundasan was shot dead at his home. Ferdinand, then 18, had used his shooting skills to kill Nalundasan with a .22-caliber rifle. Marcos was indicted for the killing and convicted by a district court in November of 1939. He appealed to the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 1940. Representing himself, Marcos managed to get his conviction overturned despite strong evidence of his guilt. Mariano Marcos and (by now) Judge Chua may have used their political power to influence the outcome of the case. World War II At the outbreak of World War II, Marcos was practicing law in Manila. He soon joined the Filipino Army and fought against the Japanese invasion as a combat intelligence officer in the 21st Infantry Division. Marcos saw action in the three-month-long Battle of Bataan, in which the Allied forces lost Luzon to the Japanese. He survived the Bataan Death March, a week-long ordeal that killed about a quarter of Japans American and Filipino POWs on Luzon. Marcos escaped the prison camp and joined the resistance. He later claimed to have been a guerrilla leader, but that claim has been disputed. Post-War Era Detractors say that Marcos spent the early post-war period filing false compensation claims for wartime damages with the United States government, such as a claim for almost $600,000 for 2,000 imaginary cattle of Mariano Marcos. Marcos also served as a special assistant to the first president of the newly independent Republic of the Philippines, Manuel Roxas, from 1946 to 1947. Marcos served in the Philippines House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the Senate from 1963 to 1965 as a member of Roxas Liberal Party. Rise to Power In 1965, Marcos hoped to secure the Liberal Party nomination for the presidency. The sitting president, Diosdado Macapagal (father of current president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo), had promised to step aside, but he reneged and ran again. Marcos resigned from the Liberal Party and joined the Nationalists. He won the election and was sworn in on December 30, 1965. President Marcos promised economic development, improved infrastructure, and good government to the people of the Philippines. He also pledged help to South Vietnam and the U.S. in the Vietnam War, sending more than 10,000 Filipino soldiers to fight. Cult of Personality Ferdinand Marcos was the first president to be reelected to a second term in the Philippines. Whether his reelection was rigged is a subject of debate. In any case, he consolidated his hold on power by developing a cult of personality, like those of Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong. Marcos required every business and classroom in the country to display his official presidential portrait. He also posted giant billboards bearing propagandistic messages across the country. A handsome man, Marcos had married former beauty queen Imelda Romualdez in 1954. Her glamour added to his popularity. Martial Law Within weeks of his reelection, Marcos faced violent public protests against his rule by students and other citizens. Students demanded educational reforms; they even commandeered a fire truck and crashed it into the Presidential Palace in 1970. The Filipino Communist Party reemerged as a threat. Meanwhile, a Muslim separatist movement in the south urged succession. President Marcos responded to all of these threats by declaring martial law on September 21, 1972. He suspended habeas corpus, imposed a curfew, and jailed opponents like Benigno Ninoy Aquino. This period of martial law lasted until January 1981. Dictatorship Under martial law, Marcos took extraordinary powers for himself. He used the countrys military as a weapon against his political enemies, displaying a typically ruthless approach to opposition. Marcos also awarded a huge number of government posts to his and Imeldas relatives. Imelda herself was a member of Parliament (1978-84); Governor of Manila (1976-86); and Minister of Human Settlements (1978-86). Marcos called parliamentary elections on April 7, 1978. None of the members of jailed former Senator Benigno Aquinos LABAN party won their races. Election monitors cited widespread vote-buying by Marcos loyalists. In preparation for Pope John Paul IIs visit, Marcos lifted martial law on Jan. 17, 1981. Nonetheless, Marcos pushed through legislative and Constitutional reforms to ensure that he would retain all of his extended powers. It was purely a cosmetic change. Presidential Election of 1981 For the first time in 12 years, the Philippines held a presidential election on June 16, 1981. Marcos ran against two opponents: Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista Party and Bartolome Cabangbang of the Federal Party. LABAN and Unido both boycotted the election. Marcos received 88% of the vote. He took the opportunity in his inauguration ceremony to note that he would like the job of Eternal President. Death of Aquino Opposition leader Benigno Aquino was released in 1980 after spending nearly eight years in prison. He went into exile in the United States. In August 1983, Aquino returned to the Philippines. Upon arrival, he was hustled off the plane and shot dead on the runway at the Manila Airport by a man in a military uniform. The government claimed that Rolando Galman was the assassin; Galman was immediately killed by airport security. Marcos was ill at the time, recovering from a kidney transplant. Imelda may have ordered Aquinos killing, which sparked massive protests. Later Years and Death Aug. 13, 1985, was the beginning of the end for Marcos. Fifty-six members of Parliament called for his impeachment for graft, corruption, and other high crimes. Marcos called a new election for 1986. His opponent was Corazon Aquino, the widow of Benigno. Marcos claimed a 1.6 million vote victory, but observers found an 800,000-vote win by Aquino. A People Power movement quickly developed, driving the Marcoses into exile in Hawaii, and affirming Aquinos election. The Marcoses had embezzled billions of dollars from the Philippines. Imelda famously left more than 2,500 pairs of shoes in her closet when she fled Manila. Marcos died of multiple organ failure in Honolulu on Sept. 28, 1989. Legacy Marcos left behind a reputation as one of the most corrupt and ruthless leaders in modern Asia. The Marcoses had taken with them more than $28 million in cash in Philippine currency. President Corazon Aquinos administration said this was only a small part of the Marcoses illegally gained wealth. Marcos excesses are perhaps best exemplified by his wifes extensive shoe collection. Imelda Marcos is reported to have gone on shopping sprees using state money to buy jewelry and shoes. She amassed a collection of more than 1,000 pairs of luxury shoes, which earned her the nickname, Marie Antoinette, with shoes. Sources Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. â€Å"Ferdinand Marcos.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, 8 Mar. 2019..Ferdinand E. Marcos Republic of the Philippines-Department of National Defense.â€Å"Ferdinand Marcos Biography.†Ã‚  Encyclopedia of World Biography.

Shadow Side of Leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Shadow Side of Leadership - Assignment Example Harper’s article explains the shadow side of leadership as being founded on â€Å"A combination of self-centered attitudes, motivations, and behaviors that have adverse effects on subordinates, the corporation, and the mission performance† (Harper 2014). Toxic leadership has numerous ethical concerns that violate both the code of ethics and conduct and code of human resources (Mason 1993). In every organization, a leader stands at the peak of the hierarchy or structure of management. Followers or employees stand at the base of the hierarchy. Therefore, employees report to the leaders. Toxic leaders lack respect, integrity, competence, and general responsibility towards the employees. The outcomes of such are high staff turnover, job dissatisfaction, employee disempowerment, and redundancy. According to Peters and Austin, (2003) leadership is not innate. Leaders must be followers at one point in time. It should be noted that, a leader decides on the best way possible to govern the organization through working with a human resources team. There are many ways to lead a team effectively. Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Steve Jobs portrayed effective leadership styles. In the same way, leaders can prevent themselves from being perceived as toxic and ensure that those reporting to them become the best that they can be. Leaders ought to integrate the code of ethics and conduct and code of human resources to govern a human resources team effectively. Both the code of ethics and conduct and code of human resources require that leaders uphold respect, integrity, competence, and general responsibility (Embse et al., 2010). In addition, effective leadership ought to focus on empowering the employees, who are prospective leaders. Leaders enhance job security among the empl oyees by ensuring that they [employees] realize their full potential. The leadership style adopted

The African American experience in colonial and antebellum North Term Paper

The African American experience in colonial and antebellum North America - Term Paper Example Food was scarce and even opted to eat corpses. Mostly, slaves came from Africa, the Caribbean and South America and by 1619; there were more than a million slaves in Virginia (Zinn 4). The whites and the Indians practiced their culture while the Africans were humiliated, and their culture was deemed to be inferior. Ironically, the African civilization was at par to that of Europe in terms of technology. Since slaves were treated harshly, they started rebellions that were crushed mercilessly. We are told that even some of the offenders were burnt alive and some hanged (Zinn 8). Later on, the black slaves and white servants started colluding to cause mayhem but those caught were equally punished. Racial discrimination is evident in this article because whites were considered superior to blacks hence given privileges like ownership of weapons and enough food. During this time, slaves also started demanding for their freedom (Zinn 12). The antebellum period was a time of slavery in North America whereby discriminatory laws were in place. Despite the existence of this laws, the African Americans were allowed to participate in societal duties. The black men were allowed to enlist themselves into the army that fought the 1812 American revolutionary war. In relation to these laws, Englishmen were not allowed to marry a Negro woman. However, if by chance an Englishman committed fornication with a Negro man or woman, he was fined (Bacon 42). On the other hand, non-Christians who were brought to the United States by land or sea and were not considered free (Bacon 42). IN this era, nobody was allowed to buy anything from a slave. Any woman who was a slave and conceived a child while serving her master was fined thousand pounds of tobacco. The child father was required to provide security to the church wardens of the parish where the child shall be taken care of and any complaints from the wardens reported to the

Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Essay Example for Free

Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Essay Etiology of Diabetes Mellitus â€Å"Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction, and failure of different organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels.† (Association, National Center for Biotechnology Information , 2009, p. 1) â€Å"The cause of type 1 and type 2 diabetes remains a mystery. Although genetic factors may play a role†. (Association, Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus, 2010, pp. 562-569) Diabetes mellitus generally results from an insulin deficiency or resistance. Insulin transports sugar into cells for use as energy and storage as glycogen which is a carbohydrate. Insulin also stimulates protein synthesis and free fatty acid storage. Insulin deficiency or resistance compromises the bodies access to essential nutrients for fuel and storage. Several processes called pathogens(capable of causing disease) are involved in the development of diabetes. The reasons of the abnormalities in carbohydrates, fats, and protein metabolism in diabetes is deficient action of insulin on certain tissues in the body. The term Deficient insulin action, results from not enough insulin secretion and/or diminished tissue response to insulin at one or more points in the complex pathways of hormone action (a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another). If insulin secretion is blocked or impaired, then defects in the insulin action occur in the same patient, and it is often unclear which abnormality, the cause of the hyperglycemia. (Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus, 1997, pp. 107-109) Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus is defined as an autoimmune disorder or simply put an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells (What-is-Autoimmune-Disease). This form of diabetes is brought on by a viral infection in which certain cells are destroyed which leads to absolute (complete) insulin deficiency and is usually diagnosed in childh ood. Many pediatric patients that have diabetes normally have Type 1 diabetes and therefore a lifetime dependency on insulin. â€Å"Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin, an anabolic hormone.† (Diabetes-MellitusDefinition-Causes-Symptoms-and-Treatment) In contrast Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is a more progressive disorder in which the glandular organ in the digestive system and endocrine system known as the pancreas makes less insulin over time. Because the body’s cells have a reduced response to insulin, symptoms arise that include poor control of liver glucose (sugar) output, a decrease in cell function, and eventually cell failure. The true cause of Type 2 diabetes is unknown; however, it usually occurs in adulthood, from heredity, excessive obesity and sedentary lifestyle. These lifestyle choices may play a major role in its development. For both types of diabetes the main feature is chronic high blood glucose (sugar) levels (Ignatavicius, 2006). Risk factors for Diabetes Mellitus include obesity, physiologic or emotional stress, which can lead to an elevation of stress hormone levels. In women sometimes pregnancy, which causes weight gain and increases levels of estrogen and placental hormones, may aggravate insulin output. There is also something called the metabolic syndrome which is a combination of medical disorders that, when occurring together, increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. There are also some medications that can provoke the effects of insulin, including thiazide diuretics, adrenal corticosteroids, and hormonal contraceptives (Mackay, 2004). Classification of Diabetes Mellitus There are several different types of diabetes mellitus; they may differ in cause, clinical course, and treatment. The major classifications of diabetes are: * Type 1 diabetes (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) is caused by B-cell destruction, usually leading to absolute insulin deficiency a) Immune mediated b) Idiopathic * Type 2 diabetes (previously referred to as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus) ranges from those with predominant insulin resistance associated with relative insulin deficiency, to those with a predominantly insulin secretory defect with insulin resistance (Alberti, 2007). Insulin is secreted by beta cells, which are one of four types of cells in the islets of Langerhans (dendritic cells = antigen-presenting immune cells) in the pancreas. Insulin is an anabolic, or storage hormone. When a person eats a meal, insulin secretion increases and moves sugar from the blood into muscle, liver, and fat cells. In those cells, insulin transports and metabolizes glucose for energy. Later it stimulates storage of sugar in the liver and muscle (in the form of glycogen). Following this it signals the liver to stop the release of glucose, then enhances storage of dietary fat in adipose which is a storage tissue. Finally it accelerates the transport of amino acids (derived from dietary protein) into the body’s cells. â€Å"Insulin also inhibits the breakdown of stored glucose, protein, and fat. During fasting periods (between meals and overnight), the pancreas continuously releases a small amount of insulin (basal insulin); another pancreatic hormone called glucagon (secreted by the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans) is released when blood glucose levels decrease and stimulate the liver to release stored glucose. The insulin and the glucagon together maintain a constant level of glucose in the blood by stimulating the release of glucose from the liver. Initially, the liver produces glucose through the breakdown of glycogen (glycogenolysis). Glycogen is the storage form for glucose in the liver and muscles. Glycogenolysis is the conversion of glycogen into glucose in the liver. After 8 to 12 hours without food, the liver forms glucose from the breakdown of non-carbohydrate substances, including amino acids (gluconeogenesis)† (Hamouda, 2012). Type 1 Diabetes Treatment and Study This form of diabetes is immune-mediated in over 90% of cases and idiopathic in less than 10%. The rate of pancreatic B cell destruction is quite variable, being rapid in some individuals and slow in others. Type 1 diabetes is usually associated with ketosis in its untreated state. It occurs at any age but most commonly arises in children and young adults with a peak incidence before school age and again at around puberty. It is a catabolic disorder in which circulating insulin is virtually absent, plasma glucagon is elevated, and the pancreatic B cells fail to respond to all insulinogenic stimuli. Exogenous insulin is therefore required to reverse the catabolic state, prevent ketosis, reduce the hyperglucagonemia, and reduce blood glucose. Clinical manifestations of all types of diabetes include the â€Å"three Ps†: polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia. Polyuria (increased urination) and polydipsia (increased thirst) occur as a result of the excess loss of fluid associated with osmotic diuresis. The patient also experiences polyphagia (increased appetite) resulting from the catabolic state induced by insulin deficiency and the breakdown of proteins and fats. Other symptoms include fatigue and weakness, sudden vision changes, tingling or numbness in hands or feet, dry skin, skin lesions or wounds that are slow to heal, and recurrent infections (Hamouda, 2012, p. para. 8). The onset of type 1 Diabetes may also be associated with sudden weight loss or nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pains. (Association, Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus, 2010) In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the impact of diabetes mellitus on the central nervous system (Lukovits TG, 1999).Clinically and epidemiologically, it has been shown that diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for cerebrovascular accidents (Kannel WB, 1979), and may underlie many of the neuropsychological and cognitive deficits observed in diabetic patients (CM, 1988). Few studies have sought to establish the pathophysiological mechanisms that occur before these deficits appear, with a view to detecting early subclinical abnormalities that could serve as markers of the risk for stroke in patients who might benefit from preventive treatment. The study I read was performed in 15 insulin-dependent diabetics (eight men and seven women) with no history of central neurological symptoms. Their ages ranged from 27 to 59 years (mean 46 ±8 years) and the mean time since diagnosis of diabetes mellitus was 19 ±6 years. The characteristics of the patients are given in the Table below. The study was been reviewed by the hospitals ethics clinical committee, and before being enrolled each patient gave written informed consent. Characteristics of study subjects No. 15 Gender (M/F) 8/7 Age (years) 46 ±8 Arterial hypertension (yes/no) 5/12 Total cholesterol (mg/dl) 214 ±49 Time from diagnosis of IDDM (years) 19 ±6 Hemoglobin A1C (%) 8.19 ±0.8 Diabetic nephropathy (no/micro/macro albuminuria) 10/1/4 Diabetic retinopathy (yes/no) 7/8 Diabetic neuropathy (yes/no) 7/8 IDDM, Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus The study dealt with the Cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) which is the capacity of cerebral arteries and arterioles to dilate, thus increasing blood flow in areas of decreased perfusion pressure (WJ, 1991). It is one of the first mechanisms of the brain to be activated in cases of hemodynamic compromise and is an early indicator of its existence (Baron JC, 1981). The chemical Acetazolamide, a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, induces dilatation of the cerebral microvasculature and has been widely used in assessing CVR in large series of patients with different cerebrovascular disorders. (Julio F. Jimà ©nez-Bonilla, 2001). The study concluded that Insulin-dependent diabetic patients with no clinical history of neurological disorders present baseline abnormalities in cerebral perfusion and a decrease in CVR in extensive areas of the brain. The decrease in CVR and the behavior of baseline subclinical abnormalities after administration of acetazolamide suggested the existence of chronic cerebrovascular disease, the severity of which varied between patients and was better assessed with this technique than with baseline SPET (PET scan). In addition, the introduction of acetazolamide made it possible to classify baseline irregularities as being of probable metabolic origin or of probable ischemic origin. They concluded that the post-acetazolamide brain SPET is a valid tool which, in comparison with baseline SPET, provided additional information on cerebral perfusion in insulin-dependent diabetes. The technique should prove useful in evaluating future preventive strategies aimed at reducing the incidence of complications in diabetics. (Julio F. Jimà ©nez-Bonilla, 2001) The main goal of diabetes treatment is to normalize insulin activity and blood glucose levels to reduce the development of vascular and neuropathic complications. Insulin is indicated for type 1 diabetes as well as for type 2 diabetic patients with insulin openia whose hyperglycemia does not respond to diet therapy either alone or combined with other hypoglycemic drugs. The therapeutic goal for diabetes management is to achieve normal blood glucose levels (euglycemia) without hypoglycemia and without seriously disrupting the patient’s usual lifestyle and activity. There are five components of diabetes management †¢ Nutritional management – teaching the patient to eat properly and manage their diet accordingly. †¢ Exercise †¢ Monitoring – Use of a glucose meter and watching their numbers. †¢ Pharmacologic therapy – medicines that help level off sugars in their system. †¢ Education – finding out all the information they can about the disease so they will be informed as to the preventative measures taken to lead a more normal life. Bibliography Report of the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. (1997). Diabetes Care, 20:1183-97. CITATIONS AND CLINICIANS NOTES: ETIOLOGY, PREDICTION, AND INCIDENCE OF DIABETES. (2005). Current Medical Literature: Diabetes, 22(2), 32-33. Alberti, K. M. (2007). International Diabetes Federation: a consensus on Type 2 diabetes prevention. Diabetic Medicine, 24(5), 451-463. doi:10.1111/j.1464-5491.2007.02157.x. Association, A. D. (2009, January). National Center for Biotechnology Information . Retrieved from PMC US National Library of Medicine : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2613584/ Association, A. D. (2010, January). Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus. Diabetes Care, pp. 562-569. Baron JC, B. M. (1981). Reversal of focal â€Å"misery-perfusion syndrome† by extra-intracranial arterial bypass in hemodynamic cerebral ischemia. A case study. Stroke, 12: 454-459. CM, R. (1988). Neurobehavioral complications of type I diabetes. Examination of possible risk factors. Diabetes Care, 11: 499-505. Diabetes-MellitusDefinition-Causes-Symptoms-and-Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved 12 15, 2012, from www.healthguidance.org: http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/7366/1/Diabetes-MellitusDefinition-Causes-Symptoms-and-Treatment.html Hamouda, M. (2012, May 24).

The Power of a Woman :: essays research papers fc

The Power of a Woman The familiar saying "Behind every great man is an even greater woman" can certainly hold true in many cases. A woman may very well be the driving force behind any successful man. However, a woman can also use her strong influence in a negative way. This can be seen in Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth is the evil force behind Macbeth's cruelty and evil doings. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the main reason that Macbeth is transformed from a noble, respected Thane into a ruthless, murderous character. Lady Macbeth fuels his inner desire for power and brings forth his greed and ambition, which both eventually lead to his downfall. The tactics that Lady Macbeth use to drive her husband to this downfall are manipulation, dominance, and her evil nature. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into believing that he is a coward and a bad husband, which persuades him to agree to the murder of King Duncan. She dwells on the fact that he is a coward, when she says "My hands are of your colour, but I shame/ to wear a heart so white" (2.2.64-65). This instills feelings of embarrassment into his mind, and manipulates him into believing that if he does not murder King Duncan, he will be a weak, cowardly man. Not only is she challenging his manhood, by appearing to be the stronger and braver of the two, but also, by calling his heart "white", she is criticizing his cowardice. The fact that his wife is undermining his masculinity causes Macbeth to want to be stronger, and not to appear weak and timid. When Lady Macbeth yells "Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead/ are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood/ that fears a painted devil" (2.2.53-55), she further contributes to the shame which she has driven into Macbeth's mind. She bluntly tells him that he is acting like a weak, nervous child, and insults him for being afraid of something that is already dead! This shame encourages Macbeth to want to consent to his wife's plan. Another method which Lady Macbeth uses to manipulate her husband's mind is by making him feel guilty for being a bad husband, who breaks his promises: "What beast was't then/ that made you break this enterprise to me?" (1.7.47-48). She knows that by saying this, he will feel remorse for breaking a promise to his wife whom he loves so much. The Power of a Woman :: essays research papers fc The Power of a Woman The familiar saying "Behind every great man is an even greater woman" can certainly hold true in many cases. A woman may very well be the driving force behind any successful man. However, a woman can also use her strong influence in a negative way. This can be seen in Macbeth, where Lady Macbeth is the evil force behind Macbeth's cruelty and evil doings. In Shakespeare's Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is the main reason that Macbeth is transformed from a noble, respected Thane into a ruthless, murderous character. Lady Macbeth fuels his inner desire for power and brings forth his greed and ambition, which both eventually lead to his downfall. The tactics that Lady Macbeth use to drive her husband to this downfall are manipulation, dominance, and her evil nature. Lady Macbeth manipulates Macbeth into believing that he is a coward and a bad husband, which persuades him to agree to the murder of King Duncan. She dwells on the fact that he is a coward, when she says "My hands are of your colour, but I shame/ to wear a heart so white" (2.2.64-65). This instills feelings of embarrassment into his mind, and manipulates him into believing that if he does not murder King Duncan, he will be a weak, cowardly man. Not only is she challenging his manhood, by appearing to be the stronger and braver of the two, but also, by calling his heart "white", she is criticizing his cowardice. The fact that his wife is undermining his masculinity causes Macbeth to want to be stronger, and not to appear weak and timid. When Lady Macbeth yells "Infirm of purpose! Give me the daggers. The sleeping and the dead/ are but as pictures. 'Tis the eye of childhood/ that fears a painted devil" (2.2.53-55), she further contributes to the shame which she has driven into Macbeth's mind. She bluntly tells him that he is acting like a weak, nervous child, and insults him for being afraid of something that is already dead! This shame encourages Macbeth to want to consent to his wife's plan. Another method which Lady Macbeth uses to manipulate her husband's mind is by making him feel guilty for being a bad husband, who breaks his promises: "What beast was't then/ that made you break this enterprise to me?" (1.7.47-48). She knows that by saying this, he will feel remorse for breaking a promise to his wife whom he loves so much.

Leonardo Fibonacci Biography

Leonardo Fibonacci was born around 1170 A. D. , and died around 1250 A. D. He was born in Pisa, Italy and died there too. Leonardo’s mom was Alessandra, and she died when he was nine. His father was Guglielmo Bonacci, who directed a trading post Bugia, Barbary. As a young boy, Leonardo traveled there to help him, and that’s where he learned about the Hindu-Arabic numeral system. He recognized that arithmetic with Hindu-Arabic numerals is simpler and more efficient that with Roman numerals and so he traveled throughout the Mediterranean world to study under the leading Arab mathematicians of the time. Leonardo returned from his travels around 1200 and in 1202, age 32, he published Liber Abaci. Through the Liber Abaci he introduced Hindu-Arabic numerals to Europe. Liber Abaci is a book that Leonardo Fibonacci wrote in 1202. In it Fibonacci introduces the so-called modus Indorum (method of the Indians), today known as the Arabic numerals. It shows the practical importance of the new numeral system, using lattice multiplication and Egyptian fractions, by applying it to commercial bookkeeping, conversion of weights and measures, the calculation of interest, money-changing, and other applications. Liber Abaci also posed, and solved, a problem involving the growth of a hypothetical population of rabbits based on idealized assumptions. The solution, generation by generation, was a sequence of numbers later known as the Fibonacci numbers. In the Fibonacci sequence of numbers, each number after the first two, is the sum of the previous two numbers. The sequence is 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, etc. The higher the sequence, the closer two consecutive numbers of the sequence divided by each other will approach the golden ratio ( approximately 1 : 1. 618 or 0. 618 : 1). Leonardo became a guest of the Emperor Frederick II, who enjoyed mathematicians and science. In 1240 the Republic of Pisa honored Leonardo by granting him a salary. In the 19th century, a statue of Fibonacci was constructed and erected in Pisa. Today it is located in the western gallery of the Camposanto, which is a cemetery on the Piazza dei Miracoli.

Organizational Behavior-No Fair Pay In This Place Essay

The purpose of this paper is to examine the motivational effects of pay level on worker performance. It is discusses some of the elements that contributed to the employees in Western Satellite office to express feelings of inequality. Some of these elements include academic qualifications, educational background, just to mention but a few. The paper also tackles some of the reasons why the New York worker is considered a ‘comparison other’ as opposed to the worker in Seattle. Moreover, the paper explores how the issue of inequality in the case- no fair pay in this place was either resolved or not. For instance, we find in this case that this issue was not resolved. Last but not least, the paper also examines some of the other factors that may have contributed to the dissatisfaction that was experience by the two workers. Some of these factors include; lack of communication, culture, lack of adaptability, lack of empathy, just to mention but a few. Introduction  The purpose of this paper is to examine the case study that revolves around no fair pay in the workplace and the fact that employees working from different cities receive different numerations irrespective of how much responsibility one has within the organization, their academic qualifications and the years of experience within the industry in which they are operating. (Armstrong, 2006, p. 62) Question One What are some of the elements which contributed to the employees feelings of inequality? These include educational background, years of experience, responsibilities that one has and last but not least academic qualifications. The employees were stressed with the kind of work they had to perform such as having heavy load of unhappy clients and their urgent demands, complaining customers, just to mention but a few. (Meredith, 2004, p. 2) Susan was hired based on her degree in Business Administration. She was responsible in planning, problem solving and supervising a number of employees and this included Dan Donaldson, a public relations spokesperson of the company. However, despite all these responsibilities, she received a remuneration of $30,000 per annum. This was very disappointing since she had 20 years of customer relations and supervisory know-how, not to mention the current degree that she had received in business. (Meredith, 2004, p. 3) On the contrary, Helen who was based at the headquarters in New York received $40,000 in only ten months as opposed to 12. This made Susan furious since she had no customer contact, no university education, no one to supervise and no seniority. In a nutshell, Helen had an annual salary of $48,000. (Meredith, 2004, p. 3) Pay determination may possibly have one or more objectives, which may frequently be in conflict with each other. The primary is equity, and this may take numerous forms. They comprise income distribution through reduction of inequalities, defending real earnings (purchasing power), and the notion of equal pay for work of equivalent value. Moreover, pay differentials based on differences in skills are all associated to the idea of fairness. (Deckop, 2006, p. 65) Performance pay systems in organizations are based on assessment of the personality worker, often by their line administrator who may or may not be experienced in process. Performance pay is extensively renowned as contributing to pay inequalities, predominantly in this case (New York and Seattle). (Culbert, 1996, p. 68) Question Two Why the New York worker was considered a ‘comparison other’ but not the worker in Seattle? The New York worker was considered a ‘comparison other’ because the front lines of the job were in Seattle where the client based was centered and the services were rendered. Moreover, employees at Seattle received heavy load of unhappy clients and their urgent demands while she contentedly remained in her comfort zone that was stress free. Research has recommended that some individuals are more flourishing in their careers than others even when they have had equivalent learning and experimental opportunities. One clarification for these disparities may possibly relate to differences between intellectual intelligence (IQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ). IQ measures academic competencies or one’s aptitude to use acquaintance in making decisions and adapting to innovative situations. This can best be illustrated with Helen who works in at the headquarters in New York. However, as much as she is based in New York, all the tasks are carried out in Seattle, and this means that she is not using the little experience and experimental opportunities that she acquired to perform her duties. (Lamal, 1991, p. 72) On the other hand, EQ is a measure of expressive and societal competencies or one’s aptitude to recognize expressive expressions in someone and others. Even though both can be enhanced through training and altered over time, EQ is separate from IQ in that it is one’s aptitude to standardize emotions in reaction to ecological stimulus. EQ has been popularized as an educated skill that is a superior interpreter of life success than intellectual achievement or technological aptitude. This can best be illustrated with Susan and Dan Donaldson who had superior performance, academic achievements, work experience and interpersonal skills. They had to deal with resolving customers issues on a daily basis while Helen and her fellow workers who were based in New York sat and waited for the final produce that came from Seattle. (Harris, 2001, p. 78) The workplace surroundings idea also sees entity firm level performance such as efficiency, productivity, efficiency and competitiveness; as a result of not only the sufficiency supply of human resources with suitable skills, but also a workplace surroundings that incessantly optimizes the use of these skills throughout the way work is intended and prearranged, the suitability, access and association of supports and tools to do the work, the association of decision making, rewards and appreciation for performance. The New York worker is considered a ‘comparison worker’ as opposed to the worker in Seattle since she lacks interpersonal skills, academic achievements, superior performance, just to mention but a few. Despite all these, she is considered the best just because she is based at the head office located in New York. (Bate, 1994, p. 81) On the other hand, the Seattle worker who has all the necessary qualities such as work experience, interpersonal skills and academic qualifications; is looked down upon just because she is operating in Seattle. (Meredith, 2004, p. 2) Question Three  How was the inequality resolved? The inequality was not resolved at all. As a matter of fact, once Mr. James commented that nobody said that it was fair and rather, that was how the staff in New York are remunerated, that was the end of the discussion. Mr. James did not validate his statement, neither did he explain why that was the case. Instead, he was interested in how Susan found out about Helen’s salary. (Meredith, 2004, p. 3) Participation in the labor force is usually regarded as an important measurement of equality. Having a job is significant to individuals. Jobs are a numerically important starting point for livelihoods. They are also significant proportions of social respect, acknowledgment, individuality and self esteem. Even though the sources and solutions for increasing inequality are multifaceted and open to dispute, the corporeal and psychosomatic penalties are real and straightforward. (Mathis, 2006, p. 99) It is understandable that we require more than legislation, bylaw and exacting programs to generate a diverse workforce usual in association. We also need customs of understanding the challenges. This mean examination of ‘what goes wrong’. Both the need for continuous coercive dealings and the phenomena of the turning door or equity tell us regarding the pervasive and systemic character of the status quo in workforce composition and in the organization and conduct of business and government. (Max, 204, p. 104) When individuals talk concerning inequality, they tend to center completely on the proceeds part of the equation. According to the case- no fair pay in this place, there is the gap between the employees in New York and Seattle and this is based on remuneration amongst the employees. (Armstrong, 2006, p. 8) The verification of increasing disparity in the United States and around the globe is both obvious and disturbing. As power, capital, and probability are increasingly concerted in the hands of the extremely few, this age of â€Å"haves† and â€Å"have not† is connected with a wide range of unenthusiastic outcomes for faraway too countless. A good illustration is seen in the case-no fair pay in this place, where Western Satellite Office workers are experiencing inequality problems based on remuneration since they are not based in New York where the head office is situated. They are the ones who experience customer service problems since each and every customer wants to be served and at the end of the day, they feel so stressed and worn out, yet when it comes to remuneration they receive less than what the worker in New York receive. This is not fair since the worker in New York doesn’t experience the pressure that the Seattle worker receives. (Lamal, 1991, p. 106 Question Four What are the other factors which may have contributed to the dissatisfaction experienced by these two workers? Culture A managerial culture affects how the company performs. Culture is the behavior of a group of individuals. This consists of; the beliefs, civilization, acquaintance and practices. Individuals depend on it for security, evenness and the ability to act in response in a given circumstance. (Harris, 2001, p. 92) According to this case, the reason why Helen and Susan received different remuneration was because Helen was situated at the head office in New York. This was the culture of that organization that was based on the location of the city. Therefore, Susan having been situated at Seattle was bound on her $30,000 per annum, and this was regardless of her qualifications. (Meredith, 2004, p. 3) Lack of Communication Generally, lack of communication on the part of the boss contributes to the displeasure among the workers in the association. Communication problems are a purpose of message and organizational procedure, and managerial factors. Effectual communication of performance requirements to all workers will reduce the number of complaints and grievances. Nonattendance of this communication domino effect in workers not performing. For instance in our case, when Susan was about to present her case, Mr. James had already predicted and he simply brushed the matter off by making a comment concerning the issue. He didn’t give room for discussion concerning that matter; neither did he give an explanation nor a satisfactory solution. This resulted to laxity among the workers in the western satellite office. (Bate, 1994, p. 98) By not communicating well enough, Mr.  James avoided to get into dialogue concerning important issues such as, the reason why employees in New York receiving a higher pay as opposed to employees in Seattle. This made him appear unavailable and uncaring to Susan and the employees of Western Satellite Office; this resulted in hurting teamwork spirit and cooperation within the organization. (Deckop, 2006, p. 110) Lack of Self awareness and accurate self-assessment Without self awareness and self-assessment, Mr. James was too quick to brush off the matter that Susan had presented to him. He was unable to accept useful feedback, and he didn’t have a realistic awareness of his strengths or limitations. As a result, it created problems in their work relationships and in their personal relationships. (Culbert, 1996, p. 115) Lack of Empathy When leaders fail to demonstrate sufficient empathy in times of hesitation or crisis, they will probable be seen as unresponsive, hardhearted and in-authentic- all of which will make workers be less supportive and less communicative. The boss may be left feeling misunderstood, and will have complexity â€Å"reading† their workers. This is exactly what Mr. James did and as a result, Susan’s ability to work drastically diminished and she became less concerned with her duties and responsibilities in the workplace. (Mathis, 2006, p. 120) Lack of Adaptability Without elasticity and adaptableness, Mr. James responded negatively to the core issue that was troubling his employee Susan. This revealed emotional strain to Susan since she had to shift priorities; expressed frustration with change; had difficulties adapting Mr.  James responses and tactics to fit the emerging circumstance; and ultimately she was hesitant in taking on new challenges. (Max, 2004, p. 126) Lack of self-management Without good self management, Mr. James reacted precipitately when he predicted that there was bound to be conflict at work. This made him respond to problems in a non-constructive manner that resulted to unwanted consequences such as laxity amongst the employees (Susan). (Harris, 2001, p. 118) Conclusion  In a civilized workplace, individuals who work well ought to be rewarded through decent pay, endorsement and new opportunities, the possibility to build up new skills, admiration from coworker and management, and the individual gratification and satisfaction that comes from doing a job well. Culture determines the type of management, communication, and cluster dynamics within the association. The employees usually recognize this as the excellence of work life which directs their measure of motivation. The concluding outcome is generally performance, human being satisfaction, individual growth and expansion. All these rudiments unite to build the model or structure that the association operates from. However, all these elements are not revealed in our case since Mr. James chose not to allow room for discussion. He lacked communication skills and empathy and as a result, there was poor turnover in Susan’s output. Generally, in an organization, employers should be open with their employees and allow a forum for discussion and participation. For instance in this case, Mr.  James would have allowed Susan to present her queries and later on try to explain to her why the workers in New York had to receive a better pay than workers in Seattle. Moreover, there should be restructuring of some of the rules in Western Satellite Office and promote job enrichment. This will facilitate enlargement of the individuals within the association, better worker performance for the association, there will be maximum use of human resources for the general public at large (both in New York and Seattle), enlargement of the individual, and self-actualization of the individual.

The Ab Factor

The Ab Factor Free Online Research Papers This article may be one of the most informative passages to what many may refer to as the fitness â€Å"bible†. It is the clearest, most concise version I have ever seen. For many followers and non believers, this may very well be a sure trip to the six pack promise land. Being that I am a part-time health concise individual (notice I said part-time), I have tried to explain to people that no matter how hard you work those stomach muscles, they won’t see the light of day until you loose the excess body fat. Theoretically speaking the mid section is and always will be the first body fat on last body fat off. The first subject this article brings to light is genetics. Genetics may not be the GCF (Greatest Common Factor) of hidden abs, but it is definitely a major one so let’s do the math. The shape of the abdominals is decided at birth and can not be changed by merely exercise alone. One must maintain a healthy diet in addition to exercise to help maintain the balance of this equation. Another factor the article takes into consideration is body fat. This is considered the most important but often ignored factor of them all. The percent of body fat must be lowered in order for your abs to show up. This could be anywhere from eleven to a super lean look of six percent. Simple mathematics but a not so simple process. Speaking of a not so simple process comes the nutrition factor. The article speaks about â€Å"eating clean† and eliminating bad foods from your diet. Can’t get a â€Å"six pack† eating a chocolate bar or a cheese burger. A good nutrition plan starts in the kitchen and in my opinion, should stay there. Keeping yourself fully hydrated is also essential by dinking plenty of water. This is definitely a plus because it aids in maintaining a healthy diet by satisfying food cravings. After all the genetics, the body fat, and the nutrition comes the most dreaded of them all, exercise. The article states that primary training is the biggest mistake people make when going for the wash board look. The main focus needs to be on resistance training that includes the entire body and not just the mid section alone. This can be achieved by using compound lifts, body weights and sprint training to focus on what they call the bodies metabolic hot spots. These areas include the back, lower body and chest. Cardio would be a good kick start for the metabolism as well as a full body work out. In summary, the best way to achieve the ultimate set of abs is not to focus on that area alone but the entire body. If you are trying to burn fat and build muscle at the same time, you need to understand what makes you gain and lose weight (or stay them same). Everyone has a Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR), which is the basic rate at which you burn calories. If you eat more calories than your BMR on a daily basis, you will gain weight. If you eat less, you lose weight and if you eat right at your BMR, you stay the same. Taking this into consideration, its not about the 500 crunches, its about the 500 extra calories. Cutting back on certain food, exercising regularly and being consistent is the only way you can get to the square root of the problem, the ab factor! Research Papers on The Ab FactorMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductNever Been Kicked Out of a Place This NiceThe Spring and AutumnIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Genetic EngineeringEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenMind TravelPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married Males

Exploding Mentos Drink

Exploding Mentos Drink A friend sent me a link to a Wired how-to project called The Manhattan Project in which you freeze a Mentos candy into an ice cube and place it in a carbonated drink. When the ice cube melts, the wax surrounding the candy will be exposed and the drink should erupt. Does it work? Lets find out. Exploding Mentos Drink Ingredients The drink in the original recipe called for whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters (basically a Manhattan plus diet cola), but you can make a rum and coke or whatever you like or just try the non-alcoholic version using two ingredients: diet colaa Mentosâ„ ¢ candy Make the Exploding Drink Ill tell you right up front: a drink with soda and Mentos wont explode unless it is in an enclosed container. Exploding drinks make messes, plus they tend to spray out shards of glass, so its a good thing this drink isnt so violent. Erupting is more what youre looking for here. If you want to cause an unexpected eruption, freeze a single Mentos candy into the well of an ice cube tray. Youll get the best results if you wait until the ice is almost frozen and then add a Mentos candy to each cube so that its near the surface of the ice. You dont want to soak the candy in cold water or its coating will dissolve. If that happens, all youll get when you mix it with diet cola is candy-flavored cola. The premise is that the Mentos will become exposed as the ice cube melts. When the wax coating of the candy reacts with the diet soda, the drink will fizz and bubble like the classic Mentos and diet soda fountain. If youre doing the project on-purpose or else dont mind getting caught dropping a Mentos into someones carbonated drink, you can simply plop the candy in the soda no ice cube needed. How the Mentos in Ice Cubes Trick Works Among other things, the gum arabic that coats a Mentos candy lowers the surface tension of the soda, allowing carbon dioxide bubbles to rise and expand more easily. The candy coating traps the gas, forming bubbles and foam. When I tried this project, I didnt get a spectacular eruption, but you can expect somewhat better results if you use a narrow glass for your drink. Except that the Mentos flavors the drink, I dont think someone with a Mentos-laced ice cube would notice much happening or suffer from an out-of-control foaming drink. The project is still pretty fun.

Implementing Change Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Implementing Change - Assignment Example In 1999 with major changes taking place at the national level of government in the form of devolution, local councils were scrambling to 'keep their heads above water'. During this time period, it was evident that each department was focused crisis after crisis within their own department and there was no vision for propelling the city into a cohesively run organisation (Leeds City, 2006, screen 1). Seeing the need for organisational change the leadership of Leeds City Council set about creating a culture of unified strategic direction and bring together all employees to focus on meeting the strategic needs of the city. In order to achieve this, the Chief Executive and his staff focused on development of the Council's Core Values as a first step in the process of organisational change. Once the core values had been identified council's next step was to begin to create the atmosphere conducive to change. In the following paragraphs we will examine how Leeds City Council was able to successful launch a sweeping organisational change and a shift to continuous process improvement. Upon arriving at the council core values the Chief Executive understood that without the support of employees the core values established would be nothing more that words on paper. The next step the executive undertook was to educate and gain acceptance for this move towards organisational change. ... l the "Vision for Leeds" into the culture of the council and ensure management understood 'the council's objectives and the cultural change needed to bring them about' (Leeds City, 2006, screen 1). The Road to Change Before an organisation can effectively make a change they have to understand what change is and what it is not. "The creation of healthy change is about living comfortably with conditions of constant change, and finding ways to create, within those conditions, pathways for accomplishing desired objectives through continuous adaptation." (Discussion, 2005) Understanding and redefining the complexity of this requires a three-fold approach. First, change does not mean we throw away the old, rather we build upon where we are; secondly, change is not finite, we can not view change as something we are finally doing or somewhere we will be - Change is constant; and thirdly, with change there is no return to normalcy. The continual process of evolving, of change, if you will, becomes the constant with the organisation. How we once did things as an organisation is in the past. Kotter and Cohen point out the biggest hurdle an organisation faces when initiating change is not dealing with proces ses or systems, but rather, changing the behaviour of the members of the organisation itself. Once that is accomplished the rest falls neatly into place. (2002) This requires a new way of thinking within the organization, a shifting from old preconceived ideas and notions and a movement towards envisioning and creating the means for this change to occur. The organization transforms itself based on the shifting thought processes brought on by the change. An organization is not the outward faade of the building and internally the hierarchy of management. An

Mitosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mitosis - Essay Example Cell division is a basic phenomenon of life in living organisms. It is known that the process of cell division, irrespective of the animal species, remains invariably the same. It is here that we comprehend that despite being the different in their outward appearance this basic phenomenon invariably remains the same. In byline, the author of the article, Daniel Needleman, has said that experimentation has been able to understand the difference that exists in this cell division phenomenon among the animals. This difference is found out to reside on the chromosomal and molecular level rather on higher level view. This difference can also exist even between similar organisms. Over a long period of time, it was known that spindle fibers that segregate chromosomes during cell division show great variation in size and shape, but the underlying reason was not discovered. Experiments have shown that the embryos that undergo the process of division, after repeated division cycles, considerabl y reduced in size and so did the spindle sizes. The experiments conducted on organisms like mouse have revealed many facts yet it has been difficult to ascertain any explicit cause to the phenomenon. Thus, another aspect that is attributed with the change is the change in biochemistry during the course of cell division. To infer a proximal result of the obvious phenomenon, a causative analysis is used as help. Cellular biology research has, therefore, evaluated a relationship during the course of development, between protein and phenotype. ... This experiment is multistage causal analysis procedure (Wilbur and Held). Embryos are subjected to tests during different stages of their development. It revealed that the change in size of spindles was not caused by division rather it was related to the state of cytoplasm. This in turn puts a question mark on how cytoplasm produces such change. To answer this question a categorization of the same microtubules was made. Early stages revealed less de-polymerization or catastrophe to these microtubules, as compared to those in the late stages. This revelation through stag-wise analysis did not reveal the true picture that could be able to answer above mentioned questions. Varying lengths of microtubules during the de-polymerization cannot be understandable reason. Later Wilbur and Heald used another approach to understand the size variation of spindles. Cytoplasm and its effects on elementary protein structures of spindles were analyzed. Proteins responsible for microtubule catastroph ies in different extracts were identified as Kinesin-13 and Kif2a. Kif2a was thought to be the reason of change in spindle sizes but extracts have revealed that concentration of this type of proteins remains constant during all stages of development. A co-existing phenomenon of importin-alpha attaching to the membrane or leaving the cytoplasmic area caused kif2a to be more active, that in turns increases microtubule catastrophy rates. (Wilbur Heald, 2013) Suggestion about this mechanism is perhaps understandable with the help of biochemistry, as with change in size due to successive divisions cause greater surface to volume ration than in larger cells. The only point in this understandable phenomenon is that why importin-alpha tends to be sequestered with the cell membrane

Case Study Healthcare Funding Policies Term Paper

Case Study Healthcare Funding Policies - Term Paper Example 5 Works Cited 9 Name of the Student Name of the Professor Name of the Course Date Healthcare Funding Policies INTRODUCTION: HEALTH CARE POLICIES Presently, the costs of healthcare policies, intricacies in healthcare systems, cost challenges, and various other factors are responsible for the increase in the demand of the health care policies. Health decision making is vital to the growing economy as it ensures the welfare of the people and also has a profound impact on the socioeconomic, political, and cultural context. The different funding methods have different impact on the public health decision making and its way of choosing the regulatory mechanisms. The health care systems of varied nations are largely influenced by the guidelines prepared by World Health Organization (WHO). Similarly, the health care systems in the USA encompass various regulations that are enacted by the US government like Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 and Patient Protection and Afford able Care Act. The US government plans to impose further regulations for the benefits of the common people. Health care policies of the USA will be introduced in the study and its benefits to the common people. ... HEALTH CARE POLICIES: UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES The growing health concerns among the common people, regarding the health care system in varied nations have led to frustration. Situations like overcrowded emergency rooms, extra fees for health care facilities and non government aid for health benefits are also regarded as important health issues (Jackson). Apart from health care policies, which are largely influenced by the government regulations, the health care policy consensus group is a collaboration of organizations, which signify various points on the continuum and the spectrum (â€Å"How US health care reform will affect employee benefits†).The key features of the universal health care policies are price consciousness, consumer empowerment, social solidarity, quality of healthcare, clinical autonomy, responsiveness, conflicts of interest etc. In the United Kingdom the health care facilities provided by the government are largely based on need and not the ability to pay. The National Health Services (NHS) provided by the government are free and provide medical facilities worth ?2400 annually. The UK health care policies are designed to keep in the mind the age, sex, education, race, and class of the common people. The social and health care insurance is designed by the government keeping universality, price regulation, open enrolment, and a regular benefits package system. Universality includes compulsory insurance, which includes subsidization for the sick and healthy patients. Price regulation includes risk compensation for the insurers especially for the highly risk ensured (Singh & Kant 200). In the USA the health mechanism is given due consideration and is not regarded as a gift,

Interaction nexus between real estate market and macroeconomics

Interaction nexus between real estate market and macroeconomics In this chapter, I will review the existing researches about the interaction nexus between real estate market and macroeconomics while analyzing and summarizing the data structure and the methodologies used. Considering Chinas specific national conditions and policies, I will shed light on Chinese housing empirical studies, and estimate their research from different economic aspects, expecting to provide a useful perspective for my further research. Housing price is the price formed by both supply and demand sides in the real estate market. According to the fluctuations in property prices in each country, housing prices generally have three characteristics: periodicity, city differences, and bubble. Periodicity refers to how real estate price fluctuations are cyclically or periodically associated with both microeconomic and macroeconomics fluctuations. Early in the 1960s, after Richard Muth (1960) rigorously developed a housing market competitive theory, a lot of economist studied the housing market from the perspective of microeconomics. In 1969, under a lot of assumptions, Olsen (1969) found that if the housing market were perfectly competitive, the poor would not pay more per unit for housing. However, in the survey done by Richard Arnott (1987), which reviewed the microeconomic modeling of the housing sector developed at that time, it was found that even if the competitive theory of housing market is reasonably sophisticated and well developed, it is still hard to ascertain the adequacy of it in explaining the effects of a particular housing policy since there are no well-articulated alternative models. Then, in later years, scholars focused more on the study of the relationship between the real estate market and macroeconomic fundamentals. According to business cycle theory, there is interaction between real estate prices and macroeconomic fundamental variables. One or more macroeconomic variables will cause fluctuations in real estate prices, but, in the meantime, changes in the real estate industry also will lead to macroeconomic volatility. In the change process, they formed a mutually reinforcing interaction mechanism. On the basis of the existing literature, macroeconomics affect real estate prices primarily through the real estate supply and demand, which can be subdivided into GDP, income, consumption, interest rates, exchange rates, inflation, construction costs, land prices, bank credit, and other basic economic variables. In order to understand the impact of real estate price fluctuations on the macroeconomics, most existing studies analyzed from the perspective that the prices affect total consumption and total investment. Since there is a close relationship between real estate prices and macroeconomic volatility, the empirical research of their interactive relationship has always been very important in the field of economics. At present, the relevant research literatures can be divided into two categories: (a) The first type mainly analyzes the relationship between real estate prices and the whole macroeconomic fundamentals; (b) The second type analyzes the relationship between real estate prices and one or several specific macro-basic variables (GDP, income, interest rates, investment and so on). We will now detail the two types. 2.2 Housing prices and macroeconomic fundamentals The real estate industry has become a mature industry in many developed countries. According to existing literature, most of the economists empirical research is derived primarily from the perspective of equilibrium theory. Based on the traditional regression analysis model, they used more independent linear systems, numerical economic models and others to analyze the dataGenerally speaking, the macroeconomic fundamentals will affect the investment, credit, and also, the change of interest rate will affect the supply of real estate. On the other hand, economic growth will affect the income and thus affect the demand for real estate. According to equilibrium theory, under the market competition mechanism, the market will eventually be cleared through real estate prices. However, Case and Shiller(1987, 1989, 1990) found that the housing market does not appear to be very efficient; it is contrary to the efficient market hypothesis. Then, in Clapp and Giaccottos study (1994), they not only confirmed Case and Shillers (1987, 1989, 1990) result but also found macroeconomic changes have a good predictive ability for real estate prices. Clapp and Giaccotto (1994) used the data of East Hartford, Manchester, and West Hartford over the period from October 1, 1981, to September 30, 1988, with 2 methods: the repeat sales method and the assessed value (AV) method. They found that the local unemployment and expected inflation have considerable forecasting ability for the housing prices; and compare with the first-time house, the repeat housing index is more sensitive in the short run due to the lagged economic factors; It showed the housing market does not meet the efficient market hypothesis (Clapp and Giaccotto, 1994). With a much longer data set than common literature, Holly and Jones (1997) provided a more comprehensive perspective on the behavior of housing prices in UK. In order to seek the co-integrating relationships between housing prices and long run, they ran a regression with the housing prices and economic factors such as real income, the user cost, and building society lending. The results showed that, with the exception of population, almost all the factors were rejected at the 1% level in the unit root test, and that the most important determinant of real housing prices was real income; the dynamic adjustment of housing prices is asymmetrical; it depends on whether housing prices are below or above the long run equilibrium. When housing prices are above equilibrium, they seem to adjust back more quickly (Holly and Jones, 1997). But, Brown, Haiyan, and McGillivray (1997) thought that since the early 1980s, the UK housing market had suffered a number of structural changes; consequently, the parameter was instable, meaning those models that assume the underling data-generating process are not appropriate. Under an assumption that the economic system is unstable, they adopted the Time Varying Coefficient (TVC) methodology, and found TVC specification outperforms the alternative constant parameter specifications of housing prices. Because most of the models have failed to predict the 1992 housing price downturn, part of further research was planned to use the TVC specification to examine the models forecasting ability beyond 1992. Using the data in the past 25 years of 6 European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the UK), Iacoviello (2002) established dynamics of house prices by using a tractable value at risk framework in a straightforward way, which we call SVAR model. He pointed out that house price inflation is highly sensitive to the forces driving economic fluctuations; different housing and credit market institutions play different role in the IS-LM Phillips curve paradigm, but this relationship might change with the changing of institutions; in addition, regulatory legal structure and new monetary policy also will affect that relationship (Iacoviello, 2002). Similarly, using the SVAR model, DeHaant and Sterken (2004) studied 13 developed countries real estate markets. Their results showed that, to one country, compared with stock, housing plays a more important role in consumption and output; when housing price raise 1%, consumption will raise 0.75%; when housing price raise 1.5%, GD P will raise 0.4% (DeHaant and Sterken, 2004). In the Asian market, Quigley (2002) pointed out that, although most of the existed models can generate patterns of housing price changes over time in response to varying conditions in economic fundamentals, there was little research on the effect of changes in property markets upon subsequent economic conditions. With his empirical study, he determined that economic fundamentals do not explain most of the variation in the housing prices in short run, and that there were many bubbles in Asian property market during the late 1990s (Quigley, 2002). At the same time, Miki Seko (2003) adopted the SVAR model to analyze the Japanese housing prices. In his paper, the results showed there is a strong relationship between Japanese housing market and its economic fundamentals; and by analyzing the economic factors, the development of the real estate market can be predicted (Miki Seko, 2003). It is clear that housing is not just a normal consumption goods, it is a large share of the overall macro-economy. Significant fluctuations in macro-economy would cause significant volatility in housing market. On the other hand, the volatility in housing market also implies the fluctuations in macro-economy. However, the interactive nexus between housing market and the different aspects of macro-economy is different. Thus, besides the studies that analyzed the macro fundamentals-housing market, some economists study from different angles to examine the interactive nexus between housing market and one or several specified macro variables. 2.3 macro-basic variables 2.3.1 Supply and demand Theoretically, price is determined by supply and demand sides. In the housing market, the relationship between supply and demand is formed by many macroeconomic factors, and with the changes in these factors, supply and demand continues to change. Therefore, some economists thought the greatest impact on housing prices comes from the supply and demand, and have dedicated their research in this area. Normally, in the real estate industry, the supply side is mainly affected by land price, facilities costs, construction tax, construction exploration and design cost, and so on. And, among them, land price is the most important factor. Since housing is a product, it is not just a demand price, but also a supply price. In the real estate economic activities, land purchase and development is the beginning and the foundation, and land purchase cost is the most important part of housing costs. From the supply perspective, the land price fluctuations are an important factor in housing price volatility. On the contrary, due to land supply is restricted by the natural; there is a lack of flexibility. Therefore, land price is mainly decided by its demand side, which is mainly composed by the real estate business. The real estate industry has a huge impact on the land market as well. In order to examine the interactive nexus between housing price and land price, Peng and Wheaton (1994) analyzed the Hong Kong market. Because Hong Kong is a small island with a fixed boundary, it would be clear what the influence of land supply on housing prices. Using a modified stock-flow model, their results showed that the supply restrictions in Hong Kong have caused higher housing prices but not lower housing output (Peng and Wheaton, 1994). Similar outcomes can be found in Alyousha and Tsoukis (1999) study. They employed the quarterly data from England and Wales from the period Q1, 1981-Q2, 1994 to explore the implications of intertemporal optimization for house and land prices (Alyousha and Tsoukis, 1999). Adopting a simple housing flow supply model, which is based on the Euler equation (Hall, 1978), they found that, under a perfect competition, house prices are co-integrated with land prices and house building costs. But, through the Granger test, Hall (1987) found housing price is not the land prices cause. Also, after an econometric analysis of American cities, Edward, Joseph and Hilber (2002) determined that land price was positively correlated with regional economic development, the level of human capital, and have no direct relationship with housing price. As for demand side, existing research usually examined from the aspects which are disposable income, GDP, property taxation, population and so on. There is a large diverse literature related to the housing and taxation because it is clearly that property taxation would directly affect the housing purchasing decisions, and further affect the housing demand. Just like United States, the tax system seems to favor housing ownership in many countries. Thus, Dimasi (1987) employed a computable, spatial general equilibrium model; and found out that differential tax treatment on land and capital can cause a significant social welfare loss. Many other general equilibrium models also found out tax policies that favor the housing sector would lead to a significantly negative impact on both housing sector and aggregate income. From another special perspective, Mankiw and Weil (1989) examined the relations between demography-induced changes in housing demand and real house prices in the United States. They thought that the Baby Boom generation into its house-buying ages was the major cause of the increase in housing prices in the 1970s and the housing demand would grow more slowly in the next decade because of the population structure. Changes in housing demand will further affect the housing price (Mankiw and Weil, 1989)). However, unlike the estimations of Mankiw and Weil (1989), Gary and James (1990) using postwar data from Canada, and found that even if the demographic patterns were similar in Canada and United States, the aggregate time series correlation between shifting demographics and real house prices is distinctly different. From the empirical analysis, they considered there is a statistically insignificant, but in most cases, demographic demand is negative associated with house prices (Gary and James, 1990). 2.3.2 Monetary policy Generally speaking, as an overall policy, monetary policy is mainly concerned to control the trend and fluctuations of aggregate demand; the impact on the real estate market and the sensitivity of the housing price should be limited. However, as the changing in the structure of global financial markets and developing in real estate industry, the nexus between them has become more and more close, financial sector has become an important reference index in the housing market. It is also proved in Alan, John and Brians (2005) study. They found, in eighteen major industrial countries, certain financial conditions (ample liquidity, low interest rates, and financial deregulation) were usually present in past housing price surges, and could conceivably raise the probability of the intensity or the occurrence of the rise. As for interest rate, considering from the supply side, when it decline, real estate investment and real estate mortgage loans will continuously pour into the real estate industry, and promote housing prices continuing to rise. But, as for the demand side increasing in interest rates will directly affect consumers credit repayment costs; so that some consumers would out of the housing market, which affecting the real estate demand, and further led to corresponding changes in real estate prices. By studying the impact of real and nominal interest rates on real estate prices, Harris (1989) thought that changes in real interest rates could explain the market price level; nominal interest rates affect housing price only when the real estate value is expected to rise. Among the monetary policy, bank credit and investment are the most important determinates. As the real estate industry is capital-intensive industry, and most of the funds come from the bank credit and investment, the change in bank load will significantly affect the supply of real estate industry. Besides, a large part of real estate loans are mortgage loans, the value of real estate products in the market determines the size of the loan amount in this industry. In 2004, Davis and Zhu (2004) discovered, in the long term, bank credit is positively correlated with house prices, and effect of housing price on the bank credit is very significant, but in their paper, the reverse impact was still uncertain. Matteo (2005) developed and estimated a monetary business cycle model with nominal loans and collateral constraints tied to housing values. Since collateral effects allow the model match the positive response of real spending to a housing prices shock, Matteo (2005) found fall in the housing prices will reinforced the impact negative monetary shock on real rate, consumption and output. Similarly, based on the Hong Kong sample, Gerlach and Pengs (2005) thought property prices would determine bank lending, but, it was interesting that they found bank lending does not appear to influence property prices in Hong Kong. 2.3.3 Cycles Empirical evidence shows that there is a cyclical movements and volatility in the housing market, and obviously, this kind of cyclical movements would relate to the economic cycles. Economics found that it would be useful and interesting to explore these movements in the housing market, thus many studies examined the housing-economy cycle relationship from both qualitative and quantitative aspects. Greenwood and Hercowitz (1991) and Baxter (1996) build up a dynamic general equilibrium models to reproduce the co-movement of business and residential investment that observed in the US. Davis and Heathcote (2001) also considered that, in the US, the residential investment lead the cycle while the non-residential investment lags the cycle, and this co-movement between housing market and macro-economy has been documented for several countries. Also, economics often analyze real property market tie to long cycles. Gottlieb (1976) considered, the amplitudes of housing cycles are larger than typical business cycles, and the periodicity might be significantly longer than those of the business cycle. For instance, Ball (1998) showed, in UK, new commercial property cycles have a 10 years duration while they are independent of the business cycle. Employing the cross-country data and the Kalman Filter technique, Ball (1999) again found significant long cycles of new construction, which with periodicity of 20-30 years in both residential and non-residential real estate markets. As we can see, the importance and sensitivity of real estate prices attracted a large number of scholars to concerned. Based on the review above, the existing literatures are mainly adopting the cross-section data and time series data, so that the specific econometric methods of housing models are mostly focusing on: traditional ordinary least squares model (OLS), value at risk model (VAR), tractable value at risk framework in a straightforward way (SVAR), co-integration and so on. 2.4 Empirical evidence in the Chinese context Compare with developed countries, Chinese real estate market started relatively late. But along with Chinas rapid economic development, the real estate industry is also showing a good development trend. As real estate investment occupies a very high proportion of total investment in fixed assets, and the volatility in real estate market is closely related to macroeconomic and national policy, the issue of housing prices is not only related to a citys development, but also related to financial security and the living cost of ordinary people. Thus, Chinese economists have also attached great importance to the development of the real estate market, and conducted extensive research. However, since the late development of Chinas statistical system, the database is not perfect, most of the Chinese scholars just analyzed the relationship between housing market and macroeconomic theoretically, empirical studies are relatively small. 2.4.1 Fundamentals First, because of the importance impact of macro fundamentals on real estate prices, using appropriate data and models to estimate the nexus between them has always been the focus of Chinese economists. Adopting the housing index and macro fundamental data (1995-2002) of 14 cities, Shen and Liu (2004) employed a mixed regression, and empirically examined the relationship between housing prices and economic fundamentals. The results showed the impact of macro fundamentals on housing market is quite different in different cities. The explain model was significant affected by the city characteristics (Shen and Liu, 2004). Song and Wei (2009) using a co-integration and vector error modified model, and considered that, in long run, there is a long-term stability of the dynamic equilibrium between real estate prices and macroeconomic; but when short-term imbalances, it becomes into a negative feedback mechanism. Song and Wei (2009) also found that fluctuation of GDP and inflation is the Granger cause of housing price volatility and the impact of interest rates is not significant. Based on partial least-squares regression (PLS), Wang and Xie (2010) estimate the annual data of China within the period of 1999-2008. They thought land prices, capital size and national wealth are the top three factors that affect Chinas price changes at present; although the influence of long/middle-term loan rate is weak, money supply do play a very prominent role in Chinas housing prices volatility (Wang and Xie, 2010). In addition to the analysis of real estate market and macro fundamentals, Chinese economists also studied the housing market from different economic perspective and tie to their own national circumstances and policies. 2.4.2 Land price As the reforming of Chinese housing system and land system, the housing sales prices were climbing higher and higher until the financial crisis in 2008, but, after a short depression, the price still maintain the rising trend. General view is that, due to the land purchase cost is the main cost which constitute the housing costs, high land prices is the main reason of high housing prices. Especially after the Ministry of Land Resources released two new policy  [1]  of land sale, more people think that the skyrocketed of housing prices is because of the high land prices. The policies require that any commercial, tourist, entertainment, commercial housing and other kinds of business land must be transferred by tender, auction or listing mode. After the new land policies, the land transfer cost rose sharply; and almost in the same period, the housing prices have skyrocketed as well. Thus, from the point of view of China Real Estate Association, Yang (2003), Bao (2004) and Cheng (2004) thought since a large number of land transactions using auctions, land prices increased dramatically. And land purchase costs account for 30% percent of the housing prices, hence construction costs raised, further driving a rapidly rise in housing prices; this Cost-push theory was also supported by a large number of real estate developers (Yang, 2003; Bao, 2004; Cheng, 2004). But, Ministry of Land Resources hold the opposite view. Deputy Minister Fu (2006) considered that even if the tender, auction or listing transaction mode will lead an increase in land prices, it might not raise the housing price, the most important factor affecting housing prices is still supply and demand in the housing market. On the contrary, Fu (2006) thought, land is a production factor of real estate industry; the demand for land is generated by the demand for housing, therefore, huge demand in housing m arket and the rapidly increase in housing prices makes demand for land, and further drive the land prices rise. However, Wang and Wu (2009) did not agree both of them. Employing the panel data from 28 regions, they found, in China, although land prices promoting housing prices in long-run and housing prices driving an increase in land prices in both long-run and short-run, this mechanism depends on the region. Wand and Wu (2009) thought that the interaction between land prices and housing prices is different in different regions, so the relationship between them should be implement regional studies and cannot be generalized. 2.4.3 Bank credit After the 1997 Asian financial crisis, in order to stimulate economic growth, China implemented a proactive fiscal and monetary policy: repeatedly issued bonds, reduced interest rates several times, vigorously infrastructure; real estate industry become a national priority support industry and the financial sector continue to increase the real estate credit. But until now, Chinas banking system is still not perfect; most of the loans are mortgage loans, therefore, value of real estate products in the market will directly determine the size of credit. Typically, the credit will play two roles in the housing market. If the real estate prices cyclical rising, since financial institutions anticipate the housing prices can keep rising in the following, banks will relax lending conditions, thus, the increasing housing prices will directly lead to the upswing in real estate bank credit. Because of land and real estate products supply is very inelastic in the short-term, to some extent, the upswing in real estate bank credit will further push up house prices increase. By the same token, the decline in house prices leads to a decline in the quality of bank assets, reduce the size of bank funds, so banks will abate the amount of credit, which will further decrease the housing prices. Based on the panel data of credit and housing market, Li (2004) considered that among Chinas current macro-economic control policy, credit policy play the most significant role in the real estate market. He also believed the flexibility of supply side and demand side is different, so the impact of monetary policy on the supply is greater than that on demand (Li, 2004). Employing the error correction model and VAR model, Zhong and Yan (2009) thought that there existed a stable equilibrium relationship between the volatility of real estate prices and credit in long-run. After the Granger test, Zhong and Yan (2009) found real estate prices and the amount of real estate credit influence each other and they both are the Granger cause for each other. Studying on the East Asian financial crisis, Xiang and Li (2005) also believed bank credit expansion played a very important role in the formation of the real estate bubble in East Asian countries. Thus, in order to ensure the health of Chinas real estate development, it should strengthen the financial system construction and regulation (Xiang and Li, 2005). 2.4.4 Others In addition, through calculating the Lerner index  [2]  (Lerner, 1934) of the real estate market in China, Li (2005) considered the level of monopoly in Chinas real estate market is very high. Even if as the market economy developing, the competition in the real estate market will gradually get better, but this process will be very slow (Li, 2005). And from another special perspective, Yin (2010) thought the existence of North paradox  [3]  behavior (North, 1981) in the local government is an important cause of housing price fluctuations. Local government is lack of intrinsic motivation to stabilize the real estate market; local governments various rescue policies are also mainly based on the purpose of obtain more land transfer fees; thus just depends on local governments behavior can not maintain healthy and sustainable development of the real estate market, the central government should implement more effective macroeconomic policies (Yin, 2010). Comparing with foreign literatures, Chinas real estate market research also adopting cross-section data, time series data, especially panel data. Relevant econometric methods are: co-integration approach, Granger test, error correction model (ECM), and panel data model; in the meantime, the analysis about the impact of macroeconomic policy is also Chinese economists priority concerns. 2.5 Deficiencies However, for the following aspects, Chinas research is still inadequate: The studies on macroeconomic policy are more focused on the theoretical analysis; they are lack of a comprehensive empirical analysis. Currently, the analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations is mainly under an assumption of closed economy. But, with economic globalization, Chinas real estate market will be more affected by international economic development, so the discussion of the relationship between the real estate prices and macro economic fluctuations that under an open economy is more meaningful. There is no analysis of government expenditure in Chinas real estate literatures. However, according to macroeconomic theory, government investment will promote private investment, thereby affecting the real estate investment and price. So, the empirical quantitative estimation about the real estate prices and government spending will contribute to the in-depth analysis of the relationship between the government and the real estate market.